How to submit story ideas to Milwaukee Magazine and milwaukeemag.com
Thank you for your interest in Milwaukee Magazine. Here are some guidelines that will help you in submitting material.
Who We Are
Milwaukee Magazine is a monthly magazine covering the people, issues and places of Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin. Total circulation is about 35,000; total readership (according to the respected Media Audit) is more than 220,000.
Get to know our publication by reading it. Some stories are archived on our website. Sample copies of the magazine may be bought on newsstands throughout the area. One-year subscriptions are $19.
What We Want
We are interested in timely stories about current issues, local personalities, area business, sports, health care, education, politics, arts and culture, architecture and urban life, history, food, shopping, music and nightlife, recreation and the environment. We are particularly looking for writers who can deliver brightly written, well-researched service stories but are also interested in in-depth narrative features (from profiles to investigative stories) from qualified reporters. Full-length feature stories run 2,500-5,000 words; if your query leads to an assignment, we’ll specify what length we’re looking for.
We pay set-fees for artwork and a per-word rate for articles, based on experience and skill.
Pitching the Magazine
Check the print magazine and milwaukeemag.com to make sure we cover the topic you have in mind and to see our story format. We do not run stories that don’t have a Milwaukee connection, so please do not pitch them.
Write a brief pitch, telling us why the idea is different, newsworthy and interesting for our readers. If you are a writer, photographer or illustrator, please include samples of your work.
Pitch early. We publish monthly, and stories are finalized months before the cover date. For example, if you think a story would be a good fit for the April issue, pitch in January.
Email your pitch to the appropriate contact:
Chris Drosner
Law and Crime
Feature Profiles
Politics
Schools and Education
Sports
Business, Economy
Ann Christenson
Dining, Food, Cookbooks
Drinking and Bars
Allison Watters
Arts and Culture
Recreation
Travel
Home and Yard
Digital stories on milwaukeemag.com
Chelsea Mamerow
Photography
Illustration
Video
If we are interested in pursuing your idea, we will contact you. Due to the volume of pitches we receive, we are not able to respond to every pitch individually. Thanks for your interest in Milwaukee Magazine.
The Fine Print
For all stories, Milwaukee Magazine buys first rights (which includes both the print and online publication of story) and pays on publication, unless otherwise indicated. Pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed with proper documentation.
When contacting sources, you may state that “I’m writing an article for Milwaukee Magazine” if the article has been specifically assigned, in writing, by an editor of Milwaukee Magazine. You may not represent yourself as anything other than an independent contractor on assignment for Milwaukee Magazine.
If you or a close relative or friend are related in any way (e.g., board memberships, employment, volunteer work) to a story you wish to work on, this relationship must be disclosed to the editor prior to accepting the assignment.
Under no circumstances are writers allowed to accept gifts, gratuities, free tickets or other special privileges in connection with an assignment for Milwaukee Magazine.