From the Web Site:

How to Send Us Your Work: We accept submissions only through our electronic submission system. We do not accept submissions through postal services or email. You may send us manuscripts for the following submission categories: General Submissions, Narrative Prize, Story of the Week, Readers’ Narrative, or a specific Contest. Your manuscript must be in one of the following file forms: .doc, .rtf, .pdf, .docx, .txt, .wpd, .odf, .mp3, .mp4, .mov, and .flv.

Technical Difficulties: If you have any questions or encounter technical difficulties, please Contact Us.

Formatting Your Manuscript: All manuscripts should be in 12-point type, with at least one-inch margins, and sequentially numbered pages. Fiction and nonfiction should be double-spaced. Poetry should be single-spaced. The author’s name, address, telephone number, and email address should be typed at the top of the first page. Contributors are asked to include a brief biographical note with their submissions.

Timing: Submissions may be sent to us at any time, year-round.

Response Time: Our response time varies from four to twelve weeks, with the slowest times usually being August/September and December/January.

Submission Fees: Narrative is a nonprofit organization with the ambition of encouraging good literary work. We do not charge readers for the magazine. However, for unsolicited submissions, we do charge a nominal fee, which helps cover the basic administrative costs related to receiving, reading, and responding to submissions. Also, a portion of the reading fee helps fund our annual Narrative Prize. Our desire is to connect readers and writers, and we strongly encourage anyone interested in submitting work to read the magazine before submitting. You may read the magazine for free. If you enjoy reading it and wish to submit, we hope you will feel that the reading fee, which is lower than most literary magazine subscription fees, is more than justified by the quality of the work the magazine offers. We are strongly committed to publishing debut and emerging writers. The reading fee is $20 for prose manuscripts, $15 for up to five poems, and $20 for audio or video submissions.

Payment to Authors: Narrative is strongly committed to supporting our authors’ work. Our current rates for work are as follows:

—$150 for a Story of the Week, with $500 each for the annual Top Five Stories of the Week.
—$150-350 for 500-2,000 word manuscripts.
—$350-$1,000 for 2,000-10,000 word manuscripts.
—$1,000-$5,000 minimum for book-length works, and we may offer more, depending on the length and nature of the work.
—$50 minimum for each accepted poem and audio piece
—We do not pay for Readers’ Narratives.

All submissions with a reading fee, from new or emerging writers, are eligible for the $5,000 Narrative Prize, awarded annually.

Clarkesworld Magazine

From the Web Site (Fiction Guidelines):

Word Limit: 1000-8000 words (preferred length is 4000)
Pay Rate: 10¢ per word up to 4000 words, 5¢ per word after
Genres: Science fiction and fantasy
Rights: We claim first world electronic rights (text and audio), first print rights (author must be willing to sign 100+ chapbooks), and non-exclusive anthology rights for Realms, the yearly Clarkesworld anthology.

Stories must be:

1. Well-written. Language is important. There is no distinction between “style” and “substance” or “story” and “writing.”
2. Convenient for on-screen reading. Very long paragraphs or typographical trickery may work against you.

Science fiction need not be “hard” SF, but rigor is appreciated. Fantasy can be folkloric, medieval, contemporary, surreal, etc. Horror can be supernatural or psychological, so long as it is frightening. There are no barriers as to levels of profanity, gore, or sexuality allowed, but high amounts of profanity, gore, and sexuality are generally used poorly. Be sure to use them well if you do use them.

Though no particular setting, theme, or plot is anathema to us, the following are likely hard sells:

* stories in which a milquetoast civilian government is depicted as the sole obstacle to either catching some depraved criminal or to an uncomplicated military victory
* stories in which the words “thou” or “thine” appear
* talking cats
* talking swords
* stories where the climax is dependent on the spilling of intestines
* stories where FTL travel is as easy as is it on television shows or movies
* time travel too
* stories that depend on some vestigial belief in Judeo-Christian mythology in order to be frightening (i.e., Cain and Abel are vampires, the End Times are a’ comin’, Communion wine turns to Christ’s literal blood and it’s HIV positive, Satan’s gonna getcha, etc.)

Fiction Submissions Process Guidelines

Clarkesworld uses an online submissions system that has been designed to streamline our process and improve communication with authors. We do not accept email or paper submissions. Go here to submit your stories.

Our average response time is under two days, but we have occasionally held a submission for as long as a week. We ask that you:

* Please do not send queries until after a two-week period has passed. Please check our Neil’s blog or our forum for any important announcements first. Use your tracking number to check on the status prior to that.
* Do not send revisions to a submission unless specifically requested.
* Do not submit another story for a period of seven days after receiving a rejection.
* Please do not re-submit stories that have been rejected. Do not query for permission.
* Writers whose work is accepted may not submit again until six months after their story is published.
* Please do not argue with rejection slips.

Orange Coast Magazine

From the Web Site:

Orange Coast publishes all kinds of non-fiction stories: narratives, profiles, investigative pieces, memoir, essays, and more. But before you submit, please make sure you’re familiar with the magazine’s format. If you can pitch an idea into one of Orange Coast’s existing front-of-the-book departments or formatted slots, your odds of success go up dramatically.

Generally, the best approach for having a feature story accepted is to write a short query letter outlining the proposed piece, or a series of thumbnail ideas for stories you think might work in the magazine. Use those queries to sketch out your ideas in broad strokes, from which we can tell if you’re proposing the type of story that might be appropriate for Orange Coast’s audience. When we find an idea that might work, we may ask for a fuller and more deeply researched pitch on that particular topic.

The quality of pitched ideas is paramount, but we also consider other factors, including the writer’s point of view on the topic, the writer’s ability to tell the story with a strong, authoritative voice, and the writer’s demonstrated success at writing similar stories in the past.

Just e-mail pitches to Orange Coast
Editor-in-Chief Martin J. Smith (msmith@orangecoastmagazine.com),
Senior Editor Anne Valdespino (avaldespino@orangecoastmagazine.com), or Managing Editor Jim Walters (JWalters@OrangeCoastMagazine.com)
If your idea involves food, fashion, or home design, e-mail it to
Senior Editor Chris Christensen (cchristensen@orangecoastmagazine.com).

You also may send query letters to us at 3701 Birch Street, Suite 100, Newport Beach, 92660, though response time for mailed submissions can be slower. In all cases, we will try to get back to you as promptly as possible. Manuscripts and photographs will be handled with care, but the magazine assumes no responsibility. Unsolicited material will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage and envelope.

Skywritings Magazine

From the Web Site:

We publish a mix of articles and each issue will generally have three or four feature stories, plus several departments. Our feature articles are about 1200 to 2000 words. Departments are about 500-1500 words. Each issue has a theme and this influences the choice of feature articles. These themes and the corresponding issues are:

Jan/Feb: Our Wellness Issue
Mar/April: Our Green Issue
May/June: Our Style Issue
July/August: Our Music Issue
Sept/Oct: Our Food Issue
Nov/Dec: Our Celebration Issue—how we celebrate our history and culture.

SkyWritings’ hallmark is upbeat editorial. We never preach, editorialize or dwell on the negative. Copy must be lively, entertaining, and stylishly written, as well as informative. We also appreciate ideas for visual material and suggestions as to where suitable photographs and illustrations may be available. Articles should be accompanied by service information to include contact numbers, internet addresses and rates.

New writers are always welcome. We recommend that you send a pitch by email to lchenyoung@ccijamaica.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . The pitch should give some detail of the approach and sources for your story ideas. You should also send examples of items you have already produced and/or had published. It would be a good idea to get hold of past issues of the magazine in order to get a feel of our style of writing. We work on a minimum of a 90-day commission cycle (i.e. October 1 commissions for Jan/Feb issue).

We pay on publication and our rates vary according to the article and the skill and experience of the writer. We pay a rejection fee for work commissioned but considered unsuitable in the final analysis. Unsolicited manuscripts without stamped, self-addressed envelopes are not returned.

Leisha Chen-Young
Editor
Creative Communications Inc.
29 Munroe Road, Kingston 6
Jamaica
lchenyoung@ccijamaica.com
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it.
876-977-5020-4

From the Web Site:

ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine is an online, in-market, consumer magazine and resource specializing in automotive, travel, and personal safety topics aimed at upscale consumers, with a slant towards women, 29-59.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES & REQUIREMENTS

Feature articles should be approximately 1000-1200 words. Columns approximately 500 words. Writers are contacted upon acceptance only which could take up to 3 months. RTM works on a 3-month lead time.

Blog articles must be 200-300 words only and include one clear web quality jpeg to accompany the article.

SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL ONLY: Once we have received your acceptance of RTM Writer Guidelines, your query and/or manuscript should be saved as an attachment in a word document and be sent to the email provided. Please do not include articles in the body of your email. RTM editors no longer type in author articles however we reserve the right to edit writer content for spelling, grammar, style and format.

ORIGINAL WORK: All articles submitted to RTM must be the original work of the submitting author. Permission to run your article on RTM and in its content partner publications must include your guarantee that the article you are submitting is your original work and images. If writer submits articles for use in RTM with written permission and said article(s) are not original work, writer is subject to legal consequences and damages.

PHOTO REQUIREMENTS

Website photos: Good clear web quality photos must accompany your article. RTM accepts photos via email saved in gif or jpeg formats. They must be attached with your article. Please submit jpegs no larger than 2X3 inches. Large photo files that require long download times will not be accepted. Only web quality photos are accepted. As an online magazine RTM no longer accepts photos by mail.

Photos that accompany articles must be owned by and authorized for use by author. Authors must provide written guarantee that the art they provide belongs to them or that they have full authority to use art in association with their articles. If art is from a third party photographer or website, writer must provide permission in writing from the source that authorizes the writer and RTM to use said art. Writer’s who submit art for use in RTM that do not have proper authority to use said art will be subject to legal damages.

PAYMENT & BYLINE POLICY
Assigned articles range from byline only up to $100 for automotive reviews only, an amount to be negotiated and agreed upon in writing by author and publisher before publication of article. Acceptance and payment of article depends on quality and content.

Unsolicited articles that are professionally written and submitted as full manuscripts receive priority consideration, but only when accompanied by acceptance of RTM’s Writer Guideline policy.

Story ideas are not considered at this time.

Syndicated Writers: RTM will consider automotive and travel syndicated writer’s work for monthly placement for $25.00 per article. Syndicated writers must agree to and accept the $25 fee when submitting their work to RTM. Accepted writers will be notified by email from editor within 3 months of submission.

Cat Fancy

From the Web Site:

Thank you for your interest in CAT FANCY, a consumer magazine dedicated to cat care for the responsible owner. Before submitting any materials, read several issues to acquaint yourself with the type of material we use. Our magazine is available at many pet stores, bookstores and other places magazines are sold. Do not send unsolicited manuscripts. We will return them (if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope) or discard them unread. If you have an idea for an article, please send a written query with a SASE.

Feature Articles
We assign most feature articles to regular contributors, but we occasionally accept a feature from a new contributor.

Each month, we try to provide our readers a mix of informative articles dealing with feline health, nutrition, grooming, behavior and training, as well as special interest articles on cat-related events, hobbies, entertainment or crafts. Breeders, cat-show judges and other experts write our monthly breed profiles, which we assign well in advance. We assign medical features to veterinarians or other health experts. Length: 1,200-1,500 words. Payment: $200-$400.

Departments and Columns
Regular contributors write most of our monthly departments and columns. Exceptions include:
· Kids for Cats. Puzzles, games and how-to pieces for our younger readers. Payment: $20-$75
· Flights of Fancy. Short fiction, poetry or other creative expressions of feeling for cats. Length: 650-800 words. Payment: 2 complimentary copies of the issue in which your story appears.

Queries
Your typewritten, single-page query should include the following:
· The topic of your proposed article, expressed in one or two sentences.
· Why this topic will interest our readers.
· Key points you will cover in your article
· Sources you will interview.
· How you will present this topic in a fresh, appealing way.

If possible, include one or two previously published samples of your best writing. Mail your query to the Features Editor, or e-mail it to query@catfancy.com. Include your telephone number and e-mail address. We do not accept phone or fax queries. We may take six weeks to respond.

Terms
CAT FANCY pays following publication and buys first North American Serial Rights on an exclusive basis; the nonexclusive right to use the article and/or artwork in electronic media; and the nonexclusive right to use the article and/or artwork as well as your name, image and biographical data in advertising and promotion. We cannot assume responsibility for materials you submit, but we assure you that we will take all reasonable care in handling your work.

Family Business

From the Web Site:

Your audience consists primarily of owners and managers of family-owned businesses. Their various needs are covered by many publications; only Family Business focuses on the family aspect of businesses, and the business aspect of families. For example: Succession, estate planning, sibling rivalries, cousin jealousies, attracting and holding non-family talent, compensating family members vs. non-family employees, raising capital without giving up control. Make these “family business” concerns paramount.

In a family business, many problems that appear to be financial or technical actually stem from emotional roots. Try to delve beneath the surface and get your subjects to talk candidly and introspectively about the human side of the business.

Your readers are busy people. You must entice them to read your story with a compelling lead. Thereafter, you must hold their attention. Any one of the following devices will probably suffice:

Dramatize your subject. Ask yourself: What’s the problem here? How was it solved—or, conversely, how was it fumbled?
Humanize. Wherever possible, illustrate your general points with specific examples, either from your own research or from business news or history. Pseudonymous examples are better than none, but real people are preferable. That’s what readers can relate to.
Paint word pictures. Visual words and images stick to people’s minds. Ask yourself: Would you rather attend a lecture or a movie?
Your article must have a compelling point. Before you plunge too far into the details of your story, ask yourself, “So what?”—and answer that question in your text.

