One of the keys to getting our chosen pastime on the national map is exchange of media and information... Not just in a promotional sense, but to bring us together as a community and to increase the exchange of ideas!

When kite flying was in it's heyday during the early 90s, there were a number of kiting publications featuring reports and photos from events all over the world... We can make this happen again!

With between 70,000 and 90,000 visitors browsing our pages every month, Kitelife reaches people from all walks of life worldwide.  Many of our readers come from the student body, newspapers, other magazines and organizational groups... I've been told by a number of them that the information and media we provide is of incredible value to them, and it all comes from you - kite fliers!

Whether you're a new flier, part of a kite club, organize or participate in festivals, operate a sport kite team, or just fly for leisure... Your perspective can make a difference.

Some suggested contributions:

• Festival reports and photo galleries
• Features on your local kite club
• Kite flier interviews
• Local flying field profiles
• Beginner and advanced "how to" pieces
• Kite plans and instructions
• Cultural focus on kites
• Special kite experiences and stories
• Kite art and cartoons
• The sky is the limit!

While we welcome contributions in nearly any format, here are the guidelines that help make it easier to assimilate and prepare material for publication in Kitelife:

• Submissions should typically include 1,500 words or more for reports, interviews and articles, or a minimum of 800 words for "pre-festival" reports (MS Word has a "word count" function).
  
• Keep formatting (font, color, size) to a minimum, this aspect will be handled by our editor.
  
• For standard articles, include as many photos as possible... Emailed 5 at a time, or all together in a zip file.
  
• Photos may be sent in JPG, JPEG, PNG or GIF format... Always include photographer credits.
  
• Please send all photos in full resolution, UNCROPPED.
  
• Photos with time stamps on the image will not be used.

By submitting photos, you are attesting that you are the owner of the images or have permission to reprint them, that no copyrights are being infringed, and that you have provided proper credits.

MS Word, Notepad, FrontPage, Dreamweaver, BBEdit or comparable text and HTML programs are all ideal to compose articles for Kitelife.

Feel free to browse our archives, particularly the latest issues, for inspiration or examples of past articles published:

http://www.kitelife.com/magazine

If you would like certain photos placed with specific paragraphs within your article, please include tags such as this wherever you would like:

<<imagename.jpg - caption>> Mr/Ms Doe did a wonderful job of demonstrating this and that, especially on Sunday when thousands of spectators stopped to watch the presentation... Our hats off to him/her!

Be sure to consider mentioning any event/project sponsors, volunteers and other individuals who may have helped make it possible.

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Publishing dates:

• Kitelife is published on the 1st day of every even-numbered month... 2/1, 4/1, 6/1, 8/1, 10/1 and 12/1.
  
• Submission deadlines are the 20th of every odd-numbered month... 1/20, 3/20, 5/20, 7/20, 9/20 and 11/20.
  
• While we'll sometimes sneak a piece in after the submission deadlines, generally we'll just hold them over until the following issue.

Remember, these are merely guidelines... Truly, we're honored to receive any submissions and are a leisurely group to work with.  It is our belief that the best material comes from inspiration, and treat our contributors as such... While we have "deadlines" for publishing certain issues, we don't force them on anyone and would rather have happy authors.

And again, even if you are a new flier, it is your fresh perspective and excitement that will often "make" an article... Don't let it be a deterrent.

Feel free to contact us with your ideas by clicking on my name below, we'll reply to you immediately.

   Cordially yours,

   John Barresi
   Editor/Publisher
   Kitelife Magazine