Art & manuscript submission guide

Birch Clump Villager
and the
Birch Clump Chronicle

Information on recieving FREE promotion for your business or art in my magazines

Your advantage

Why you might consider submitting materials to this magazine and some advantages for you:

It’s free advertisement for you. I give you two free copies of the particular issue your work appears in. If you like what you see and you want more copies, then that’s were I benefit. You can buy more copies direct from the printer, Magcloud.com, via their safe secured services. (You never send money to me.) Your privacy is such that not even I will know if it was you or another person who made a purchase.

I am paid through the MAGcloud agreement if copies of my magazine sell. My mark up over the current 20 cents a page to have it printed is very minimal. But, you are never obligated to buy a single copy of the magazine (though I hope you do), and I do not charge for my services. This is a hobby for me. If I earn a few dimes or so off the project, fine, but I turn that into the religious (monastic) community it belong to. I don’t keep it.

Web surfers interested in North Country arts and literature visit my web site and they sometimes might visit MAGcloud. They can buy if they like what they see. If you like what you see and you want several copies on hand for your customers or potential customers, well, that’s up to you. I think it’s a great way for you to promote your business with a magazine they will read, keep (at least for a while) and not easily toss away like some pamphlet or catalogue. It’s an entertaining souvenir of their visit to your establishment. There’s great discounts on bulk orders of 20 copies or more. Details are on the MAGcloud.com site. Click the icon below.


New authors:
Journalism Students:
Artists:

You also receive two free copies from me if and when your work comes out in one of my magazines. You might consider keeping a copy in your portfolio as you look for work or tell people about your accomplishments. You might even want a couple extra copies on hand to pass out to friends, or to present to galleries and as you perceive can be advantageous to getting your materials recognized, accepted, promoted.
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Preparations

Things you should include in your submissions “IF” you want people to contact your or visit your business:

Title
Business name
Contact information
Phone
Email
Web site
Routs, directions
Hours, days open
Pictures

I will not publish any of the above information that you mark private. If you want folks to contact you, let me know and check the list above to be sure you have included the essential information you feel is needed for customers to contact you.

Authors and Artists

If you are submitting a manuscript or piece of art only to be read and shared, then I will not post any contact information on you unless you specifically authorize me to do so. Your privacy is very important.

↑ Writen and video synopsis about my books. Clic pic.

How to submit art and manuscripts for:
the Birch Clump Villager and the Birch Clump Chronicle
BC Villager: Art and Literature - - BC Chronicle: Indigenous Ministry
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     Thank you for considering one or both of these magazines to host your work. I’ll cut to the chase right away and let you know that I do not pay for items submitted and published. You deserve to be paid and I wish I could, but I am unable to pay anyone. I can offer only two free copies of the particular magazine issue to contributors whose works appear in said issue. This offer is ideal to promote authors and artists interested primarily in obtaining exposure via a professional print format, [BCV mag.]; and for small businesses to attract tourists and travelers. (BCC mag. is to share ministry concerns and experiences).
     The magazines are volunteer projects promoting their respective stated purpose. My costs are very low and I sustain this project from the tiny stipend I receive as a monk.

General submission policy for both magazines:

No unsolicited material, please. Contact me via the contact information link provided on almost every page of this web site. Please type something into the subject line of your email. I delete emails from unknown persons that have “none” in the subject line. You can use the intials BC preceding your subject. For example: Subj: BC Wisconsin Story. This helps to cut down on spam.
     1st Contact by you: Do not send or attach your art or manuscript to me right away. Please describe your work to me in less than 250 words. I probably will NOT open any attachments sent in your initial inquiry. You may optionally add upwards of 100 words explaining why you feel your work fits the scope of my magazine. The additional 100 words are not required, but it might prove helpful for both of us.

Acceptance procedure: I will respond to you as soon as possible. I can usually respond within a day. It can take upwards of a week if I am out of town or receive a sudden increase in submission requests. (It may take upwards of a month if I am on vacation. I post long absences on the home page of this web site).
     I will let you know if I feel your material fits the scope of my magazine. I will ask you at that time to send your art work or your manuscript to me in an email attachment if it is accepted for future consideration.

Promotion of Businesses, Events and of artists: Your eventual forwarding requirements and my responses will be a bit different. Please see the right hand column for information regarding FREE promotion in my magazines.

Format your materials in a Microsoft Word document or similar application for a manuscript. Art should be submitted as a jpeg picture saved at 300 dpi (resolution), and less than 9 x 12 inches. I am able to open a number of other formats, but they must be convertible into jpeg. Word count: 800 to 3000 on average for articles and for business promotions; but this can be extended on a case by case basis for BCV. BCC word count is 500 to 2500.
     Plain typing is highly recommended. I will do the final page layout. I prefer that documents are in times roman 12 point type. Do not bold, underline, italic, nor use ALL CAPS as a means of accentuating your point or meaning. It looks horrible and I will change it to normal type or reject the manuscript. Single space your work, (you can double space between sections if that appears to be appropriate). Italics can be reservedly used in some situations.
     You must possess reasonably good writing skills and grammar. Tip: If you did not go over and re-wright (oops, re-write) your story at least five times before submitting it, and if you did not ask one or more persons who can offer constructive critique of your work to proof read it, then it stands an excellent chance of being rejected by me. Most good stories have been gone over at least ten times by the author and proof read by another person.
     I’m not demanding absolute top of the line perfect manuscripts. I’m looking for “reasonably” well written material. Look for spelling mistakes, but don’t worry – I have lots of difficulties with spelling and so I don’t mind a few misspelled words. Consider clicking the button to the left of this paragraph if this is your first time looking into getting published.