E-mail is the preferred method for submitting queries. Freelance writers are encouraged to propose article ideas. Identify the family business owners you plan to interview.

Have a question? Contact:

Barbara Spector, Editor-in-Chief, Family Business
1845 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 405-6084. Fax: (215) 405-6078
e-mail: bspector@familybusinessmagazine.com

From the Web Site:

The Washington Monthly is a publication covering politics, government, culture and the media. Before you pitch a story to us, we recommend you read through a few of our back issues online or in print to get a feel for the type of investigative, system-analysis journalism we value and promote.

The magazine is published Bimonthly and includes investigative and opinion-based feature articles (2,000 to 5,000 words), occasional short news items and humorous sidebars (500 to 1,000 words), and book reviews of recent political and cultural titles (usually about 800 words). We occasionally print excerpts from forthcoming political books. We never publish fiction, poetry, or celebrity profiles.

Our editors welcome story pitches that suit our editorial mix. We ask freelancers to submit query letters in writing by either emailing us at editors@washingtonmonthly.com or mailing submissions to our mailing address (below).

Due to the volume of mail we receive, we regret that we cannot respond to every story pitch.

All freelance pieces are submitted “on spec”; we don’t pay kill fees. The pay rate for published articles is 10 cents per word.

Complimentary copies of the magazine in which their articles appears are mailed to freelancers. Published articles are also available online.

Thank you for your interest in The Washington Monthly.

Herizons

From the Web Site:

Herizons aims to reflect a feminist philosophy that is diverse and relevant to women’s daily lives. The purpose of Herizons is to empower women; to inspire hope and foster a state of wellness that enriches women’s lives; to build awareness of issues as they affect women; to foster a spirit of co operation; to promote the strength, wisdom and creativity of women; to broaden the boundaries of feminism to include building coalitions and support among other marginalized peoples; to foster peace and ecological awareness and to expand the influence of feminist principles in the world. Herizons is a non-profit organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada.

What Herizons Publishes
Herizons’ audience is a feminist readership. Articles about applying feminist principles in work, in relationships and organizations, and in social justice are welcome. Our readers are interested in health issues, social and political issues, environmental issues, equality issues, justice issues, spiritual issues; parenting issues and all issues informed by diverse racial and cultural experiences. Articles in which the writer is engaged with the material work best; personal experiences, journalism style articles, interviews, articles which bring in current research and a clear feminist perspective are all things we look for.

NEWS
500 – 700 words. News items of interest to feminist readers taking place in communities across Canada.

FEATURES
1,000 – 3,000 In depth articles on feminist debates, current social/ political/legal/environmental/culture emerging issues or personal stories with a broader social relevance. Can be interview style, essay style or journalism style. Non academic writing is preferred.

REVIEWS
350-words Book, music and film reviews; preference is given to Canadian authors, filmmakers, musicians. $55

Payment License Use:
Payment is made in Canadian funds upon publication. Articles in Herizons are licensed for first time North American rights @ .25 cents per word with an additional .5 cents per word for non-exclusive subsidiary rights, including the right to transfer articles to CD rom for educational/academic libraries and/or secure on-line database services. (Total .30 per word) Herizons reserves the right to post select articles on Herizons’ web site in order to promote the magazine.

Hyphen

From the Web Site:

Hyphen has limited resources, but we pay $500 for in-depth, feature stories that carry the theme for each issue. We’re looking for writers who can depart from the predictable daily-news structure and tell a story well, with keen observations and strict accuracy. We welcome investigative reporting as well as literary journalism, thoughtful pieces as well as tongue-in-cheek ones.

We’ve got a bit of a split personality, so we want both fun and serious writing. As long as it’s well written and solidly reported, we’re very open. Bonus points if the story takes place in the South or Midwest. Asian America doesn’t exist only on the coasts, you know.

We are interested in issues that affect Asian Americans, but, please, no Asian American Studies 101. We are also interested in tangentially Asian American stories, in quirky stories, and in stories about emerging artists rather than established ones. We don’t have many rules, but here are a few. If you break these, your submission will be rejected:

1) Do not send ideas about people and events in Asia. We cover Asian America, not Asia.

2) Absolutely no reprints, though substantially revised or expanded stories will be considered. This means don’t send us something that has already been published elsewhere.

3) Do not pitch us a story about a conference. There is nothing more boring than a story about a conference.

4) Don’t send us anything that uses the phrase “East meets West.” Just don’t.

WRITERS

Make proposals for articles that would interest our readers, provoke dialogue and enrich our readers’ learning experiences. Articles must be jargon-free and attributable to unassailable sources. We frown upon clichés and embrace original thinking. We prefer articles rich in color and driven by narrative scenes.

Keep in mind that Hyphen readers range in age from early 20s to mid-30s, but they share an intellectual curiosity that was fused and fueled by their experiences as Asian Americans. This restless curiosity fundamentally shapes our consideration of articles for Hyphen.

As a not-for-profit, volunteer-run organization, Hyphen has limited resources, but we can pay $500 for in-depth, feature-length stories that can carry the theme for each issue. Unfortunately we cannot offer compensation for articles in other departments.

To submit an article query, send us a two-page proposal by email (preferred) or standard mail. The proposal should include the following:

From the Web Site:

5280 is the premiere monthly guide to the arts, entertainment, dining, and lifestyle issues in Denver. First published in 1993, the magazine has a circulation of 85,000 and is consistently among the top-selling magazines on metro newsstands. Many of our stories are written by 5280 staffers and a group of established freelance writers, but we welcome ideas from journalists we haven’t worked with in the past.

Story pitches should convey that the writer understands the editorial thrust of the magazine and should be well researched, concise, and offer a creative and original argument.

We accept pitches for our front-of-the-book section, Atmosphere; for our “departments;” and for our feature well. Atmosphere stories, which are short, lively takes on life in Denver, run anywhere from 50 to 400 words. Departments are generally 800 to 1,200 words and cover everything from travel to sports to politics. Features can run up to 6,000 words.

Literary Traveler

From the Web Site:

Literary Traveler was launched in March of 1998. We currently have around 80,000 visitors per month and over 5,000 subscribers. Our audience is made up of people who love to read and travel and who are interested in literature and the arts.

We are seeking articles that capture the literary imagination. Is there an artist or writer that has inspired you? Have you taken a journey or pilgrimage that was inspired by a work of literature? We focus mainly on literary artists but we welcome articles about other artists: composers, painters, songwriters, storytellers, etc.

Subject matter can be anything artistic or creative. Each one of our articles in some way is about someone who creates. Some of our articles are subjective first person travel pieces. Some take a meditative slant on a visit somewhere, and reflect on a theme. Others are objective articles about places or writers, or artists.

ARTICLE GUIDELINES

- 1500 – 2000 words in length

- First-person narrative that inspires our readers

- Please send accompanying jpegs (sized small)

**We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to read our current articles before writing.  New writers to LT often make this mistake and we have to ask them to rewrite.  Our articles have a unique style (i.e. no travel guide writing).

RIGHTS

We run material that has not been previously published.  We hold exclusive rights, and will keep your article archived on the web.

Wend

From the Web Site:

Wend is namely interested in first person accounts of literate adventure travel with a social/anthropological/environmental awareness that permeates throughout the story. Our stories are about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, not extraordinary people doing ordinary things. We give a lot of space to our features to give the writer a chance to really express him or herself, and take our readers along for the ride. Beyond that, Wend is the magazine you REALLY want to write for, not the one you’re simply trying to make money from. Of course, we pay, and pay competitively, but our goal is to be the darling in your journalistic quiver. We’re nice folks and will treat you well.

Your story should be dripping with passion, with a perspective of the world informed by a big and tolerant global view. And PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE, don’t even think of querying us if you haven’t read the magazine. Wend is a different sort of journal and familiarity with our tone and style is of the utmost importance.

Simultaneous submissions will be considered, but in the event that the writer isn’t transparent about story placement or previous publication, we’ll be grumpy.

You will be fact checked. Wend maintains a high standard for journalistic ethics and accuracy, so please have relevant sources available to our editorial department at the time of submission.

PHOTO GUIDELINES:

Make sure that you have access to photos to accompany your story or access to relevant photographers that we may contact. 35mm slides or negatives are accepted, but must be accompanied with reference prints or contact sheets. Digital resolution of 7 mega-pixels or higher accepted (which means some point-and-shoots work, but a digital SLR is way better). Do not alter or render photos unless otherwise specified.

We prefer to work out compensation with writers/photographers as a package. Occasionally we can supply photos, but for the most part, no photos, no deal. In the event we need to contract for photos independently from writers, adjustments to the writer’s compensation will be reflected in this cost.

Departments:

Now: Short, newsy pieces about what’s going on in the outdoor world. This section is usually done in house, but if you have a great idea, we’ll consider it. 1000 words.

Footprint: Hard charging environmental reporting on subjects such as environmental degradation, the economy of adventure sport/travel, and the hope of renewable energy. The world is our playground, and we as players are its stewards.

Feast: Traveling the world is all about new experiences. And often, new experiences come in the form of food. Feast celebrates some of the stranger culinary encounters our writers have on the road. Whether it’s drinking Chang (rice wine steeped in rendered yak fat) in NE India, eating fried worms in Africa, or searching for the best kabob in Istanbul, Feast is dedicated to the fuel our bodies need for adventure.

Platform: In this section, we donate space to environmental non-profits so that they may address our readers directly about the issues they work on. Are you an activist interested in this section? Contact us to find out how we can help amplify your message, and raise some money for you too.

Snap: Photo essays of our changing world, documented by photographers from around the world. Snap works as a visual metaphor to depict the special places on earth that are threatened or preserved by human engagement. By portraying these places, we see what the affect of human activity on our planet can be, for better or for worse.

Wanderlust: Feature length accounts of mind-boggling journeys, urban explorations, histories, etc. written as a first person narrative. Third person is allowed for certain historical and environmental pieces, but we might suggest the writer demonstrate his/her relevance to the story itself. All the components of a ‘good story’ including character development, tension, fear, personal reflection, problem solving, crisis, beauty, should be crafted in your manuscript. 4000+ words.

Rates:

All departments pay 25 cents a word, plus photos. Typically, we don’t pay on a per photo basis, as our features run VERY photo heavy for the enjoyment of our readers. We will negotiate, but please understand that we are an employee owned, independent publication, printed on FSC certified sustainable paper (which is crazy expensive), and are committed to a green (truly green, not greenwashed) business model working in a market that doesn’t necessarily put their money where their mouth is. If you’re flexible, so are we.

Payment will be made 30-45 days after publication. Rate reflects submissions that require a normal amount of editing. If your story requires a lot of work, we’ll pay less. No kill fee. Due to the amount of submissions we get, it might take us some time to respond.

From the Web Site:

Today’s Parent is a consumer magazine for parents with children up to the age of 14. The circulation is approximately 190,000 and we have more than 1.7 million readers from across Canada. There are 12 issues per year. Today’s Parent and its sister publications (Today’s Parent: Pregnancy, Today’s Parent: Baby & Toddler) are wholly owned by Rogers Media Publishing. Today’s Parent offers a mixture of straightforward service articles and more philosophical or issue–oriented stories. The tone is positive and supportive, yet realistic. There are rarely black and white answers to child–rearing issues and we believe in being informative without being dictatorial. We invite parents to adopt those suggestions that may work for their families. ??The magazine embraces a gentle, nurturing parenting style that respects each child’s unique personality. We understand the normal developmental needs and limitations shared by all children as they grow. We respect parents’ ability to understand their children and to make good parenting decisions. Mothers and fathers are “parenting experts” too, and we rely on their anecdotes and experiences as sources of wisdom in our articles. ??Today’s Parent recognizes that good parenting depends, in part, on adequate social support. Thus the magazine is also a voice for change around social issues that affect the quality of family life.

Today’s Parent runs features of varying lengths in each issue, with a balance between the practical and the reflective, the light–hearted and the investigative. All articles should be grounded in the reality of Canadian family life. Without claiming to know all the answers, we try to leave the reader with a sense of positive direction.

Feature topics can include such diverse stories as the evolving role of fathers, choosing the discipline technique that’s right for your child, dealing with picky eaters, postpartum depression, returning to work, sex after childbirth, birthday party ideas, surrogate motherhood and child poverty. With some topics, the writer’s personal experience as a parent adds a rich layer to the storytelling.

Word length and fees vary depending on the length complexity of the story – usually 1,500 to 2,500 words.

Gotham Gazette

From the Web Site:

Gotham Gazette (www.gothamgazette.com) is an on-line publication about the issues facing New York City and New York city and state policies and politics. All of our articles concern these subjects. We look for clear, compelling writing that will attract readers with an interest in New York but not necessarily any expertise in the topic being covered. As a result, we avoid jargon, go easy with technical details and shun acronyms.

The best source for how to write for Gotham Gazette is the Web site itself, but here are some basics.

We buy a limited number of freelance articles. Most are articles on a current topic of concern in New York that feature a policy angle, such as the debate over whether to close schools for Muslim holidays, proposals to preserve small businesses in the city, the debate over how to clean up the polluted Gowanus Canal, how public transportation is inaccessible to the disabled and controversies over installing bike lanes in some neighborhoods. While we do not usually cover breaking news, we are a news site and the article should reflect some current development or controversy. The articles tend to be around 1,250 words and we pay a limited amount for them.

