Simply put, a platform is a writer’s capacity to help promote and market his/her own work to potential readers. It’s a writer’s ability to attract a fan base of their own. It’s the writer’s ability to get the book’s message out to the world.

Ideally a platform has more than one plank. It’s a combination of assets, skills, expertise, activities, and professional connections that both strengthen each other and enhance the writer’s chances for commercial resources.

One of the most effective ways to build one plank of the LGBTQ genre platform is to write articles, stories, op-eds, and even letters to the editor for magazines, newsletters, and other print publications read by your target audience. There are many out there; some even pay for submissions.

Echo Magazine by ACE Publishing, Inc. is 40% freelance written. It is published biweekly covering gay and lesbian issues. Its marked is focused on Phoenix and the state of Arizona. They are always seeking book excerpts, essays, historical, humor, interview, and opinion pieces. Echo Magazine publishes three special issues per year: Pride (April), Arts (August), and Holiday (December).  

Bent Magazine published by Top Down Production, LLC, focuses on romantic literature. Bent is 100% freelance written and published quarterly. They desire book excerpts, essays, general interest, historical, new product, opinion and book/movie/anime reviews.

Clout Magazine is the standard for gays and lesbians in Southern California. This bimonthly publication is 99% freelance written and focuses on home, travel and entertainment. Their content is geared more toward the affluent gays and lesbians in their community. Clout really goes for how-to articles surrounding their main interest topics.

The Gay and Lesbian Review out of Boston is also 100% freelance written and published bimonthly. Their main topics of interest are LGBTQ history, culture, and politics. They prefer submissions written as essays.

Genre published in New York is America’s best-selling gay men’s lifestyle magazine. Genre is 60% freelance written covering entertainment, fashion, travel and relationships. Although interested in relationship stories, they will not accept coming out stories.

Instinct Magazine published in Burbank is edgy. While they would most likely reject an article with the title “Tips on Dating” they most definitely would accept an article titled “Tips on Dating Two Guys at Once.” Instinct has been billed as a blend of Cosmo and Maxim for gay men. They want sexy, irreverent and humorous.

Mensbook Journal published quarterly from Sturbridge, MA is 75% freelance written. Their content focus is on the gay culture of pride. They seek first-person autobiographical pieces, political and social analysis, cartoons, inspirational profiles of courage and triumph over adversity, and interview/profile.

Last, the premiere national magazine covering gay and lesbian topics, is OUT. Published monthly from New York and 70% freelance written, subjects range from current affairs to culture, from fitness to finance. OUT seeks book excerpts, essays, expose, historical, humor, interview, new product, opinion, personal experience and photo features.

Other publications to check out are The Washington Blade, Xtra, Outsmart, Outlooks, and Mandate.