It is strongly recommended that you read a number of past issues to get a feel for the style and focus of OUTPOST Magazine before submitting queries to the editor.

You can target your query for inclusion in a particular section of the magazine, but the editors may feel it’s more appropriate for another department or even a special issue. The magazine is loosely structured as follows:

Tripping: Profiles of travellers and intriguing people from around the world; useful bits of travel information, from products to advice; human interest, environmental and cultural reportage; reviews of books, movies and music from around the world; destination profiles. Stories that appear in the front of book range in length from 100-1,400 words.

Goin’ Hard: Coverage of expeditions, adventure racing, and more extreme endeavours. 750-1,300 words.

Features: 2,800 and 5,000 words

Special Sections: Outpost frequently produces special sections or issues on such subjects as road trips, volunteer travel, and food.

Submitting Stories and Story Ideas

The Editorial Department does not accept queries over the phone.

All story ideas should be submitted by query letter and should contain:

• One-page query letter outlining the story idea, including its angle, direction, elements and proposed length.
• A brief list of where the writer has been previously published
• The availability of photographs or other artwork to illustrate the story
• All necessary contact information, including phone number and email address
• A full or partial manuscript
• Examples of previously published work are encouraged

If including a full or partial manuscript with your email submission please enclose it as a word, .txt, or .rtf document attached to the message.

Unsolicited material will not be sent back without a self-addressed, stamped envelope or international postal coupon. The above guidelines apply even if the story is being submitted by e-mail. Outpost requires that you inform us of whether or not your submission has been previously published in another publication, or is scheduled to be. We also require that you inform us as to any flights, accommodations, meals, etc. that were given to you free of charge as part of a FAM or press trip. Writers submitting story ideas should be aware that the editors at Outpost may have already assigned or be working on a similar story.

We will do our best to reply to your query within one month.

Submitting Approved Stories

All stories must be typed and double-spaced.

Once a story has been approved, and edited, the writer must be able to send the story electronically (unless trapped in the jungles of Borneo in the middle of a power outage) or make it available on (a virus-free) disk. Exceptions will be made, if all that is available to the writer is a fax machine or snail mail.

For stories submitted on disk: save as a Microsoft Word file or text file on a 3 1/2 inch IBM compatible disk. For Macintosh users save as a text file on a 3 1/2 inch disk.

Mailing Instructions

All editorial and photographic material should be addressed to:

Editor
Outpost Magazine
425 Queen St. West, Suite 201
Toronto, ON M5V 2A5 Canada
Fax: 416-972-6645
Email: editor@outpostmagazine.com

Editing

Every assignment accepted for Outpost will be confirmed by a letter or e-mail from the editor. This letter will outline the angle of the story, topics to be covered, length, deadline, and any other relevant information. If the suggested word count is exceeded by an unreasonable length, it will likely be sent back to the writer for editing.

Any major changes in length, focus, style and structure will be discussed with the writer. If the writer, however, is unavailable for consultation, changes will be made independent of the writer. The writer should provide possible headlines and decks (sub-headlines) with their story, or will be asked to do so close to the time of publication.

Fact Checking + Sources

It is the responsibility of the writer to verify, before submitting text, the spelling of all proper names, place names, foreign spellings (with accents) and addresses. Writers should be prepared to submit contact names and their phone numbers/email addresses so that Outpost may fact check the story and confirm assertions or opinions attributed to individuals or organizations.

Writers must be prepared to verify any facts called into question by Outpost. As well, they must be willing to double- and triple-check and re-check anything as required by the editors. Any information called into question by Outpost that cannot by verified will not be published.

Expenses

Outpost will not cover any expenses other than those specifically stipulated in our contract with the journalist or photographer.

Publication

Circumstances may arise where an assigned story may be held over for one or more issues. If this happens, the writer will be told in advance. Outpost reserves the right not to publish an article.

If a story already published or scheduled to be published in Outpost is sold for secondary publication in another magazine, we require that the article appear in Outpost six months before appearing anywhere else (unless otherwise permitted by the editor). We also require that a reprint note to the effect that the story first appeared in Outpost.

Photographic Submissions

Original material should not be sent to Outpost unless it has been specifically requested by the editors.

Outpost Prefers Hi-Res digital images but we do accept negatives, or 35mm transparencies or as a last resort prints. We also accept medium and large format transparencies, as well as material archived on a zip disk or CD.

Please submit material in plastic file sheets, with your name and address printed on each slide mount and/or sheet. If possible, please sent a separate sheet with captions.

Individual photographs or portfolios should not be sent via e-mail unless requested by the editors. Outpost is not responsible for the return of, or damage to any unsolicited slides, negatives, or photographs.

Any photographic material submitted to Outpost without a self-addressed stamped envelope and/or international postal coupon, will not be returned.

Illustration Submissions

Photocopies of originals are recommended so that we may keep them on file.

Electronic portfolios should not be sent via e-mail unless requested by the editors.

Any material submitted to Outpost without a self-addressed stamped envelope and/or international postal coupon, will not be returned.

Original material should not be sent to Outpost, unless it has been specifically requested by the editors. Outpost is not responsible for the return of, or damage to any unsolicited original artwork.