We also publish commentary articles of about 1,000 words, taking a position on a current debate or suggesting a policy for the city. These articles should present a reasoned argument, bolstered by facts, and not be a harangue or a campaign speech. Unfortunately, we do not pay for commentaries.

Backpacker

From the Web Site:

Freelancers most often break into BACKPACKER’s pages in the departments. These shorter assignments (100 to 1,200 words) have specific topics and focus.

Trail Log: This is our monthly collection of reader letters, stories, polls, a photo contest, and a timely news item or interview, which is the only assigned piece for the section.

Adventures: A backpacker’s definitive source for finding new, fun, and worthwhile backcountry hikes. The Adventures section is divided into several departments. Successful pitches are geared toward a specific department and are chocked full of facts, description and enthusiasm. Our goal is to inspire people to get outside, and this section provides them with the tools to do so.

Nature: Informative articles that explore the science and wildlife of the natural world from the unique perspective of hikers and outdoors people. The Nature section helps readers understand and appreciate what they see on the trail by covering the environment, politics, national parks, and how-to advice like observing animals in the wild, and avoiding natural hazards.

Skills: The advice source for all essential hiking and adventure skills, with information targeted to help both beginners and experts. The section is divided into the following categories:

Technique-what you need to day-hike, backpack, or do just about anything in the outdoors, all digested into easily understood articles geared to every ability level.

Food-explores all aspects of trail nutrition, cooking methods, and food preparation. Tested recipes and creative and tasty food suggestions are a must.
Health-examines the physical and psychological aspects of fitness, first aid, and nutrition as it relates to backpacking. This section covers topics from poison ivy to snakebites to altitude sickness.

Gear: This department is filled with short reviews of gear that has been field-tested. Note: Gear, unlike the other departments, is done by assignment only. Instead of submitting a query regarding a specific piece of equipment, query the equipment editor with your qualifications for testing and reviewing gear. All gear reviewed in Gear is acquired by BACKPACKER editors only and shipped by us to assigned reviewers. All reviewed gear must be returned to us at the end of the test so that we may photograph it and return it to the manufacturer. This is not a way to fill your gear closet.

Most BACKPACKER departments take a single topic within the scope of that section and cover it thoroughly. Again, the more take-away value for the reader, the more appropriate it is for BACKPACKER.

From the Web Site:

We welcome nuts-and-bolts, practical articles of interest to serious visual artists, emerging or professional. Examples: marketing how-to’s, pieces on business practices and other topics of use to artists. The tone of our magazine is practical, can-do and uplifting. We prefer very specific topics, as opposed to general overviews. So, for example, an article on how artists should write a press release and where they should send it would stand a good chance of being accepted, whereas as an article about why marketing is important to artists would not. We also prefer articles from writers who are artists or art professionals with first-hand industry knowledge, as opposed to general interest freelance writers.

Articles should be no more than 1600 words, and high-quality photographs should be available to illustrate any article we elect to print. Please do not submit images unless requested.

What We Don’t Like

We do not run reviews or art historical pieces, nor do we like writing characterized by “critic-speak.” We do not run artist profiles unless the artist is being profiled because of his or her specific business model or practices.

What and When We Pay

Upon publication, we pay $250 for the article and images published. The original owner retains all copyrights to the images, and the writer is free to use the article submitted for whatever other venues he or she chooses. Under the terms we’ve established in our writer’s agreements, we may also run your article on our Web site instead of or in addition to printing it in the magazine. Payment will be mailed within 30 days of receipt of your invoice, which may be submitted after your article has been accepted and edited, and you have made any requested changes or additions to the article.

Louisiana Cookin

From the Web Site:

Please submit a resume, 3 clips and a cover letter stating your knowledge of Louisiana food to Jyl our Editor. Queries are accepted the same way. Please do not send a query without a resume, clips and cover letter.

Louisiana Cookin’ is seeking writers who are familiar with the culinary traditions of Louisiana and its Cajun and Creole heritage. Writers should be extremely knowledgeable about food and cooking.  Louisiana Cookin’ is available at select Barnes and Noble stores nationwide as well as throughout Louisiana at many retail locations.

All freelancers are paid on publication. Invoices must be emailed to our Accounting department – our office address is at the bottom of each page. Louisiana Cookin’ is published 6 times per year (Jan, Mar, May, July Sept, Nov). We do not publish fiction or poetry. The pay rate is between $.12 and $.18 per word depending on the amount of research involved and the placement within the magazine (feature or department). We buy first-time North American rights for the magazine, website, email newsletter, promotional materials, and any other Louisiana Cookin’-branded property. Because of the amount of queries we receive, we cannot respond to every one.

Natural Solutions: Vibrant Health, Balanced Living

From the Web Site:

Writers Guidelines
Natural Solutions works with the top health writers in the country to develop research-backed content that emphasizes practical solutions and gives readers the information they need to better care for themselves and the planet. Our readers are savvy and passionate about improving their health and the quality of their lives. In each issue, we offer the latest news on herbs and supplements, natural beauty products, healing foods, and natural household products—plus up-to-date research in the fields of complementary medicine and alternative therapies.
We focus on information that will help our readers take charge of their own well-being. Each article must be grounded in some kind of authority—citing studies, where applicable, and interviewing experts in the field—but it also must give our readers practical advice. They want to know what the information means for them, how it fits into their lifestyle and how it can inform the choices they make about their health.
Writers interested in submitting story ideas are encouraged to carefully examine the magazine before sending their queries. Please submit your idea to editor@naturalsolutionsmag.com with a brief explanation of why you think your story would be a fit for Natural Solutions,and attach three published clips. Please note that we do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Although we try to respond to every story pitch, we receive hundreds of emails daily, and you may not receive a timely response. Our editors will contact you if they are interested in pursuing a story.

Here are the sections we are currently accepting pitches for.

HEALTH MATTERS & SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. These newsy, front-of-book and back-of-book sections are the best place to pitch Natural Solutions because we are always looking for innovative ideas. Health Matters and Simple Solutions highlight the latest research studies, trends, tips, and interesting product finds in short, easy-to-digest articles of 50 to 200 words. Each subsection in Health Matters focuses on a particular topic—food, self-care, beauty, pet health, families, balance, and the environment. Simple Solutions stories should always contain doable solutions to common conditions or health issues.
HEALING FOODS. Highlights ways food can support your health and ways it can be used as an alternative therapy for particular conditions. Recent topics have included gluten-free diets, using an elimination diet to address allergies and food intolerance, and eating to ease diabetes. Note that we work with only experienced recipe developers. Stories in this department range from 800 to 1,200 words.

NATURAL RADIANCE. This department looks at the latest trends in natural beauty, present the purest and most effective products available, and provides solutions to promote healthy skin and hair. The editors closely read product labels and identify the not-so-clean—and sometimes toxic—ingredients found in so many cosmetics. Stories in this department range from 800 to 1,200 words.
HEALTHY TONICS. Highlights alternative therapies for common conditions such as insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure, and more. Includes a sub-section called “Alternative Medicine Cabinet” that focuses on nutritional supplements for a particular condition.  Stories in this department range from 500 to 1,200 words.
INNER BALANCE. Our mind-body-spirit section explores practical ways to strengthen the body, clarify the mind, and open the heart. Through personal essays and inspirational stories, this section explores pursuits and practices that can help our readers stay in physical and emotional balance. Topics have included techniques to avoid injuring yourself during your yoga practice, how one reader lost weight with Pilates, living through a divorce, and managing stress. Stories in this department are approximately 1,200 words.
FEATURES. Features generally cover specific conditions (cancer, pain, anxiety, autism), investigative topics, action plans (10 steps to a healthy back, 9 ways to ease insomnia), and the natural lifestyle (stick to New Year’s resolutions, detox the right way, green your home). Features run between 1,200 and 2,000 words.

From the Web Site:

We encourage writers who have a Marine Corps background to submit articles. It is best to query first. Material is reviewed on a speculative basis.

Since Leatherneck is a magazine published primarily for U.S. Marines, all of our material must be targeted accordingly.

Our usual requirements for articles are 1,500 to 2,000 words, accompanied by 8 to 10 color or black and white photographs, or illustrations and maps where appropriate, with complete caption information. We reserve the right to edit in order to meet space limitations or magazine format criteria.

All articles must be accurate, with the writer having checked the spelling of names and places as well as having checked all dates, numbers, etc. We do not publish fiction or personal vignettes.

Manuscripts, artwork or photographs should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Our audience is highly varied, ranging from potential (high-school-age) recruits to active-duty personnel, former Marines, retirees of all ages and recruits’ parents and spouses.

Our theme is the Marine Corps: “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” and we endeavor to include history, current events and forward-looking stories in each issue.

The publishers of Leatherneck assume no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, drawings or photographs.

Young Rider

From the Web Site:

Thank you for your interest in Young Rider. Young Rider is a small magazine at the moment, with an even smaller budget. We don’t use much freelance work, most of it is done in-house by the editor, who also designs the magazine and shoots most of the photographs.

We sometimes buy 800-1,000 word “horsey interest” type stories. Stories or events that will interest kids ALL over the country that the editor is not able to personally. We need 4 to 5 good color pictures with stories like this. The pictures must be color and tack sharp. The pay is about $200 for those types of stories.

We do buy short stories (approximately 800-1,000 words) for about $150. They have to be “realistic” stories and not too sugary sweet. We only use 4 to 5 of these a year. We get a great deal of “children overcoming the odds to win things or struggling to buy or get a horse of their own” so we don’t encourage these types of stories. We would prefer funny stories, with a bit of conflict, which will appeal to the 13-year-old age group. They should be written in the third person, and about kids. The story should have a definite plot, some sort of conflict (humorous, serious or not-so-serious) and a resolution. No “childhood memories” please.

Please do not send in features. We do like receiving queries or ideas and may commission stories. Please review a copy of the actual magazine before sending in any ideas.

Washington Monthly

From the Web Site:

The Washington Monthly is a publication covering politics, government, culture and the media. Before you pitch a story to us, we recommend you read through a few of our back issues online or in print to get a feel for the type of investigative, system-analysis journalism we value and promote.

The magazine is published Bimonthly and includes investigative and opinion-based feature articles (2,000 to 5,000 words), occasional short news items and humorous sidebars (500 to 1,000 words), and book reviews of recent political and cultural titles (usually about 800 words). We occasionally print excerpts from forthcoming political books. We never publish fiction, poetry, or celebrity profiles.

Our editors welcome story pitches that suit our editorial mix. We ask freelancers to submit query letters in writing by either emailing us at editors@washingtonmonthly.com or mailing submissions to our mailing address (below).

Due to the volume of mail we receive, we regret that we cannot respond to every story pitch.

All freelance pieces are submitted “on spec”; we don’t pay kill fees. The pay rate for published articles is 10 cents per word.

From the Web Site:

Thanks for your interest! GreenPrints lives because people like you care about gardening—and about sharing with other gardeners. Without your garden writing, the magazine simply would not exist.  So, thank you!

Now, what do I want?

1) The best, personal (important word, that) garden writing I can get. Expressive, thoughtful, humorous, angry, contrite, flippant, searching, witty, observant, sad, inviting— whatever! We focus on the human, not how-to side of gardening. On the people as well as the plants. After all, gardening is a relationship, not a recipe. GreenPrints explores that relationship, not by instructing, preaching, or lecturing about it. Instead, we celebrate it . . . by sharing the stories and experiences we all have trying (and sometimes failing) to get along with plants.

Do you want to know a secret? The kind of garden writing Pat most wants? That will win him over every time?

A good STORY.

That’s it. A good, entertaining, clever, moving, funny story. One with, you know, a narrative. A plot. Where something happens—something remarkable, touching, unexpected, hilarious. Let me say it again: a good story. One you’d like to hear or read. Most especially, a true story. Something special that happened to you. That’s the garden writing I most want.

And, please, try to show us the story, not tell us about it. Remember the old high-school English-class dictum: Show, don’t tell. Take us through the experiences in your garden writing with trenchant details and tight descriptions. Don’t say it was profound or funny or beautiful: make us experience the feelings by taking us through them with you. (Hint: Dialogue is good!)

2) We’re not opposed to essays, but the good ones a) evolve directly from personal experience and b) offer new insights or at least new ways of expressing old insights. They’re not just the same garden writing we’ve all seen before. We’re not opposed to fiction, either, but don’t you agree that it should offer something special that the nonfiction stories we get don’t (i.e., don’t just imitate reality).

3) One thing for sure, we don’t want sappy, gooey writing. Tender, moving, poignant is wonderful. But syrupy garden writing is a big trap GreenPrints has to avoid. (Another is preachy. We can all read lectures and sermons other places, n’est-ce pas?)

4) Strong endings. Many, many, many times I send pieces back to say, “This peters out. The ending is weak, obvious, trite. Give me a creative, witty, forceful conclusion. Stop the piece with a wham, not a whimper.” A good ending (some of which make a clever reference back to the beginning) can lift a whole piece of garden writing a notch and make it end with an exclamation point of strength, instead of, well . . . just . . .  fading . . . away . . .

5) Length? I don’t know. Since we’re digest-sized, most of our pieces are no more than 2,000 words. But write what you have to. If it’s good garden writing, we’ll work out length problems.

