2008 Editorial Guidelines
Overview
Thank you for your interest in Continental, the inflight magazine of Continental Airlines. Continental magazine is exclusively published by The Pohly Company and conveys the excitement of travel: the chance to experience new places or revisit familiar ones from a fresh perspective. It offers a mix of quick-hit articles and full-length feature stories, and in doing so provides a little something for every traveler.
Continental magazine serves up interesting and inspiring business stories from some of the most senior level executives at the world’s leading companies, engaging and entertaining looks at destinations around the world, fun stories on high-tech gadgets, popular culture, style and design, practical insights about health and fitness, education, real estate, money and investing, and management. Published monthly, the magazine is available to all passengers on domestic and international Continental Airlines, Continental Express, and affiliated flights. It has a monthly readership of approximately 2.4 million.
Specifics for Freelancers
Continental is geared toward frequent travelers, whether they’re traveling for business or leisure. Please keep in mind that the longer travel stories are the most competitive for freelancers, and as such, are almost always assigned to writers who have written for us before. Our business stories and shorter items are the best focus for a freelance writer hoping to write for Continental for the first time. Please go to continental.com/magazine or consult a recent issue of the magazine for content and style.
Continental’s editorial calendar is established in conjunction with the airline, and while it changes throughout the year based on the changing realities of the airline, it is fairly inflexible. We rarely stray from those topics listed on our current editorial calendar. That said, some of the topics on the calendar are broad in scope, story ideas that fall within that scope will be considered. Please keep this in mind when proposing stories for Continental.
To download a copy of the editorial calendar, please click here: http://magazine.continental.com/pdf/Editorial-Calendar-2008.pdf.
Editorial Structure
The Go section is our main Front of the Book section, made up of short, one-page stories (approximately 300–400 words each) as well as smaller items within departments such as Go Explore, Art on the Road, Go Eat, Go Drink, Go Home, and Go Gadgets. Our feature well includes Idea Makers, Been There, Idea of the Moment, and The Guide. The Back of the Book includes columns such as, Fit to Travel, Ideas@Work, The Greener Good, and Kiplinger’s Money Spot.
PLEASE NOTE: : Not all sections are open to freelancers, as they are either written by in-house staff or on an ongoing, long-term basis by a particular writer. Do not send queries for: Go Gadgets, Go Drink, Ideas@Work, or Kiplinger’s Money Spot. Instead, we welcome queries for the following sections, which are open to freelancers:
Editorial Guidelines
| Go Explore: |
A 400-word main story and then a number of shorter items (each 125–150 words), each revealing an unexpected place within Continental’s world and exploring why it should no longer remain “undiscovered.” Ideas may include — but are not limited to — adventure travel, a conservancy, or a fun festival. Section editor: Andrew Eitelbach Query on: A unique and timeless place to visit that’s off the beaten path Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| Art on the Road: |
A 250-word art or architecture story on a topic such as an art museum worth traveling to, new or interesting architectural projects worth seeing, or a traveling art exhibit. Section editor: Deblina Chakraborty Query on: A destination and corresponding art or architectural event Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| Go Eat: |
A 350-word article about a chef and his/her restaurant in the city listed on the calendar. We typically cover upscale but approachable restaurants. In addition, the section also includes a “5 to Try” sidebar (short mentions of five other intriguing restaurants in the same city), five additional items for our Web site only, and a very short sidebar (about 100–150 words) on three great places to find a particular food (these places can be anywhere on the Continental route map. For instance, we might cover three places to find fried clams, or three places to find hot chocolate). Section editor: Deblina Chakraborty Query on: A chef and/or food trend Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| Go Home: |
A 350-word article about a topic relevant to the home. We’ll cover interior design, exterior design, landscape, and the products that support them.
Section editor: Kathleen S. Carr Query on: A topic relevant to the home Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| Been There: |
Our signature travel narrative, this feature gives readers the opportunity to explore worldwide destinations in depth. The main piece is approximately 2,000 words, written almost always in a first-person travel narrative. We’re looking for something out of the ordinary where the writer, through his/her travel experience, voice, and detailed knowledge conveys a true sense of place. Avoid the guide and travelogue copy and find an angle that allows for characters and a sense of drama.
