Appalachian Jamwich: Submission FAQ
Here at Appalachian Jamwich, we believe that the voices of the music fans need to be heard, since they are the ones building and cultivating the “scene” that makes it all possible. We want to hear from everyone and see what you’re talking about, ranting about, and smiling about! We want to help showcase your talents and passions. Here are a few frequently asked questions that we’ve answered to help your submission go smoothly.
1. What can I submit to the magazine?
You can submit written articles, poetry, photographs, art, recipes, and even music for us to listen to! We try to find a place for everything. Please keep in mind the subject matter, which we ask pertain to music, culture, art, or the jam music community (for example: an article of tips for packing for a festival). If you want to submit photos, we usually ask that you team up with a writer in order to submit a relevant article to go along with the photos. We rarely publish photo galleries only, but there are exceptions.
2. What should I write about?
Most of what we feature is about music. This includes: review of a show or event, review of a festival, review of a band’s new album, interview with a band, etc. We also write about art that is relevant to the music scene. These are artists that live paint, sell their art at festivals, create posters or album art, or even paint about subject matter that is relevant to the passions of those on the live music scene (think paintings about higher consciousness, nature, love, music.) You can interview artists, or write generally about them and their art. Besides the traditional “artists” we also feature those that create jewelry, clothing, and other crafts.
We also feature articles of a more editorial nature. “Notes on the Road” is an article that is structured like a journal entry, and is simply one logging their adventures travelling to shows and/or festivals. Humor, silliness, and stream-of-consciousness type writing is encouraged, but we do ask that you try to remember some songs that the band played and write about the show that you attended. After all, that was the whole point of your journey, right?
Other editorial articles are also accepted as long as they are commentary which pertains to the music scene and the community surrounding it. We also accept creative writing such as poetry, prose, and short stories.
NOTE: We love writers who take initiative! Elise coordinates content and doesn’t always have time to designate assignments to writers. We love it when someone takes it upon themselves to decide their own article subject matter. It’s hard for us to ask everyone “ok, what shows are you going to this month? What artists do you know?” You know your friends and your schedule and we trust you to choose your own subject matter.
3. How long should it be?
The minimum length is 450 words. We did not always have a word length minimum, but find that is necessary to be able to give good descriptions and information. If you are submitting for the print magazine, please discuss word length with Elise, as different articles have different amounts of pages and may require more length.
4. When will my submission be published?
It depends although all event/festival related reviews are given first priority as time is of the essence and we like to publish the content during the time period it is relevant. Other articles aren’t always published right away. Your work will be published faster if you have all your documents in order (pictures, words, links, etc).
5. Will I be published on the website or the magazine?
Our website currently gets over 1000 views a day and we need content to keep up with the traffic. Your article will most likely be published on the website, where it will get more exposure. If you wish to specifically be published in the magazine, please discuss with Elise (elise@appalachianjamwich.com). She would love to have your help filling the magazine with content! We have specific recurring articles every month and she can let you know what articles need written and what the deadlines are. It is crucial to complete your work and submit it on time when you are being published. The magazine has very strict and time sensitive deadlines that we adhere to.
NOTE: All submissions are subject to editing. If major changes are made we will send you the edited copy. We don’t want to take away the “voice” of our writers so if something does not read the way you want it to, we will work together to make it publishable.
6. Do I need photos to go along with my article?
Yes. It is the responsibility of the writer to obtain relevant photos. Appalachian Jamwich has many photographer friends and partners that may be able to help you out if we get notice ahead of time. If there is a show that you are attending, or anything else that you need photos of and are uncertain of how to obtain photos, please let us know at least 2 weeks ahead of time and we can coordinate with our resources. We are not always able to coordinate, however.
7. Can you get me a photo pass?
If you are a photographer and would like to take photos of a show or event, we may be able to get you a photo pass. We ask that you first find a writer to write about the event, or commit to writing one yourself. We support event photography wholeheartedly and want to be able to share your photos with our readers as well. Receiving a photo pass or admission to a show is not always guaranteed so plan ahead. If you agree to write an article, please follow through with your work.
8. What if I am interesting in submitting a drawing or some artwork?
That’s awesome! We love art. Each month we have an article titled, “art spotlight” that is simply a full page (8.5 inches x 11 inches) of a single artwork. If you have an artwork that could easily be tweaked to fit this page measurement we would love to consider you.
We also often feature illustrations to go along with our articles. If you are interesting in illustrating for an issue please contact Elise and she will let you know what we are looking for.
9. Where do I submit my work?
Send it to elise@appalachianjamwich.com or kaylee@appalachianjamwich.com. If you are interested in submitting for the print magazine only, please coordinate with Elise.
We are excited to see what you are talking about and passionate about!! We love