6) Payment? Did you have to ask? We pay miserably; top payment is $150 and we often pay less. I apologize. You deserve more. If GreenPrints ever starts paying me better than miserably, I will be only too glad to pay more. (Right now, I’m working for peanuts. small peanuts.) We pay on acceptance, buy First North American Serial Rights (unless you’ve already published it somewhere else first; we’re happy to reprint garden writing pieces—as long as they’re good!).

Owners’ Perspective

From the Web Site:

Owners Perspective Magazine is an independent consumer publication for the leisure property and luxury travel markets and is currently distributed via leading UK supermarkets, selected hotels and resorts, travel and property shows and by individual print and online subscriptions with a total readership of more than 42,000 consumers.

Quick Guidelines

Initially we will consider pre-written and pre-published articles so long as you own the rights for reproduction, once selected as a featured writer you can then suggest topics to us for consideration and be either paid on a per word or contract basis depending on what’s involved in creating the article.

We are particularly interested in any article that falls into any of the following categories:
Overseas Property, Fractional Ownership, Timeshare, Private Residence Clubs, Destination Guides, City Guides, Luxury Hotel Reviews, Hospitality Brand Resort Reviews, General Travel, Tourist Attractions, Spas, Spa Resorts, Golf Resorts, Golf Property, Golf Holidays, Skiing, Ski Resorts, Surfing, Yachting, Celebrity Interviews, Luxury Lifestyle Products.

WORD COUNT:
Web Articles – 250-500 words average.
Print Articles – Minimum 800 words, Preferred 1200 – 1400 words

Payment
In brief, here is what we offer freelance experienced journalists / travel writers:

• 1. Web Articles – £15 to £45 ($25 to $65) for short web only articles written to include useful keywords relating to the topics we cover. Typically these can be as short as 250-500 words and can be purchased in regular quantities for proven writers.
• 2. Pre-written articles – £45 to £100 ($65 to $145) for any standard travel related article you have written or are currently writing based on length, quality, accompanying images etc. These would be for print use as well as repeated online.
• 3. High end original content not yet published anywhere else, such as niche market articles, specific reviews or interviews (including celebrity) will be considered at a higher fee on a case by case basis.
• 4. If the quality of your work makes you a regular contributor you may then be asked to take on assignment work, such as interviews we set up, resort reviews, convention reviews etc. This can pay from £100 up to £1,000 ($145 up to $1,450) depending on location and requirements as well as all travel and accommodation expenses. The closest qualified writer to the location of the assignment will usually be asked first.
• 5. Reserved for selected regular freelance and full time journalists, there is also a 10% referral commission to be earned on new advertisers introduced to the publication(s). These would often be the resorts / products you plan to review etc. Ask for more details.

All fees cover use in one or more of our magazines and online and are paid upon publication.

High Country News

From the Web Site:

High Country News is an award-winning nonprofit newsmagazine. Since 1970, we’ve covered environmental, cultural, and social issues in the Western United States. We publish 22 times a year, and are always looking for new voices for our pages and Web site. This page describes our guidelines for written, photographic, and multimedia submissions.

Writers’ Guidelines

HCN will consider well-researched stories on any natural resource or environmental topic, as long as it concerns the West. We define “resources” to include people, politics, culture and aesthetic values — not just coal, oil and timber. Keep in mind that we have an 11-state region (OR, WA, CA, MT,  ID, NV, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT) to cover in a small news space; we want local stories that have significance across the entire region and that can be told in ways that go beyond what the daily newspapers report.

Our ideal articles are magazine-style. They include strong storytelling, compelling characters, a clear, jargon-free style, and a dedication to intellectual honesty. We want writers who can view topics with a critical eye and dig deeply into issues. We also would like our writers to be as diverse as the region they cover, and encourage Native American, Hispanic, and other minority journalists to send us queries.

We divide submissions into departments (generally 800 to 1,600 words; specific departments are listed below), of which we print 3 to 6 per issue, and narrative feature stories, from 1,600 to 10,000 words (most commonly 4,000 words), of which we print one or two per issue.

Our pay rates are negotiable based on the writer’s experience and working relationship with us. We generally pay upon publication.

From the Web Site:

Our readers are knowledgeable and experienced backpackers, therefore we accept only authentic, well-researched, well-crafted stories (see the section on “Accuracy,” below). We’re not interested in slavish imitations of stories we’ve already done. As always, you should carefully study several issues of the magazine before submitting a query. The best articles have style, depth, emotional impact, and take-away value for the reader.

Good BACKPACKER articles contain the following attributes:

• • Foot-based travel: BACKPACKER primarily covers hiking. When warranted, we cover canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and other human-powered modes of travel.
  • Wilderness or backcountry: The true backpacking experience means getting away from the trailhead and into the wilds. Whether a dayhike or a weeklong trip, out-of-the-way, unusual destinations are what we’re looking for.
  • North American destinations: We only occasionally cover foreign locales. Our defined market is North American destinations.
  • Advice for improving the backcountry experience: Our readers want to know how to, when to, where to, and with what. Every BACKPACKER article incorporates one or more of these things. We write not merely to inspire our readers to do something, but to help them identify and research new places to go, techniques and skills to use, or the gear to take.
  • While a portion of BACKPACKER is written by staff and regular contributors, we encourage freelance authors to submit query emails for features and departments. Approximately 50 percent of our features and more than half of our departments are written by freelancers. Please note that it’s rare for a writer new to BACKPACKER to break into the magazine with a feature assignment. Direct your efforts toward establishing a working relationship with us via department assignments first.

FEATURES
BACKPACKER features usually fall into one of several distinct categories: destinations, personality, technique, or gear. Gear features are generally staff written. In order to make the grade, a potential feature needs an unusual hook, a compelling story, a passionate sense of place, or unique individuals finding unique ways to improve or enjoy the wilderness.

Destinations: BACKPACKER uses pieces that go beyond a mere description of a trail or place. Our destination stories are almost always first person and based upon the author’s recent trip experience. Readers should come away with a strong sense of that particular outdoor experience, a firm grasp of the location’s character, and the inspiration to duplicate the trip. Journal-style articles are generally unacceptable. Word counts vary widely from 1,500 to 5,000 or more words but most contain a full Expedition Planner sidebar (contact, permit, season, hazards, map, guidebook, and other useful information; look at past BACKPACKER issues for examples and style).

Personality: Backpacking doesn’t have star athletes like you find in bicycling or some other outdoor sports, but plenty of unique personalities exist to write about. Colorful, controversial, historically significant, amusing, unusual, or unique people are what we’re looking for, especially those who have a direct impact on how or where others hike. In 2007 BACKPACKER inaugurated a new 2-page profile that we call “The BACKPACKER Interview,” which will run in most issues. Contact Associate editor Shannon Davis (see contact info below) to submit potential profiles for this new interview feature.

Technique: Skill-based articles in BACKPACKER feature high levels of take-away value. A good technique piece also has information relevant to all skill levels (e.g., beginner, intermediate, and advanced hikers). Often our technique pieces take non-narrative forms.

Gear: Our Field Tests and comparative gear reviews are always written by writers we’ve worked with before. If you’re interested in writing such articles, start by querying our equipment editor about the Gear department (see “Departments,” below).

DEPARTMENTS
Freelancers most often break into BACKPACKER’s pages in the departments. These shorter assignments (100 to 1,200 words) have specific topics and focus.

Trail Log: This is our monthly collection of reader letters, stories, polls, a photo contest, and a timely news item or interview, which is the only assigned piece for the section.

Adventures: A backpacker’s definitive source for finding new, fun, and worthwhile backcountry hikes. The Adventures section is divided into several departments. Successful pitches are geared toward a specific department and are chocked full of facts, description and enthusiasm. Our goal is to inspire people to get outside, and this section provides them with the tools to do so.

Nature: Informative articles that explore the science and wildlife of the natural world from the unique perspective of hikers and outdoors people. The Nature section helps readers understand and appreciate what they see on the trail by covering the environment, politics, national parks, and how-to advice like observing animals in the wild, and avoiding natural hazards.

Skills: The advice source for all essential hiking and adventure skills, with information targeted to help both beginners and experts. The section is divided into the following categories:

Technique-what you need to day-hike, backpack, or do just about anything in the outdoors, all digested into easily understood articles geared to every ability level.
Food-explores all aspects of trail nutrition, cooking methods, and food preparation. Tested recipes and creative and tasty food suggestions are a must.
Health-examines the physical and psychological aspects of fitness, first aid, and nutrition as it relates to backpacking. This section covers topics from poison ivy to snakebites to altitude sickness.
Gear: This department is filled with short reviews of gear that has been field-tested. Note: Gear, unlike the other departments, is done by assignment only. Instead of submitting a query regarding a specific piece of equipment, query the equipment editor with your qualifications for testing and reviewing gear. All gear reviewed in Gear is acquired by BACKPACKER editors only and shipped by us to assigned reviewers. All reviewed gear must be returned to us at the end of the test so that we may photograph it and return it to the manufacturer. This is not a way to fill your gear closet.

Most BACKPACKER departments take a single topic within the scope of that section and cover it thoroughly. Again, the more take-away value for the reader, the more appropriate it is for BACKPACKER.

ACCURACY
BACKPACKER prides itself on providing outdoor enthusiasts with reliable information. It’s important that our contributors check all facts and figures. A full set of guidelines for fact checking will be provided to you with your first contracted assignment for us. In general, however, we require:

• • Confirmation of all facts and figures used within an article from a primary source.
  • For medical, nutrition, and technical advice, direct quotes from accepted professionals or experts.
  • Full contact information for every source used in creating an article.
  • An extra copy for our files of any map, catalog, brochure, or other primary source you may have acquired from a land agency or manufacturer.

QUERIES
We prefer queries to completed manuscripts. Please send emails with attachments and web links rather than mailing envelopes with letters and clips. We respond sooner to emails, and please include your own email address within the query. If you must mail a query and clips, include a SASE envelope if your samples must be returned. We are not responsible for unsolicited artwork, photographs, and manuscripts, so please don’t send originals or anything that you can’t afford to lose.

Sporting Classics

From the Web Site:

Thank you for your interest in Sporting Classics magazine. Because we have a small editorial staff and because we receive such a large number of unsolicited articles, we would prefer that you e-mail your story and/or query to matt@sportingclassics.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Please do not remit any images. If your article is selected for publishing in our magazine, we will then contact you with regards to artwork.

If you do not hear from us within 60 days of e-mailing your story, then we have decided not to purchase it. We hope you understand why we have to take this approach.

Following are general photography/story guidelines:

We pay from $300-$700 per article, depending on the subject and author and how long he or she has been writing for our publication. About 95 percent of our stories are assignments to our contributing editors; still, we do welcome submittals.

Before submitting an article, please review our magazine to familiarize yourself with story length (not to exceed 2500 words) and the kinds of topics we publish. We do not publish how-to stories, and only rarely do we publish poetry. We do publish fiction.

CA Magazine

From the Web Site:

CAmagazine, established in 1911, is the flagship publication of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. It is published 10 times a year in English and French editions and delivered to all Canadian chartered accountants and CA students, as well as to non-member subscribers. It has a total paid circulation of more than 75,000.

EDITORIAL MISSION AND MAGAZINE CONTENT
The magazine informs CAs about developments affecting their profession, whether they work in public practice, industry, government or academe. It focuses on their information needs as advisers, providers and interpreters of financial and other economic information to clients and employers and as independent attesters to its credibility. CAmagazine reflects the diversity of services offered by CAs and provides a forum for analysis, discussion, debate and constructive criticism on existing practices and on emerging issues in an increasingly changing and complex work environment.

The magazine is divided into a front section, features, regulars and a back section. The Upfront section includes short profiles of CAs with unique hobbies or in unusual lines of business, as well as news of direct interest to members and general business items. It also includes Ask an Expert, Netwatch (a guide to business and accounting on the Internet), Work in process (business and technology)  Numbers Game, Value added (summarized articles on a variety of topics with longer versions on the Web) and News from the profession,. Feature articles cover a wide range of topics of interest to CAs in various spheres of activity. Examples include technological advances, business trends that affect members of the profession and their clients, and growing opportunities for CAs in the global marketplace. Features also include profiles of CAs who have excelled in their chosen areas and CAs working in various industries or sectors, such as health care or forestry. The Regulars cover areas such as assurance services, law, taxation, taxation for small business, personal financial planning, education, business valuation and information technology. The back section of the magazine includes classified ads and a professional directory,as well as
Outlook, a view of current trends from an economist’s perspective.

MANUSCRIPT CONTENT, FORMAT AND LENGTH
Most of our readers are busy people, who read only what is of direct concern to them. Our primary need, therefore, is for articles of immediate interest or applicability. Articles should have a purpose: to raise an issue, detail a new trend, expose a problem or explain a technique. In order to better familiarize yourself with CAmagazine‘s style, you should read a few recent copies of the magazine.

Proposals should be sent either as hard copy or via e-mail (camagazine@cica.ca). Final drafts should be sent by e-mail.

Feature articles normally run 2,500 to 3,000 words, although some subjects — such as profiles –can be adequately covered in less space. Topics should be of relevance to the largest number of readers possible. Many of our features are written by freelance writers. Regulars are generally shorter than features and have a more technical focus. Minimum length is 1,500 words; the usual maximum is 2,000. Our technical editors (listed on the masthead) welcome queries or completed manuscripts, which can be addressed to them through CAmagazine. Many of our regular articles are written by CAs or other professionals such as lawyers.

