10thousandCouples' Contributing Writers

See below, WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR as of 3/1/2012 

10,000 Couples e-magazine is a free, subscription-based, online magazine dedicated to celebrating, affirming, and strengthening the loving commitments of gay and lesbian couples. The magazine officially launched its first issue October 1, 2009. See About Us for more information. 

It is our intent to present a wide-angle look at the milestones of gay and lesbian couples’ everyday living with the seriousness and the humor we deserve.  It is also our intent to represent the experiences of same-sex couples of all ages, beliefs, economic strata, ethnic and racial perspectives, and from around the globe. We want every issue of 10,000 Couples e-magazine to reflect the variety and diversity of same-sex couples' lives and interests. We also want our writers teams to reflect the same diversity.

Summary

We are always looking for content that embodies the day-to-day experiences of LGBT couples from around the world.  Submissions may be research-based or personal experience-based, personal observation-based opinion pieces or how-to articles.  We also welcome reviews of books, film, live stage, and television shows that depict or reference same-sex couples.  Submissions may be written or video-based.

In general, submissions should be well-written and thoughtful with the goal of illuminating the reader, even when the intent is purely entertainment.  If you are submitting a news article, however, the focus is on who, what, when, where, how, and why. Writing in a conversational style is preferred but not required.  Good humor is always welcomed.  Personal attack, gossip, gratuitous sex, and violence is not. We reserve the right to refuse any submission and to edit submissions for length and content before publication. We appreciate submissions, but we do not guarantee publication. All articles that are published include an “About the Contributor” section, including your website or email, where applicable.

Readers must subscribe to 10,000 Couples e-magazine for full access to this FREE publication www.10thousandcouples.com/subscribe

10,000 Couples e-magazine has a number of standing sections for which submissions are chosen for publication; however, our interests are subject to change from time to time. Please scroll through the Sections bar at the site (http://10thousandcouples.com) to find the section you want your submission to be considered for. Below is a synopsis of some of the most popular sections.

Available Contributor Sections (monthly publication of sections varies according to reader interest and article availability)

If you have ideas or interests in topics that are not listed here but are relevant to the goals of 10,000 Couples e-magazine, please submit your concept to editor@joined-together.net.

Contributors Guidelines

Following are the guidelines for submission, as well as some tips to help you decide whether to submit your work and how to frame it for publication.

Response time: We try to respond to all submissions promptly, but it is not always possible to do so. Please be patient, as it can sometimes take 1 to 2 weeks for a response. No phone calls, please.

Submissions: Both proposals and completed pieces are accepted. Writers who have not previously been published in 10,000 Couples e-magazine are strongly encouraged to email the editor as a way of introducing yourself. Please include a brief description of yourself and what you are interested in writing about before making your actual submission for consideration. We consider It enormously useful to also receive an attached writing sample (or link to same on the Internet).

• Submission by email is required with the word “submission” in the subject line. Hard-copy submissions are NOT accepted. Email submissions to editor@joined-together.net. Most formats are okay (MS Word, RTF, etc.). Please include word count.
• The e-magazine is carefully edited, and few unsolicited pieces are accepted exactly as submitted. Writers may be asked to revise or even rewrite portions of a piece.

Tips: 10,000 Couples e-magazine is targeted to well-educated readers who span a wide range of cultural experiences, interests, and commitments. They are gay and straight. Lively, thought-provoking, and readable are some watchwords for articles that we publish.

Please be familiar with the content of 10,000 Couples e-magazine before submitting. Submit previously unpublished articles only. Citing your sources is important. Citations allow readers to check an article’s accuracy. Citations may be placed in parentheses or brackets just after a quote, fact, or opinion. They can also be placed at the end of an article as footnotes or endnotes.

Format: 10,000 Couples e-magazine is almost 100 percent freelance-written. Columns and short articles are 300-500 words. Feature-length articles are 750-1,200 words. We encourage you to submit images along with your article: photographs (either B&W or color) must be in jpeg format. However, we reserve the right not to include these images with your article and to insert our own.

Expectations: We welcome those who simply want to submit an article periodically or just once. Those who agree to submit regularly are preferred and may become part of our Authors group. Communication is critically important to this relationship. Indeed, we plan the layout for coming issues based on writers' commitment. If you are accepted as a member of the Authors group but are subsequently unable to meet your submission obligations, it is critical that you inform us as soon as possible. If you do not let us know and do not submit your item(s) in a timely fashion, both the magazine and its readers suffer. You are likely to be removed from the Authors group as a result.

Deadlines: We accept submissions year-round. Each new issue is published the first day of the month. The submission deadline for each issue is the 15th of the month prior to the publication month. For example, we must receive your submission no later than June 2nd for publication in the August 1 Issue, and so on. Late receipts may be considered for the next eligible month’s issue.

Bio: Please enclose a brief 1-paragraph biographical sketch with your first submission so that we will have it on hand if we print your article. Submissions without bio, name, and email address will not be considered; however, we will consider printing your submission under a pen name if you prefer. Your bio must also include a jpeg photo.

Payment: 10,000 Couples e-magazine is not a funded venture and consequently is unable to offer payment to contributors for submissions at this time. This does not apply to Contract Authors. In the future, as the number of subscribers grows and ad revenue is generated, this position is expected to change.  Preference will be given to writers with whom we have established relationships.  In the meantime, we hope to attract writers who are motivated by a love of writing about things that matter and aspiring journalists with a desire to build a portfolio of published works. 

Writers with a particular expertise or interest in an LGBT-friendly business or service may incorporate hyperlinks to that business or service site in their article, subject to approval. Writers may also include their contact info, blog, or website, latest book title, etc. as self-promotion exposure for their writing. We do offer free, one-year Directory listings to writers who become members of the Authors Group.

We are looking forward to hearing from you, and I very much hope to welcome you to the team.

Peace and Blessings,

Delena Wilkerson, Publisher/Editor

Follow @10kCouples on Twitter

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR as of 3/1/2012

My Relationship Matters Sections

Periodic Contributors: 2 – 3 (healthy relationships, surviving unhealthy relations, and special info for/about transgendered couples (NEW) in stories and articles)

Regular Authors: 1 

Family Life Matters Sections

Periodic Contributors: 2 – 4 (healthy parenting/co-parenting, in-law related articles and aging)

Regular Author: 1 (IVF, Adoption, Pregnancy or Childbirth stories and resource related articles/1; AARP type issues for LGBT singles and couples age 50+/1)

Living the Domestic Gay Life Sections

Periodic Contributors: 1 – 2 (home repair, home buying, gardening, decorating, celebrating holidays, Cooking Tips and Shared Recipes)

Regular Authors: 2 (Top Chefs for Marriage Equality: profiles/1; Legal, financial and/or tax issues/1) 

10 Thousand Couples News Room

Periodic Contributors: 1 – 2 (commentary and editorials including opposing viewpoints; Having Our Gay Say; and Letters to the Editor)

Please contact the publisher with your specific detailed proposal if you are interested in being an Author or Feature Author.