Writers' Guidelines for ODYSSEY TMGeneral InformationFollowing are writers' guidelines for ODYSSEYTM. ODYSSEY TM is interested in articles rich in scientific accuracy and lively approaches to the subject at hand. The inclusion of primary research (interviews with scientists focusing on current research) are of primary interest to the magazine. Keep in mind that this magazine is essentially written for 9- to 14- year-old children. Writers are encouraged to study recent ODYSSEY back issues for content and style. (Sample issues are available for $6.95 plus $2.00 shipping and handling. Sample issues will not be sent without prepayment.) All material must relate to the theme of a specific upcoming issue in order to be considered. ODYSSEYTM purchases all rights to material.Illustrators, please click here to access Illustration Guidelines for ODYSSEY TM. Procedure
A query must consist of all of the following information to be considered:
- a brief cover letter stating the subject and word length of the proposed article,
- a detailed one-page outline explaining the information to be presented in the article,
- a bibliography of sources (including interviews) the author intends to use in preparing the article,
- a self-addressed stamped envelope
A writer may send as many queries for one issue as he or she wishes, but each query must have a separate outline, bibliography, and self-addressed stamped envelope.Queries may be submitted via email or regular mail. Telephone queries are not accepted unless the material is extremely time-sensitive to a specific issue. Please, type all queries. Guidelines
- Feature Articles:
- 750 - 950 words
Includes: in-depth nonfiction articles. (An interactive approach is a definite plus!) Q & A interviews, plays, and biographies are of interest as well
- Supplemental Nonfiction:
- 200 - 500 words
Includes: subjects directly and indirectly related to the theme. Editors like little-known information but encourage writers not to overlook the obvious.
- Fiction:
- up to 1,000 words
Includes: science-related stories, poems, science fiction, retold legends, etc., relating to the theme.
- Department Features:
- 400 - 650 words
Includes: "Places, Media, People to Discover." Not a bad idea to consult back issues for direction on these departments that are also theme-related.
- Activities:
- up to 750 words.
Includes: critical thinking activities, experiments, models, science fair projects, astrophotography projects, and any other science projects that can either be done by children alone, with adult supervision, or in a classroom setting. Query should be accompanied by sketches and description of how activity relates to theme.
The above five pay 20 to 25 cents per printed word.
Photo Guidelines
To be considered for publication, photographs must relate to a specific theme. Writers are encouraged to submit available photos with their query or article. We buy one-time use.
Our suggested fee range for professional quality photographs* follows:
| ¼ page | to | full page | | b/w | $15 | to | $100 | | color | $25 | to | $100 |
* Please note that fees for non-professional quality photographs are negotiated. - Cover fees are set on an individual basis for one-time use, plus promotional use. All cover images are color.
- Prices set by museums, societies, stock photography houses, etc., are paid or negotiated. Photographs that are promotional in nature (e.g., from tourist agencies, organizations, special events, etc.) are usually submitted at no charge.
- If you have photographs pertaining to any upcoming theme, please contact the editor by mail or fax, or send them with your query. You may also send images on speculation.
| Theme list for 2012 | [query due date] | |
How Annoying? "Stop That"
Science (January) - A popcorn cruncher; a grinding,
cell phone ring; a mosquito that won't stop buzzing! What's your pet peeve? Why
do we have the emotion of annoyance anyway? A look at the psychology,
evolutionary biology, anthropology, and neuroscience of annoyance. Does it have
a purpose? Emergency alarms/detectors - safety annoyances and how they work.
Repetition (overload).
| [6/30/2011] | |
Candy! Sweet Science! (February) - Why do we love sweet?
Sugar, taste, craving, natural and unnatural sweeteners. From the gut to the
brain, researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center have found that tasting
sweet is more complicated than previously thought. Do animals love sweet? When
does salt/sour = sweet? What is miracle fruit?
| [7/15/2011] | The Perfect Storm (March)
Will focus on the science of extreme weather and the technology that
helps us forecast it, with complementing issues the same month from Calliope,
Faces, Dig, Appleseeds, and Cobblestone.
| [8/15/2011] | Titanic Disasters (and Triumphs!) (April)
On the 100thanniversary of the Titanic disaster, we'll look
at what happens when technology reaches too far too soon, and at when it risks
everything and wins. How is acceptable risk and the possibility of success or
disaster determined? (The nuclear disaster in Japan, the possibilities and
risks of artificial life (synthetic biology), geoengineering a cooler Earth,
and more.) To include a profile/interview with scientist/filmmaker James
Cameron.
| [9/30/11] |
The Secret Life of
Seahorses (and Other Mysteries of the Sea)
(May/June)
Rare animal "super-dads," these tiny "horses" have migrated to all
corners of the world, despite minimal locomotion abilities. They change color
almost magically, have captivated humans for thousands of years, and were kept
in the world's first aquariums. A look at the biology, ecology, biogeography,
archaeology, myth and reality of these tiny "horses."
| [10/14/2011] |
Olympic Gold: Physics or
Fate?
(July/August)
Biomechanics, the science that combines biology and physics, helps
Olympic athletes twist, turn, and soar six stories through the air in perfect
performances. Years of preparation and high-tech equipment certainly matter, but
Isaac Newton keeps it all honest. Great biology and psychology help too.
| [11/1/2011] |
How Time Flies! Perception
and the Brain
(September)
According to neuroscientist David Eagleman (Baylor Medical School
Laboratory for Perception and Action), brains don't track time; they actively
construct it. That's why time slows down in high-adrenaline situations, and why
time speeds up during a test. This issue will look at how living things -
people, animals, and plants - perceive time. Including an interview with
Eagleman about his strange SCAD experiment and other inventive ways he studies
the brain.
| [1/2/2012] |
Who Will Be the Next
President? Does Science Know?
(October)
Statistics and the truth? A perfect poll? Naming a winner before the
vote is in. Focus groups. How do those machines work? What can facial
recognition tell us about a candidate? Connectivity and votes. The psychology
("bandwagon effect," "underdog effect," and more) and biology
(liberalism/conservatism in your genes?) of choosing a presidential winner.
| [2/1/2012] |
LOST! Our Sense of Space
(November/December)
Although humans can target objects in distant space and travel to them,
the same humans can get lost in a parking lot. How does our spacial brain work?
How can we live in electronic spaces? What are mental maps. Gyroscopes and
other navigational tools. Migrations.
| [3/1/2012] |
Updated 9/13/11
Queries may be submitted at any time, but queries sent well in advance of deadline MAY NOT BE ANSWERED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. Go-aheads requesting material proposed in queries are usually sent four months prior to publication date. Unused queries will be returned approximately three to four months prior to publication date. To be certain that your query is received, it is best to send it by regular mail. Receipt of email queries can not be guaranteed.
Mail queries to:
Editorial Department
Cobblestone Publishing
Attn: Elizabeth Lindstrom
30 Grove Street, Suite C
Peterborough, NH 03458
Or email them to: blindstrom@caruspub.com | Mail sample requests to:
Editorial Department
Cobblestone Publishing
Attn: Sample Requests
30 Grove Street, Suite C
Peterborough, NH 03458 |
|
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