QUERIES
If you wish to write for us, please send a query, in writing, and include a 200-word outline of your proposed article, noting the reasons why you feel the subject is topical, your angle, potential sources and the projected length of your manuscript. If you have a completed, unpublished manuscript, we would be pleased to consider it, unless we have already assigned or published a similar story.

From the Web Site:

As with all magazines, please make sure that you have read Writers’ News or Writing Magazine and understand their editorial requirements before making a submission to either.
It is best to make contact with a proposal in the first instance, avoiding wasted time for us and contributors on inappropriate or unwanted articles.

We do not publish poetry or fiction unless it has won one of our competitions

Language and style guidance

* Writing should be direct and clear, preferring simple words over complicated ones (eg things start and finish, not commence and terminate).
* Write in the active voice (Sally Smith wrote the novel) not the passive (The novel was written by Sally Smith) and position the subject and verb early in the sentence. Avoid the first person wherever possible.
* Try to avoid split infinitives or prepositions at the end of sentences unless alternative wording is clumsy or awkward.
* Submit text in the body of an e-mail or as an attachment in Microsoft Word, not a desktop publishing programme (Pagemaker, QuarkXPress, Corel, Works, WordPerfect etc) and include j-pegs or photographs with finished copy.
* Do not indent or use formatting or fonts for effect — any design and layout is changed at production stage and wastes your time and ours.

Payment is made on publication, based on what is used, not what is submitted.

Montana Outdoors Magazine

From the Web Site:

Montana Outdoors is a bimonthly magazine published by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. It advocates the conservation and sustainable use of Montana’s fish, wildlife, and parks.

Though published by a state agency, Montana Outdoors is not a house organ. For one thing, most of the magazine’s budget comes from subscribers, so we have an obligation to provide them with objective information. For another, many “official” government magazines are generally viewed by readers—the few who bother to read them—as biased and boring. And third, our readers are interested in various points of view—even those that challenge the orthodoxy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Our editorial bent is one of skepticism and curiosity, and we rely on a wide range of sources in our reporting.

Roughly 47,000 people subscribe to Montana Outdoors, about half of them from out of state. The magazine was first published in 1971.

Freelance assignments

Approximately half our features are written by freelancers. We pay 25 to 30 cents per word, as assigned, depending on the complexity of the article. That’s $500 to $600 for a 2,000-word feature. We pay on acceptance.

Montana Outdoors usually buys first North American serial rights and (for a small additional amount) the right to post to the magazine website and archives. Our kill fee for assigned manuscripts not accepted is about 30 percent of the full fee.

Mother Earth News

From the Web Site:

Mother Earth News is a bimonthly magazine that promotes more self-sufficient, financially independent and environmentally aware lifestyles. Our readers range in age from the early teens to 90-plus. Some of our readers have been with us since 1970, others are brand-new and eager to learn about living wisely. All told, each issue of Mother Earth News reaches more than 1 million people across the United States and Canada.

From our readers, we welcome articles and quality photographs for two departments: “Country Lore” and “Firsthand Reports.” “Country Lore” presents handy how-to tips of 100 to 300 words; payment is $25 to $100 per published item. “Firsthand Reports” are first-person stories (1,500 to 2,000 words) about sustainable lifestyles of all sorts; payment is $150 per published piece.

Most of our feature articles are written by our Contributing Editors. But we somtetimes assign articles to freelancer writers, particularly those who have experience with our subject matter (both firsthand experience and writing experience). If you would like to submit a query, please send a short synopsis of the idea and a one-page outline. Also send digital photos, if available.

Submissions for all of the above should be sent via e-mail to letters@MotherEarthNews.com. Digital photographs must be high resolution in order to publish). To submit by U.S. mail, send materials to the address below.

Tips for potential contributors: Read our magazine, read our magazine, read our magazine. Mother Earth News readers comprise one of the most thoughtful, curious, industrious and engaged magazine audiences in the country. Since 1970, Mother Earth News has been an exemplary source of information about sustainable homesteading, organic gardening, real food, country skills, renewable energy, green transportation, natural health, environmental consciousness, and farming and livestock. Our articles provide hands-on and useful information for people who want a more fun, conscientious, sustainable, secure and satisfying lifestyle. Practicality is critical; freelance articles must be informative, well-documented and tightly written in an engaging and energetic voice. Don’t forget to read our magazine.

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Drive Magazine!

Drive is a quarterly publication by Subaru of America, Inc. and is distributed to more than 850,000 owners of Subaru vehicles in the United States.

Each issue includes a variety of feature articles geared toward the interests of Subaru owners. Many of these articles are written by freelance authors, and typically range from 300 to 1,200 words.

We’re looking for stories that are timely, appropriately researched, engagingly written, and tailored to Drive readers. If you would like to contribute a feature article to Drive, please send us a one-page letter outlining your proposal. Our editorial staff will review your outline, and we’ll contact you if we select your article idea for publication. Please note that article proposals are preferred to finished manuscript submissions.

We strongly encourage you to study several recent issues of the magazine for the best idea of the kind of material we publish. Drive Magazine is available online at www.drive.subaru.com.

Drive Magazine’s features on technical, industry, and company news are usually staff written.

Drive Magazine’s payment scale varies depending on current editorial need, depth of treatment, appeal to the magazine’s readership, manuscript length, and other factors. We pay for manuscripts upon acceptance.

PTO Today Magazine

From the Web Site:

PTO Today magazine is an essential resource for leaders of parent groups (often called parent-teacher organizations) at the 80,000 elementary and middle schools across the United States. Articles focus on helping the volunteer leaders of these groups run their organizations more efficiently and support their schools more effectively.

The magazine is published six times a year, based on the school calendar; issues are dated January, March, April, August, September, and October.

Parent groups go by many different names, including PTA, PTO, and PTC. PTAs are those groups formally affiliated with the National PTA. All other parent groups, more than 75 percent of the total, are independent organizations and are often referred to collectively as PTOs.

We use “PTO” as a generic term—PTO Today writes about all parent groups, including PTAs. At the local level, all parent groups face similar challenges. For most of them, our magazine provides the only opportunity for volunteers to learn how similar groups (whether in the next town or across the country) run effective meetings and programs, solve problems, raise money, and otherwise enhance their children’s school experiences.

Our readers are the most active members of parent groups in K-8 schools. They are almost all women, and they are generally in their late 20s to mid-40s. Typically, they hold an office such as president, vice president, treasurer, or secretary. They chair one or more committees and are responsible for organizing specific events or programs.

In most cases, they have little prior training or experience, yet a typical parent group raises tens of thousands of dollars each year for its school.

Editorial Approach

We run how-to pieces, profiles of programs and people, and articles by experts. The tone is informational and informal rather than newsy. We never talk down to readers, we use PTO-specific examples to express concepts, and we prefer writers who can use the language of parent groups.

We don’t cover child-rearing issues, and we don’t cover general education topics unless they have a very specific parent group angle. We focus exclusively on parent groups serving students in grades K-8; high school parent groups often take a form very different from that of elementary and middle school groups.

Major topic areas we do cover include:

Parent involvement. The number one issue for most parent groups is how to get more parents to participate. More volunteers mean better events and programs and less work for those who do participate. We have published articles about reaching out to parents who are new to the school, making sure volunteers have a positive experience and want to come back, and communicating effectively with parents who aren’t members.

Leadership. These articles focus on soft skills such as settling conflicts and developing good communication skills, as well as hard skills such as running meetings efficiently and managing volunteers effectively.

Fundraising. Fundraising is a major activity for parent groups, especially in these times of shrinking school budgets. Parent groups pay for everything from teaching positions to music programs to ice cream socials.

Group management and organization. Many groups have little understanding of the legal, financial, and tax aspects of running what is essentially a small nonprofit business. Topics include tax issues, applying for 501(c)3 (charitable nonprofit) status under the federal tax code, bookkeeping basics, and legal requirements for keeping meeting minutes and other documents.

Working with school staff. Successful parent groups have a strong working relationship with the school principal, teachers, and staff. Past articles have discusses topics ranging from teacher appreciation to tactics for strengthening ties with the principal.

Playgrounds. The largest and most complex project many parent group undertake is building a new playground. A playground project typically costs $50,000 to $100,000 or more. Parent groups raise the money. They also participate in the playground design and, often, the construction. Safety standards, community involvement, and large-project logistics are all topics that relate to parent group playground projects.

Education. Our coverage of education topics extends only to the role of the parent group; PTOs often run field trips, bring in arts and enrichment performers, and sponsor other programs that complement or enhance the curriculum.

Queries

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with our previous content and our community before submitting a query. Archived articles are sorted into topic areas on our website, which you can find listed on the Topics A-Z page. Read the article “PTO vs. PTA: What’s the Difference?” for an overview of the differences between these two types of organizations, and look through our active message boards to get a sense of the issues that are important to parent groups.

Features run roughly 1,200 to 2,200 words, and the average assignment is 1,500 words. Department pieces run 600 to 1,200 words. Payment depends on the difficulty of the topic and the experience of the writer. We pay by the assignment, not by the word; our pay scale ranges from $200 to $700 for features and $150 to $400 for departments. We occasionally pay more for high-impact stories and highly experienced writers. We buy all rights, and we pay on acceptance (within 30 days of invoice).

We may ask writers to help us acquire appropriate art for articles, and we appreciate queries that offer art suggestions. We will review, but we do not encourage, unsolicited manuscripts.

Metro Family Magazine

From the Web Site:

MetroFamily Magazine is dedicated to informing parents and empowering families. The goal of our features, departments, and columns is to educate, inspire, and uplift readers.

About Submitting

·         E-mail submissions are preferred. Send to Editor@MetroFamilyMagazine.com. We purchase one-time print rights and web rights. Standard-mail submissions are seldom considered and will not be returned.

·         Reprint submissions will be accepted from writers around the United States; articles we assign will be given to local writers to capitalize on local sources. We reserve the right to refuse publication of any piece if the article does not meet our needs and/or standards. All submissions are subject to editing.

·        MetroFamily Magazine is published monthly, 12 issues per year. We work 3-6 months in advance so plan feature queries/submissions accordingly. For a list of general themes, please email Editor@MetroFamilyMagazine.com.

About Formatting

·         Send articles in the body of your e-mail. If the article is chosen for publication, I may ask if it is available as a Word document.

·         In a series of three or more terms and a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. Example: Sarah doesn’t own a pig, a rat or a bird.

·         Please, only one space following a period.

·         Include a word count, including sidebar(s), at the top right corner of your first page.

About Writing

·         Leads: An interesting, compelling lead into each story is critical. Just like us, our readers have work to do, meals to prepare, and kids to tend. We must seduce them into reading.

·         Humor: Bring it on! If you can lighten a “heavy” story with some appropriate levity, by all means do so.

·         Surprises: Try to put one in every piece you write. Startle readers with an unexpected statistic (with proper credit given to the source of the information) or raise eyebrows with a surprising outcome.

·         Length: Keep it short. Our features rarely run over 1,000 words, including sidebars.

·         Layering: Many people don’t read, they flip. Each story needs to be layered so that even someone scanning the page can take away an important fact or idea. Include suggested pullout quotes, subheads, bulleted items, and/or sidebars.

·         Art: Photographs grab readers’ attention, so we want to include them whenever possible. If you have photos or leads for photos, please pass that information along as early in the writing process as possible.

·         Payment (includes web rights): $20-$35 up to 500 words; $35-$50 over 500 words, paid upon publication.

From the Web Site:

Whole Life Times relies almost entirely on freelance material to fill its pages every month. We have only a few regulars, so the field is wide open. We depend on freelancers like you.

What Kind of Articles Should I Submit?

We are open to articles on holistic health, alternative healing, green living, sustainable and local food, social responsibility, conscious business, the environment, spirituality and personal growth; in short, anything that deals with a progressive, healthy lifestyle. The important words to remember when writing for WLT are ‘information’ and‘narrative style.’ We strive to provide leading-edge editorial that is not only entertaining, but also directly usable by our readers—information that mainstream media often abridges, is unaware of or is unwilling to print.

WLT’s content is largely local — issues, events and people in southern California — but we do publish some stories with a broader focus. In generic features (e.g. health-related), we use local sources for quotes and back-up information.

WLT accepts up to three longer stories (800-1,100 words) per issue, and pay ranges from $150-200.

In addition, we have a number of regular departments on our coverage topics, and these pay $75-125 depending on topic and experience.

Out and About is our FOB section featuring short, newsy blurbs on our coverage topics. These are generally 200-400 words and pay $25-50 depending on length and topic.

Behind the Scenes is a 750-word personal essay that often highlights a seminal moment or event in the life of the writer, and pays $100.

Query Letters

Queries may be sent via e-mail to abigail[at]wholelifemagazine[dot]com.

If you have not written for us before, please be sure to include your bio and up to three published clips or links. Alternatively, you may submit a completed manuscript. If your article addresses the categories described above, your treatment of the issue, the timeliness of the article and the quality of your writing are the main keys to getting published.

General tip: Keep in mind that WLT readers are more sophisticated than the average Joe or Joan when it comes to green living, health, personal growth, social responsibility and metaphysics. We prefer thoughtful, well-researched articles with an informed and upbeat tone. We favor a narrative approach in which story-telling is emphasized. We welcome in-depth reports and personal interviews, but outside of Behind the Scenes we rarely publish personal essays. Please include reference material for fact verification, and avoid using anecdotal claims to support your thesis or argument.

