Contribute

Writer's Guidelines

 

Thank you for your interest in submitting an article to Common Ground.

We prefer to receive a query first by email describing the proposed article, including its title, approximate length, and the most important points it will cover. It's an excellent idea to send us the first paragraph to help get us excited about your proposal. Also include a brief biography as well as an explanation of why the author is qualified to write on this subject. Please do not send any attachments with your query. Send queries to editor@commonground.ca.

Please read through the archives of Common Ground to understand the nature and style of the editorial content. The offices of Common Ground have past issues available to you for $5 each. Generally we accept articles on health, wellness, the environment, transformational travel and personal growth. We prefer articles by Canadian authors, and we very rarely accept fiction and poetry. 

Articles of 600 to 1,500 words are accepted. We will consider longer articles, up to 2,500 words, but will probably ask you to edit them to a shorter length once they are accepted, but please query first. Most articles are enhanced by a high contrast, compelling photo, line drawing or graphic.

No article received by Common Ground is guaranteed to be published. No article is guaranteed to be published in a certain issue. Editorial priorities can be changed at the last moment.

Once accepted, articles are to be submitted on a disk with a hard (paper) copy, or sent to us by email to editor@commonground.ca. We use an IBM compatible system with Microsoft Word.

For pictures, use .TIF or .JPG formats at a minimum of 266 pixels per inch on a PC disk or Iomega ZIP disk. For Macintosh users, please do not compress your files when sending by email, and save pictures as PC TIFF documents. It is best to scan your photo or graphic and submit it electronically.

Please include photo credit information and be aware of copyright regulations. We cannot print photos unless the photographer has given us permission and has a release form on file of any recognizable individuals.

Unless specified, the material you submit will not be returned to you. If you must have your material returned, please specify clearly. If you are in a country other than Canada, please note that self-addressed stamped envelopes cannot be mailed with foreign stamps.

Your article will be edited for spelling, punctuation, grammar, clarity, space, and consistency in tone with the editorial content of the magazine.

We pay ten cents per word, but some of our articles are donated. Once an article has been published, the editor will contact you with the final word count, after which you may submit an invoice.