CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

DIALOGUE magazine was established in 1961 and is published quarterly by Blindskills, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Salem, Oregon. DIALOGUE is an international news magazine edited for individuals who are experiencing vision loss or are blind, and their friends and families. It reviews low vision aids and devices, provides tips and techniques for coping with vision loss, reports personal experiences of people living successfully with vision impairment at home, in school, on the job and in the community, interviews professionals working in the field of blindness and low vision, and is designed to inform, instruct and entertain in the discussion of blindness issues. DIALOGUE publishes articles, personal essays, interviews, news and resources on all aspects of coping with a vision impairment.

DIALOGUE is currently seeking descriptions of workable solutions for operating appliances and other visually-oriented devices; experiences with conducting business online; reviews of new or improved accessible software and hardware; explanations of innovative communication strategies utilized by people who are deaf-blind; safety tips for blind and visually impaired travelers; inspirational accounts of educational pursuits such as study abroad, internships and mentoring programs; and stories of blind and deaf-blind people engaged in challenging, intriguing or unusual careers. Other articles of interest include people who are blind or visually impaired involved in adapted sports such as goalball, tandem cycling and martial arts; fitness programs such as aerobics, yoga and dance; and crafts such as woodworking, knitting and crocheting. Articles on topics related to dating, relationships and family; daily living, cooking and household management; and examples of people with vision loss developing a positive attitude, setting goals and planning for the future are also being sought. Short humorous anecdotes related to living with vision impairment are accepted.

To review the complete table of contents of past issues as well as sample articles, visit www.blindskills.com/current_past.html. If you would like to submit an article to DIALOGUE, please review the writer's guidelines below or request the writer's guidelines, column descriptions and a sample issue of the magazine by calling 800-860-4224. DIALOGUE formats are large print, braille, cassette and e-mail. Queries, article submissions and items for the resource column and calendar are all welcome and may be sent to magazine@blindskills.com . E-mail queries and submissions are preferred.

DIALOGUE is seeking submissions that address specific topics related to living successfully with sight loss. Articles that address adjusting to vision impairment, provide strategies for participating in family, career and educational pursuits, detail adaptations for sports, hobby, travel or volunteer activities, and identify solutions for everyday challenges faced by people who have vision impairments are welcome. To review contents of recent issues as well as sample articles, visit www.blindskills.com/current_past.html.

DIALOGUE: A WORLD OF IDEAS FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE OF ALL AGES is now in its 48th year! Subscribe today and join the DIALOGUE.

DIALOGUE MAGAZINE Writer's Guidelines

Updated: December, 2009

Thank you for your interest in writing an article for DIALOGUE. We welcome the submission of freelance material for possible publication and offer our guidelines to help you achieve a readable, lively and informative addition to the magazine. The best way to get an idea of the kind of material we publish is to request a sample copy of DIALOGUE and review it. Sample copies are available at no charge in large print, four-track cassette, braille and e-mail formats. If the sample is requested by a fully sighted author, we will charge $5 to cover the cost of shipping and handling. Samples sent to blind and visually impaired individuals are shipped via the Free Matter for the Blind designation. If you have questions after you have read the guidelines, please contact the editor at magazine@blindskills.com.

Current Needs:

DIALOGUE is currently seeking personality profiles of interest to newly blind and other visually impaired people, examples of career, education and leisure experiences, and descriptions of technological solutions, coping strategies and helpful resources. Material that is religious, controversial, political, or that contains explicit descriptions of sex is not accepted.

Payments:

Since DIALOGUE is entirely dependent upon public contributions for its support, payment is modest. We think we offer an unusual opportunity for writers. Writers whose articles are published in DIALOGUE receive a complimentary large print copy. Payment for articles will be made at the rate of $15 to $35. All payments for articles used in an issue are made after all formats of DIALOGUE have been shipped to our readers.

Policies:

  1. No simultaneous submissions to other publications are permitted while being considered by Blindskills, Inc.
  2. We reserve the right to do minor editing.
  3. Manuscripts must be the original and unpublished work of the writer.
  4. Authors who are legally blind are given priority. Exceptions are sometimes made when topics are judged to be of reader interest.

Rights:

When an article is accepted by DIALOGUE, we purchase all First North American Serial Rights (FNASR) including first electronic rights and nonexclusive archival rights. Upon our acceptance of an article whether by telephone, letter or e-mail, the first North American publishing rights for the accepted article are automatically conveyed to the publisher of DIALOGUE. An author who seeks to have an article published elsewhere after it has appeared in DIALOGUE must obtain specific permission to do so from the publisher of DIALOGUE.