Horse Illustrated

From the Web Site:

Magazine Focus: HORSE ILLUSTRATED is directed to hands-on horse owners and riders of English and western disciplines. The magazine promotes responsible horse ownership, from providing tips to owners on better horse care and training, to alerting horse lovers about pertinent issues in the equine community. We direct our articles to the adult audience.

Suggested Articles: The best way to decide what type of article to submit is to look over a sample copy of the magazine, available at newsstands, tack stores or book stores nationwide. Look over more than one issue, if possible.

We need informative, in-depth, upbeat articles (limited to 2,000 words) that will help readers better care for and enjoy their horses. They may be about such topics as training (for both horse and rider), management or horse-related activities.

What NOT to Send:
• Fiction
• Personal essays
• Tributes to deceased horses
• Poetry
• Book reviews
• Please do not send breed profiles; this monthly feature is always assigned
• Series, columns and multi-part articles are assigned only to our established writers

How to Submit: Address all correspondence to Elizabeth Moyer, Editor, HORSE ILLUSTRATED, P.O. Box 8237, Lexington KY 40533. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with all materials, and please allow eight to twelve weeks for a response. If materials do not need to be returned, we appreciate knowing that.

While e-mail makes it easy to fire off those article proposals, it is harder for us to track, evaluate and respond to these submissions, not to mention concerns with opening attachments from unknown senders. In order to give your article proposal the best consideration, we prefer to receive queries via mail rather than e-mail.

HORSE ILLUSTRATED receives dozens of unsolicited manuscripts and queries every week. The magazine accepts only a small fraction of what is submitted. Due to the high volume of unsolicited work, we cannot review or respond to any material sent to us by fax, or material that isn’t accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Manuscript Requirements: Manuscripts should be double spaced with wide margins. If your article is accepted, we’ll also need an electronic copy of the text as a Word document that can be opened on a PC. Accepted manuscripts may be sent via e-mail.

Many great story ideas cannot be considered if we will be unable to find images to illustrate them. If specific photos will be essential to your manuscript, please indicate what photos are available to accompany your piece. It’s a huge plus if you can include professional-quality color transparencies (preferred), or sharp, well-lit 35mm color prints with these types of articles. Additional guidelines are available for photographers.

Reviewing Material: We prefer to review completed manuscripts on speculation. However, if you would like to query us before preparing an article, you must include a detailed outline of what the proposed article will cover, including any expert resources, and sample paragraphs as well as clips that demonstrate your writing style. We do not accept simultaneous submissions, but may accept reprint material from noncompetitive publications. We require first North American serial rights in the equine industry.

Responsibility: We cannot assume responsibility for material submitted, but reasonable care will be taken in the handling of your work.

Payment: Articles are paid upon publication. Rates of payment are based on quality, not length. We pay between $300 and $425 for feature articles. Smaller items receive $50 to $100 per piece. Articles accompanied by high-quality photographs or illustrations earn the highest rates.

For new (and new to HI) writers:
The majority of our articles are assigned in advance to our regular writers. However, we are always looking to expand our “stable” of talented freelance equestrian journalists. The best way to get your foot in the door is to query with a completed manuscript demonstrating your writing ability, and just as important, an understanding of our tone and audience, and subject matter appropriate to our magazine. Once we have worked successfully with a writer on a manuscript or two, we will feel comfortable entertaining queries or assigning articles.

Because we have limited space to accept and publish queries, it can take up to a year to establish this type of relationship. We always appreciate your patience and professionalism throughout this process.

Fun For Kidz

From the Web Site:

Every Fun For Kidz contributor must remember we publish only six issues a year, which means our editorial needs are extremely limited.

It is obvious that we must reject far more contributions than we accept, no matter how outstanding they may seem to you or to us.

With that said, we would point out that Fun For Kidz is a magazine created for boys and girls from 6 to 13 years, with youngsters 8, 9, and 10 the specific target age. The magazine is designed as an activity publication to be enjoyed by both boys and girls on the alternate months of Hopscotch and Boys’ Quest magazines.

Our point of view is that every child deserves the right to be a child for a number of years before he or she becomes a young adult.

As a result, Fun For Kidz looks for activities that deal with timeless topics, such as pets, nature, hobbies, science, games, sports, careers, simple cooking, and anything else likely to interest a child. Each issue revolves around a theme.

Writers

We are looking for lively writing that involves an activity that is both wholesome and unusual. We are looking for articles around 500 words as well as puzzles, poems, cooking, carpentry projects, jokes, riddles, crafts, and other activities that complement the theme. Articles that are accompanied by good photos are far more likely to be accepted than those that need illustrations.

We will entertain simultaneous submissions as long as that fact is noted on the manuscript. Submissions should be double-spaced.

Fun For Kidz prefers to receive complete manuscripts with cover letters, although we do not rule out query letters. We do not answer submissions sent in by FAX or e-mail. All submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope, with sufficient US postage.

We pay a minimum of five cents a word for both fiction and nonfiction, with additional payment given if the piece is accompanied by appropriate photos or art. We pay a minimum of $10 per poem or puzzle, with variable rates offered for games, carpentry projects, etc.

Fun For Kidz buys first American serial rights and pays upon publication. It welcomes the contributions of both published and unpublished writers. We reserve the right to publish all material from the magazine on our website as a sample of the magazine. This is for display only on a limited time basis. Contributors will be compensated whenever their work is published to generate revenue and not strictly for exposure.

Sample copies can be purchased for $6.00 within the US, $8.00 for Canada and $10.50 for all other countries. All payment must be in US funds. A complimentary copy will be sent to each writer who has contributed to a given issue.

From the Web Site:

Smoky Mountain Living is a quarterly, full-color publication dedicated to featuring the history and heritage of the Great Smoky Mountain region, its current culture, and a wide range of activities in sports, entertainment, environment, education, and the arts. We want to appeal to area residents, whet the appetites of those considering visiting or moving here, and encourage visitors to extend their stay.

Our region covers the High Country, Cherokee Indian Reservation and 12 Western North Carolina counties including Buncombe, Madison, Henderson, Transylvania, Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Cherokee, Clay, Macon, Avery and Graham. This area includes a large part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well as Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests, Dupont State Forest, and others.

We focus on exciting developments in our region and explore the richness of what has been valued and maintained through the traditions of indigenous mountain people.

Feature articles: 1500 to 2000 words
Departments: 500 to 1000 words
Highlights: 400 words or less

ENVIRONMENT AND OUTDOORS
Within the parks, along the Appalachian Trail, on the rivers and lakes, there’s a wealth of information and constant activities available. We look for well-written articles on outdoor activities and sports of all kinds and for solid, strong pieces on all aspects of our beautiful and varied environment from animals to plants to rivers, waterfalls, and trails.

HERITAGE AND HISTORY
Outdoor drama, fascinating people from the past, or those who still remember it, museums, storytellers—we’re interested in everything from cemeteries to moonshine, from the history of the railroads to stories of the Civil War.

ARTS AND CRAFTS
Our region specializes in preserving and honoring crafts and craftspeople and artists of all sorts.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS AND PERFORMING ARTS
There is a wealth of ongoing events in these areas and we look for pieces on everything from theaters and concert halls to fairs and folkmoot.

PLACES
Towns in the region, as well as the many inns and wonderful gardens form the basis for these pieces.

DEPARTMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Similar to main pieces but shorter. We look for fascinating mountain people, restaurants, real estate, and sales highlights, recipes, interesting places to visit and things to do.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN VIEWS
Short essay of approximately 500 words related in some way to life in the Smoky Mountains. We’re looking for light, philosophical, and funny.

RIGHTS
Smoky Mountain Living Magazine buys exclusive First North American serial rights until the off-sale date of the issue in which the material is published, as well as exclusive rights to the work for promotional reprint and use.

PAY
We pay from $25 (for departments and highlights) up to $350 for major pieces. Payment is upon publication.

Backpacker Magazine

From the Web Site:

BACKPACKER is a proud sponsor of Leave No Trace (check out our book, Leave No Trace, available from The Mountaineers Press). All articles and photos that appear in the magazine must adhere to Leave No Trace’s ecologically friendly practices. Likewise, we do not promote motorized use in the wilderness or backcountry.

Our readers are knowledgeable and experienced backpackers, therefore we accept only authentic, well-researched, well-crafted stories (see the section on “Accuracy,” below). We’re not interested in slavish imitations of stories we’ve already done. As always, you should carefully study several issues of the magazine before submitting a query. The best articles have style, depth, emotional impact, and take-away value for the reader.

We prefer queries to completed manuscripts. Please send emails with attachments and web links rather than mailing envelopes with letters and clips. We respond sooner to emails, and please include your own email address within the query. If you must mail a query and clips, include a SASE envelope if your samples must be returned. We are not responsible for unsolicited artwork, photographs, and manuscripts, so please don’t send originals or anything that you can’t afford to lose.

All BACKPACKER assignments are made in writing, and require a signed contract with you, the freelance author, in order to be valid. The contract will specify payment amount, payment terms, and rights purchased. In general, we pay on acceptance and buy all rights. We pay $.60 to more than $1.00 per word, depending upon the complexity and demands of the article, as well as the proven experience of the writer.

New Mexico Magazine

From the Web Site:

Our Scope
New Mexico Magazine is about the power of place — in particular this place: more than 120,000 square miles of mountains, desert, grasslands, and forest inhabited by a culturally rich mix of individuals. The magazine is an enterprise of the New Mexico Tourism Department, who strives to make potential visitors aware of our state’s multicultural heritage, climate, environment and uniqueness.

Frequency and Demographics
New Mexico Magazine is published monthly and has more than 100,000 qualified readers. About one-third of our audience lives in the state. The rest live elsewhere in the country. On average, our out-of-state readers visit New Mexico twice a year.

Stories We’re Looking For
We’re looking for story ideas about New Mexico experiences, with opinionated storytelling and a first-person point of view when appropriate. The story should capture a place in such a way that readers are inspired to follow in the writer’s footsteps. Therefore, they need to be about things our readers could (conceivably) do right now. For example: What’s it like to spend the night at a wolf sanctuary near Gallup? How does a person go about attending a bona fide mountain man gathering in the 21st century? Where are the best hot springs? What are the most fun small towns you’ve never heard of? We also put an emphasis on covering areas throughout the state.

In each issue, we want to publish a lively editorial mix, covering both the down-home (like a diner in Tucumcari) and the upscale (maybe a new bistro in world-class Santa Fe). We also want to explore the gamut of the Old West and the New Age. History stories are great — our readers love them — but they should include information on how to enjoy a historic place in the present day.

Writers We’re Looking For
We’re looking for writers — both in New Mexico and elsewhere — who are adept at establishing a theme then sustaining a story with fresh eyes and true insight. We place a premium on good storytelling, tight composition, and factual accuracy. Also, we expect original work.

Writers approaching us for the first time should begin by submitting ideas for the “Going Places” section.

Please submit your story idea along with a working head and subhead and a paragraph synopsis. Also include published clips and a short sum-up about your strengths as a writer. Once you throw your hat into the ring, our staff will consider your proposal as well as your potential to write stories we’ve conceptualized in house.

Rates and Specifics
Payment is processed upon acceptance. Pay is roughly 35-40 cents per word.

From the Web Site:

Paste magazine is a monthly publication focusing on music, film, books and other forms arts and entertainment. We focus on a variety of musical genres—-rock, singer/songwriters, alt.country, Americana, indie rock, world music, electronica and whatever else we think will grab music-lovers seeking something a little deeper. Paste strives to cover the best music in this eclectic mix, devoting space to independent musicians alongside more established artists. The tagline, “Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture,” refers to the depth and meaning we feel the best art is capable of conveying.

With a focus on songcraft and an emphasis on good writing, Paste has featured artists such as Wilco, Patty Griffin, Modest Mouse, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Death Cab for Cutie, Coldplay, The Hold Steady, Aimee Mann and Ben Folds. Our film coverage has included features on filmmakers Wes Anderson, Gus Van Sant, Jim Jarmusch and Cameron Crowe. The magazine also delves into other areas such as film, books, visual arts and cultural commentary. One of the best opportunities for writers is to come up with article ideas we wouldn’t have thought of—-like the article we published on a radio station in Louisiana run by prison inmates or the trash-dump art series in San Francisco.

Paste magazine can be found most every Barnes & Noble and Borders, along with independent book and record stores, airports and newsstands. We print approximately 250,000 copies of each issue, and each comes bundled with a compilation CD (featuring many of the above artists) and, for gold subscribers, a DVD sampler with music videos and short films.

Solicitations & Assignments:
Paste Magazine welcomes unsolicited articles from anyone who believes the piece is appropriate for Paste and its readers. (Hint: Best way to figure out what is appropriate is to read the magazine.)

Queries soliciting approval of an idea may be submitted. Queries should include proposed subject, length, applicability and writer samples.

Paste will assist in obtaining interviews, attending events, etc. as needed. Paste will provide complimentary CDs for assignment when possible.

Robot Magazine

From the Web Site:

ROBOT magazine articles range from small news briefs to major feature stories and reviews. Feature articles are typically 600 to 2,000 words in length, but this is just a guideline. Please see the About ROBOT magazine page for a description of the scope of our content.

Vibrant, dynamic photography and compelling graphics are desirable, and must be provided at a minimum resolution of 300 pixels per inch at the physcial size the image is to be printed. Digital photos should be delivered in untouched format, right out of the camera (high res jpg or tif preferred, although we accept other formats).

