Would you like to contribute to Minnesota Parent? We’d love to hear from you!
WRITERS
We’re always looking for fun and friendly writers at Minnesota Parent!
• Please see our editorial calendar as it will give you a good idea of the kinds of topics we cover most often.
• Writers don’t have to be parents. (But that’s always a plus!)
• Stories that require interviews with families should be arranged with the editor in advance of writing and interviewing on behalf of Minnesota Parent.
• Send all questions or inquiries to [email protected].
TOP TOPICS
We’re looking for lively, on-trend stories packed with relevant information for passionate, involved parents. We cover maternity, childbirth, kid health, and development, child care, education, toys, and technology. But we’re also seeking fresh places-to-go, things-to-do stories to inspire parents to get out and have fun with their kids — ideally for free — in the great state of Minnesota. We’re talking about travel and outdoor activities, near and far. And don’t forget summer camps: We’re a top source for planning a kid-friendly summer, including day camps and overnight camps, too. To get a sense of what we do, please read our content.
KINDS OF WRITERS
• Parent Bloggers: We have a variety of writing roles: Baby on Board, Toddler Time, School Days, Teens & Tweens and Grows on Trees. You can check the columns out at minnesotaparent.com. Columns are typically 400-500 words. These are written by parents.
• Feature writers: Our most pressing need at Minnesota Parent is for freelance journalists who are interested in writing features stories. Our features stories typically require writers to write in the third-person (versus first-person, blog or essay-style writing). That means doing interviews with parents and kids (online or in-person) and reporting what they say. We need stories about parenting trends, topics, and news. Features can be 500 to 1,200 words.
LONG FEATURE EXAMPLES
ESSAYS AND SHORT FEATURES EXAMPLES
Sometimes parents have unique perspectives or expertise that warrant us publishing their essays or short stories about their parenting experiences in the first person. These can be in the form of shorter “list” pieces that run as features or as long-form essays. We have more of these coming up, but we haven’t done much in this category lately.
What teachers really want for the holidays
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Send your story pitch to [email protected]. (Students: Looking for a for-credit internship? We would love to connect.) If you are new to writing, we recommend you submit a completed article for consideration.
DUE DATES
We are flexible and will receive article submissions at any time.
RIGHTS / CONTRACTS
We don’t require you to sign a contract. We ask that you agree to let us publish your story first before any other publications post it. Ideally, you’ll wait until you see the story posted on Minnesota Parent, and only then sell it to other publications, if you wish.
WHAT’S INCLUDED FOR YOU
- Your photo and bio included on each article shared
- Links to your business or personal blog and/or social media (if you choose to share them) in your author bio in each of your articles
- Opportunities to test out products and/or services and review them on Minnesota Parent website
- Writing experience and friendships throughout our team
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Send a link to your portfolio site to [email protected]. We also have occasional freelance assignments for photographers with photojournalism experience.