Contributor Guidelines for Going Places

New Mexico Magazine's front-of-book section, “Going Places,” showcases a variety of short travel stories primarily about small communities across the state.

To submit ideas to "Going Places", read the our Contributor Guidelines. Article pitches should indicate in which specific department you envision your piece fitting. Send your ideas, three relavent clips, and a brief summary of your strengths as a writer to: queries@nmmagazine.com. No phone calls, please.

Going Places

Outings

• The Good Life: (300w) Describes a unique travel experience allowing the reader to escape the everyday. This could be a trip to a spa, an alternative healing experience (like a visit to a sweat lodge), a Segway tour of Albuquerque, hiking alongside llamas, etc. The article describes what it is like to take part in the experience. The brief provides “If you go” service information at the end (such as address, phone number, Web site) and any essential travel tips.

• Living New Mexican: (300w) Demonstrates how a piece of New Mexican heritage is continuing today. It should describe how contemporary people are living out a legacy and how visitors can experience this piece of heritage through travel. For example, this column might explain the tradition of weaving Rio Grande blankets, then describe a trip to Tierra Wools in Los Ojos where visitors can see modern-day women weaving these rugs and/or try it themselves. This piece should try to capture the essence of being a New Mexican today.  

• See for Yourself: (300w) Identifies a place readers know from a movie or book and shows how to visit it.

Lodging

• Gimme Shelter: (300w) Describes the ambiance of a hotel, inn, or bed and breakfast, the amenities provided, and gives a sense of what it is like to stay there and the type of person who would enjoy it. The reader should come away from the piece knowing if he/she would like to stay there.

Dining

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner: (400w) Begins with a brief (1-2 sentence) overview of the city the writer has visited, then describes eat three great meals at three different local restaurants. The finished piece will read like a travelogue of the writer’s day. It includes descriptions of the ambiance of each restaurant and favorite menu items from each. The story also includes brief references to activities to do in between meals. The brief provides “If you go” service information at the end and any essential travel tips.

• New Mexi-fix: (220w) Focuses on a crave-worthy item in a single restaurant in a single community. (For example: A peanut milkshake from Portales, New Mexico's peanut capital.) The article begins with a brief description of the community’s personality and the restaurant’s ambiance. The remainder of the piece describes the New Mexi-fix item, including what it tastes like, what makes it unique, and what goes into making it. The item can be food, dessert, or even drinks (cocktails, wine, and local micro-brews are just fine for this brief). The more New Mexican an item is, the better. The brief provides “If you go” service information at the end and any essential travel tips.

Shopping

• Eye Spy: (220w) Provides a mini buyer’s guide on how to shop for a certain item, usually an upscale New Mexico-made item like a Chimayo coat, a concha belt, a Hopi pot, a Rio Grande weaving, or Zuni inlay jewelry. It establishes historic/cultural context and three to five bullet points, or tips, on identifying a quality item. Option: “The Look for Less” showing an additional item that’s similar and more budget friendly.

• New Mexi-find: (300w) Describes a shopping find. It can be a store, like Bookworks in Albuquerque, or a single item, like a great pair of cowboy boots in Roswell. The piece begins with a brief description of the community, then describes the store or item being featured. The items featured here could be art, crafts, antiques, or home-décor items. Jewelry and fashion work, too. The best pieces will have a travel component to them (i.e. you can only find the item by being there, or the item will be custom-made). The brief provides “If you go” service information at the end.

• Art Stop: (300w) Describes a great art destination such as a single artist’s studio or gallery, a great movie theatre, a concert venue, a symphony, etc. The article should characterize how the art (not necessarily visual) differs from that in other communities. The brief provides “If you go” service information at the end and any essential travel tips.    

People (500w/each)

• Creative Fire: Gives a behind-the-scenes look at an artist or musician and his/her creative process. Includes info on how the reader can follow along at home with adapted tips
• This is Us: Profiles a creative couple, most likely in Q&A format. If in Q&A, the profile should begin with a brief introduction that establishes context for the piece.
• Short form, narrative profile of people of note