Sample code, schematics and line drawings are typically published on our website and referenced in the print magazine. Extensive technical discussion (e.g., of a robot build) can also be published online to complement the story in the magazine.

ROBOT magazine strives to attain the highest professional standards in terms of clarity and accuracy, but the process by which we accept proposed articles or assign projects is informal. If you are interested in contributing to ROBOT, please contact Tom Atwood at toma@botmag.com. We welcome new contributors!

From the Web Site:

All editorial and photographic submissions must be directly related to Maine. Materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. While every precaution is taken to ensure that materials are safely returned, the publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited photographs or manuscripts.

Writers

Down East accepts very few unsolicited queries and manuscripts each year. Most of our articles are written on assignment by regular contributors. The exception is our very popular “My Maine” column. These articles are short narratives about a personal experience or a unique aspect of life here in Maine. Evocative of a specific time and place, they are often humorous or poignant. Maximum length: 750 words.

We strongly recommend that writers interested in submitting article ideas and manuscripts to Down East read a few issues of the magazine to get a sense of the subject matter we cover. It generally takes several months for manuscripts to make their way through our reading line, but payment is made upon acceptance. Payment varies considerably, depending on the subject, quality, and intended use in the magazine.

Queries by unknown authors will be considered only when accompanied by recent writing samples. Address all submissions and queries to Manuscript Editor.

Down East does not accept submissions of poetry or fiction.

Whole Life Times

From the Web Site:

Whole Life Times relies almost entirely on freelance material to fill its pages every month. We have only a few regulars, so the field is wide open. We depend on freelancers like you.

What Kind of Articles Should I Submit?

We are open to articles on holistic health, alternative healing, green living, sustainable and local food, social responsibility, conscious business, the environment, spirituality and personal growth; in short, anything that deals with a progressive, healthy lifestyle. The important words to remember when writing for WLT are ‘information’ and‘narrative style.’ We strive to provide leading-edge editorial that is not only entertaining, but also directly usable by our readers—information that mainstream media often abridges, is unaware of or is unwilling to print.

WLT’s content is largely local — issues, events and people in southern California — but we do publish some stories with a broader focus. In generic features (e.g. health-related), we use local sources for quotes and back-up information.

WLT accepts up to three longer stories (800-1,100 words) per issue, and pay ranges from $150-200.

In addition, we have a number of regular departments on our coverage topics, and these pay $75-125 depending on topic and experience.

Out and About is our FOB section featuring short, newsy blurbs on our coverage topics. These are generally 200-400 words and pay $25-50 depending on length and topic.

Behind the Scenes is a 750-word personal essay that often highlights a seminal moment or event in the life of the writer, and pays $100.

Query Letters

Queries may be sent via e-mail to abigail[at]wholelifemagazine[dot]com.

If you have not written for us before, please be sure to include your bio and up to three published clips or links. Alternatively, you may submit a completed manuscript. If your article addresses the categories described above, your treatment of the issue, the timeliness of the article and the quality of your writing are the main keys to getting published.

General tip: Keep in mind that WLT readers are more sophisticated than the average Joe or Joan when it comes to green living, health, personal growth, social responsibility and metaphysics. We prefer thoughtful, well-researched articles with an informed and upbeat tone. We favor a narrative approach in which story-telling is emphasized. We welcome in-depth reports and personal interviews, but outside of Behind the Scenes we rarely publish personal essays. Please include reference material for fact verification, and avoid using anecdotal claims to support your thesis or argument.

Manuscript Format

Submissions should be typed and double-spaced in AP style. Please attach an MS Word file, and also copy and paste your story in the message section of your email. Please do not send a PC-specific file as we may not be able to open it.

Please suggest a Hed and Dek for your story.

If including graphs, charts or other original art, please send a hard copy in addition to a disk, or e-mail us for digital art submission guidelines. Original photos and illustrations are welcome and may be submitted along with your article for consideration.

Please include a one-sentence credit line to accompany your story. If you do not include it, the story will run with your byline only.

Notification of Acceptance or Rejection

Ah, the life of an editor — deadlines, deadlines and more deadlines! Every time we look up from our computers, it seems there’s another deadline to meet. So sometimes our response rate to submissions may not be as rapid as you’d like it to be.

If we do not immediately accept or reject your story or query, we may set it aside for a rainy day. If you are uncomfortable with ambiguity or are in a hurry because you want to submit it to other publications, be sure to make note of it on your submission.

If sending via snail mail, please note that submissions will not be returned. Please include your email address so that we can notify you of acceptance or rejection. Artwork will be returned only if clearly requested and SASE is provided.

Deadlines

We accept articles any time. If you would like your article to be considered for a specific issue, we should have it in hand three to five months before the issue of publication.

Pay

In the event that the magazine decides not to publish your assigned story, a kill fee of 50 percent of the original fee is offered. However, no kill fee is offered for unsolicited submissions or if this is your first assignment with us; you are free to publish the work elsewhere. If we do print your work, we customarily pay within 45-60 days of publication.

We ask for one-time print rights and non-exclusive perpetual web publishing rights. You are free to publish your work elsewhere after 60 days from WLT date of publication.

WineMaker

From the Web Site:

WineMaker is designed to meet the needs of the more than one million home winemakers in the United States and Canada. Our mission is to provide practical information in an entertaining format. We try to capture the spirit and challenge of winemaking while helping our readers make the best wine they can.

WineMaker is for anyone who is interested in making wine, from those starting out with kits to more advanced winemakers who use fresh fruit. We seek articles that are straightforward and factual, not full of esoteric theories or complex calculations. Our readers tend to be intelligent, upscale and literate. Whether intended for the beginner, the intermediate, or the expert home winemaker, any article that appears in WineMaker should contain accurate information, useful tips and shortcuts, balanced evaluations and an inviting approach. Articles published in the magazine fall into several categories:

Technical Features: These comprise most of our content and include advanced technical pieces for fresh-fruit winemakers, introductory articles for novices, and how-to articles that benefit all winemakers. We also run informational pieces on equipment, ingredients and winemaking methods. Recent articles have covered: selecting the proper yeast strain, understanding sulfite additions, oaking your wine in barrels, understanding corks, how to buy fresh grapes, and making world-class wine from kits.

Accuracy and consistency are extremely important in technical articles. All technical articles are reviewed by our editorial board, made up of professional winemakers and advanced home winemakers, and articles might be returned to the author for revisions. Length is generally 1,500 to 3,000 words.

“Recipe” Articles: Every issue of WineMaker includes at least one step-by-step article with tips, techniques and detailed instructions for making a particular style of wine at home. Our “Varietal Focus” column has covered Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc; features have addressed Cabernet Sauvignon and Gewürztraminer.

General-Interest Features: These are non-technical features about wine and winemaking. These include interviews with commercial and amateur winemakers, historical pieces, and articles about winemaking trends. Each general feature must have a strong home-winemaking angle. Step-by-step instructions should be included whenever appropriate. Length is generally 1,000 to 2,500 words.

Regular Columns: We have a variety of regular columns, most of which are written by contributing writers. We welcome any suggestions for topics or new columns. These columns include: “Wine Wizard,” a question-and-answer section that addresses common winemaking questions; “Tips from the Pros,” with advice from commercial winemakers on methods and techniques; “Varietal Focus,” which offers step-by-step instructions for making a particular style of wine at home; “Techniques,” which takes a detailed look at one step of the winemaking process; “Backyard Vines,” which offers tips on growing your own grapevines at home, and “Wine Kits,” a regular column about making homemade wine from kits.

Cellar Dwellers: This section includes photos of homemade equipment and letters from readers about their experiences making wine at home. The letters should be funny, interesting or heart-warming. No fee is paid for these.

Dry Finish: The last page of the magazine serves as an open forum for our readers. We are especially interested in fun, amusing, first-person stories about winemaking. These articles should be 750 words.

Illustrations

We count on our writers to provide illustrations with articles. Submissions need not come from professionals. Hand-drawn diagrams or charts are helpful for technical articles. We also can use snapshots, as long as they are in focus and fairly well lit.

Manuscript Preparation

We welcome queries. Indicate the subject of your proposed article, the angle you plan to use, whom you plan to interview (if applicable), and the reasons you think the article would be interesting to our readers. If you have been published before, send a few samples of your work along with the query letter. We also will review unsolicited manuscripts.

Articles are generally due a few months prior to the publication date. We prefer to receive manuscripts as an e-mail attachment.

Any artwork (tables, figures, graphs, etc.) should be noted and captioned within the manuscript. Artwork may be either color or black and white.

All writers are expected to provide accurate, well-researched articles and to double-check the spelling of names and other proper nouns.

Allow six weeks for response to queries.

Compensation

Our pay scale ranges from $50 to $150 depending on the length and complexity of the article as well as the experience of the writer. We buy all rights, and payment is made upon publication of the article.

From the Web Site:

There’s This Place (Port Guide)

Pay Rate: $100-175

Two to three pages of information regarding a particular harbor or anchorage. Should include a sketch chart and photos of the area. Photo copies from original charts or cruising guides may be used.

Galley Gourmet (Recipes)

Pay Rate: $50-75

Should include a photo of the finished item, along with a photo of the chef and any special ingredients.

Pay Rate: $25-75

Flotsam & Jetsam (news of cruisers)

Cruising stories and experiences. Should be from 750-1200 words and must include at least one good photo.

Sea Urchins
(Cruising with Children)

Pay Rate: $50-75

Stories or tips for or from children who cruise. Include at least one good photo.

Pay Rate: $25-100

K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Stupid

Pay Rate: $25-100

Easy repairs or solutions to common cruising problems. Photo, diagram or
drawing preferred.

Pay Rate: $50-75

Noah’s Ark

Humorous or thought provoking stories about sailing with pets or animals. Should include at least one good photo.

Latitudes & Attitudes pays on publication.

Poetry Magazine

From the Web Site:

What kind of work is Poetry looking for?
We examine all work received and accept that which seems best. We regret that the volume of submissions received and the small size of our staff do not permit us to give individual criticism.

Does Poetry accept previously published material?
No. We cannot consider anything that has been previously published or accepted for publication, anywhere, in any form. Work that has appeared online is considered to have been previously published and should not be submitted. We do not consider simultaneous submissions.

Does Poetry pay money?
Yes. Payment is made on publication at the rate of $10.00 per line (with a minimum payment of $300), and $150 per page of prose, for first serial rights. All rights will revert to the author upon publication. Authors will also receive two contributor copies of the issue in which their work appears.

How do I submit my work to Poetry ?
We now have an online system for you to send us your work. It will securely send our editors your work and email you a confirmation that it has been received. To use the automated system, you need to have a Poetry account.

You can set up your account at submissions.poetrymagazine.org

Using this account you will be able to check the status of your submission at any time by going to our login page.

When you are ready to submit please visit our Submission Manager at submissions.poetrymagazine.org

What file types can I submit?
Please submit files in one of the following formats only:

Word document (.doc) files
Rich Text Format (.rtf) files

Please note that submissions are limited to 4 poems (1 file), and cannot exceed a total of 7.63 MB. Poems should be submitted in a single file, with poems separated by titles or page breaks. Please include all writer contact info on the first page of the submitted file.

When can I submit to Poetry?
We accept submissions year round. We ask that you do not make multiple submissions: please wait for a response to your submission before sending new work.

How soon can I expect to hear about my submission?
Out of respect for poets, we are doing everything we can to minimize response time. We will do our best to respond within 6-8 weeks from the day of receipt, but are sometimes slower in responding. Please be patient! It is our goal to make sure each submission gets a good read. Adhering to our single submission of 4 four poems or less at a time will help insure a timely response to your work.

Please ensure that you set your e-mail spam filter to allow mail from both poetryfoundation.org and poetrymagazine.org; otherwise notification regarding your submission may be marked as junk mail.

Family Tree Magazine

From the Web Site:

About the magazine

Family Tree Magazine is a special-interest consumer magazine that helps readers discover, preserve and celebrate their family’s history. We cover genealogy, ethnic heritage, personal history, genealogy websites and software, photography and photo preservation, and other ways that families connect with their past.

Articles are beginner-friendly but never talk down to the audience. Readers may be experts in one area of our coverage, yet novices in another. We emphasize sidebars, tips and other reader-friendly “packaging,” and each article aims to provide the resources necessary to take the next step in the quest for one’s personal past.

Writing for Family Tree Magazine

• We accept queries by e-mail and postal mail only. When querying by mail, always include an SASE. If we’ve never worked with you before, please include writing samples (published clips preferred) with your query. Please don’t call with queries or to check on the status of your query. Allow six to eight weeks for a response.

• The ideal Family Tree Magazine writer is both a writer—able to explain complex topics in clear, friendly, easy-to-read articles and sidebars—and an expert (or interested amateur) in one of our coverage areas. Your query should indicate both why you’re right for this topic and why you’re able to write it.

• Please query with a specific story idea. In general, we’re looking for stories that are right for our magazine, not writers to assign articles to. Please do not submit finished articles (except for our Everything’s Relative section) or articles previously published in other genealogical magazines.

• Issues are planned well in advance. Though our lead time is technically about six months, we’ll have a plan for the December issue by January of that year. Better to look too far ahead than to miss the boat. And we do like to be timely—scheduling a story on wedding records in June, for example.

• Our style is bright, breezy, helpful and encouraging. We’re NOT an academic journal or a genealogy-research journal.

