This week’s edition of Monday Markets features three sports magazines. One is a mag for diving enthusiasts, and the second one is a martial arts magazine. The third one on today’s list is for people who enjoy off-road biking.
From the Web Site:
What Types Of Stories Does Scuba Diver Publish?
Each issue of the magazine contains five or more features, roughly balanced between Asia, Australia and foreign subjects. Generally, we are interested in places accessible to most divers, not just the intrepid or wealthy. The types of topics we cover vary widely, from mainstream to specialty diving.
Scuba Diver features are usually narrow in scope; we do not cover whole states or countries. Subjects of particular interest to us, apart from general dive sites, are national and state marine parks, marine animals, and research and exploration projects. Where a destination is concerned, service information is generally given separately at the end of each feature in a section that includes how to get to the destination, things to see and do there, and where to obtain more information. The writer is expected to send along as much service information as possible with the manuscript to help us prepare this section.
We also publish several regular service-oriented departments, with the emphasis on meaty, practical information. Subjects include photography, dive medicine, technical diving, terrestrial destinations, dive equipment, and environmental perspectives. Essays offering reflections on the personal experience round out the department mix.
What Kinds Of Proposals Is Scuba Diver Looking For?
We accept freelance queries for most of our departments. Ideas for features are generated both by Scuba Diver staff and by freelance contributors. We do assign features to writers we have not used but only to those whose published clips demonstrate the highest level of writing skill. We do not accept phone queries from writers, and we discourage the submission of unsolicited manuscripts for feature articles.
How Should An Idea Be Proposed?
If we have to sell readers to consume our magazine, then writers must sell us with more than just notions and place-names, so please do not send us any unfocused wish lists of multiple queries. Restrict each submission to one or two well-developed proposals that have been crafted especially for us. A carefully considered proposal combines support for doing a particular destination with some premise or hook. A good query has a headline that suggests what the story is, a deck that amplifies on that, a strong lead, and not much more than a page that clearly sets out the premise and approach of the piece. The query should represent the writer’s style and should answer these questions about the story: Why now, and why in Scuba Diver?
Pay varies, depending on the type of feature/department. Australasian Scuba Diver pays within 60 days of publication.
From the Web Site:
Before mailing a completed manuscript to Black Belt, we advise you to send a query letter. It will save your time and ours. Describe your proposed article, including a sample lead or story outline. If the subject attracts our interest and has not been covered too recently, we may request to see the article on a speculation basis. Please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your materials returned. You can also e-mail query letters and submissions to byoung@aimmedia.com. E-mail digital photos only if your article is approved.
Articles must address an area of specific interest or concern for the serious martial artist. The vast majority of our stories are educational; they either teach technical and strategic skills, or enlighten the reader about historical and philosophical matters. The writing should capture the reader’s interest with a strong lead, then hold it with information that is exact, concrete and focused around a strong central theme. All quotes and anecdotes should pertain to that theme.
Black Belt seldom uses first-person accounts because most are of interest only to the author and his or her friends. In addition, while many instructors are dedicated and high-ranked, we rarely request personality profiles. (If you do choose to write about an individual, your article should prove that your subject is unique or particularly significant in the martial arts community.) Remember: If you have a chance to meet or train with a great martial artist and want to write an article afterward, discuss what that person knows rather than how his or her life has unfolded.
All statements and quotes must be accurate and verifiable. Use authoritative sources and cross-check your information. Be certain of all spellings—especially names and foreign words—and define foreign terms in parentheses after first usage only.
Manuscripts should be 1,000 to 3,000 words long, typed and double-spaced. If you use a computer, feel free to send a CD or floppy disk with a Microsoft Word or plain text (ASCII) file. Please include a full-color lead and step-by-step photos. Digital photos taken at the highest resolution your camera allows are preferred, but prints and slides are acceptable. Be careful to pose the subjects in front of a contrasting background, and don’t chop off the subjects’ feet or hands when you frame the image. Verify that your camera is focused on the subjects and not on the background.
Pays $150-$300 for feature articles, on publication.
From the Web Site:
How do I submit editorial material?
A lot of Dirt Rag’s content isn’t written by staff members—it’s written by either professional freelancers or readers who get inspired to write something down. We accept and encourage submissions of all kinds. Choose to either submit a brief query or a finished article. Emails (keep them short!) to mailto:editor@dirtragmag.com are the preferred method of communication. We get lots of queries, so don’t expect a quick response time. Be sure to put your contact information on all aspects of your communication. Specify if your work has been published or solicited elsewhere.Do you pay for Articles?
Yes. Not much, but we do what we can. Standard pay is ten cents per word.What about online?
We do not pay for online articles.Emails and Attachments
As emails to mailto:editor@dirtragmag.com are the preferred method for submitting material, please include an attachment friendly to Microsoft Word, with the copy also pasted in the email. No huge documents, no special characters, no special formatting. Keep it simple.Ideas for Submissions
We have 2 types of articles—Features and Departments.
- Features are more in-depth articles, usually running 1,000?3,500 words. An example of a Feature is a “Places to Ride” with maps and a 411 sidebar, or an interview with someone really unique. Features often involve art, and will therefore require collaboration with the art department. See the Art Guidelines for more.
- Departments are the backbone of the magazine. However, not every department appears every issue. Consult a few issues of the Dirt Rag and look at the Table of Contents “Departments” to get a feel for what we do. For example, issue #109 includes Readings, Letters, Access, the Old Coot, Stuff, Recommendo and Last Chance for Gas. It’s most common that we need material for Readings—short, 100-500 word, timely newsbriefs. Consult the deadlines chapter below for material deadline dates.
- Also… Occasionally, we post web exclusive articles on our site. However, we don’t pay for them. If you don’t mind letting us use your work, please say so, and it will be more likely to appear online.
Deadlines
Materials deadlines fall approximately six weeks prior to the issue date. For example, if issue #110 is dated 10.01.04, your materials should be at Dirt Rag no later than August 12th.