Stories needn’t be set directly in the city listed on the editorial calendar, but the city on the calendar must be the logical airport to which readers would fly for the travel experience. For instance, a Vancouver story could be set in Victoria, B.C., or a Boston story could be set on Cape Cod. This section will also include two service sidebars of about 300 words total, focusing on hotels, restaurants, etc. Please note: Been There is typically assigned to writers who have experience writing for Continental. Section editor: Michael BullerQuery on: Destination listed on the edit calendar Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| The Guide: |
We take a topic and package a monthly feature around it in the form of “The Guide to...” The feature package will include an expert interview, a “how to” component, gear or knowledge needed to complete the activity, and boxes of interesting stats, tidbits, or tips.
Topic coverage here will rotate through three main activity themes: Explore, Advance, and Indulge. For instance, for Explore, we’ll cover topics as diverse as spelunking, national parks, or the Houston Astros. In Advance, we might do “The Brain Guide” (tips on improving memory, information about special herbs, facts about how the brain works, etc.). Indulge might cover vodka, diamonds, or other high-end projects. Section editor: Kathleen S. CarrQuery on: Each query should note a topic expert who the writer will interview Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| Idea Makers: |
A section of profiles of people we admire, or people who inspire. “Idea Makers” typically covers people who fall into in one of three categories: Corporate, Culture/Entertainment, and just plain Cool:
Query on: Individuals that fit the company or type of person noted in the edit calendar Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| Idea of the Moment: |
In this regular feature, we explore the latest trends in healthcare, education, and real estate. This 1,000-word story should be a straightforward, timely and topical consumer service piece, with a short, action-ready sidebar. It’s preferred if there is a Continental hub (Houston, Cleveland, New York/Newark) focus.
Section editor: Deblina Chakraborty Query on: Topic listed on the edit calendar Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| Fit To Travel: |
This Back of the Book section offers information and advice about how to stay healthy and fit while visiting various Continental destinations. It is aimed principally at business travelers and includes the following elements, which can be pitched separately, with the exception of The Run and three alternate workouts, which must be located in the same city:
Query on: Destination listed on the edit calendar or topic as described in bulleted items above. Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
| The Greener Good: |
For the generation that co-opted the “Think Global, Act Local” mantra, this 750-word column will feature ideas and inspiration for travelers looking to reduce their carbon footprints and make the world a greener place, one eco-friendly act at a time.
Section editor: Deblina Chakraborty Query on: Story angles that fall within the broad topic listed on the edit calendar Query to: freelancer@pohlyco.com |
Payment
Fees vary based on difficulty of assignment and experience of the writer with our publication. We pay 45 days from receipt of invoice.
Submissions and Assignments
Because we work closely with our Continental Airlines partner, and the editorial calendar is subject to change, we typically assign stories on a quarterly basis. For 2007, we anticipate assigning January and February in late August/ early September. March–May issues likely will be assigned in October and November. June–August issues likely will be assigned in January/February. September–November issues likely will be assigned in the April/May time frame. If you are interested in a story on our calendar, it is strongly encouraged that you pitch us close to the time frame for which that subject is slated (i.e., 4–6 weeks prior to when that quarter’s issues are likely to be assigned). In general, you can expect a reply from us within approximately four weeks from the date of submission. Please do not follow up with a phone call to check on the status of your query — this only adds to the volume of queries and slows down the response time.
Querying
All editorial queries should be sent to freelancer@pohlyco.com. Please include your full addresses (both e-mail and physical) in the body of the e-mail. We cannot be responsible for replying to e-mail queries that do not have this information. Please send only one query per letter or e-mail. If you have more than one article idea, please submit multiple letters or e-mails.
Please send hard copies of clips — avoid sending as Internet links or attachments. For international writers, up to two attached clips with an e-mailed query is acceptable.
Do not send unsolicited manuscripts. We cannot take responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts. Please do not send originals and do not send photos.
If you want to query by standard mail, please send a letter describing your proposed article, along with samples of published features and an SASE for response, to:
The Pohly Company
99 Bedford Street, Floor 5
Boston, MA 02111
617.451.1700 (ph)
617.338.7767 (fax)
www.pohlyco.com
Continental magazine is exclusively published by The Pohly Company.