Reprints:

For reprint permission, contact Blindskills, Inc. in writing and state the following:

Name of Your Publication:
Publisher:
Address:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Date of Publication:
Formats of Publication:

The following statement is required to appear at the end of a reprinted article from DIALOGUE. Include the issue date in which the article appeared. Please send a print copy of the publication in which the article is reprinted to Blindskills, Inc.

"The above article was first published in DIALOGUE, January-February 2007. For a free sample issue of DIALOGUE or information about other publications, contact Blindskills, Inc., P.O. Box 5181, Salem, OR 97304-0181; Phone: 800-860-4224; E-mail: info@blindskills.com; Web site: www.blindskills.com."

Deadlines:

For publication in the Spring issue, material must be received by January 1; for the Summer issue by April 1; for the Fall issue by July 1; and for the Winter issue by October 1.

Specific Guidelines:

Freelance articles on subjects now being staff-written are always welcome. Currently, we are especially interested in first-person accounts of career or education experiences, travel experiences, stories about participation in sports, information on new high-tech and low-tech products useful to people who are visually impaired, features on seniors and veterans who have experienced vision loss, articles about the concerns of parents raising children with vision impairments or blind parents raising children, and descriptions of feelings and coping methods of people who are currently losing vision or who are blind.

While we accept unsolicited manuscripts, we prefer e-mail queries. Both queries and manuscripts may be e-mailed. Include your last name and the query topic or the first three or four words of the article title in the subject line. In the body of the message, please also indicate for which column you think your proposed article is best suited. All text must be placed in the body of the message--absolutely no attachments, please. You may e-mail queries and manuscripts to magazine@blindskills.com.

Please accompany manuscripts with a cover letter that includes your mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number. Manuscripts in printed form are acceptable. Blindskills, Inc. cannot be responsible for manuscripts lost in the mail. Writers are therefore advised to retain a copy of each submission.

Length:
Articles of 200, 500, and from 800 to 1,000 words are preferred. Articles of more than 1,000 words are rarely used. We do occasionally run longer articles if the importance of the topic or nature of the material warrants.

Notification of Acceptance:
When an article has been accepted for publication in an upcoming issue, the author will be notified usually by e-mail. Only submissions accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope bearing sufficient postage will be returned upon rejection.

Time Needed for Reply: At least one month.

Columns:

Living with Low Vision
800-1000 word article on how to cope with various degrees of vision loss at home, at school, at work, and in the community

One on One
500 word interview from a recognized leader in the field of vision impairment on the latest trends and solutions to improve the lives of people who are blind or who have low vision

Technology Answer Book
800-1000 word article on high-tech and low-tech solutions for people with vision impairments

Careers
800-1000 word profile or essay of a successfully employed person who has a vision impairment that details educational accomplishments, work experiences, job search strategies and on the job how-tos

Work Matters
800-1000 word action oriented guide to preparing for a career, finding financially and personally rewarding employment and succeeding in the work world

Feature
1000-1500 word article on a topic of special interest

Education Makes a Difference
800-1000 word profile, essay or article on issues related to the education of children and adults who have vision impairments

Spotlight on Families
500 word article of tips and techniques for living well with a person who has a vision impairment whether it's a spouse, parent or child

Lifestyles
500 word article on people with vision impairments fully participating in life and in their communities through such endeavors as volunteer work and travel

Home Front
800-1000 word article on how to adapt the home environment so that a person who has a vision impairment can easily manage the tasks of daily living

Here's How
500 word service article on how to perform a task that may seem daunting or out of reach for someone with a vision impairment that includes specific suggestions and resources

Transitions
800-1000 word article or essay on how to make the adjustment when experiencing vision loss, including coping emotionally and providing practical steps for getting the most out of life

Sports and Recreation
500 word profile, essay or article on people with vision impairments who actively participate in athletics, hobbies, and other leisure time pursuits

Where in the World?
500 word profile, essay or article on life with a vision impairment outside of the United States

Did You Know?
Short summaries of items in the news related to blindness and vision impairment

What's New and Where to Get It
Short descriptions of publications, products and services of interest to people who have vision impairments, including price and complete contact information for the source

Calendar
Dates of conferences, seminars, workshops and other noteworthy events in the field of vision impairment

Where to Send Freelance Material:

Send all queries and manuscripts to: magazine@blindskills.com. Or Blindskills, Inc., P.O. Box 5181, Salem, OR 97304-0181.

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