6 Steps for Getting Your Jewelry Creations Published

Credit: Heather Thompson, Operations Manager Nunn Design

Over the past 5 years, the team at Nunn Design and the Nunn Design Innovation Team have published over a 100 pieces of jewelry and tutorials in various trade magazines and online sites.

Publications are constantly looking for content to fill their magazines. If you have a goal of being published in 2017, here are some tips for submitting your creations to various magazines.

Credit: Stephanie Gard Buss, Nunn Design Innovation Team

1. Be Clear on Why You Are Wanting to Be Published

There are many reasons why it is a good idea to get your name and your brand out there. If you aren’t clear of what those reasons are, chances are you will get yourself involved in something that you aren’t ready to REALLY commit to. And gosh darn it! That is no fun for anyone involved. Here are some of the reasons you may want to be published:

• If you are a teacher and offering classes at events and art retreats, having your projects in magazines is free advertising for you.
• Use your jewelry submission to promote your website. Maybe you sell the parts and pieces or the products that you used in your jewelry. Having a jewelry tutorial published in a major magazine will show people how to use the products you offer. In the bio you can list your website and encourage people to come purchase from you.
• Other editors, online sites, manufacturers and retail brick and mortar stores look at all of these publications to be in the know about current trends. Who is doing what, and what products their customers are going to want to purchase. If you build a loyal following, you could be approached to write other articles, write a book, be a guest blogger, be a guest designer and so on. It just is good marketing.
• Some jewelry supply brick and mortar retail stores also offer finished jewelry. If the owner of the store likes your style, you could be approached to sell your finished jewelry pieces.

Credit: Karen McGovern, Nunn Design Innovation Team

2. Study the Publication.

If you don’t already have a subscription to the magazine that you are interested in having your work published in, you can go to your local library and see if they offer that publication. You can also request back issues from the publication. I have spent a lot of time studying a year’s worth of the publication back issues. This helps me get to know the feel of the magazine and what the editors will be looking for.

3. Research the Publications Editorial Calendar

Each publication puts out an editorial calendar letting their advertisers and designers know the themes that they will be covering with each issue. There are typically color themes and content themes. Editors are busy and like to work with people who make their jobs easier. If you submit a piece that is well done, interesting, on theme and you indicate in which section your piece would fit into and in which issue, chances are you will have a better shot at being seen.

Credit: Sharon Borsavage

4. Jewelry Magazines and Online Sites to Submit To

This information is continually in flux, as the magazine industry is continually changing. Here is the most updated information I have.

• Nunn Design: Nunn Design Brags on You! Blog. (online)

Okay – we’re not a major jewelry online magazine; however since this is my article, I am including us. Every couple of weeks, depending on the amount of submissions that I receive, I create a blog post titled Brags on You! It is a place for the Team at Nunn Design to celebrate all of the artists who are using our products. It is important and affirming to artists to be recognized.
Submission Guidelines: If you are using Nunn Design Findings, email me your creations at becky@nunndesign.com

See all of the back issues of Brags on You!

• Kalmbach Publishing Co: Bead & Button Magazine

Learn About the Magazine
Submission Guidelines

• Facet (online)

Learn About the Online Publication
Submission Guidelines

• Interweave Publishing Co: Beadwork Magazine

Learn About the Magazine
Submission Guidelines

• Jewelry Artist Lapidary Journal Magazine

Learn About the Magazine

• Stampington & Company: Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine

Learn About The Magazine
Calls for Work

• Jewelry Affaire Magazine


Learn About the Magazine
Calls for Work
Submit your ideas to: jewelryaffaire@stampington.com

5. Be Prepared to Wait!

Magazines work really far in advance. They also request that you don’t publish like kind work and teach the exact project until after the article has been published, so you have to be prepared to wait. I have had some jewelry articles sit for over a year, only to find out that they decided not to use the jewelry piece.

More Information

There is a lot of information out there for you to review. Here are some that I came across that I think could be helpful.

• An Editor’s Guide to Getting Published: Best Practices for Submitting Your Jewelry Designs $19.99
• 4 Steps For Getting Your Products Featured In Magazines
• Tips for Getting Published Straight from the Editor’s Mouth

Good luck to all of you! Let me know if you have any further questions or comments!

All images are from Jewelry Affaire’s 2013 Spring Issue.

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