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Editorial Focus | Manufacturers and Distributors
Writer Guidelines Photography
Credit Line/Payment/Copyright | Lead Time | Contact Information
Boater's LIFE is devoted to both power and sail enthusiasts throughout the world. Boater's LIFE reflects the lifestyle of the boater, the challenge, joy and excitement of life afloat.
Boater's LIFE's mission is to deliver an entertaining mix of editorial, objective evaluations of new boats, electronics, gear, equipment and accessories; lively feature stories that embody the adventure of the sport; and in-depth, how-to service articles that have an immediate impact on the lives of our newsletter readers and site visitors.
Many of our favorite features are simultaneously entertaining, practical and instructive. In addition, our articles are photograph and media experience rich. Writers are encouraged to also be photographers, and to think about photography while they think about writing.
Boater's LIFE reserves the right to revise the guidelines below as it sees fit.
EDITORIAL FOCUS
Feature articles generally are between 1,500 and 3,000 words. And, can be nine pages long with each page representing a maximum of three window scrolls. It takes a strong concept to merit maximum length. Beyond that articles must be broken into parts or sections with different titles. Short articles range between 250 and 750 words and are more single page oriented.
First-time contributors are encouraged to pitch articles on:
- Boat, gear and destination reviews.
- Boat maintenance and repair.
- Cruising destinations.
- Boating news from your home port.
- Boating trends and issues.
- Seamanship.
- Boat maintenance and repair.
- New marinas and boating projects; new fishing regulations; boat parades, festivals or owner rendezvous; and boating legislation updates.
- Preview stories for pre-event reports, so readers who wish to participate may do so.
Submissions to the Boater's LIFE site will be judged based on:
- Relevance to power and sail;
- Educational content;
- An involving and exciting writing style.
- Presentation of the document, link or other material submitted.
- Amount of work required to make your document web-friendly.
MANUFACTURERS and DISTRIBUTORS
Manufacturers or distributors of boating equipment are encouraged to submit educational and informative information for inclusion in the database. They can do so by joining our Boat Marketing Cooperative. Forms are available online at site for submission.
Direct linking is not encouraged for the content of an article. However, linking within an article is acceptable to significant educational pages (e.g. on how to use certain products in sailboat racing), external contacts, or back to a manufacturer's home page at the bottom of an article page.
WRITER'S GUIDELINES
It's helpful if you first read a few back issues of Boater's LIFE online to become familiar with our style and audience. Although we prefer to concentrate on items that have been shown to be of high interest to our readers, our editorial inventory is fairly varied and dynamic. We welcome author inquiries in the form of query letters. We will publish "log style" articles but these are usually on a non-paid basis.
It is helpful if they are typed double-spaced. While we prefer submissions to be made online, you may also provide a copy on disk, preferably in Word. We cannot work with Apple files. Please note your telephone number on your cover letter.
Whenever possible, all manuscripts should be accompanied by appropriate artwork such as digital images, or color or black-and-white glossy prints. Please number and identify each image on a brief caption sheet so we can quickly review your submissions. See our Photography section below for more information. Good sketches are also acceptable. In lieu of actual artwork, suggestions on sources of illustrations are greatly appreciated.
To help us keep track of things, please write your name and contact information on your manuscript and on each photograph, slide, and sketch. If your manuscript involves a destination, please include a photocopy of a map or chart with the places clearly marked on it. Please also enclose a brief autobiographical note on yourself.
If you send your article to other magazines for consideration, please let us know when others are considering publishing the piece so that we donąt overlap with another publication. Also, if your manuscript has previously been published in part or in whole, let us know where and when.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Boater's LIFE has embraced the digital revolution, but standards are still developing and we find that quality varies widely. Currently, web publication requirements are not as stringent as those of print. We prefer JPG 1.0 meg files. If you have larger digital files please reduce them to jpg prior to sending via our online form or send them as they are via CDROM. Don't send large files over the internet.
Prints and slides are acceptable but not recommended. All slides and photographs should have the photographer's name and address on them and be accompanied by a brief caption list.
General requirements: Sharp focus, good variety of close-up and overall shots, even lighting, good saturation in warm colors. Boater's LIFE reserves the right to reproduce its existing covers and layouts (including photography and art) for promotional uses, such as circulation and advertising sales.
CREDIT LINE, PAYMENT & COPYRIGHT
All articles published will include a credit line and a copyright notice in your name. Boater's LIFE does retain the non-exclusive right to your submitted article for life for use online, through syndicated services and other printed magazines published by Boater's LIFE. Your article will not be sold to any other publication.
No payments are made for publishing articles to our database or for any information provided by manufacturers or distributors.
However, Boater's LIFE does have relationships with freelance writers for it's newsletters in which assignments may be made in advance of article submission. If you are interested in a freelance arrangement with Boater's LIFE please contact us through our online contact form located at Boat Marketing Corporation. Assignments are given out for our newsletters only.
LEAD TIME
Within about six weeks after we receive your manuscript, we will either accept it for publication or return it to you. Keep in mind that it can take six months to one year for a piece to reach publication so please be patient. The majority of articles submitted are published within a few weeks.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Boater's LIFE, Editorial Department
Boat Marketing Corporation
21 Bridge Square
Westport, CT 06880
Send materials to:
Richard Spangenberg
Editor-In-Chief, Managing Director
Boater's LIFE, Editorial Department
Boat Marketing Corporation
21 Bridge Square
Westport, CT 06880 | 
