Contributor Guidelines

Writer's Guidelines
American Profile celebrates the American spirit through positive, uplifting stories of the people, places and traditions that make America great. Our audience is hometown America, reached through newspaper distribution in all 48 continental states to more than 11 million homes each week.

Our articles are personal, informative and concise, full of detail and color, and the subject is always the focus—not the writer. We are not a market for beginners; we’re looking for writers who can easily understand our format and adapt to our style and standards.

Submit original ideas in the following categories: American Artisan, Celebrities, Hometown Hero, Hometown Spotlight, Incredible Kids, Made in American, My Collection, Odd Jobs, On the Job, Places. (See examples below.) Fiction, poetry and first-person stories will not be considered. Coverage of people and places must be enlightening and thorough, and be interesting to readers outside the region of the story. We also cover family matters, health, gardening, home projects and personal finance.

Articles should be topical, but have a long shelf life. Length varies from 350 to 1,000 words. Payment within 45 days of acceptance. Fees are competitive but vary. Byline given. Mostly freelance written. No reprints.

Photographer’s Guidelines
Photography is assigned on a per story basis within the photographer's geographic area. To be considered for assignments, send us a CD containing samples of your photography.

Send images that reflect the editorial content of American Profile.  Because our features are on the people, places and things that still make America great, sample photography should include the following examples:

• portraits of people within their environment or workplace (i.e, coach at the ball field, chef in the kitchen, farmer on the farm, etc.)
• photos of scenes and places in the U.S. (i.e. architecture, Main Street USA, nature, etc.)
• photos that demonstrate a photographer’s ability to capture well-composed, and well-lit images (natural light and/or location lighting set-ups)

Because of the diversity of American Profile features, fees and expenses are priced on a per assignment basis. Please note that we cannot reply to all photo queries and we WILL NOT return your CD of photo submissions.

Writing Queries
Send a one-page query with a resume, published writing samples and SASE to: Queries, American Profile, 341 Cool Springs Blvd. Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067. No phone, fax or email submissions.

Photo Queries
American Profile, Attn: Director of Photography, 341 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067.


                                 
Story Examples

American Artisan
These stories feature American craftsmen and artists.

Carving Katrina’s Ruins

Interpreting the Past, Forging a Future

Artist Rocks Field

Celebrities
These stories feature American entertainers or other well-known public figures with backgrounds, current projects or other areas of interest that resonate with our readers.

Mike Rowe’s Dirty Job

Hymns of Hope

Hometown Hero
These stories feature Americans who serve others, their community, or take pride in honoring, restoring, preserving, or celebrating an aspect of hometown life, be it their work, passion, or pastime.

Pie It Forward

TLC Toys

Homes for Our Troops

Hometown Spotlight
These stories focus on American communities that are unique, or take pride in or celebrate an aspect of their history, heritage, passion, claim to fame, or future.

Pride for Popeye

Home for Homesteaders

Built on Granite

Incredible Kids
These stories feature extraordinary American children and teenagers.

Driven to Dance

Perfect Attendance

Teenage Grocer

Made in America
These stories feature companies that produce American-made products.

Building Bushel Baskets

Iverson Wooden Showshoes

Scofield Historic Lighting

My Collection
These stories feature Americans with large, odd or interesting collections.

Keeper of the Keys

The Pennies of 1968

Milking Stool Menagerie

Odd Jobs
These stories feature American workers with unusual occupations.

Elevator Operator

Keeping Score

On the Job
These stories feature dedicated American workers or people with longtime careers.

Ghost Town Guardian

Taking Count

Smoke Jumpers

Places
These are stories about museums or sites of historical significance in America.

Presidential Libraries

Honoring Herbert Hoover

Robert Penn Warren Museum