Writer's Guidelines

TEXAS GARDENER is interested in articles containing practical, how-to information about gardening in Texas. Our readers want to know specific information on how to make gardening succeed in Texas’s unique growing conditions. All articles must reflect this slant.

 

Our bimonthly magazine reaches more than 25,000 home gardeners and covers vegetable and fruit production, flowers and ornamentals, landscape and trees, technique and features on gardeners, all from an organic, earth-friendly perspective.

 

We will accept both technical and feature articles. Technical articles should explain how to do some aspect of gardening (such as graft pecans or plant bulbs) in a clear, easy-tofollow manner, and must be accurate. All technical articles should refer to experts in the field. Accompanying artwork such as photographs, illustrations or diagrams are essential.

 

Feature articles, including interviews or profiles of Texas gardeners, new gardening techniques or photo features should relate specifically to Texas. We will not publish gardening articles more appropriate to other states. Personality profiles may be on hobby gardeners or professional horticulturists who are doing something unique.

 

We encourage shorter, concise articles in the 1200 to 1500 word range, though some articles written on assignment may be longer. All articles are reviewed on speculation. Writers should submit a query and outline of a proposed article first, unless they wish to send a manuscript they have already completed. E-mail all manuscripts to info@texasgardener.com. Queries and cover letters should be in the body of the email; completed manuscripts should be attachments saved as Microsoft Word documents. Writers should include a list of areas of expertise and, with queries, a writing sample or copy of published work.

 

Submitting high-quality images related to your subject matter will greatly increase the chances of us accepting your manuscript for publication. We require high-quality, highresolution digital images of at least 1M in size saved as JPEGs that are clear and in sharp focus. “Between Neighbors,” a reader-written column in each issue, is an essay about gardening and gardening experiences, from heart-warming to laugh-out-loud funny. The optimum essay for the column is 600-700 words, though some have run shorter and a rare few have run longer. Do not query for “Between Neighbors.” Instead, submit the completed essay.

 

Please contact us at info@texasgardener.com with questions, with queries, or to submit completed manuscripts. Rights are negotiable. We pay $50 for “Between Neighbors” and $50 to $200 for feature articles. Payment is made upon publication and includes two copies of the issue in which the author’s article appears. We respond to queries within 6 weeks. Please — no duplicate submissions.