Benefits & Guidelines

What are the benefits to writing for BootsnAll? Many. What are our editorial rules and policies? Few, simple and common sense. Read on, before you send in:

* Pay & Compensation * "Official" BootsnAll Writing Style * Editorial Style & Policy Proofreading, English Language & HTML Major Changes Accuracy, Libel & Originality

* Community & Feedback Exposure Feedback Email & Privacy Newsletter Experience

But first off…

Why You Shouldn’t Write for BootsnAll

Before we get tucked in to all the why’s, let’s touch a moment on the reasons why you should not write for BootsnAll:

1. You do not want your work to be read by an audience of thousands.
2. You prefer not to receive feedback from, or to interact with, your readers.
3. You prefer not to receive feedback from, or to interact with, your editors.
4. You contribute strictly to paying markets.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on, shall we?
Back to top

Pay & Compensation

Okay, this might be a downer, and for that reason we’ll say it straightaway: at the moment BootsnAll is not a paying market. Before you wonder why, that isn’t because we’re siphoning off the cash to the company’s Lexus fund. We don’t have a Lexus fund (our “company car” is a 1971 VW bus). We don’t yet pay our writers simply because our revenue does not yet allow us to.

Not being a paying market, however, does not deter the hundreds of writers, professionals and first-timers alike, who write for us. More and more writers send us more and more stories every day, and we hope that you will too. In lieu of cash, we try to provide other benefits to make it all worthwhile. Some of those benefits look like guidelines, but that’s not a surprise as with us they are somewhat the same thing.
Back to top

Official BootsnAll Writing Style

Oooo… that sounds all proper and intimidating, doesn’t it? Don’t be deceived. As you probably know, many publications and sites do have a certain style they conform all their content to. A certain voice, a certain structure, blah-dee-blah-dee-blah.

Peh.

BootsnAll doesn’t bother with that. If there is an official style of Boots, it is this: The style of BootsnAll is the individual style of each individual article by each individual writer. To put it another way, it’s your piece, and your way of telling it. Which segues nicely into…
Back to top

Editorial Style & Policy

For starters, we do reserve the right to edit and to make changes to your article. If you submit something but stipulate that we cannot edit or proofread it, then unfortunately we won’t be able to publish your work. But keep reading: you’ll see our editorial policies are pretty open, and keep you and your style in mind:

Proofreading, English Language & HTML. BootsnAll’s editors keep the editing light. We check spelling, glance at punctuation and grammar. We accept British, American, Canadian, Imperial, Australian, Kiwi, and all other various regional, slangish or international flavors (flavours) and adaptations of the English language. About the most major thing we do is add and edit the HTML tags that make everything look right on-screen.

Major Changes. Every once in a while we might see something that could use a little more work. If we do, we don’t just swoop in and make major changes. It ain’t our style – we work to preserve yours. Instead we contact you, the writer, with our suggestions for the relevant text. Then you and we will work together to finalise (finalize) any changes that wind up being made.

Accuracy, Libel & Originality. When you submit your work to BootsnAll, we give you as much freedom, leeway and latitude as possible. We know you know your stuff, but at the same time, we have to state that when you submit your article, you also are agreeing to and stating that each of the following is true:

1. The article is accurate, to the best of your ability.
2. The article is not libelous, and does not contain libel.
3. The article is original; that is, the article is your own writing, not someone else’s, and the article and no part of the article does not infringe on someone’s copyright.
4. You retain sufficient rights and copyright to submit the article, and that BootsnAll has permission to edit and publish it.
5. BootsnAll is not responsible or liable for any errors in your submission or for any problems, inconveniences, etc. that might arise with anyone from such errors.

Should BootsnAll be notified of any problems with your article as regards the above, we will get in touch with you to help get everything resolved. To break it down, our site provides an audience for your work, and in return we ask that what you write is accurate, does not contain libel, and that the writing is your own. Besides, why bother submitting it otherwise? Now, speaking of an audience…
Back to top

Community & Feedback

1. Exposure – and in a completely non-criminal way. Being published on BootsnAll puts your work in front of people who truly care about what you write: thousands of information-hungry travelers, fueling their brains for future trips, filling up on info on a favorite (favourite) or particular place, or just stuffing themselves with a good read that gives ‘em a hard shudder, a hearty laugh, or just a slightly more expanded perspective.
2. Feedback. Your story’s publication is good for our members and readers, and obviously it’s good for you, the writer, as well. They get to read good writing, you get to get your good writing in front of them, and they are all too happy to give you their feedback. Our community is vocal, interactive; writers often hear from readers, who email with questions, requests for further info, or comments on the story, their own experiences, or travel itself. Publishing on BootsnAll means your reach extends beyond your story, directly into our entire community, and creates dialogue between writer and reader.
3. Email & Privacy. We do require that writers supply a valid email address so we can track you down if need be (and tell you when your story will be published, too!). If you would prefer not to use your primary email address, no worries: feel free to set up an account that you use only for your BootsnAll work. (We BootsnAll guys actually have several addresses: one for work, one for personal correspondence, and some only for subscriptions and the like.) Free web-based email services include Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail. By the way, if you’re worried about privacy, BootsnAll’s own privacy policy is pretty simple: we do not sell, share or distribute your contact information. Period.
4. Newsletter. BootsnAll writers are automatically subscribed to our forthcoming Writers’ Newsletter. The newsletter will give tips, talk about books on travel and writing, and will feature individual BootsnAll writers in each issue. We see this as another way to help our community interact, and we hope you do too. (Should you decide you don’t want to receive the newsletter, however, unsubscribing will be easy.)
5. Experience. There’s more to it than just the feedback, of course. You’re a writer – but everyone is a writer (and a critic!). But now you can say that you’re a writer – with a track record. Gumshoes and veterans alike write for BootsnAll. It keeps your pen moving, your skills honed (especially when writing travel guides and travelogues); it’s a lot of fun, plus it builds your portfolio. The experience you gain also extends to the relationships you build and interactions you have with BootsnAll. We try to give feedback and encouragement to each writer, and to deal with every writer on an individual basis. If you need help, feel free to ask us; the same goes true for a laugh or some motivation. The interaction makes the job fun for us, and hopefully for you too, so email us so we can start talking to you about writing for BootsnAll’s vibrant travel community.

Back to top

---

So whatcha think? (Or does use of the non-word "whatcha" set your narrative teeth to grinding?) If you’d like to submit stories to BootsnAll for publication, great. Just use the links below to get the rest of the skinny on scribbling for BootsnAll, for its various sections, and how to submit your own stories and images. (You can also use the links on the top-left side of this page to go to whatever section you want to read next.)

Also feel free to email any BootsnAll writer if they list their e-mail address, and ask them about what it’s like writing for BootsnAll. When you’re ready, contact us or submit and we’ll get you on your way to being published on BootsnAll!