What are the basics?

First, even though you’ve heard it a thousand times, read a couple recent issues of the magazine -- that’ll give you the best examples of what we buy, the style of writing, and how we approach fencing issues.       Next, decide what you want to say to the thousands of dedicated fencers who read our magazine. Remember, you will be speaking to young beginners, mature fencers, current and former Olympians, classically trained or sport-oriented, members of re- creation groups, and people interested in the history of swordplay. We don’t expect your work to appeal to ALL of them -- but it must be of interest to SOME of them!       Finally, what we look for is logical progression in your writing (i.e., make a point in an orderly manner!), good command of language, spell-checked writing, and a length that fits the magazine.

We like new writers, and fully understand how anxiety-producing it can be! We will make every effort to help you create material that will work for FQM. And, if we don’t use your stuff, we’ll explain why!

Our sample articles:   The Fencer's Body - Article by Nick Evangelista Epic Encounters - Article by Maestro William Gaugler

Articles | Reviews | Past Issues | Subscribe | Prints | Writer’s Guidelines   VFQ/FQM Founded by Bruce Darling in 1996 - 2006. T.R.E. Design 1992 - 2006, Inc. or its affiliates ©

What are the specifics?

Length: typically, 250-2000 words. Average article is about 1,000 words. When published, this works out to 1-2 magazine pages. We have gone as high as 4,000 words and serialized the work -- but this was material from one of the top people in the discipline.        Publication: usually within 3 months of acceptance, though it can run longer.        Payment: "modest". We pay a flat rate, varying from $15 to $60, depending on how much we like the piece -- pretty subjective, but that’s how we do it. Occasionally, we’ve gone as high as $200, but this is RARE! You’ll also receive 5 copies of the issue in which your piece is published. Sometimes, we trade a published article for advertising space, so if you have a product to sell and an issue you’d like to write about, please contact us to discuss the matter.        Tips: We use fiction and poetry very rarely, so it better be concise, well written, and strongly fencing-related. Most past rejections were because material was WAY too long or lacked an understanding of fencing. We like controversial material as long as it is logically presented -- use the language of fencing and explain your point so that a beginner would understand.

Writer’s Guidelines

Want to write for Fencers Quarterly Magazine?

Great! We want to read your writing! We are interested in articles, stories, poetry, and fiction related to all aspects of fencing.