Contributor’s Guidelines

It is mandatory for all contributors to read these guidelines before submitting stories and/or photographs to OUR HOMES.

THE MAGAZINE

OUR HOMES is a premium homes, real estate and decor magazine featuring beautiful photography and top-notch writing. We currently publish in select regions of Ontario. This quality magazine is very popular and cherished by a high-income readership. It is an in-demand source of information on home interiors and exteriors, renovating, real estate, gardening, landscaping, building and home life. We strive to be original in style and content. This full-gloss, full-colour, quarterly magazine is delivered free of charge to thousands of homes and businesses and continues to expand through regional franchising opportunities. With an award-winning design team, national quality and unparalleled circulation, OUR HOMES is a growing opportunity for contributors across the province. Our goal is to expand countrywide.

WRITERS

The magazine offers a strong marketing slant for each region with coverage of the people, trends and issues that make each area special. This information is provided through a series of short pieces and longer features that range between 200 and 900 words. There are permanent OUR HOMES sections in each edition of the magazine. The word count for these sections is often consistent for each issue.

OUR HOMES demands accurate and lively writing that demonstrates knowledge of home building and decoration. Interviews and research are required. Stories must be inviting and interesting and provide a good read. To become familiar with our magazine and writing style, please read through a few of our issues, especially our larger Southern Georgian Bay edition- all available on-line (click on "view magazine"). Our editors will often assign you work as it comes, but pitches and ideas are more than welcome.

QUERIES:

Queries should be sent via email. The query should include an outline of a page or less introducing the story idea, and explaining why the subject is timely, special and appropriate for OUR HOMES magazine, the direction you plan to take and the elements of the story. Writers should also include potential sources. If you have not previously written for OUR HOMES, please include some samples of your published work and some background information. Include your telephone number and email address.

OUR HOMES SECTIONS

People: (700 words) This section features an artisan or craftsperson who creates practical goods for the home:

Comfort Zone(350 words) Here, we focus on a retail store that provides home comfort through products and services. This piece explains the style, unique features, mission statement, products and location of each business and includes photos.

Feature Home: (900 words) Our feature home is a home in the region that has caught the eye of our team. We also provide details of where materials and finishings were sourced locally. We also find many features homes through networking. We also provide details of where materials and furnishings were sourced locally.

Feature Home and Builder: (900 words) Our home and builder section features a special home that has been constructed by a local builder. We also provide details of where materials and furnishings were sourced locally. There are additional sections in each edition of OUR HOMES. They change depending on the season and region, and are often born from brainstorming. Feel free to pitch something refreshing and interesting. We are always open to ideas.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Writers assigned a story with maximum word count will only be paid up to that word count. Our Homes Media Inc will not pay beyond the maximum assigned word count, which appears on all purchase orders.

Lead Time: The finished article must be submitted at least one month before publication. Please keep in close contact with our editors from the time you are assigned a story, to the time you send the completed version. If a story is not working out the way you planned, consult the editor before revising the plan.

Sources: Please include a source list with all assignments as editors will often need to check facts and spelling before publication. However, writers should do this extensively before submitting a piece. The source list should include the name, address, phone numbers and e-mail address if possible.

Visuals: Please help our creative designers and keep the visual aspects of your story in mind as you interview and visit. We appreciate information on good photo opportunities - people and places you think are particularly photogenic.

Compensation and mileage expenses: OUR HOMES Media Group Inc pays $0.25 per assigned word for freelance writing, and, if there is travel required, $ 0.40 a km after the first 60 kilometres travelled.

Second usage: Due to the regional nature of each OUR HOMES magazine, all of our submissions are subject to be used in more than one published issue of OUR HOMES magazine, with no extra charge to OUR HOMES Media Group Inc.

Illustrators: Illustrations are $200 per full page, $100 per half page or smaller. Electronic portfolios should not be submitted unless requested by the editor.

Photographers; Payment for secondary photography (People, Comfort Zone and Style Picks, National Content) is $200 per day or $150 per half day with OHMGI paying $0.40 per kilometre for travel expenses after the first 60 km. Interior Photographers (Feature, Home and Builder) are paid $600 per home shoot. OHMGI reserves the right to reproduce, without any reproduction charge to OHMGI, any photographs for which a day rate has been paid. Photographic portfolios should not be submitted via email unless requested.

Size: Secondary photos must be at least 5x7" at 300 dpi. Home shoot photos must be at least 8x10" at 300 dpi.

Payment: Contributors must submit an invoice to the appropriate editor after all work is completed. Payment is Net 30 days. No payments can be issued without an invoice.

AGREEMENT

By completing the work for compensation itemized in the Purchase Order and these Contributor's Guidelines, you, the contributor, expressly give permission to Our Homes Media Group Inc. to reproduce stories, photographs, illustrations and any other creative material supplied to us by you, without limitation, online, in print, or otherwise, one or several times over, without limitation.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mail: 25 Elgin St., Collingwood, ON L9Y 3L6

Email: editor@ourhomes.ca

REPRODUCTION:

Our Homes Media Group Inc. reserves the right to reproduce without limitation, stories, photographs, illustrations and any other creative material supplied to us by our Contributors, without limitation, online, in print, or otherwise, one or several times over, without limitation. For compensation arranged herein to the Contributor, the Contributor expressly gives permission to Our Homes MEdia Group Inc. to reproduce stories, photo graphs, illustration and any other creative material supplied, without limitation, online, in print, or otherwise, one or several times over, without limitation. For clarity, by agreeing to provide the creative material to Our Homes Media Group Inc. for the compensation itemized herein, the Contributor agrees to allow Our Homes the rights to reproduce the work without limitation in various formats, including but not limited to print, online, etc.