South American Explorers

Address:    

Tel 1 (607) 277-0488

Contact:    Saoirse McClory
Email:       explorer@samexplo.org

Web Site:  http://www.samexplo.org/
Guidelines: http://www.samexplo.org/writeguide.htm

If you're a famous, frequently published writer commanding tens of thousands of dollars for your breathless prose, calmly disregard the following. On the other hand, if you're a humble quill-pusher like the rest of us, peruse these not necessarily hard-and-fast guidelines. 

Generally we like pieces that run about 3-5,000 words.
Even wretched and awful submissions are greeted with cries of joy and read in the most favorable light if they arrive on an IBM-compatible diskette. Preferably in WordPerfect 6.1. However we can read any IBM-compatible word-processing program. Please put your diskette in a protective mailer. If mailing from abroad, inscribe "Do Not X-Ray" on the
package. Yes, we know it's not a photographic plate, but do it anyway. The inclusion of dramatic photographs in focus is appreciated. Ideally we like color or black-and- white glossy photographs. If you send copyrighted slides, include a release so we can have them made into prints. Please label (your name and address) and caption all photos and slides. Also include biographical info on yourself, and a sketch map (it can be rough, we'll redraw it anyway) where appropriate.
Content and style? Ay, there's the rub. Need we say the article should be readable. This is a magazine, after all. Style helps. Lengthy extracts from a dreary diary don't hack it. "Got up at 7:00, breakfast ham & eggs, boat in at 7:30, blah, blah." No Inca trail articles unless they're fantastic. Personal
accounts fine, provided they reveal the wonderful and fascinating you. Best of all are articles by knowledgeable authors about their specialty. 

To get a better idea of what we want, read Mark Mardon's In Search of Elusive Metaphors: The Art of Travel Writing.

Remuneration? Ah yes, well . . . Best of all, there's vanity indulged. Then too, the Club pays, albeit reluctantly, a munificent (if you happen to live in Bangladesh) $50, and even sweetens the deal by conferring a one-year
membership, or extending your existing membership one year. You also get any amount (within reason) of free magazines featuring your article, a free T-shirt (we choose the color), and if you visit us briefly in Ithaca, we will treat you to a sumptuous, though modest, meal at a local beanery. 

Boot up and write on. 

For more information call (607) 277-0488 or e-mail us at
explorer@samexplo.org

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