• Articles need to be broad in scope to appeal to a general audience, yet narrow enough to support specific, useful information. “Getting Started with the National Archives” might be a good article for us; “1840 North Carolina Census Records” is not.

• We do NOT publish personal experience stories (except in Everything’s Relative) or the histories of specific families. Nor do we publish generic family or parenting articles—keep in mind that our focus is family history.

• Query with specific suggestions on accompanying sidebars, tip boxes, resource lists and other elements, as well as ideas for content that might be appropriate for posting on our Web site.

• For writers new to Family Tree Magazine, we are most open to short submissions for Branching Out (lively, newsy upfront section) and brief writeups of new resources for family history buffs for our Toolkit section. We also invite short, amusing stories of “the lighter side of family history” for our Everything’s Relative page.

• Please read a copy of the magazine before querying.

Oregon Quarterly

From the Web Site:

Oregon Quarterly is the successor to Old Oregon, the University of Oregon’s alumni magazine founded in 1919. Although our 100,000 readers consist predominantly of UO alumni, our editorial approach has evolved in the past few years from a traditional alumni magazine to a regional magazine of ideas. To highlight this change, we now describe ourselves as “The Northwest Perspective from the University of Oregon.”

Unlike a traditional alumni magazine, the majority of our features are not about the UO as such. Instead, we generally address topics of state and regional interest (ideas, issues, and personalities) using the resources of UO faculty and alumni. The UO benefits from its involvement in these stories, not as their subject matter. Our goal is to reach a broad, well-educated regional audience, whether or not they have ties to the UO.

As a magazine, we want to be recognized for the quality of our writing. Good magazine stories should have shape and depth. They are closer in conception and execution to a thoughtful essay than to a newspaper feature. They should involve the reader, awaken the imagination. They require some effort to write, but they are much more a pleasure to read.

Most of our stories are contributed by freelancers. If the topic has a contemporary regional interest, and if UO involvement can be demonstrated (through faculty or alumni participation), we’d like to hear about it. We prefer a brief query letter (with SASE) that show the flavor of the proposed article and your writing style. Submit clips that demonstrate your ability. If you don’t have a story idea but would like to be considered for assignments, submit clips with a cover letter explaining your interests and experience.

We invite queries for features and UO alumni profiles. Our features generally run 1,500–3,000 words; short subjects run about 400–1,000 words. Pay varies depending on subject matter and writer’s experience, with department stories usually ranging from $100 to $350 and features significantly more. We pay on acceptance (after requested revisions), plus reasonable expenses (with receipts), provided they are cleared by us in advance. For contracted stories we do not accept, we pay a kill fee of 20 percent the contracted amount. We generally follow the Chicago Manual of Style.

Credit Union Business

From the Web Site:

The tone of Credit Union BUSINESS is professional, but not stuffy. The “new guard” of credit union executives is younger and are probably as familiar with “… for Dummies” books as they are with The Wall Street Journal. Again and above all, our articles must provide our readers with information that they can immediately put into action.

The ideal Credit Union BUSINESS writer has some experience with credit unions, or at least banks. However, this is not absolutely essential. The ability to understand our readers (The C Level credit union executives) and to appreciate and explain how information from other industries relates to credit unions will often be sufficient. A clear, concise, informative writing style and outstanding interviewing skills are absolutely essential.

The Process
Each year Credit Union BUSINESS creates an Editorial Calendar (available on request). Once it is available, our current writers are sent a copy. The writers, then in turn, submit inquiries. On occasion, Credit Union BUSINESS will assign articles based on industry needs. Freelance writers may submit inquiries at any time. All writers are asked to submit ideas for new topics, new columns, or any other concepts that come to mind.

Submission Requirements
All submissions will be submitted no later than the 24th of the month approximately 5 weeks prior to the publication issue (example August 24 for a July/August issue).

Since we plan every magazine, please do not over/under-run by more than 100 words without first contacting the editor and gaining agreement.

Credit Union BUSINESS buys first North American serial rights, plus the right to archive on our Web site indefinitely after publication. We pay upon publication and offer no kill fee. If we assign an article, and your work is acceptable, we’ll use it. If for some reason the article is rejected, it may be published at a later date or simply killed (we do not pay kill fees.) The writer will be notified if either of these conditions occur.

Email all queries, questions, and submissions to “editor” at creditunionbusiness.com or “editor” at cubizmag.com.

Tropical Fish Hobbyist

From the Web Site:

Are you a fish expert? Have you ever dreamed of writing for TFH? Submit an article idea today!

Please follow these guidelines in preparing your submissions.

Manuscripts should be submitted as email attachments to associateeditor@tfh.com

Article Content

We are looking for good writing about interesting topics. It is important to be clear, precise, succinct, and organized. We do not pay by the word, so trim your prose as tight as possible.

Be accurate. Research your topic fully. Do not repeat hearsay or opinions; report facts. When drawing conclusions from personal experiences, be sure not to over generalize.

Proofread your material! Check spelling and punctuation. Watch out for homonyms. Use serial commas. Pay attention to restrictive versus non-restrictive subordinate clauses. Keep track of agreement and sequence of tenses.

CHECK SCIENTIFIC NAMES! We often get manuscripts with misspelled or incorrect scientific names. Do your homework and get it right. A good resource for scientific names of fish is www.fishbase.org. For invertebrates and other animals, a good resource is www.itis.gov/index.html.

Hyphen

From the Web Site:

Hyphen has limited resources, but we pay $500 for in-depth, feature stories that carry the theme for each issue. We’re looking for writers who can depart from the predictable daily-news structure and tell a story well, with keen observations and strict accuracy. We welcome investigative reporting as well as literary journalism, thoughtful pieces as well as tongue-in-cheek ones.

We’ve got a bit of a split personality, so we want both fun and serious writing. As long as it’s well written and solidly reported, we’re very open. Bonus points if the story takes place in the South or Midwest. Asian America doesn’t exist only on the coasts, you know.

We are interested in issues that affect Asian Americans, but, please, no Asian American Studies 101. We are also interested in tangentially Asian American stories, in quirky stories, and in stories about emerging artists rather than established ones. We don’t have many rules, but here are a few. If you break these, your submission will be rejected:

1) Do not send ideas about people and events in Asia. We cover Asian America, not Asia.

2) Absolutely no reprints, though substantially revised or expanded stories will be considered. This means don’t send us something that has already been published elsewhere.

3) Do not pitch us a story about a conference. There is nothing more boring than a story about a conference.

4) Don’t send us anything that uses the phrase “East meets West.” Just don’t.

Grand

From the Web Site:

Read GRAND magazine, listen to the voices and the messages. Then, find a story or an idea that directly relates to the role of grandparenting and/or the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. (In other words, we are not a magazine about aging, or senior citizens; in the U.S., the average age of a first-time grandparent is 46. Our audience is overwhelmingly “baby boomers.”) When you have found a topic, ask yourself two questions: what is this about? And what is this about, really? Then…Answer those two questions to me, in an e-mail (grand@grandmagazine.com) and knock my socks off.

Often, I’m asked questions such as:

1. Preferred word length. Don’t worry about it. Tell the story. I’m the editor; I’ll worry about length.
2. Samples of past writing. Probably won’t be read. I’m busy, and anyway, who knows how much (and how well) the material was edited after it left your hands? I’m always willing to give a new writer a chance.
3. What issue will this appear in? Who knows? Our magazine content is chosen, by me, to meet an organic standard and each month has a very different personality. Your piece will appear when it is exactly right.
4. When will I be paid? Standard is within 45 days of acceptance of the article. Sometimes sooner if we’ve pressed you for a short deadline. Sometimes later if revisions have been required.
5. How much will I be paid? Not as much as you’re worth.
6. Will I receive hard copies of my work once it appears in the magazine? If you have trouble downloading them and printing them out yourself, we’ll provide them.
7. What about photographs? The more you send with a piece that needs photographs, the happier we are, even if we don’t use them. We like to have options. We rarely, once in a blue moon, when pigs fly, pay an author to take photographs.
8. Do I need to include websites and other resource information in the article, as applicable? Yes, yes, yes. The more links and video/podcast potential and purchasing information and research data, etc. that we make accessible to the reader, the more we’re doing our job.
9. How quickly will you reply to my query? If you don’t hear from me within 48 hours, something (like spam-control) has interfered. Try again.
10. Are you happy to hear from new writers? Immensely. It’s the most exciting part of the job…because there’s always the chance that there’s an idea coming that will make my day!

Wisconsin Trails

From the Web Site:

About Wisconsin Trails: Wisconsin Trails is a bi-monthly publication intended to showcase the travel destinations, outdoor/indoor activities, nature, history, culture and people that make this state great.

About our contributors: Wisconsin Trails writers are experienced writers that have an in-depth knowledge of Wisconsin and are able to write engaging copy that provides new insight to popular destinations, events and activities.

Contributor’s rights: Wisconsin Trails buys first rights for print and publication on wisconsintrails.com. All rights revert back to the author upon publication. Writers are paid upon publication. Wisconsin Trails editors reserve the right to edit content without approval from the contributor. Contributors receive two copies of the issue upon publication.

Kill fees: If a story is unable to be used, due to lack of editorial space in an issue or an unsatisfactory job on the part of the writer, a kill fee of 20 percent of the assignment fee, up to a maximum fee of $75, will be issued 30 days after the assignment was scheduled for publication.

Scale Auto Magazine

From the Web Site:

Who may submit magazine articles?
Anyone may submit articles for consideration. We are always interested in seeing material from new writers. Although we do not generally “assign” or commission articles, we do review those sent to us and, if suitable, they are eventually used in Scale Auto magazine.

We don’t expect our writers to be Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists; we are looking for model builders, collectors, and enthusiasts who feel their models and/or modeling techniques and experiences would be of interest and benefit to our readership. When we evaluate articles, we look at the quality of accompanying photos and illustrations, content of the how-to-material, and the writing style. If the photos and content are good, the article can be worked on by our staff, if necessary, to improve its readability.

What kind of material are you looking for?
Above all, our readers like how-to material: how to paint, how to scratchbuild, how to chop a roof, etc. Our readers want to know how to make their models better, so any help or advice you can offer is what modelers will want to read.

Features about your own modeling projects also make worthy topics. A step-by-step writeup with clear, close-up photos can relay techniques and shortcuts to other modelers.

Articles should be brief – usually in the neighborhood of 750 to 3,000 words. Readers want to know how you wired your engine, not how you built up an entire junkyard, complete with 75 cars. However, if you have a topic worthy of more than 3,000 words, ask us about it before you begin writing; we might be able to turn it into a two- or three-part feature. Just remember that readers won’t stay with you for four or five pages of text unless you can find a way to hold their interest. Writing a short article that focuses on a particular model or modeling technique is your best bet.

The Country Connection

From the Web Site:

The Country Connection is Ontario’s magazine of choice for history, heritage, nostalgia, nature, environment, travel and the arts. It is published twice a year: winter/spring and summer/autumn and is mass distributed throughout Ontario and at selected outlets across Canada by Magazines Canada. As a general interest magazine, our readership includes residents, cottagers, travellers and eco-tourists to Ontario. We look forward to discussing your ideas and receiving your submissions.

STORY TYPES
We accept articles and stories on a wide range of rural themes with a special emphasis on history, heritage, green travel, environment, ecology, nature, nostalgia, the arts, studio tours, culture, fiction, leisure, etc. We do not accept stories with references to hunting, fishing, animal husbandry or pets (with the exception of critical essays). We accept only Canadian content by Canadian authors. References to food and recipes must be 100% plant-based (no animal products) and contain only wholesome, natural ingredients. Except for historical references, all measurement units must be in metric. Stories must be original and unpublished.

Family Tree Magazine

From the Web Site:

Our style is bright, breezy, helpful and encouraging. We’re NOT an academic journal or a genealogy-research journal.

Please read a copy of the magazine before querying.

For writers new to Family Tree Magazine, we are most open to short submissions for Branching Out (lively, newsy upfront section) and brief writeups of new resources for family history buffs for our Toolkit section. We also invite short, amusing stories of “the lighter side of family history” for our Everything’s Relative page.

Query with specific suggestions on accompanying sidebars, tip boxes, resource lists and other elements, as well as ideas for content that might be appropriate for posting on our Web site.

• Articles need to be broad in scope to appeal to a general audience, yet narrow enough to support specific, useful information. “Getting Started with the National Archives” might be a good article for us; “1840 North Carolina Census Records” is not.

We do NOT publish personal experience stories (except in Everything’s Relative) or the histories of specific families. Nor do we publish generic family or parenting articles—keep in mind that our focus is family history.

Glimmer Train

From the Web Site:

Glimmer Train welcomes the work of established and upcoming writers.

We especially appreciate stories that are both well written and emotionally engaging. Please let us read yours! If it is chosen for publication in Glimmer Train Stories, you will be paid upon acceptance. Your story will be prepared with care, and presented in a handsome, highly regarded literary journal to readers all over the world. If you’ve seen Glimmer Train Stories, you know that we go to some lengths to honor our contributors and their writing.

Every category will be open for one full calendar month, from the first day through midnight of the last day. (Exception: The December Fiction Open closes on January 2nd each year.)
Click on category link for complete guidelines:

January: Very Short Fiction Award (Up to 3,000 words) and Standard

February: Short Story Award for New Writers

March: Fiction Open (2,000 to 20,000 wds)