I agree with what John and Brendan have written.
Many underwater photographers look at diving magazines and say "My shots are as good as those", but this is NOT enough to get them published. Your best chance of getting them published is to have the editors asking you to submit, rather than sending them in on spec.
Each month the Editor has to fill the pages of his magazine - so they are on the lookout for new contributors to do this. But new contributors mean risk. The regular guys and gals you see each month are the contributors that the magazine trusts to produce quality material, ON TIME and to the correct length.
A new contributor is a new risk for the editor. Remember they HAVE to fill those pages each month. Maybe their material will be below par, maybe the images won't relate to the story, maybe they will write too many words, maybe they won't deliver at all. This is why magazines tend to stick to the same few reliable names. Those people have a track record of trust.
So to break in to this circle you need to offer something that is better than the existing contributors or at least different. And prove you are reliable.
One of the best ways to get noticed as a photographer is to enter the big competitions that the editors see. This usually means the ones that are open to pros as well as amateurs. If you are targeting a particular magazine then you can enter their in-house competition too. Of course, this does not prove you can write, but it is an important step to getting noticed. All editors are interested in identifying the up-and-coming talent.
It is also well worth going to shows and actually meeting editors face to face. The best one for this is the Antibes festival - because there are usually so many editors there and it is a relaxed and social occasion. The diving media world is very small and it does not take long to get to know everyone. You don't necessarily need to bombard an editor with material at an event - but you can promise a follow up email a few days later.
Each magazine is different. Each has a very different take on diving and all think that their way is the only correct way to write about diving. So before submitting study the "house style" and make sure you article fits.
The final point I would make is practice. The more you write the easier it gets. So volunteer to write articles for your dive club etc - learning the ropes so that you know what you are doing when you get your chance to impress.
Alex
