Contribute

submit articles and photos to Rod&Rifle

You may send us a query or a completed article. Queries should clearly explain what you’d like to write about. If you wish to submit a completed article for consideration, please read the suggestions below for advice on what we are looking for.

TIMELINE:

Please understand that we receive a large number of freelance submissions so, please allow  up to four weeks for us to review your article or query; we plan issue content up to 12 weeks in advance. We often hold articles for future issues.

We will get back to you with an answer whether we decide to use the piece or not.

All submissions, even if we encourage you to send them, are reviewed “on speculation.” If your work is accepted for publication, you will be sent a contract for service form. Payment is made around the 20th of the month of publication, and is generally $100 per published page not including advertisement space.

Advice for Aspiring Writers

Supply in a word document the following:

COMPULSORY:

1. Title
2. Your name
3. File names and Captions for your photos (supply one photo per 300-400 words)
4. Your main story: 1500 minimum -3000 words max

• • Note: We cannot extract the text reliably from PDF files. Please write in a word document or similar programme.
  • Please keep photos/images seperate from the text document thank you.
  • No “layout” is required for your article in word. No formatting is required either.
  •  First plan your article in bullet points, think about the way things happened, and what will excite the reader and only then write the actual article. (Introduction, paragraphs of what happened, conclusion, who was present and so on)
  • Write in the past tense. Avoid writing in the present tense.
  • Please read your article after you have finished and correct grammar and spelling.
  • A great suggestion is to give it to someone else to read and get them to correct anything that doesn’t flow well. If in doubt contact the editorial team, they’ll be happy to help and offer feedback.
  • If the article is over 3000 words, please  try to cut it back. We cannot accept articles over 3000 words. We do not cut out large parts of articles; that is for the writer to do, to make sure it still conveys the correct meaning.
  • Make sure you have read the photography section below and make sure you send the right amount of good photos – with captions with your story. (The captions need to be put at the beginning of your article, and sent with your article).

Photography

1. Photography support is extremely important.
2. Make sure your phone or camera is set on its highest quality.
3. Have the sun behind the camera, lighting up your subject, for more tips read Dave Shaw’s (Red Stag Hunter Club) article on the website for more photography tips. Click here
4. 1 photo per 300-400 words. Choose the best – most relevant photos you have. Such as action shots of hunters glassing and tramping, photos of the camp and terrain, and a “trophy shot.”
5. Submit clear captions for each photograph. Captions should include the following elements: names of people depicted, location, date, activity, and relevance to the story subject. This is to be included in the word document your story is on.

Trophy Photos:

1. Photos of hunters posing with their trophies should be tasteful, respectful (please don’t sit on the animal), and show the animal to the best advantage. We accept digital photos only, and they must have a resolution (300 dpi at the final magazine size). We accept JPG, TIF, EPS, and RAW images.

COVER SHOT:

Generally good trophy animals

1. These need to be taken in portrait and include a border area around the subject which allows us to fit our title and all the blurb we need to put on a cover. The border can be the sky and the landscape, but make sure the subject is centre and a good amount of border is on all 4 sides.
2. Please make sure your subject is lit up from the front. Take the photo with the light source behind the camera. Don’t take a photo with the sun behind the subject, this will mean it will not be up to cover standard as the subject will be dark.
3. Please make sure the whole animal is in the photo. Don’t cut off its antlers or nose etc.
4. Please make sure your camera is in the highest setting.

Submitting your article:

Once you’re happy with your article, you can email it and your photos to mail@rodandrifle.co.nz