In Print
Departments
- UpFront, our front-of-the-book. Currently all UpFront departments are written by staff.
- Pursuits, a 750-word profile with relating sidebar of a Middlebury alumnus/a who is pursuing a career or interest that is “off-the-beaten” path
- In the Queue, reviews of creative works (books, film, television programs music) created by Middlebury alumni.
Features
Ranging in length from 1,500 to 4,000 words (or longer), our feature stories address a variety of issues that impact and/or appeal to readers with an interest in Middlebury and/or higher education. Feature stories may be profiles of alumni, faculty, or students—of the undergraduate College or any of our graduate programs; they may be issue pieces that address hot topics in higher education; they may be in-depth examinations of Middlebury initiatives and programs that are having an impact on the on the world at large; they may be essays that illustrate Middlebury’s unique setting; they may be first-person essays or stories that shed light on the life of a student or alumnus/a.
Back Page Essay
The 600-word concluding essay, titled Road Taken, is a forum for personal thought and experience. Subjects may be serious or light; topical or esoteric.
Please Note: Publication of the print edition of Middlebury Magazine is currently paused due to COVID-19 budget pressures; we expect to return to print later in 2021. We are maintaining a robust publishing schedule for our digital presence, which you probably already know since you are reading this right now. Read on for guidelines on pitching the digital mag.
Nuts and Bolts
When pitching feature or department stories, we prefer that you submit a detailed query letter along with published clips. For the back page essay, it’s appropriate to submit a completed manuscript.
Before submitting anything, please become familiar with the Magazine‘s voice and tone. You may request a copy by e-mailing us at middmag@middlebury.edu.
Please keep in mind the difference between a story and a topic. We like stories that have central characters and that tell us something we don’t know. Substance is good; so are stories that make us care about the subject matter. Controversy and humor have their place in this magazine, as well.
We buy first serial and electronic rights. Payment is made upon acceptance.
Submissions and queries may be e-mailed to middmag@middlebury.edu in Word or RTF format. The magazine’s postal address is Middlebury Magazine, 152 College Street, Middlebury, VT 05753
In Pixels
Same guidelines as above for pitching Features or Pursuits pieces. If you have a Road Taken essay in mind, a draft manuscript would be preferred.
Our weekly digest, Dispatches, is written by staff. However, we will accept pitches for our Reviews blog. Please follow the same guidelines as for the print magazine.
Our How Did You Get Here series is produced by the Middlebury Fellows in Narrative Journalism. If you are an undergradate student and are interested in applying for the year-long fellowship, please contact middmag@middlebury.edu.
If you are a video or podcast producer and have an idea for a podcast, video series, or video feature, please pitch your ideas to us at middmag@middlebury.edu.