Freeplay is the only women-specific magazine dedicated to endurance sports such as cycling, running, triathlons, and open water swimming. Freeplay covers the athletes participating in these events, the events themselves, industry-related products, and relevant topics.
Freeplay is always looking for experienced freelance writers to contribute to the magazine. To best understand what we’re looking for, please read several recent issues of the magazine closely, and note that articles are most often written by experts (coaches, nutritionists, doctors, etc.). We have little interest in first person, general articles about endurance sport fitness, nor do we publish race reports. And please keep in mind that because Freeplay only publishes six times a year, we must be selective in choosing stories that best serve the needs of our readers.
We encourage and prefer queries sent by e-mail. These should be sent to stephanie@freeplaymagazine.com. Please include a well-written query letter and two short, relevant writing samples. Submissions should adhere to standard AP Style and should be sent in a Microsoft Word e-mail attachment. Due to the large number of queries we receive, please realize not all submissions will receive a reply. Lead time for submissions is four months minimum, and six months is required for seasonal material. We do not accept articles submitted on speculation, nor do we publish reprints.
All published Freeplay articles are well-researched and written in an intelligent and lively voice. Stories should encourage women to lead a healthy endurance sport related lifestyle through compelling language that avoids the use of clichés and “fluff.”
Here are specific details about each department open to freelance writers.
DEPARTMENTS:
Fitness: This 800 – to 1,000-word workout is designed to help endurance sport athletes build strength, improve conditioning or prevent injuries. Although this piece does not have to be written by an expert, it does need to consult one to create an article proven to show results.
Health: This 800 – 1,000-word piece details a health concern or topic relevant for female athletes and includes numerous quotes and advice from experts. Topics for this section may cover healthy weight loss as it pertains to racing and training, motivation, mental training, or general women’s health news relating to the endurance sport lifestyle. Please note: Freeplay magazine does not cover or advocate “fad diets,” diet pills or supplements.
Sports Nutrition: Usually written by a registered sports nutritionist, this 1,200-word piece provides practical tips and advice for female endurance athletes on how best to fuel their active lifestyle. Topics range from hydration to sports bars. Articles should be backed by current scientific research.
Eating Healthy: Arranged around a healthy recipe for runners created by a chef, coach or elite athlete, this one-page piece provides all the details readers need to create a healthy, tasty entrée, post-run recovery meal, snack, etc.
Active Getaway: This 600 – 800 word piece highlights a destination or trip that provides a variety of active options for women and/or their families, from yoga to windsurfing, and is most often written by experienced travel writers. These travel pieces do not have to center around endurance sports, but may include a sidebar such as “Locals’ Favorite Run.” This travel piece should be entertaining to read and also provide all the relevant details for readers to follow in the writer’s footsteps.
Try This: Providing readers with inspiration to try a new sport for fun or for cross-training, this 1,000-word piece includes a narrative description of a sport (ex: kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing) as well as numerous sidebars on gear, great places to take a class or participate in the sport, and tips on how to get started in the sport.
FEATURES: Although our training plans and nutritional features are written by experienced coaches and certified nutritionists, we’re always looking to expand our pool of experts. We also use a select pool of experienced, well-connected gear writers for our gear reviews. Please send queries to stephanie@freeplaymagazine.com if you have the right credentials.
Profiles: Motivational and inspirational, feature profiles (1,000-1,500 words) highlight a female endurance athlete who has overcome a major obstacle or accomplished something incredible through running. In general, professional runners should have an element of depth and interest to them beyond just excelling at their sport. We also profile amateur athletes who have fascinating lives or careers, as well as active, everyday women who are making a difference in their communities or elsewhere. Above all, we’re looking for women who manage to lead exciting, active lifestyles in the face of many other commitments. This section can also occasionally highlight groups or charities that are motivating girls or women to partake in the endurance lifestyle.
PHOTOS:
Freeplay uses a variety of both stock and original photographic material. In general, we are always seeking dynamic stock images of women engaged in endurance sports. If you have images you’d like to share with us, please e-mail a low-res image to:
sean@freeplaymagazine.com
Thank you for your interest in Freeplay magazine.
