Submission Guidelines

Updated Sept. 18, 2022

The Steampunk Explorer welcomes submissions for the following sections:

Steampunk Digest

This weekly news section is generally the easiest place to get coverage in The Steampunk Explorer. We welcome news about steampunk-related fiction, non-fiction, games, music, art projects, theatrical presentations, events, podcasts, crowdfunding, etc. We will also consider news related to alternate history, dieselpunk, 19th century technology, neo-Victorian culture, and other historical interests, such as 19th century Asian or African culture.

To be considered, you must have a “news hook,” meaning the information should be related to something that will happen or has happened within the past month or so. You don’t have to write the news story: Just give us the basic info (who, what, when, and where), plus a link to a website or Facebook page where readers can get more information. You will improve the chances for coverage by offering a horizontal image measuring at least 1200 pixels wide, but this is not a requirement.

If you are submitting news about a new steampunk book or graphic novel, you will increase the odds for coverage, and earn the gratitude of the editor, by providing a description that can be easily translated into a news item. For more information, see our guide “How to Write Book Descriptions That Keep Editors Happy.”

Steampunk Digest goes out via email on Thursday mornings (Pacific time) and is posted on the website on Friday mornings. The deadline is 6 p.m. Pacific time on Wednesdays. But if you have time-sensitive information, you should send it as far in advance as possible.

Listings

Events: These sections are open to steampunk-related conventions, festivals, fundraisers, gallery showings, vendor/trader markets and other events. We’re also open to hearing about science fiction conventions, comic cons, and other events that may be of interest to steampunks. If you are publicizing an event, send us a query with a brief description. You will be directed to a Google form to submit information for a listing.

City Guides: These sections include listings of museums, galleries, retailers, bars, restaurants, and other locations of interest to steampunks. We’re also interested in hearing about local steampunk and geek culture organizations (including Facebook groups). Our listings are currently limited to 37 regions in North America, but we plan to add others.

Authors: This page lists authors of steampunk fiction and non-fiction. To be considered, send us a note with the titles of your steampunk works and a link to your website. We will consider self-published authors on a case-by-case basis.

Performers: This page lists steampunk-related musical acts and other performers. To be considered, send the name of the act, a brief description, and your location (city and country). You will be directed to a Google form to submit additional information for a listing.

Features

Most feature coverage in The Steampunk Explorer is related to events and places of interest to steampunk fans. We are also interested in profiling artists and makers in the steampunk world. We are eager to hear from you if:

• You are seeking publicity for a steampunk event.
• You operate a steampunk-themed bar or restaurant, especially if you can provide photos.
• You are a steampunk artist or maker and are willing to discuss your work and provide photos.
• You have attended a recent steampunk event and can provide photos.
• You have visited a museum, eatery or other location featured in one of our City Guides and can provide photos, especially if they include people in steampunk outfits. Ideally, these should be attractions in one of the regional “Steamiest Places” sections, but we’ll consider any location likely to appeal to steampunks.
• You can submit other content that falls into one of our main coverage areas: Art, Costumes, Design, Events, People, and Places.

We cannot offer financial compensation for contributions. However, if you are a steampunk author, artist or vendor, we can include a bio with a link to your website. In addition, we may be willing to offer free advertising in return for editorial content.

At the present time, we do not publish reviews of steampunk fiction. However, we welcome submissions of book news for Steampunk Digest (see above). If you are an author and would like publicity beyond Steampunk Digest, your best bet is to offer content in one of the categories described above.

We are not interested in opinion pieces; “adults-only” material (our rating is generally PG); or material that is racist, homophobic, misogynistic or potentially libelous.

Submission tips

If you are interested in getting coverage or submitting content, please use the contact form and send a brief description. We’ll let you know if we’re interested.

Occasionally, messages get buried in our inbox and we might miss them. If you have sent information about relevant steampunk activities and have not received a reply within a few days, please follow up with a reminder.

One tip that will help improve the odds for coverage in any media outlet: Make it as easy as possible for the reporter or editor to cover your news. Provide your information in an easily digestible “who, what, when, and where” format. Include links to relevant background info. Offer high-quality images or video. Be responsive to requests for additional information.

If you’re submitting info about a band or event, you may be asked to complete a short online form.

Unfortunately, we sometimes receive bot-generated spam or mass-emailed PR pitches, and in some cases it can be difficult to tell the difference between these unwanted messages and ones we want to see. To avoid having your emails sent to the Trash folder, include some indication that your information is steampunk-related, or even better, include a reference to The Steampunk Explorer so we know this is a personalized message. In a similar vein, avoid using link shorteners such as Bitly or TinyURL. We will never click on shortened links due to the possibility that the email may be a phishing attack.

For additional information, please see our Editorial Policies page.