Editorial and photographic submissions should be directly related to the northern Piedmont region of Virginia, defined as: From the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge to the fall lines of the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers; and from the Charlottesville area northward to Harpers Ferry, including the counties of Albemarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Lousia, Orange, Greene, Madison, Culpeper, Rappahannock, Fauquier, Prince William, Clarke, and Loudoun.

Materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. While every precaution is taken to ensure that materials are safely returned, the editors and publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited photographs or manuscripts. Evaluation of unsolicited work often takes several weeks. Please be patient.

As a quarterly, with a relatively long shelf-life, the magazine is looking for words and pictures with enduring, literary qualities. Indeed, showcasing the region’s best writers, photographers, and artists is integral to the magazine’s mission.

The magazine buys first serial rights, including the right to post and archive the material on its website. Payment varies considerably, depending on the subject, quality, intended use in the magazine, and the reporting involved; but, for a reference point, nonfiction averages 10 cents per word. The agreed-upon payment is due on publication.

Regular departments, from 750 to 1,000 words, cover food and dining, country inns, the outdoors, real estate, history, land use, best farming practices, personal essays, and personality profiles. Features range from 1,000 to 4,000 words.

Though published infrequently, fiction will be considered if it is grounded strongly in a regional sense of time and place. Likewise, poetry will occasionally be published.

Regarding photography and art, the editors are always interested in seeing new work and stock images. If you would like to be considered for photographic assignments, please send a representative selection of your best work and provide some idea of the subjects that most interest you. Assignment contracts will be negotiated individually.

Aside from assigned work, the editors frequently need single shots of the Virginia Piedmont with a strong seasonal quality. These images will be considered from freelancers many months ahead of the cover date (e.g., decisions on winter shots may be made in spring or summer). The editors will also consider unsolicited images with strong seasonal themes for the cover.

Payment for photographs—one-time use for the print edition (and its web version)—is made on publication at rate of $100 per full-page reproduction.