Writer’s Guidelines

OVERVIEW

• Our goal is to provide positive content of interest to parents, grandparents, educators and others who work with and care about child We have an opportunity to nurture the bonds of family and community and are especially interested in content that promotes healthy and developmentally appropriate environments for children.
• Our readers represent a variety of lifestyles and beliefs; we strive to be respectful of that diversi
• We balance editorial content to include different stages of childhood from infant, toddler and preschooler to school-aged and teen
• Our main readership categories include parents, grandparents, blended families, single parents, adoptive and foster parents, educators, social workers and business owners.
• We distribute approximately 19,000 print copies of the magazine each month in five upper Northern California counties. Distribution points include a variety of grocery stores and local shops, schools, libraries, newsstands and child-focused organizations. The magazine is available digitally at northstateparent.com.
• We purchase one-time print rights with regional exclusivity for three months upon publication, and electronic rights for use at com (unless excluded upon specific request).

QUERIES

1. Email unsolicited submissions as a Word attachment to editorial@northstateparent.com.
2. Email subject lines should include the type of submission and title or topic, i.e. Reprint Available: Title, Article Query: Title/Topic.
3. Queries should include:

• Potential title
• Proposed angle and hook
• Brief outline
• Proposed word count
• Potential interview sources for localizing the piece, if needed. We can help connect writers with resources.

4. Please keep in mind when sending seasonal pieces that the majority of content is planned several months in advance.
5. Articles should be informative without being overly technical. A storyline or an interesting angle is prefer
6. Content needs to be pertinent to the geographic area we serve; the upper Northern California counties of Butte, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama. Localizing articles is important; including interview comments from local resources is one way to localize. When including resources, try to include something from multiple countie Contact us about localizing as we can help connect writers with resources.
7. North State Parent reserves the right to edit submissions for length, grammar, clarity and conciseness, and is responsible for article layout. We may work with writers on revisions as time allows. We most often do not provide a final draft before printing.

WORD COUNT

The typical length of published pieces is 400-500 words. Typical length of feature pieces is 600-1,000 words. Word count for assigned articles is confirmed in advance and writers should adhere to this word count.

WRITING FOR DIGITAL PLATFORMS

 

North State Parent has begun focusing more heavily on our digital presence. Every article needs to be optimized for digital platforms and maximum readership, and the following guidelines must be followed when writing your articles:

1. Create a short, descriptive headline.
2. Create a subhead for each section or long Each section should be less than 300 words.
3. Use the headline or word(s) from the headline throughout the article.
4. Use active voice throughout the article.
5. Use transitional words within your paragraphs as you move from one idea to another, as well as when you need to move your reader to the next paragraph. Think of transitions as the links that help your writing flow. Here are a couple of good websites that explain transitional words and their best use https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/transitions/. https://msu.edu/~jdowell/135/transw.html
6. Be mindful of sentence length and aim for sentences with an average of 20 words.

STYLE

Unless noted below, writing should follow AP style.

1. Avoiding a series of one-sentence paragraphs. Avoid excessive use of exclamations and definitive statements such as “everyone knows….”
2. Gender references: Avoid using “he or she” excessively throughout the article. Do not use “his/her.” Our preference is to pick a gender for your subject and maintain it. It is also okay to change genders when introducing a new subject.
3. Mentioning minors: Unless you have specific permission, do not disclose the full name and location of minors, for privacy reasonWhen quoting, an example would be: “saysTrudy, age seven, of Chico, CA.” Or, “says seven-year-old Benjamin of Redding, CA.”
4. Quotes:Check with the person quoted about how much personal information they are comfortable having disclosed by way of their name and location. It’s advisable to let the person fact-check their quote. Please keep quotes in the present tense.
5. Telephone numbers and websites: When including telephone numbers, use parenthesis for the area code: (xxx) xxx-xxxx. For websites, use “www” when it is part of the URL (do not add it). Drop http:// or https:// from URLs.
6. Articles with instructions such as recipes or art projects should have directions tested before submission.
7. Statistics or facts: Be sure the information is accurate, and please document sources with inline citations.
8. Sidebars: A sidebar may be included with your article, such as a resource list for the topic presented.
   1. When presenting local resources, include items for all five counties served by North State Parent: Butte, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama.
   2. Sidebar information and listings should be brief; include only the most relevant resources to inspire readers to research further. Both local and online resources may be included.
   3. Format sidebars as a block of paragraphs, a bulleted list, or a small inset box or quote.
   4. Sidebar contentis typically considered part of an article’s overall word count; for assigned articles, double-check with the editor or publisher to confirm.
9. Photographs: When submitting a photograph to illustrate your piece, please send in a sharply focused, high-resolution (300 dpi) jpg or png formaInclude photographer’s credit if needed; be sure you have permission for image use.

FORMAT

1. Submit articles as a Word document in 11-point Arial font. Indent paragraphs, single space text and double space between paragraphs. Single space after terminating punctuation. Include a byline.
2. Include the article word count (not including the title, byline and writer’s biography) in the upper left-hand corner above the title. Give a separate sidebar word count. i.e. WC 600, Sidebar WC 100.
3. Refer to Writing for Digital Platforms above for headlines, subheads and sentence length.
4. Include a brief writer’s biography (approx. 30 words) at the end of the article that relates in some way to the article topic. Let readers know about you and how the article relates to your life. If you are local or a parent, please make a mention. Humor is appreciated as appropriate. North State Parent does not publish writer websites or contact information or mention other publications except by special agreement such as a public relations trade agreement with a published book author or organization.
   g. Tammy Trekker is an avid Siskiyou County hiker and looks forward to introducing her two children to the experience as soon as they can walk without wobbling.
5. Writer’s Photograph: Include a high-resolution (300 dpi) jpg or png writer’s headshot with your submission; a thumbnail picture of the writeraccompanies most writer biographiesin our publication.

SUBMITTING ARTICLES - DEADLINES

Assigned articles should be submitted by the agreed upon deadline using the proper format. Articles should be submitted by email per the editor or publisher’s instructions. The email subject line should include the article title.

Please proof your work before submitting. Use spelling and grammar checking tools. We suggest having someone review your piece for clarity before submitting.

INVOICING AND W-9 FORMS

Writers will receive an invoice request via email upon article publication. Rarely, space limitations may require an article be pulled during final production. In that event, we will try to place the article in a future issue if the topic is still applicable. We pay for the published word count, which may differ from the submitted article. Upon receipt of the writer’s invoice, payment is normally sent by the end of the month in which the article runs.

Writers must submit a completed W-9 form as required for independent contractor federal 1099 tax forms. A W-9 must be on file for your invoice to be paid. Submit your W-9 to:

Pamela Newman
North State Parent Magazine
P.O. Box 1602
Mount Shasta, CA 96067

Thank you for your interest in North State Parent Magazine!