Native Peoples strives to offer a sensitive portrayal of the arts and lifeways of the Native peoples of the Americas. We seek writers and photographers--Native and non-Native--who have a unique expertise about their subject. If you are Native, please let us know. Competition is stiff: The magazine receives numerous unsolicited manuscripts and hundreds of queries a year.

Native Peoples is a high quality, bimonthly magazine of nonfiction feature articles and departments. We do not publish fiction, photo essays or reprints. Poetry is only published in context with an accompanying nonfiction article. Most feature stories run 1,200 to 2,000 words, but the subject should dictate your story length. The only departments open to freelancers are our travel section, "Pathways," opinion section "Viewpoint" and artists mini-profile section "Discovering."

The magazine seeks stories reflecting Native life throughout the Americas, from the Arctic Circle to the southern tip of Chile, though our prime focus is on subjects set in the United States. We strive to include a diverse mix of topics, from serious to entertaining, including artist and other personality profiles, events and issues reflecting today's Native peoples. We value stories that help bring an understanding of Native culture--its past, present and future. We write for a diverse audience--about one-third of our subscribers are Native and two-thirds are non-Native. Powerful, descriptive, clear and concise prose is essential. Accuracy and sensitivity are paramount. The readership wants to know and we want you to show them--not just tell them--the Native point of view on any given subject matter.

Stories need to be illustrated with high quality photography. Writers are asked to suggest, or work with, professional photographers.

To have a story considered for publication, please submit a brief outline of your proposed subject via mail or e-mail (e-mail is preferred). Please do not submit original manuscripts, art or photography unless solicited by the magazine. The magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited original materials. A biography or resume, and writing sample(S) are encouraged. We try to respond to queries within 30 days.

We work a minimum of six months in advance. We plan a year in advance, so the more lead time you give us about a time-sensitive story, the better the chances are that we will be able to respond and get it published in the most appropriate issue. If an unsolicited story is accepted, the editing process begins. Backup material and rewrites may be requested.

Our standard rate is 25 cents per published word, payable upon publication. (First publication rights only---you own the story).

Please address questions or queries to The Editors, Native Peoples Magazine, 5333 North Seventh Street, Suite 224, Phoenix, AZ 85014. E-mail queries are preferred, at

Photography is a key element in Native Peoples. We welcome experienced professional photographers who can sensitively and accurately portray the individuals, arts and lifeways of the Native peoples of the Americas. Photographers who have a unique understanding or connection to a Native group are especially encouraged to submit work. If you are Native, please let us know your tribal affiliation when submitting work.

We cover the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to the southern tip of Chile. Works from all these areas are welcome, though our focus is on North America.

We are a highly visual magazine and strive for not only the best images we can find but to give them the best presentation possible. Nevertheless, please keep in mind that photography is selected for publication as a visual enhancement to written material-we rarely publish photo essays. Therefore, we encourage you to submit story ideas to accompany your work.

We prefer 35mm color slides or medium-format color transparencies; however, we do sometimes use black-and-white images and accept digital images at a minimum of 300 dpi at print size.

Payment is based on size and location of published photographs: Cover $250.00; Crossover $150.00; Full Page $100.00; Half Page $75.00; Quarter Page $45.00 (one-time rates). Submissions are accepted on speculation only; payment is made upon publication.

Address inquiries and send samples to: The Editors, Native Peoples Magazine, 5333 North Seventh Street, Suite 224, Phoenix, AZ 85014. You can also e-mail inquiries and photo samples to