Topic suggestion overview:

Surprisingly, I accept a very wide range of works. Things do not have to be about the North Country in all cases to be included in the BC Villager. North country, for this magazine, is defined as the northern half of the USA and into Canada. My main focus is on the Great Lakes region, but not exclusively. However, an author can write about many other regions, but preference is given if in doing so you can give me a north country relationship. An author enrolled in an Ojibwe Tribe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, for example, grew up in Brooklyn and her works about New York and about Haiti are published in my magazines. It’s conceivable a person in Minnesota or Ontario might have a story about Puerto Rico or New Mexico.
     As acceptable as I am to that, your best chances of acceptance is if your are from and write north country stories, fiction or non-fiction.
     Topics for the BC Chronicle, however, must be centered on Indigenous cultural and pastoral issues. Native and Non-Natives can write or submit art, though the practicality and success of this magazine will naturally favor the input of Native People.
     More about topics are listed in the side columns.

How do I pay for this publication endeavor?
And: What do I get out of this?

     It cost nothing to have a POD magazine uploaded via Magcloud.com. Customers pay for this endeavor when they purchase a copy. The current rates are based on the 20 cents per page it costs to produce each copy of a magazine plus any mark ups a publisher adds. My mark ups are being reduced beginning with the Oct-December 2010 issue of BCV and with BCC’s 2011 production. (I will get around to reducing back issues). My major cost is my purchase of two copies of given issues for each contributor of art or a manuscript that is published in my magazine. See Magcloud.com for details.
     I receive satisfaction in creating these magazines and the realistic potential of monetary gain might be less than $10 per year, (and zero when I posted this). I will be very pleased if these magazines prove to benefit north country artists, crafts and small or independent businesses that might have a tourist interest. With regard to BCC, I hope inculturation and promotion of Indigenous cultures in the Churches advance and improve.

     Native American (Indian) art: Most appreciatively welcomed. However, do not mark it as Native American made unless it actually is. Non-Natives are permitted to enter their art that appears to resemble Native art, but depending on how it is presented, I reserve the right (or obligation) to place a discrete disclaimer on the same page for you. Much of my own writings and art have a multicultural interest and is not touted as Native American.


Every visitor counts

Topic suggestions
and
Promoting business

     I do not charge and I do not pay for anything to be placed in my two magazines. Promotion of your small or independent business, your art or your writings is totally free.

     These are magazines with currently very small circulation. Therefore, I don’t feel write charging businesses anything. The nature and scope of the two magazines are different from each other, so select the one you feel best fists your agenda. Birch clump Villager (BCV) is a twelve page publication. It was quarterly, but will become a tri-annual (every 4 months) publication geared to pure enjoyment of arts and literature of, from or about northern rural and small town living. (Some larger urban subjects can be treated). The primary target area is USA states and Canadian provinces surrounding the Great Lakes region (Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior – H.O.M.E.S.)
     Birch Clump Chronicle (BCC) is an eight page bi-monthly that will become a quarterly in 2011 is best suited for those involved in or holding an interest in Native American (Indian) pastoral or ministry related concerns.

Birch Clump Villager

     The BC Villager is perfect for businesses that want to attract tourists. Specialized bakeries, art galleries & gift shops, events, ice cream parlors, local crafts, smaller grocery stores, general stores, garden centers, unique book stores, restaurants and more.
     Authors, artists, crafts people, regalia makers, bakers and other individuals may find the BC Villager a useful vehicle to tout their works.
    Authors will find the submission information on this page useful as is. Artists and business owners or proprietors will need to prepare a write up and photos of their work and discuss with me how they want to be presented in my magazine. You can even have an aspiring journalism student in your area interview you for this magazine. I am also willing to help you prepare a write up on your art or enterprise if you wish. Lay out of pages dedicated to your work is entirely up to me, but I listen to suggestions. Final editing is up to me, but I will work closely with your to ensure you are represented in my publications the way you want to be.

BC Villager topics

     Fiction and non-fiction stories dominate this publication, though some poetry has been included. Fishing, hunting, love, humor, romance, farming, mystery, children’s stories, over 18 levels (no pornography), growing up in the old days, growing up a bit more recently, and the list can go on and on. I like to have pictures and art accompany articles.

     Materials should favor general norms for family moral acceptance. Strong vulgarity will not be accepted. Do not bash other people’s religions. your religious preference or membership can come through in your stories, but not in a manner that belittles others. Derogatory or inflammatory references to race, religion, gender and so on and so forth is also unacceptable. (With extreme care and consideration of some crass remarks indicating that these discriminations exists or have existed as part of charcter development might work, but not in a manner that in any way condones these bigotries).
     Art style and topics is reasonably wide open. Again, general family value norms will be considered in these publications. I am not an art aficionado. I like what I think is pretty or easy to interpret. Therefore I will accept primarily on my ability to appreciate and understand art work. Write or have some one write about any of your art forms or style in a manner that you think could convince a guy like me to say, “Oh, wow. I never could understand that before, but it makes sense to me now.”
     If you sew, embroider or tailor traditional clothes or Native Regalia, be sure to give a bit of cultural background with the pictures of your work.

In the works:

Click pic and follow the progress of my fourth book.