Submission Guidelines

  Colorado Explorer Magazine is a monthly magazine that promotes travel and outdoor activities around the state of Colorado. We publish photographs as well as travel and adventure stories about places, people, and things to do around Colorado. Colorado has some of the most majestic scenery in the world and people want to see photographs, read the accounts and learn the history of these specific places.  As the magazine matures, we may develop relationships with writers that will lead to regular contributions, but for the most part, we intend to publish new content and new authors on a regular basis.

 Please take an opportunity to read a copy of our magazine so that you understand both our style and content. The following submission guidelines are intended to make it easier for the magazine editors to receive, evaluate, and hopefully publish your submission. Please review these guidelines before you submit a photograph, article, or advertisement.

The magazine as well as calendars, cards, etc, are all planned and laid out several months in advance. Photographs and articles can be submitted as stand alone items. You do not need to submit an article with your photograph or a photograph with your article. If you do submit an article with a photograph, there is no guarantee that they will be used together.

Written Guidelines

We prefer travel and adventure stories rather than guidebook stories. All article submissions need to have the author’s information including phone and e-mail address so that further inquiries can be made by our editors, if necessary.  If your article needs to be edited in any way for space or other considerations, the editor will do his best to work directly with the author to make any changes.  We do not accept stories of being lost or wilderness survival, wild-animal trapping, gory hunting tales, or "Joe and I" adventures. We also do not accept poetry or fiction. We can convert articles submitted in most formats, but would prefer the document to be in either MSWord or text (.txt) format. You may submit your article on a 3.5" disk, or CD if you mail it to us, but we would prefer to have articles submitted as an e-mail, either directly to the editor at editor@coloradoexplorer.com, or through our website www.coloradoexplorer.com. If you physically submit your article and would like your material returned, include a SASE. We are not responsible for unsolicited material of any kind.

Our typical reader has an adventurous spirit and likes to hike, bike, ride, or drive through scenic Colorado. The majority of the features and departments are submitted from free- lance writes and photographers. Most of the photo assignments are the result of written queries. Along with the article, you should include a cover letter that gives a brief synopsis of your story and why it is the type of article readers want to see in Colorado Explorer Magazine. Articles that are accepted do not necessarily constitute photo submission acceptance. You may include a SASE, but we normally respond to queries via e-mail within a month. Replies to manuscript submissions may take longer.

Each manuscript submission requires a completed Colorado Explorer Magazine manuscript Delivery Receipt signed and dated by the writer. The Manuscript Delivery Receipt can be downloaded from our website at www.coloradoexplorer.com prior to making your submission. Photographs are accepted as individual submissions as described above and not as part of an article.

Colorado Explorer Magazine purchases all first print rights and all submissions are expected to be original, not plagiarized.  Initially, the maximum word length and fees paid for each feature article is $0.75 a word. A feature article should be between 800 and 1,400 words. The maximum word length and fees paid for department articles are $0.40 a word. The department articles should be between 600 and 1,000 words.  These fees may be adjusted as the publication matures.  Rates paid for a submission will be based on the current rates offered at the time of publication.   The department articles should conform to the purpose of each department. You may submit articles in the following departments:

•  Around Colorado
• Colorado Art
• Colorado People
• Town Highlight
• Outdoor Highlight
• Book review
• Hike of the month
• Bike of the month
• Horseback ride of the month
• RV adventure of the month

Colorado Explorer Magazine buys one-time-rights to your article, which may include both print and electronic versions. This does not require the written exchange of copyright from freelancers to the magazine. We will not grant permission to others to reprint article, but will forward such requests to the author. Most material is purchased on a one-time-rights basis, which does not require the written exchange of copyright. We reserve the right to edit and rewrite your submission to comply with our style. Author proofs are generally not provided.   Compensation for article submissions is contracted prior to printing, payment is after printing.

Articles and photographs will compliment each other.  Write articles in your own style. The intention of the magazine is to present the beauty of the state, so spend some time explaining how to get to the area and if there are any restrictions. What is the historical and or geological background of the area? Write this in layman’s terms so that readers who are not geologists can follow you. Make sure that your article has a beginning, middle, and ending. Do not send disconnected thoughts or feelings, diary entries, or a travelogue (hourly blow by blow). Begin with a theme, write about the theme, and then conclude the theme.

 Mail submissions to:

Colorado Explorer Magazine
C.O. Editor
1 W Noe Rd
Larkspur, CO, 80118


E-mail submissions to:

editor@coloradoexplorer.com


A copy of the payment schedule for all Colorado Explorer Magazine publications is available on request.