|
Cigar City Magazine is always looking for great stories
to tell. If you would like to contribute, please read our
Writing Specifications.
 Download
Writing Specifications
Thank you for your interest in wanting to write for Cigar
City Magazine. We welcome all writers (both published
and unpublished), with interesting story ideas. Our
articles profile Tampa in the early days and how it
evolved from a sleepy little village to the “Cigar
Capital of the World.”
Queries
We do not accept queries over the phone. We prefer
queries to unsolicited manuscripts. Queries should give a
good idea of the proposed article’s content and where
applicable, sources. Cultural sensitivity and historical
accuracy are extremely important. Writers are encouraged
to study recent back issues for content and style and also
be familiar with our website at www.cigarcitymagazine.com.
Feature Articles
Feature articles usually run between 1,300 to 2,500 words
and cover a variety of subjects and include sidebars. We
are a pictorially attractive publication and use many old
black and white and sepia photographs to enhance our articles.
Shorter pieces are also welcome (300-600 words). We seek
lively, well-researched, and well-written articles that
match the style of our magazine. Of special interest to
us are articles that discuss events within the context
of their times and articles that show connections between
the past and the present of Tampa.
Style
Since Cigar City Magazine’s readership
has a wide variety of backgrounds and age groups, we need
our writers to write in a familiar tone rather than a scholarly
tone.
Captions and Imagery
All graphics (images, drawings, maps, photographs, etc.)
should have descriptive captions of 15-25 words in complete
sentences that explain the relationship to the article.
Photo credits must be fully explained. The person or party
responsible for object(s) not open to public photography
such as special museum items must sign a release. In most
instances authors will be responsible for identifying and
providing illustrative material, procuring permissions
if necessary, or, at a minimum, offering suggestions to
the editor regarding suitable imagery. Cigar City Magazine will
use the utmost care in protecting and preserving original
photographs, slides and color separations, but will not
accept responsibility for accidental loss or damage. Original
photographs scanned and emailed to us must be scanned at
300 dpi resolution at 100%.
Footnotes and Bibliography
Authors should include footnotes, if applicable and a
bibliography, but few if any of these citations will be
included in the published version. Proper research and
documentation of sources and resources is critical and
required. Editor reserves the right to verify any and all
sources.
Bylines and author biographies
A two-line
biography of the author is requested. Please include the
author’s name, title, or organization(s),
and website/e-mail address.
Graphics
Please provide a minimum of 3-5
original photographs scanned at 300 dpi at 100% for feature
articles along with the manuscript. Do not embed them in
a Word processing document, attach the photographs to an
email. If you are unable to provide photographs to support
your manuscript the editor will decide on photographs to
support the story line. Cigar
Cigar Magazine is an eye-pleasing magazine and as
a result, we like to have lots of old photographs supporting
our articles.
We prefer you to submit your photographs in digital form.
They must be scanned at 300 dpi at 100% and can be TIFF
or JPEG files. We prefer them to be sent on a CD-R. Be
sure to convert all colors to CMYK.
Editing
Work may receive written critique and editorial suggestions.
All work will be edited to some degree, to match our editorial
format. No one need submit articles if they are not willing
to have their work edited. If rewrites are needed, editor
reserves the right to return to author, if time permits.
A strict timeline will be give to the author within which
to return revised article to the editor of Cigar City
Magazine. The editor will correct grammar, punctuation
and spelling errors. Although headlines for stories are
appreciated, the editor will decide on the headline/story
title.
Payment for Articles
At this time, Cigar City Magazine does
not pay for unsolicited articles. We welcome your contributions
to our historical and cultural magazine.
Original Material
Cigar City Magazine gives
priority to submitted articles that have not yet been published. We
will consider articles that have been or will be published
elsewhere, on a case-by-case basis. Please bring these
situations to the attention of the editor.
Copyright
Cigar City Magazine retains copyright to the
version of material which appears in Cigar City Magazine publications
(e.g. editorial material appearing in Cigar City Magazine may
not be copied and republished elsewhere in the same form
without permission from Cigar City Magazine.
Submissions
After receiving your query, we will contact you via email
if we are interested in receiving your manuscript. If that
occurs, please note that manuscripts must be in
a Microsoft Word document, 12-pt Times font
and double-spaced. All submitted articles should
be set up in the standard manuscript format (title, name,
address, phone number, and approximate word count on title
page, and every subsequent page fully numbered. Any foreign
names or words must be italicized and the proper accent
used.
Please include your writing credentials – both writing
experience and expertise in the subject being proposed-and
writing samples.
We will confirm receipt of materials. All submissions
are subject to approval and editing for grammar, style,
and consistency. We make no guarantee that submissions
will be published.
Note: submitted stories/articles will not be returned.
It is preferred you attach your manuscript to an email
to editor@cigarcitymagazine.com. However,
if you wish to submit via mail, please send us your manuscript
on a CD-R at:
Cigar City Magazine
P.O. Box 18613
Tampa, Florida 33679
How will you know if we have accepted your Story/Article?
Sometimes
it takes us months to get around to reading submitted stories/articles.
Because of our staff size and the volume we receive, it
is impossible for us to respond to every submission. We
will do our best to at least advise you that we have received
your story/article.
There are many stories/articles that we like, but may
want to wait until a future date to publish it with complementing
stories in a particular issue. If that happens, we will
hold on to the story/article and contact you. Please do
not contact us to ask about the status of your submission.
Note: An expression of interest by Cigar City
Magazine in a potential article is not a commitment
to publish. We also reserve the right to reject previously
accepted work at any time and for any reason.
Contact
For more information contact the Editor, Marilyn Esperante
Figueredo at editor@cigarcitymagazine.com.
|
