Writers' Guidelines
Here are
guidelines for those considering contributing an article to Natural Life.
Please read them carefully prior to contacting us.
Who We Are
Natural Life is a forum for the sharing of
information among readers interested in eco-friendly, healthy living for
themselves and their families. It began as a print magazine in 1976 and
transitioned to a website in 2014.
What We Publish
Most of our articles – even ones that primarily discuss
problems and issues – contain a strong how-to component with information
that will help readers apply green living principles and practices to their
daily lives. They also focus on empowering readers to think for themselves,
to make and trust their own decisions, and to get involved in making
positive change in their own communities.
We are looking for articles written by people who are
involved with and have first-hand knowledge of their topics. Knowing your
topic is more important than being a great writer; we can help you with the
"how" if you know the "what."
Most of Natural Life Magazine's readers are quite
knowledgeable about green and healthy living issues, so articles should not
be presented at a basic or "entry" level. We are looking for in-depth
coverage of topics that aren't covered in other magazines or media, and for
a new perspective on green living, social change, and wellness topics.
We have readers across the United States, in Canada,
Australia, and the UK, and in many other English-speaking countries around
the world, so articles should be written accordingly.
What We're Looking For (and not)
We do not
publish articles designed to promote products, organizations, or businesses (or with
embedded links to commercial websites).
We like personal experience and how-to articles that are
positive and solutions-oriented about green living, minimalism, sustainable
housing, wellness, organic gardening, non-coercive parenting, and democratic
education, as well as interviews with and profiles of people (known and
unknown) who are making a difference in these areas.
We occasionally accept well-researched articles on natural
health, but not about natural health products. If you propose an article on
this topic, please be prepared to back it up with solid research. We and our
readers are skeptics about everything from Big Pharma to alternative
therapies, with our trust leaning towards the latter.
If you are considering submitting an eco-travel article,
please note that we do not encourage air travel and do
not promote commercial properties in our articles.
From the education perspective, we are especially looking
for real-life personal experiences of people who have learned without
conventional schooling – either academic subjects or life skills – as well
as articles about democratic schools and progressive education. (We also
publish Life Learning, which is devoted entirely to
non-coercive, self-directed learning, so you might want to submit there
instead.)
From the natural parenting perspective, please note that we
are pro-breastfeeding and adhere to the World HeaIth Organization's
International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. (We also publish
Natural Child, which is devoted entirely to natural parenting, so
you might want to submit there instead.)
Gardening, farming, and landscaping articles must focus on
small scale, organic, biodynamic, permaculture, or other natural methods and not employ
agricultural chemicals or polluting machinery.
Food-related articles, including recipes, should not contain
unhealthy ingredients. They should avoid references to specific products,
brands, and companies. We don't favor one type of diet over another, but do
promote organic, locally sourced, and home-grown food. Any health claims
made must be backed up with evidence of unbiased research.
We do not publish regular columns on any topic.
Remuneration and Copyright
We are not able to pay contributors.
Articles are accepted for publication on this website and in
our annual digital compilations, and as part of third-party
versions licensed by libraries and researchers. Writers retain all other
rights to their work, and are therefore free to contribute their articles to
other magazines or websites without our permission, and to publish them on
their own blog or website.
How to Query Us
If you have read and agree to these guidelines, and when you
have a specific article idea that you think would be suitable for us, please
send an outline of the proposed article. We would like to
know how the article will benefit our readers, why the topic is timely, how
it differs from
other articles on the topic that we have published, and
why you’re the appropriate writer to discuss the topic. Please identify your
type of sources: if you’ll be writing from personal experience, interviewing
primary sources, or researching the topic in books and on the Internet.
We appreciate knowing if your article has been published
elsewhere in the past, or if you have submitted it to other outlets
recently. We also need to know if you have any business affiliation with any
person, organization, or company mentioned in the article.
Prospective contributors are encouraged to read some articles by going to
the website article index.
Submitting Your Article
Please spell-check (US spelling) and grammar-check, and remove fancy
formatting from your article prior to sending it to us. We do not accept PDF
submissions. Your article will be
edited for spelling, punctuation, grammar, clarity, space, and consistency
with our editorial style. If major renovations are required, your article
will be returned to you with suggestions for reworking so that it could be
more appropriate for our audience.
We use gender-neutral
language and accepted articles will be edited to reflect
this policy. We reserve the right to edit or change your suggested title.
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