If you have some nostalgic memories you would like to share, then read on to find what opportunities there are in writing for the nostalgia market.
Nostalgia isn’t just about war-time experiences
You can be nostalgic about any period – you don’t have to have lived through a war or remember a time when you could buy a pint of beer for 6d. Nostalgic memories are the experiences you recall which ever decade or century.
Reach a wider audience by writing for the nostalgia market
If you want to extend your readership beyond family and friends there are a number of publications which specialise in the nostalgia market. Below is a selection of nostalgia magazines which are currently available in news agents or online and which may consider ideas for articles. It is always advisable to read a few copies of a magazine before you approach an editor so as you are completely familiar with the magazine’s style and content.
If you take a quick look along the shelves in a news agent you will find many more nostalgia magazines specialising in a wide range of subjects. If you buy or subscribe to a magazine which is not listed below and you would like to contribute to it, it is always worth approaching the editor to see if they will consider/accept readers’ ideas or submissions.
Nostalgia magazines
Her Vintage Life magazine concentrates on life and style from the 1920s through to the late 1970s. From style and fashion, hair and beauty, house and home, to music and film – in fact everything great about the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s through to the 70s. The website includes some article and image submission guidelines or you can go straight to the Submissions Form page where you will find full details about submissions and publishing timescales.
Best of British magazine covers every aspect of life from the 1930s all the way through to today. The Yesterday Remembered section includes six pages of readers’ memories – it is one of their most popular and longest running features. The Best of British Postbag invites readers to send letters and pictures which tell their stories, experiences, anecdotes and memories of times past. To contribute to either of these contact the editor.
Vintage Spirit magazine is for steam and industrial heritage enthusiasts. Each month the magazine covers the ‘latest event reports and news from the preservation world, as well as fascinating features on restoration projects, manufacturers, museums and well-known faces’. There is nothing on the Vintage Spirit website about accepting submissions so if you have an idea for an article it is probably advisable to approach the editorial team directly.
Although The People’s Friend magazine is mainly devoted to fiction it does also include a variety of non-fiction features articles. They are always happy to consider contributions from new authors but If you’re thinking about writing for The People’s Friend, their most important piece of advice is to STUDY THE MARKET first. And, before submitting any ideas or proposals, you should have a good look at their writers’ guidelines. These include a range of tip sheets which you can download. Their guidelines are very specific about their requirements because they know exactly what their readers do (and don’t) like and so ‘don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your piece of work is so good it will break the mould – it won’t’!
History Scotland is a guide to Scotland’s history, heritage and archeology and provides both an online resource and a magazine which explores centuries of Scotland’s history – from prehistoric times to the 20th century. ‘From the dramatic lives of famous figures such as William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots and Robert Burns, through to the latest thinking on subjects such as DNA research, World War I archaeology and Viking Age Scotland, each issue of History Scotland is packed full of great reading and beautiful historic images.’ Contact the editor with your ideas for news items, short features and online editorial.
Down Your Way is Yorkshire’s very own nostalgia magazine which ‘rekindles memories of childhood, youth and adulthood. It provides a welcoming blast from the past each month, sharing real stories from the 1930s, through the Second World War where spirit and fortitude forged a unique generation, to the 1950s and ’60s when austerity was cast aside and into the consumerist world of the ’70s and ’80s’. The magazine is always pleased to hear from their readers, so if you’d like to comment about the magazine, suggest or submit a feature go to their Contact page for details about the best way to get in touch.
The Oldie is a monthly magazine which was set up to provide ‘a free-thinking, funny magazine and a light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity’. ‘The Oldie is ageless and timeless, free of retirement advice, crammed with rejuvenating wit, intelligence and delight.’ If you have an idea for an article check out their submission guidelines first. The editors ask that you don’t submit anything unless you have read at least two or three copies of The Oldie and that you have a good feel for the magazine. The Oldie believes in dedicating time and effort to reading all unsolicited pieces, so it is very important that you read their guidelines carefully and make sure that you’re familiar with the magazine before you submit anything.
Reminisce This is a website devoted to memories and images of a period in Britain from 1940 to 1999. The idea behind the website is to get you reminiscing and chatting about all things nostalgic. From the website’s Forum Link buttons (which appear on each page) you can share your memories or just generally chat about things. Reminisce This is also happy to consider well-written articles based on a British nostalgic theme, such as a top ten list, or a piece of family history that others may be interested in.
Yours magazine is aimed at the over 50s and in addition to tips and advice on a wide range of topics they also include articles about the way we used to live. Yours Retro magazine is ‘packed with rare photographs and stories of the favourite stars from cinema, TV and music’. Yours Retro celebrates the golden age of Hollywood and British cinema and reveals the secrets and triumphs and tragedies of yesteryear’s legends. They also reminisce about the way we lived in post-war Britain – the fashion, favourite TV and radio shows, days out and shopping. Yours magazine loves to hear from their readers – you can contact them at yours@bauermedia.co.uk if you have any comments or ideas.
