Guidelines for Writers and Photographers 

RANGE magazine is an award-winning quarterly devoted to the issues that threaten the West, its people, lands, and wildlife. Known for its powerful photos and straight talk, RANGE portrays “The Cowboy Spirit on America’s Outback.” It exposes a land in crisis and shows how daily challenges are being met with grit, determination and humor. No stranger to controversy,  RANGE is the leading forum for opposing viewpoints in the search for solutions that will halt the depletion of a national resource—the American cowboy.

RANGE needs (1) stories about working family ranches successfully tending land and livestock, (2) solid profiles of working cowboys and sheepherders, and (3) interviews with government employees and environmentalists who have made a positive difference for people living and working on the land. Completed manuscripts are OK, but so are query letters explaining your story idea along with a two-page writing sample. Good photos (each captioned and credited) also help tell the story. We use photographs of people at work on the land and in the ranch house plus shots of wildlife and livestock on the range. No merely scenic photographs are accepted unless they relate to RANGE's mission. A reprint will be considered if you note where and when it was published. 

We use mostly freelance material. Regular features, tightly written, run 1,200-2,000 words; mini-features 600-1,200 words. Columns and “Confessions of Red Meat Survivors” (great nostalgia about people over 80) run about 620 words. Payments are from $50 to $500 per article. RANGE buys First North American serial rights.

We use Mac computers, so submit your manuscript using Microsoft Word or a compatible application. Submit your story by email as an attachment to <edit@rangemagazine.com>. Manuscript should be typed using a plain font, double-spaced, with your name, address, phone number and email in the top right corner of the first page. Include a suggested title, blurb and byline ahead of the story and a brief bio at the end. Captions and photo credits should also follow the story. Do not leave extra spaces between paragraphs or format your story. No fancy fonts. A thumb drive, preferably in Microsoft Word, as well as hard copy, can be sent including words and photos if you can’t send via email. Be sure to specify the application you used. 

We prefer high-resolution digital photos sent via our FTP site or loaded on a thumb drive. Color or black-and-white prints of good quality (4"x6" minimum to 8"x12" maximum) can be mailed to RANGE, Attn.: Editor, P.O Box 639, Carson City, NV 89702. No manipulated images or enhanced color. No negatives or transparencies. Each submission must include your name, address, phone number, email and brief caption information. Stories and photographs are accepted only on speculation. No assignments. We reserve the right to edit all materials. We will handle your work with care but cannot guarantee against damage to, or loss of, any materials. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return and/or reply. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for response.

Photographers, please note: We can only use digital photos of extremely high resolution. We print 300 dpi @ 100%, which means a single photo could be 50 megs. Largest size we use (a spread and quite rare) would be 17" wide @ 300 dpi (5100 px). A possible full-page vertical shot would be 8.5" wide @ 300 dpi (2550 px). A two-column photo would be 5" @ 300 dpi (1500 px). Please DO NOT email high-res digital images to us. (But low-res JPEGs can be sent as samples for your story attached to a single email.) Send high-quality prints via mail or on a thumb drive with select images. Save all images as TIFFs or JPEGs (highest quality) in 8 bits; i.e., not raw. Use two to three key words to identify your digital files; always include your initials first (for example, “cj horse buggy” or “cj Jenny cooks”). Full captions and photo credits must be included at the bottom of your manuscript. 
Here's the industry standard practices for preparing your files for publication: UpDIG.com and best practices for your digital photography workflow: dpBestflow.org.

If you would like to send high-resolution files via FTP, please contact edit@rangemagazine.com for instructions.

Special Guidelines for
“Confessions of Red Meat Survivors”

This popular section is the work of many contributors. We ask that you follow these guidelines:

Author: Include your name, address, daytime phone number, and email where we can reach you if we have questions. If you want to get paid for your work, we will need your Social Security number. 

Subject: Must be over 80 years of age, have a farming or ranching background while still enjoying life.

Photos: We need at least fairly recent photo of the subject and at least four old photos—the older the better. Black-and-white photos encouraged. We know these are heirlooms if you mail old prints so we treat them with care and return them as soon as the issue goes to press. Old photos can be rephotographed and sent as high-res, high-quality JPEGs via email. Scan them at 5" wide @ 300 dpi.

Deadlines: We use several “Confessions” stories per issue. If a story is not used, it will be held for the next available issue. We need completed manuscripts and photos at least three months prior to issue date. Spring (on sale in February) material should be in by November 1, Summer by February 1, Fall by May 1, and Winter by August 1.

Length: 500-650 words. If too long, we will edit to fit.

Style: Use third-person present tense ("he says," "she rides," "they live," etc.). Use first names, not last names. Do not use first person as in "I saw" or "he told me." Include interesting quotes from the subject, which should take up about half the story. Do not color the dialogue; people say their words, not chortle, grunt, laugh, sigh or admit them. "Says" is always preferred.

Accuracy: Carefully check dates and spelling. If there is/was a spouse, include his/her name and possibly birthplace. If the spouse is a wife, include her maiden name and age.

Photo captions: Identify everyone in each photo, if possible, and tell us approximately when and where it was taken. Add any notes that tell the story of the picture. Please do this at the end of your manuscript. Tell us who took each photo, if known, or whether we should just credit "Courtesy of the ____________ family" or "Courtesy (subject’s name)." We need to caption and credit every picture.

Returns: Tell us to whom the photos should be returned. When the story is printed, we will send two copies of the magazine to the author, two to the subject. If you would like magazines sent directly to the subject, please give us a mailing address; otherwise all four copies will be sent to the author.

THANK YOU.

Email story to <edit@rangemagazine.com> or mail with photos and SASE (if you want materials returned) to RANGE, P.O. Box 639, Carson City, NV 89702. 

May 2024 photo guidelines.