Write for Girlfriends
Girlfriends is a national monthly
magazine for gay women. Our mission is to provide entertaining, visually pleasing coverage
of culture, politics, and entertainment—all from an informed and critical lesbian
perspective. All potential contributors are encouraged to query the staff with samples of
your work before sending completed submissions. Contact: Managing Editor, Girlfriends
Magazine, 3415 Cesar Chavez St., Suite 101, San Francisco, CA 94110. Fax: 415-648-4705.
E-mail: editorial@gfriends.com.
Writers
Study the magazine's style before
sending us queries. Please query the editorial staff with clips of previous work before
submiting nonfiction material, and indicate the availability of artwork for your piece.
We use the Chicago Style Manual in considering the editorial clarity of our
contributions. We prefer to receive articles in electronic format, either through e-mail
or on disk, formatted in Microsoft Word for the Macintosh. The standard rate for all
written contributions is ten cents per word. All first time work is done on spec.
We strongly discourage
unsolicited fiction and no longer accept poetry submissions. Please allow six to
eight weeks for a response to unsolicited submissions. We cannot return unsolicited
material unless it is accompanied with a self addressed, stamped envelope.
We accept freelance queries and
submissions in the following areas:
Lead Book Review: 850
words. In-depth review and analysis of one or two signifigant recent lesbian releases.
We're looking for critical reviews that put the titles in context of the author's previous
work and/or lesbian literature. Recent examples: Sarah Schulman's Shimmer and Joan
Nestle's A Fragile Union.
Music Review: 550
words. A critical review of one or two recent albums. We are interested in both covering
lesbian musicians and providing cultural analysis of mainstream artists. We can also run
interviews with musicians in this slot. Recent examples: dyke-run record labels; why
Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson make the perfect queer couple.
Film Review: 650
words. While we have a regular film reviewer, once or twice a year we are looking for a
guest writer. This review covers one recent mainstream or gay/lesbian film, providing a
critical analysis and looking for queer subtext. Recent examples: Pecker, Living Out Loud.
Video Review: 900
words. This review focuses on one recent release, discussing five or six other videos that
tie into its theme or genre. Recent examples: Lesbian hooker movies, top gay/lesbian
international videos.
Feature-length articles:
2500-3500 words. Investigative features or human-interest stories which explore in depth
an area of interest to our readers. The topics should be directly related to lesbian
culture, politics, or entertainment. Recent examples: women action heroes in film, lesbian
life in post-communist Prague, and the gay anti-smoking movement.
Celebrity Interviews:
2000-3000 words. An interview with a celebrity or well-known public figure, usually in Q+A
format, which covers topics which are specifically relevant to our lesbian readers. Please
query our staff only if you actually have already done or are able to get an interview
with a celebrity. Recent examples: Ani DiFranco, Camryn Manheim, Lani Guinier.
Travel: 600 words.
Travel piece which focuses on one vacation spot, featuring a local event or being
seasonally relevant, which includes specific advice and information for lesbian travelers.
Recent examples: Aspen, Colorado; Palm Springs, California; Las Vegas, Nevada.
Humor: 550 words.
Short piece which takes a humorous look at lesbian culture or relationships, or which
pokes fun at mainstream culture from a lesbian perspective. Recent examples: Why dykes and
fags don't get along, a lesbian look at the year in movies.
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