NJO Submissions Guidelines

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

New Jersey Outdoors is dedicated to promoting and encouraging the wise management and conservation of our natural, cultural and recreational resources by fostering a greater appreciation of those resources, and providing our residents with the information necessary to help the Department of Environmental Protection protect, preserve and enhance them.

Subscriber-supported, 64-page magazine

Quarterly (winter, spring, summer, fall)

Copyrights

Upon payment, the writer retains the copyright and, therefore, the right to resell or repackage the original manuscript (with any revisions made by the author) to another party after publication in New Jersey Outdoors. The right to republish the edited manuscript in a subsequent issue in microform, in an anthology, on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection/New Jersey Outdoors Web site or to grant permission to other publications, newsletters or computer-based organizations to reprint the article, is retained by New Jersey Outdoors.

Potential contributors are invited to send query letters describing story and/or photo essay ideas. At the minimum, descriptions should include information on the topic, treatment, relevant season (if applicable) and availability of illustrative pictures to accompany story. In addition to a contact address, the potential contributor should provide a daytime phone number. Submission of a query letter (and/or an unsolicited manuscript) does not reserve a topic. (Since several individuals may have the same general story idea, the editor reserves the right to assign the topic to the most promising writer.)

Complete articles and image portfolios (duplicate images only) may be submitted on speculation, with or without the editor's prior knowledge and approval; however, approval to submit a manuscript or portfolio on speculation does not represent an assignment nor constitute an acceptance for publication and New Jersey Outdoors' name should not be used for gathering materials.

Duplicate images may be solicited to illustrate planned articles. Solicitation of images does not represent an assignment nor constitute an acceptance for publication and New Jersey Outdoors' name should not be used to secure permission to photograph an image.

Assigned articles and images

The editor may assign articles based on a query, a manuscript submitted on speculation or a writer's known abilities and area of interest/expertise. At the time of article assignment, the editor will specify article focus, length, compensation range and deadline.

• Upon review of duplicate images, the editor may request the original image of any image selected for publication in New Jersey Outdoors. Provision of such original is construed as an assignment.
  
  
• The editor may assign photographic and artistic images (e.g., paintings) based on a query, a portfolio submitted on speculation, a story need or a photographer's/artist's known abilities and area of interest/expertise. At the time of assignment, the editor will provide topical and deadline details. Publication of assigned images is not guaranteed.

The editor will provide a periodic listing of photo needs to interested freelance photographers upon written or verbal request.

• All queries, manuscripts and images will be logged in upon receipt.
  
  
• The receipt of solicited or assigned images and assigned manuscripts will be acknowledged, generally within one week of receipt.
  
  
• It is not the policy of New Jersey Outdoors to acknowledge unsolicited materials unless a postage paid return mailer is provided by the sender.
  
  
• Information and images submitted for New Jersey Outdoors departments such as "Mailbox," "Calendar of Events" and "NJO People" will not be acknowledged.
  
  

• New Jersey Outdoors, the Department of Environmental Protection and the State of New Jersey are not responsible for loss of, damage to, or return of any unsolicited materials (e.g., manuscripts, queries, images, news items or letters to the editor).
  
  
• Responsibility for images solicited for consideration (only duplicate images will be accepted for this purpose), which have been lost or damaged while in the custody of New Jersey Outdoors, is limited to reimbursement for replacement cost, at standard industry rates for a replacement of like size and film type, of the images from the copyright owner's original negatives only under the following conditions:
  
  
• The images/appraisal were registered as having been received and accepted by the magazine; and
  
  
• The loss or damage occurred because of negligence or mishandling on the part of a New Jersey Outdoors staff member. (Compensation for any loss or damage caused by a state vendor, e.g., printing contractor, will not be the responsibility of the DEP, NJO or the State and it shall be the copyright owner's responsibility to initiate and settle the claim against said vendor.)
  
  
• Responsibility for original images specifically requested by New Jersey Outdoors for publication will be limited to twice the amount payable by New Jersey Outdoors for publication of the image (based on the intended use of the image as identified at the time of the request for the original) unless the copyright owner, at the time of submission, provides a written third-party appraisal, signed by a certified appraiser, which documents a higher value (which may not, under any circumstances, exceed the industry standard for stock photos) for the image and that appraisal has been accepted in writing by New Jersey Outdoors magazine. Payment will be made only under the following conditions:
  
  
• The images/appraisal were registered as having been received by the magazine; and
  
  
• The images/appraisal were accepted in writing by New Jersey Outdoors magazine; and
  
  
• The loss or damage occurred because of negligence or mishandling on the part of a New Jersey Outdoors staff member. (Compensation for any loss or damage caused by a state vendor, e.g., printing contractor, will not be the responsibility of the DEP, NJO or the State and it shall be the copyright owner's responsibility to initiate and settle the claim against said vendor.)
  
  
• Neither the State of New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection nor New Jersey Outdoors magazine are responsible for any loss or damage of any kind incurred during delivery of submissions to New Jersey Outdoors or during return delivery to artists, photographers or writers. All returns will be made via the U.S. Postal Service, using first class mail, unless the submission was accompanied by prepaid packaging for an alternate delivery mode.
  
