Editorial Guidelines

PropTalk's primary mission is producing a publication by, for, and about Chesapeake Bay boating and Chesapeake Bay boaters. If you are making an impact on the powerboating community, we want to know about it.

editorial guidelines
Want to write for PropTalk or get your business into the magazine? Here's how!

Freelance Writer Guidelines

Contact our editor with any ideas or leads. We welcome stories about powerboating adventures on the Chesapeake Bay and beyond, fishing excursions, lessons learned, how-tos, profiles of noteworthy boaters, destination features on Chesapeake towns, and much more. Columns that promote a specific product or company cannot be used. 

Articles generally range from about 750 to 2000 words with room for photos. Depending on our available page space, we can let you know if your article will need to grow or shrink. At the end of the day, each article is unique and there is not always a "one size fits all" rule, but if you reach out to our editor, she can answer any of your specific questions. While not every article will be a fit for PropTalk Magazine, we welcome your submissions any time and will be sure to get back to you with a timely response. 

We welcome photo submissions any time for our Letters section, as well as for our cover. Cover photos should be high resolution (8.5" by 11", minimum 300 dpi), a powerboat must be visible in the shot, it must be taken on the Chesapeake Bay, and if a child is pictured they must be wearing life properly or we won't consider it for the cover. 

Guidelines for Editorial Submissions from businesses and organizations

Every month, thousands of Bay boaters from Philadelphia to Norfolk and everywhere in between turn to PropTalk for news and information. If you are serious about connecting with Chesapeake Bay boaters, you need to have your company mentioned and featured in the pages of PropTalk. We work hard to avoid "advertorial." We do not print everything that floats in over the transom, and we consciously choose only items that will directly impact and benefit Chesapeake Bay boaters. The boaters are always our first priority. With this as a backdrop, there are some tried and true ways to get your name, and the name of your business into the pages of the Chesapeake's only powerboating magazine.

Ways to get your company's name in PropTalk Magazine

Submit an idea for the Dock Talk or Biz Buzz sections. Every issue of PropTalk includes the Dock Talk and Biz Buzz sections. These sections focus on Chesapeake related people, news, and events. Send us a short release about new hires or promotions. Announce new product lines or expansions. Photos are always nice (But remember, "web-quality" photos do not reproduce well in print. Send us prints or big digital images). Send DockTalk and Biz Buzz submissions to Kaylie Jasinski for consideration. 

Send us your calendar listings. Every issue of PropTalk includes a "Chesapeake Calendar." If you are hosting or organizing an open house, seminar, or other special event, and would like to attract a crowd, use PropTalk 's reach to invite the entire community. Events should be open to the public, and while we don't always have space for every calendar listing that comes our way, we generally give preference to events that will be of the most interest to the DelMarVa boating community. 

Looking to reach more local boaters? Advertise with PropTalk!

Deadlines

PropTalk is released on the 15th of the month with a cover date of the following month (i.e. the October issue is released September 15 and stays on the docks through October 14). The editorial deadline for every issue is the 25th of the month two months preceding publication (i.e. August 25 for the October issue). However, more ambitious (read: longer) stories and columns will require additional lead time