Who We Are
Wisconsin Trails is a bimonthly magazine of people, history, adventure, nature, travel, and culture around the state. We’re part of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Specialty Media Division, along with Milwaukee Home & Fine Living, Metroparent, and other magazines. Wisconsin Trails published its first issue in 1960, and we remain dedicated to showing our readers the best of Wisconsin in every way. We're interested in the out-of-the-way (ever been to Blueberry Bog, known for its bluegills and blueberries?) and the popular (even widely traveled places hold surprises). Nearly 80 percent of our readers are Wisconsin residents; the other 20 percent are frequent visitors.
Subjects
Our articles aim to entertain, inform, and inspire our readers to get involved, whether it’s taking a hike in Ashland County, recycling in Milwaukee, or exploring a part of the state they didn’t know. Most of all, our stories convey a strong sense of place, a you-are-here experience for readers. If you camp by a North Woods stream, we'd like to hear about the last thing you saw at night or the first thing you heard in the morning. Tell us what sort of impact the area has on a person, what makes it special enough to send your friends there. If it's a piece on canoeing or biking, we want a sense of the action—not a blow-by-blow rundown, but a vital account of the experience that lets readers join you in the adventure.
Style
Our stories should have a strong sense of voice and place. Please avoid using the verb “to be” as much as possible, and aim for lively, fresh language. If your piece sounds like a social studies textbook, it’s not going to fly.
Length
Departments range from 75 to 400 words. Features vary from 800 to 2,500 words.
Contract and Payment
We expect original work. We buy one-time rights that last through 60 days after publication, and non-exclusive web rights. We pay extra for photographs. Payment, usually made upon publication, is 25 cents a word, based on assigned word count.
Submissions
One-page written queries via e-mail or snail mail (with a SASE) are preferred over full manuscripts, with one exception: we need to see a complete manuscript of a "My Wisconsin" essay submission. Please include two or three nonreturnable writing clips that showcase stories and/or approaches similar to the one you're pitching. Other materials will not be returned without a SASE. No phone queries, please; we prefer written materials we can share at editorial planning meetings. Response time is three to four months, even if you’ve sent your idea by e-mail.
Tips
Three words of advice here: Read the magazine. Don’t ask us what we’re looking for. Don’t suggest a place and expect us to assign a story. Read us. Really. We publish only six issues a year, so we choose our stories carefully. We also fact-check and edit our stories thoroughly, so be ready to work closely with our editorial staff throughout the production process.
We're often looking for fresh angles and takes on these kinds of stories:
• outdoor activities; family-oriented travel; romantic couples getaways; adventure travel
• history
• natural history and environmental pieces
• hidden or out-of-the-way places
• unknown and quirky people for mini-profiles and longer profiles
• unique homes and vacation homes
• suggestions for the photography portfolio in each issue
• the offbeat—we're looking to fun things up
• new happenings—in everything from the arts to medicine
To learn more about our editorial departments, click here.
