Writer's Guide
Writer's Guide
Writers for Shotgun Sports should have first-hand knowledge of hunting, trapshooting, skeet or sporting clays or be knowledgeable in other areas of shotgunning, such as collecting, repairing or reloading. Current issues of Shotgun Sports are the best guide to our style. Try to create a professional, yet friendly article. Most articles in Shotgun Sports can be grouped into one of five categories:
1. Test Reports. Tests of shooting equipment, such as new choke devices, triggers, shooting glasses, ear protection or reloading recipes. Photos of unique details should be included, as well as necessary diagrams or specifications, such as price, installation time, where to buy, etc. Round-ups work well here. Reloading stories must be accompanied by supporting data and list the source on all recipes used.
2. Think Pieces. Subjective discussions of the merits of one gun type over another, shooting techniques that are unique or revolutionary, or anything that is new, fresh and makes the reader think. These are usually lead articles and must be crisply written, well-illustrated and authoritative.
3. Round-Ups. Generalized reports on various aspects of shotgunning — favorite clubs or places to hunt, unusual shooting facilities, unique shotshell reloading setups, etc. Photos of unique details should be included, as well as necessary maps or diagrams and information on price, etc.
4. Historical pieces. The main theme of the article must be related to shotgunning, trap, skeet or sporting clays guns, field guns or shotshell reloading. Generally, acceptance is dependent upon freshness of the approach or amount of new material provided. Photos should be included.
5. Interviews. We are interested in interviews with personalities in the shotgunning field; however, we are less concerned with the person’s exploits than any “words of wisdom” they can impart which may be useful to our readers.
Quality is the key. We would rather see 1,500-2,000 well-written words than 5,000 that have to be edited and rewritten before they become readable. Photographs of high quality are almost always required with any submission. In some cases, we can provide additional photographs from our files. Check your facts and figures and make sure it is accurate and complete before you send it in.
We pay upon publication. Shotgun Sports purchases all rights. Stories submitted without photos will be paid a lower rate.
If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact our Production Coordinator by letter, phone or e-mail (shotgun@shotgunsportsmagazine.com). Our goal is to continue to make Shotgun Sports the finest magazine of its type, and quality freelance writers are its backbone.
Manuscripts: Text should be typewritten in black ink only, double-spaced, on one side of the paper only. Use white 8½"x11" bond paper and provide a 1" margin on all sides. Identify and number each page. Be sure your name, address and phone number clearly appear somewhere on the manuscript. DO NOT fax manuscripts! E-mailed manuscripts are preferred. DO NOT query. Send complete manuscripts only.
Photographs: Always include printouts with photos submitted on CD. Digital photos should be at least 5" at 300 dpi. Include captions that are clearly marked to match the photos.
Return Postage: All submissions should be accompanied by return postage. Allow 6-8 weeks for a response. Finally, a word on rejections. The majority of articles rejected have poor photographs or not enough helpful information for our readers. While we have an excellent art department, they cannot do much with bad photos, and make sure our readers learn something new from your story.
Thank You,
Shotgun Sports Magazine
June 2023
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