I’m building a website and I’d like to publish my printed work as is on my website in the form of pdfs. Can I put them up without my editor’s permission?

Short answer: No. You can’t put them up without permission.

Long answer: While you own the copyright to the TEXT on that page, the published article consists of many other elements as well, including photography, design and art work. The magazine owns the copyright to the published piece in that form.

Look at it this way- if the photographer for the piece or the designer were to put it up on his or her website, you’d probably object, right? So would they if you put it up on yours. The best way to go about this is to contact the editor at the publication and ask specifically. I’ve done this a couple of times and they’re usually okay with it. I found it a hassle though, so I’ve just put up the text of my articles on mine without the design or accompanying photography.

This was my first and only assignment with this publication. I never received a copy and the magazine soon went out of business. So if you have a copy lying around from September or October ‘05 or know where I can find back issues, please let me know.

As for the query, some of the things that make it work include:

* The words Harvard study in the title. Look editor, I have proof!
* Thorough research, and new tips.
* A counter-intuitive approach. Instead of how to lose weight, I’m telling you how to not gain weight.

**

Dear [Name of Editor]:

If you’ve been eliminating fats from your diet, it’s likely to result in weight gain! These findings by a 12-week Harvard School of Public Health Study prove that low-fat diets are probably the reason you’re not losing weight, but gaining it. In fact, in order to lose weight, you need to increase your consumption of good fats (monosaturated or polyunsaturated).

The lack of fat in your diet may also be the reason why you’ve been so stressed and frustrated lately. This was proved by an American study at Bowman-Gray University in which scientists separated monkeys into two groups. The first group received a regular-fat monkey diet, while the second group received a no-fat monkey diet. After a period of time, the monkeys eating the normal diet behaved like normal monkeys-playful and active, while the monkeys on the no-fat diet became agitated and violent, with some monkeys nearly killing each other.

However, women frequently make the mistake of eliminating fats from their diet and end up causing more harm than good. And that’s not all they’re doing wrong.

In my article “Diet Not Working? 10 Food Mistakes That Make You Fat” I’ll talk about many such follies that even smart dieters fall prey to. For instance,

* Giving up your favorite foods: “When you’re turned on by food, you turn on metabolism,” says nutritional psychologist Marc David. In fact, research shows that if you eat a chocolate ice-cream cone with complete delight, the hypothalamus sends out signals that stimulate a fuller metabolic breakdown and more efficient calorie burning than if you feel guilty while eating it. So instead of feeling bad every time you touch the cheesecake, enjoy it.

* Skipping meals: Next time you’re tempted to skip a meal, don’t! Your central nervous system interprets such behavior the same as if you were under threat and initiates a fight-or-flight response. It assumes that it needs to start storing fat, hence reducing your metabolism and the ability to burn calories.

* Staying busy to avoid the thought of food: You should be doing the opposite! The best way to jump-start your metabolism each day is to think about and plan for each meal and snack. When it’s time to sit down for a bite, take time out of your busy day. Don’t eat while working or engaging in other activities that occupy your mind. Concentrate fully on enjoying your food and that’ll speed up your digestive efficiency by up to 30%!

Marc David, nutritional psychologist and author of The Slow Down Diet: Eating for Pleasure, Energy & Weight Loss has already agreed to an interview and I will be contacting other nationally-recognized experts and authors as well.

As a full-time freelance writer, I’ve written over 200 articles for over a dozen national publications and several regional magazines in countries such as USA, Australia, England, India and Bahrain. I’ve also contributed articles to several known US-based and online publications including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Writer’s Digest, Wedding Dresses, College Bound and Senior Connection.

May I write “Diet Not Working? 10 Food Mistakes That Make You Fat” for you?

Very truly yours,
Mridu Khullar

That dream market? You know the one that arrives every month in your mail? The one whose pages you touch lightly, turning them carefully as you read every line, every paragraph, every advertisement? You know that magazine that makes your knees go weak every time you think of having your name in it? You know that magazine you want to write for not because it’s a big name or because it’s tough to break into, but because being in it would mean that you achieved that level of writing ability that you could be proud of? You know that dream magazine of yours?

Pitch it.

It’s likely you haven’t already. Or maybe you have and received no response. Doesn’t matter. Pick that one dream market, and take that first small step. Send an idea, call their office, or send a Letter of Introduction. Doesn’t matter what you do. Just take that one small step today.