Outside Bozeman - Southwest Montana's Outdoor Journal

Outside Bozeman is a seasonal publication that explores and celebrates the outdoor world of the Gallatin Valley. Our magazine examines not only the dramatic beauty of the landscape and the innumerable recreational possibilities it affords, but also the issues surrounding its use and the wide range of lifestyles it engenders. It is both an interesting, entertaining journal and an informative where-to guide for fun and adventure in Bozeman's outdoors.

Our magazine is built on the notion that an outdoor lifestyle is like a sense of humor: the more people that have one, the better off we all are, and the brighter our collective future. The current outdoor rage, we believe, is not just a passing fad; it is a testament to the fact that we, as a culture, have drifted away from our roots, from our connection with the natural world. We're desperate to reattach ourselves, to rekindle the fire; so we fish, camp, ski, and climb mountains (or at the very least, read about these things) in the hope of finding something that we can't quite comprehend, but that we know is imperative to our well-being, and to our future.

Not to mention that being outside Bozeman is just plain fun – there's nothing quite like hiking the ridge at Bridger for fresh tracks on a crisp January morning; hooking into a hefty brown on the lower Madison; screaming down the single-track below Mystic Lake; or cresting a rocky summit in Hyalite, and seeing the whole Gallatin Range turn purple in the evening light.

It's these moments that we want to share with our readers, be they born-and-bred Bozemanians, camera-toting tourists from Vermont, or anyone in between.

Writers:
Feature Articles on outdoor activities & adventure, limited to Gallatin Valley and surrounding area (roughly Yellowstone River to Madison River, Bridger Range to Big Sky. Missouri River, Paradise Valley, West Yellowstone, and Yellowstone Park okay too). Personal narratives, area or event descriptions, environmental/conservation issues, wildlife exposés, historical anecdotes: all are fair game. Query first if at all possible. We'll run 4-6 feature articles per issue. Length should be 800-1,400 words. Pays 10-20 cents/word, depending on quality, originality, amount of editing required, and writer tenure with Outside Bozeman. Try to include sidebars that directly or indirectly relate to the feature.

Profiles of eminent and/or interesting outdoor personalities are encouraged. Pays same as feature. Some ideas: Jack Tackle, Tom McGuane, Conrad Anker, Bud Lilly, Russell Chatham.

Departments pay $25-$100. These are short pieces fitting into any of the following categories:

Local Lore (area culture & history; 400-800 words)
News & Notes (local happenings; 200-300 words)
The New West (the changing Western lifestyle & landscape; 500-800 words)
Folio (book, movie, and CD reviews; 200-400 words)
Flora & Fauna (highlight of an indigenous species; 400-600 words)
Outdoor Handbook (first aid, cooking, astronomy, etc.; 400-800 words)
Business Bio (profile of a local business; 500-800 words)
Seasonal Activities (overview / informative description, with or without first-person anecdotal content, of a seasonal outdoor activity and/or locale; 600-800 words)
Area Attractions (interesting locale outside Bozeman area)

We'll also run a Personal Essay if it's appropriate. Should be thoughtful and well-informed. The more contemplative, the better. Try to scratch beneath the surface, getting at why we do what we do out there. Pays same as feature. Humor is encouraged. Cartoons, overheard quips, outdoor jokes, short yarns – just about anything that is outdoor-related and funny. Pays same as department.

Note: Because Outside Bozeman is a free publication with limited resources, all articles are on spec, accepted query or not. Unfortunately, we cannot pay kill fees.

All article submissions should conform to the following submission protocols:

-If sending by e-mail (preferred), attach article AND paste article into message body.
-If no e-mail, use a CD or floppy disk.
-MS Word, text-only, or rich-text format. NO WORDPERFECT.
-Article should be single-spaced, with ONE space between sentences.
-Include a good title and subtitle if appropriate.
-Try to obtain professional-quality photos to accompany your article.

Editorial calendar is as follows:

Spring
Query Deadline: January 1
Article Deadline: February 1

Summer
Query Deadline: April 1
Article Deadline: May 1

Fall
Query Deadline: July 1
Article Deadline: August 1

Winter
Query Deadline: October 1
Article Deadline: November 1

Photographers:
Pretty much anything goes, from nature images to artistic stuff to extreme/adventure shots. We'll use many individual photographs throughout the magazine, and possibly a photo essay or two per issue. These in particular must capture the beauty, majesty, and excitement of the Bozeman area in a well-chosen set of images with a central theme. Payment varies, but here’s a rough outline: 1/4-page or smaller, $25; 1/4- to 1/2-page, $50; 1/2- to full-page, $75; full-page, $100; cover shot, $200.

Payment:
We will do everything in our power to pay you within 30 days of publication, but we make no promises. Our funds derive solely from our advertisers; when they don't pay us, we can't pay you. To date, we've always been able to pay within 60 days of publication.

Send all submissions to: editor@outsidebozeman.com

Outside Bozeman
PO Box 10934
Bozeman, MT 59719
Phone: 406-582-8068 Fax: 406-582-4982