Magazine Freelance Author’s Agreement
Important: Please submit the above Author Agreement along with your article submission.
Content Sought
Feature articles should be 1200 to 2500 words in length, with at least eight (preferably more) photos with your article submissions. We prefer digital photos (5 mb or more), but will accept hard copies.
What we look for in stories:
True accounts of metal detecting or other artifact collecting not previously published (including internet publications)
Educational/how-to hints and tips
Relevant historical information about contextual time periods, specific regions, topics, types of relics, etc.
Historical relic or coin recovery narratives, especially from World War II-era or earlier. We prefer stories about United States locations, but will consider overseas locations and finds with a United States connection, or if accompanied by information that would allow American diggers to replicate the covered experience.
We love personal experience articles, but they need to address the needs and interests of our readers. Think not “all about me,” but “how what I’ve done can help you.”
American Digger® magazine takes care to create a publication that is accurate, informative, exciting, enjoyable and comprehensive, with an emphasis on metal detecting and collecting historical artifacts. Your diligence as providers of content should be guided by these goals.
Manuscript Submission Policies & Requirements
Rights – We respect your rights as writers and have established a professional process for working with freelancers. Please sign and return our *Freelance Agreement (on the next page)with your article submission. Once published, you retain all rights as to ownership of your work.
We do not publish previously published articles including online publications (including blogs) nor we will not publish any articles containing material that describes illegal or unethical activities.
If submitting electronically, the text and captions should be in Microsoft Word and photos should be sent separately as large (5 mb+) files.
Initial Inquiry Process: Please make your initial inquiry for feature articles via email to publisher@americandigger.com, indicating the topic, your related experience, expertise or other qualifications to write the story; and availability of related photos or illustrations.
If you have difficulty with email, we will accept inquiries via USPS mail, and submission of manuscripts and images on thumb drives, CD or DVD. We do not return submitted materials, unless accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with sufficient postage. We cannot be held responsible for lost items; please keep a backup copy.
Payment
We fact-check our articles for accuracy. Please include a list of factual references and/or sources for you articles, if applicable.
Three complementary copies, a business card or classified ad in the issue your article is published in, and automatic entry in our annual cash prize writer’s contest.
Editorial Content:
Reconstructing bottles/pots or artillery shells. Also include a brief (30 words or less) author bio with your submission.
Interviews with prominent diggers & treasure hunters
Here’s a list of topics our readers have suggested:
Personal accounts of relic or coin hunts Bottles/privy digging Gold digging and prospecting
Safety in the field and items to carry when digging Beach/water hunting
Club Histories Great finds How to research potential hunt sites Maintenance of detectors
Fossils Military artifacts Stone artifacts Getting permission to hunt properties
Interesting historical artifact collections Getting kids into digging How to get in shape for digging
Cleaning/preserving/displaying recoveries Tips for beginners
Relics and recoveries concerning (but not limited to): colonial military/civilian, Civil War, Indian Wars, Old West, Native American, prospecting, and ghost towns…
We urge readers and first time authors to not be intimidated by these guidelines, as our editorial staff will work with you as needed. For those not quite ready for a full article, we invite them to submit shorter stories with Just Dug finds for “In Their Own Words.” However, it should be noted that only feature articles of 1,200 words or more are eligible for the annual cash awards.
Photo Guidelines
- Minimum of 8 photos to accompany feature article preferred (more is better). For Just Dug submissions, simple front/back/side view images will do.
- Photos must be original images created by the author or used with written permission. Permission must be documented and turned in with article submission.
- We accept color or B&W images, but color is preferred.
- We require high resolution digital images; 300 dpi minimum at 4″ x 5″ or equivalent size. Digital images or digital scans are much preferred. We will accept hard copy photo prints if they are clear, well-lit and with good color. If you don’t have a digital camera, you can often have them scanned free or for a nominal charge at your local public library, or at a local Staples, FedEx*Kinko’s or similar digital service center.
- Photos may be emailed with advance notice. You may also submit them on thumb drive, CD or DVD via USPS mail. IMPORTANT: Do not send your only copies! Media will not be returned.
- We use only pictures that are sharply focused and have good contrast. No scans from Polaroids.
- Keep backgrounds simple. Avoid red backgrounds, as these tend to visually “bleed” into the subject matter.
- Make the subject the main focus of the photo. Please zoom in as close as possible for images of finds – fill the frame.
- Detailed captions, including the names of persons in pictures, locations, and identification of finds are required. Please submit as a separate Word or text document with your story package.
Materials Return Policy
We regret that time constraints and liability issues no longer allow us to return hard copy photos and manuscripts unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We ask that you NEVER send us your original materials, or only copies.