  

• Images and artwork: New Jersey Outdoors will return all solicited images and artwork, packaged to ensure adequate protection, via first class mail unless copyright owner provides a self-addressed, prepaid mailer.
  
  
• Manuscripts: Whether submitted via disk or hard copy, published manuscripts will not be returned, but will be retained in New Jersey Outdoors' files. Solicited but unpublished manuscripts will be returned. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned unless a postage paid return mailer is provided for that purpose by the sender.
  
  
• News and letters: Information submitted for New Jersey Outdoors departments such as "Mailbox," "Events" and "NJO People" will not be returned.
  
  

Wildlife, flora, history/culture, outdoor sporting and recreational activities (e.g., fishing, hunting, boating, backpacking, camping, hiking, skiing, bird watching), natural resources programs, parks and forests, historic sites, photo essay (natural and historic resource photography), conservation and environmental education and other topics related to New Jersey's environment.

Note: New Jersey Outdoors is not interested in articles showing disregard for the environment or in items showing unskilled persons taking extraordinary risks.

Articles about outdoor activities should include elements of "how to," "where to," and "when to" to encourage reader participation. (For example, an article on hiking might appropriately include: a listing of major trails in the state; a directory of hiking clubs; references to the state and/or county facilities created/ connected by the linear trails; and directions/maps.) Informative articles (e.g., articles on research, historic resources, etc.) should present information from a variety of sources and encourage the reader to explore the subject further. Sidebars should be included in the word count for the article. Unless a first-person account, the article should include quotes from appropriate individuals.

A byline and line bio are published with each article. The author's bio -- a short resume of previously published articles and name of publications, professional credits and/or expertise as they relate to the subject of the submission -- should be submitted with the article.

All submissions should be neatly typed and double-spaced. Manuscripts may be e-mailed to njo@dep.state.nj.us in a variety of formats.

If not e-mailed, the manuscript hard copy should be accompanied (if possible) by an electronic version (i.e., disk); preferred versions are Word for Windows and Word Perfect 6.1 (DOS), although an ASCII text file or rich text format is acceptable.

Text for New Jersey Outdoors should be accompanied by photos, cartoons or other suitable illustrations.

Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be published as space and content permit. New Jersey Outdoors reserves the right to edit material for publication.

Timely information regarding upcoming events appropriate to New Jersey Outdoors (i.e., events related to natural or historic resources or outdoor sporting or recreational activities) will be published as space permits. New Jersey Outdoors reserves the right to edit material for publication.

• Courtesy image: An image belonging to an individual, or to a public or private entity, provided without expectation of monetary compensation.
  
  
• Archive image: A reproduction of a historic photo, for which a copy fee was charged by the institution.
  
  
• Freelance image: The copyrighted work of a freelance photographer or artist provided in return for a fee for use.
  
  

The provider must specify the name(s) to be credited if the image is published.

Name and address of payee.

A payment range will be specified by the New Jersey Outdoors editor at the time an article is assigned. New Jersey Outdoors usually pays between $100 and $450 per article, depending on length, complexity of subject matter, the author's writing experience and other relevant factors.

New Jersey Outdoors will negotiate the terms of compensation with the author (or the author's agent) at the time of acceptance.

Original paintings or drawings assigned by editor and provided by artists or cartoonists:

$175 for front cover

$150 for back cover, inside front cover and inside back cover

$100 for inside full page or larger (93.5 square inches or more)

$75 for a half page or larger but less than full page (47 square inches to 93.4 square inches)

$50 for a quarter page or larger but less than a half page (23.5 square inches to 46.9 square inches)

$30 for an eighth page or larger but less than a quarter page (11.5 square inches to 23.4 square inches)

$20 for less than an eighth page (less than 11.5 square inches)

$80 for inside full page or larger (93.5 square inches or more)

$60 for a half page or larger but less than full page (47 square inches to 93.4 square inches)

$40 for a quarter page or larger but less than a half page (23.5 square inches to 46.9 square inches)

$25 for an eighth page or larger but less than a quarter page (11.5 square inches to 23.4 square inches)

$15 for less than an eighth page (less than 11.5 square inches)

Freelance photographic images:

$150 for front cover

$125 for back cover, inside front cover and inside back cover

$100 for inside full page or larger (93.5 square inches or more)

$75 for a half page or larger but less than full page (47 square inches to 93.4 square inches)

$50 for a quarter page or larger but less than a half page (23.5 square inches to 46.9 square inches)

$30 for an eighth page or larger but less than a quarter page (11.5 square inches to 23.4 square inches)

$20 for less than an eighth page (less than 11.5 square inches)

$80 for inside full page or larger (93.5 square inches or more)

$60 for a half page or larger but less than full page (47 square inches to 93.4 square inches)

$40 for a quarter page or larger but less than a half page (23.5 square inches to 46.9 square inches)

$25 for an eighth page or larger but less than a quarter page (11.5 square inches to 23.4 square inches)

$15 for less than an eighth page (less than 11.5 square inches)