We seldom set deadlines, because our magazine is geared toward articles of lasting, rather than passing or topical, interest. Such material can usually run anytime. But as a rule, writers deliver two to three months after assignment. Only as long as it takes to tell your story. The average manuscript length on straight, reportorial journalism is 3000 to 3500 words.
Some manuscripts run much longer, some shorter.
Only after an article is purchased and scheduled do we start thinking about its final length in the magazine. Leave the condensation to us. The author, of course, reviews the edited version before publication. If your article has appeared in a major American magazine or newspaper, the chances are it's already been considered. In our search for article pickups, fillers and department items, our reading staff screens more than 140 publications each month, along with 2000 books a year.