Writers Guidelines

Last Update: 1/2019

Overview

Outdoor Families Magazine is a nature-based online magazine dedicated to providing families of all abilities, ages, and circumstances the tools necessary to enjoy outdoor experiences with their children. Driven by the talents of established bloggers, writers, and industry experts, OFM will post quarterly content that includes recipes, tips, destinations, and inspiration for embracing outside spaces, anywhere in the world.

Please do not send unsolicited articles. Queries should be directed to editor@outdoorfamiliesonline.com, with a clear vision for the article’s intended audience.

Contributors who demonstrate an interest in the mission, vision, and goals of Outdoor Families Magazine may be assigned stories based upon scope of outdoor activity, experience, and/or time. These assignments are at the sole discretion of the editor.

Content

Features are generally 800-1,000 words in length, and cover travel, specific outdoor adventures or activities, and issues affecting children and the outdoors. They should reflect a wide range of outside opportunities in a variety of environments, with quotes from relevant sources and include photographs.

Recipes and gear reviews should range between 600-800 words, with links to manufacturer or vendor (where appropriate), and photographs.

My Outdoor Family is a popular segment of our magazine, and can be a vehicle for writers new to online journalism, and for those who have never written a story for publication. Share your family’s outdoor passions, experiences, and goals in 600-700 words, using first-person narrative. “My Outdoor Family” is intended to be a non-compensated section of the magazine in order to encourage anyone, of any age or writing background, to submit a story.

The OFM 101 Series is a comprehensive and general tutorial describing a certain aspect of outdoor adventure. Past features have included camp packing lists, backpacking, gardening, and more. It is important to note that the 101 Series is not a travel narrative; rather, an informative “how-to” article families can use as a reference. 

Photographs are currently not being solicited as stand-alone aspects of the magazine. However, all contributors are encouraged to send images for use in all articles of any length.

Style

It is the desire of the Outdoor Families Magazine to provide professional, original content to our online readership through a consistent literary style. To that end, the editorial team would like current and potential contributors to utilize a uniform style for all submissions. Outdoor Families Magazine will use Associated Press (AP) Style for content (http://www.ap.org/products-services/stylebook, or follow on Twitter @APStylebook), with the following additional guidelines:

1. Links will be added in the following manner: Name of Business (www.website.com). Do NOT embed a website within the text.
2. Please use size 12 type and a Word-supported program. Do not underline, use colored type, or add any embellishment to the basic content.
3. Photos should be high-resolution images in .jpg format, with a minimum 1000px width/height. ALL photographs, especially those featuring children, should have a signed photo release (contact editor for this release). Photographs should be sent as attachments, not in the body of text.
4. Please be cognizant of voice (I, we, me, you, etc.). Are you sharing a personal experience, explaining a how-to aspect of outdoor life, or interviewing an expert in the field? Avoid the use of slang or industry jargon unless it is relevant to the story, and is included with sufficient explanation. Again, refer to AP Style for tips.
5. All articles should be sent as attachments, not in the body of an email.
6. Where applicable, please utilize interview opportunities, quoting sources with quotation marks and in a stand-alone paragraph. 
7. Before publishing, all works are edited to fit OFM style, spelling, grammar, and overall clarity with respect to the assignment. 

Compensation

As an growing publication, Outdoor Families Magazine does offer published writers a small compensatory fee. 

Pay rates for articles will vary and will be negotiated based on circumstances of the writer and the assignment. Outdoor Families Magazine will pay higher rates for original reporting and deeply researched stories that break new ground. If, for any reason, Outdoor Families Magazine makes a decision not to publish your assigned story, a fee of 50 percent of the original fee is offered and rights of the Article immediately reverts back to its author.

Rights

Outdoor Families Magazine acquires the following rights for Articles:

1. Exclusive first publication rights for the first 120 days after publish date on OutdoorFamiliesOnline.com
2. The right to refer to the Work and to refer to you as its author together with your relevant biographical data, and to authorize re-publication of all or part of the Work for the advertising and promotion of Outdoor Families Magazine, as well as in print, when and if Outdoor Families Magazine commences a print publication.
3. The non-exclusive right to republish the Work in any anthology or collection of Outdoor Families Magazine material.
4. Exclusive electronic and print rights to publish until one hundred and twenty days counted from the date of original publication on OutdoorFamiliesOnline.com, which shall be determined by Outdoor Families Magazine.
5. Outdoor Families Magazine can continue to publish the Article on its website and distribute it electronically through an archive, and at its sole discretion.

In the case of any subsequent publication of the Article , be it in electronic, print or other media, the Author agrees to ensure that Outdoor Families Magazine is appropriately credited as the original source of publication.

Appropriate forms of crediting include written mention of Outdoor Families Magazine’s name and website address (OutdoorFamiliesOnline.com).

Please understand that all copy submitted to Outdoor Families Magazine must complete our editing process. Copy may be edited for many reasons, including but not limited to accuracy, tone, taste, grammar or magazine style; the Article may be altered and updated following fact-checking procedures. Copy may need to be shortened due to space limitations. The editors have the final decision for making changes, additions or deletions to copy.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Fontaine, Managing Editor
323-807-5985
editor@outdoorfamiliesonline.com

Thank you for helping us create a global space where families and nature unite!