Writing Submission Guidelines

Now easier to read!
Updated 6/27/03

Please read through the general guidelines below for some background information and what the entire Busy Parents Online team expects. You may also view our separate submission guidelines for:

Family Education [HERE]	Boomer Parents [HERE]	Busy Pets [HERE]
Busy Homeschool [HERE]	Crafty Family [HERE]	StoryTime [HERE]
Women's Health [HERE]	Baby & Toddler [HERE]	Busy Health [HERE]
Family Entertainment[HERE]	Young Parents [HERE]	Safe Family [HERE]
Blended Family [HERE]	Gradeschoolers [HERE]	Busy Family [HERE]
Busy Cooking [HERE]	Daycare Dayz [HERE]

 

Mission

To provide an informative and innovative online magazine for every facet of busy parenting. We supply the resources online to make living offline easier, less hectic, and more enjoyable. Busy Parents Online Magazine strives to bring you current information in a quick-and-easy format, and set its brand as a comprehensive resource for all your busy parenting needs.

Background

Early in 2003, BPO began a transformation into a stronger, more modern magazine that's rooted in tradition. Busy Parents Online is well- established and turning heads. The former editor was contacted by NBC's Today Show producers in early 2002 for information, and there are several requests for collaborations and reviews from other businesses every week. We are aligning ourselves with like minded businesses, through said collaborations, that could potentially raise BPO hits to 1 million a month.

What do we want?

Who says we can't have it all?! The grand re-opening in 2003 brought a modern, trendy online magazine for busy parents out of the existing one that was already highly visible in the online community. We pull in hip Generation Xers, those who waited to have children, parents working outside the home, and stay-at-home/work-at-home parents. We have a tremendous amount of writers who work with us and view our pages as visitors. We are seen by a large diversity of people on the parenting spectrum, small businesses, and large corporations..

• We want authors to have creative freedom on assignments, as long as it fits under the busy family umbrella.
• We want opinions, done professionally. 
• We want multicultural contributors and diversity.
• We want humor, professionalism and balance.
• Linking a story to current news or trends always makes a story more attractive.

We represent the normal family, and there is NO normal family anymore. Our goal is to make information quick, upbeat and easily accessible. Articles should be fairly short or in a series. Remember, busy parents have literally only a couple of minutes between interruptions. We want them to see your bio before they're interrupted. We make getting information, inspiration and advice easier for parents.

Fillers, Tips, Tricks, Recipes: Open submission. Reprints accepted. Approximately 100 words or less. Submissions are kept on file and published when needed.

Product Reviews: Up to 250 word review. Open submission. Reprints accepted.
Book Review: Up to 250 word review. Open submission. Reprints accepted.
Movie Review: Up to 250 word review. Open submission. Reprints accepted.
Music Review: Up to 250 word review. Open submission. Reprints accepted.

General Articles & Features: Open submissions. Up to 1,000 words - Shorter is better. Reprints accepted -- we're going for content, not rights. Information and interviews of interest to Busy Parents. Inspiring, humorous or proactive essays. On never published submissions, BPO has first electronic and archival rights for one year unless other arrangements have been made.

Children's Stories: Written by children or adults up to 3,000 words.

Monthly Column: 300-1000 words in length

Payment: At this time there is no payment but a byline, bio and URL will be given. Each new article is put into the line-up on the home page for maximum exposure. Often articles are used on the message boards, in the newsletter, and for polls. We reserve this right.

Rights: First rights only and submissions will be archived for one year unless other arrangements previously have been made. Release will be sent to author to sign for non-exclusive print rights.

Reprints: Accepted for work on which you hold copyright. Please let us know where and when the piece was first published.

Submission Requirements

BPO reserves the right to reject any query or submission without explanation. BPO reserves the right to re-title, modify, edit, abridge, and fact-check any material it accepts for publication. Guidelines are subject to change. You should receive an answer to your submission or query within 6 weeks. Questions? Please send queries and submissions .

Busy Parents Online Copyright © 1999-2004.
A division of Busy Family Network. All rights reserved.