Current As Of October 2024
Thank you for your interest in Western New York Family Magazine, which was founded in 1984 as an 8-page newsletter called "Mother's Lifeline."
Now running 64-80 pages per issue, WNY Family is a 90% freelance-written, subscription and free courtesy copy publication — both in a conventional "hard copy" print edition and an online "3D" digital edition. Our print edition has a monthly audited circulation of 20,000 copies concentrated in Erie and Niagara Counties of the Buffalo, New York metro area. As of October 2024, we have over 4,900 digital readers monthly.
GENERAL EDITORIAL FOCUS
Articles submitted should address current parenting issues with a Western New York tie-in whenever possible. Strong emphasis is placed on how and where to find family-oriented events, as well as goods and services for children, in Western New York (the Buffalo metro area).
Each issue has an "Up Front" focus article with appropriate sidebars, as well as additional articles, and regular columns (children’s books, family travel, fathering, single parenting, tweens & teens, special needs, internet/technology, food allergies in the family, restaurant review).
Themes which repeat annually are: Birthday Celebrations (January issue), Cabin Fever (February), Caring For Our Aging Parents (March), Having A Baby and The Special Needs Child (April), Celebrating Mothers (May), Celebrating Dads and our Summer GO! Guide (June), Healthy Child, Healthy Family and Travel/Vacation (July), Summer Fun/Summer Boredom (August), Back to School (September), Halloween Happenings & Fall Fun (October), and Exploring Education and Holiday Happenings (December). You can download a copy of our current Editorial Calendar HERE.
We are always interested in well-researched, non-fiction articles on surviving the newborn, preschool, school age, and adolescent years — but since this is a much-covered topic, you'll need to find a new angle from which to cover it.
OF PARTICULAR INTEREST
We are currently in need of articles for our monthly "Special Needs" column, as well as our April 2025 "Special Needs" center pull-out section. We are also seeking articles for our "Tweens and Teens" column and for our June 2025 "Summer GO! Guide" focusing on fun family getaways or day trips. Reprints are acceptable.
Articles on making a working parent's life easier as they juggle multiple roles and responsibilities are also at the top of our list. As are articles on any currently trending topics related to families.
THE SPECIFICS
We prefer a warm, conversational style of writing.
Because this is a regional publication, LOCAL writers who bring us local content are given some preference, but ALL authors are given equal consideration based on their writing skill, style, and the appropriateness of subject matter.
We publish an article anywhere from 1 month to 18 months after receipt. "Evergreen" articles are highly desirable. Seasonal pieces must be submitted at least 3 months in advance of the issue month. WE PREFER COMPLETED MANUSCRIPTS OVER QUERIES as our staff is small and our time is limited. WE DO NOT RESPOND TO EVERY QUERY OR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPT WE RECEIVE.
We buy first rights or reprint rights. Simultaneous submissions to other parenting publications or websites are accepted, as long as they are NOT in the Buffalo market. We will NOT use articles simultaneously submitted to or previously printed by other LOCAL publications or websites. No kill fee. LOCAL professionals currently practicing in the topic field of the article they submit are not compensated other than receiving an author credit noting their credentials and the location of their practice.
Paste your submission into your e-mail and also attach the Word file. Send your submission to editor@wnyfamilymagazine.com. Include name, address, phone, e-mail address, number of words in the article and a two sentence bio to be used at end of article.
A FEW PRACTICAL TIPS
Please note when typing your article that simple formatting is best. Fancy word-processing layouts only bog down our layout department, as your formatting has to be removed before we can place your work into our page formats. Also, when you type for publication, there should only be ONE SPACE after the period at the end of a sentence. Although that violates the rule you learned in typing class, when doing page layouts via computer, that extra space causes problems and each one has to be removed. (That makes our layout department very grumpy!!)
We receive so many submissions that we DO NOT critique or respond to unsolicited manuscripts. If your unsolicited article is used, you won't necessarily be notified in advance. You will promptly receive a check approximately 10 days after the print issue is published. You will find that our track record for prompt payment is stellar.
We suggest you access our current digital issue via our website — just click on the teaser at right. Just below it, you can sign up for our digital issue "alert" mailing list. By signing up, you'll automatically receive a Constant Contact email notifying you each time a new issue becomes live. We no longer send tearsheets of articles to authors now that you have the ability to view your work online as well as download it as a PDF or print it yourself.
PAYMENT
Payment is made upon publication. If you send an unsolicited submission, it will be assumed that you will accept the following rates unless a different amount has been specifically stated in your submission.
Pays $40-$150 depending on type of article, length of article, and whether it is a reprint or an original, or assigned piece. (For example, narrative and humor articles rate less on the pay scale than pieces which necessitate factual research and quotes from experts.) Pays $40 for up to 950 word articles or humorous pieces. Pays $40-$60 for up to 1500 word non-fiction, informational or creative idea pieces. Pays up to $100-150 for assignments, in-depth, non-fiction main theme articles of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 words.
Note that since entire issues are posted to our web site, online and web site archival rights are assumed to be included in our purchase of your work.
Please be sure to include your complete name, mailing address and contact information on your manuscript, as well as your introductory e-mail because that email will become separated from your article in our e-filing system and we may not be able to locate you for payment!
We look forward to receiving your submissions!