Sunset is Western America's largest-circulation regional magazine, with monthly issues devoted to four subject areas: travel and recreation; garden and outdoor living; food and entertaining; home design, remodeling, and projects.

Sunset is looking for well-written travel stories that offer our readers reliably satisfying travel experiences that can be successfully accomplished in a day or weekend outing, or included as part of a vacation.

Submission Procedures: No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited manuscripts. Writers must submit a query letter to the editor in advance. The letter should explain and outline the proposed story idea, and suggest an appropriate month or season. E-mail queries are preferred. Send them to travelquery@sunset.com. You also may send your query letter along with a return SASE to Editorial Services, Sunset, 80 Willow Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025. It will be forwarded to the appropriate editor.

Once an editor approves an idea for a story, the writer will be issued a Story Contract assigning an approximate word length and due date for the text. The contract specifies the terms of the agreement between the writer and Sunset Publishing Corporation.

Writers must have computer capabilities to submit stories by e-mail. The assigned text should be submitted with the resource material specified in the contract.

Following submission of the text, the writer may be asked to revise the manuscript for publication or to supply further information or answer questions posed by the editor.

Payment will be made upon acceptance of the text with submission of an invoice in the amount specified in the contract.

After acceptance, the text will then be processed by staff copy editors and fact checkers. Writers will be credited with a byline if the manuscript is not substantially altered before publication in Sunset Magazine.

Word Length: One-page stories usually run from 450 to 500 words, depending on the number of color photographs or other illustrations such as maps.

Regional Editions: Some of Sunset's travel stories offer close-to-home outings for readers in Sunset's five regional editions: Northern California; Southern California (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Diego, and western parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and also, Hawaii); Northwest (Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia); Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, and Clark County, Nevada); Mountain (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada except Clark County, Utah, and Wyoming).

Take-action Magazine: Sunset is not an armchair magazine. While each story ought to be entertaining to read, it must also take a how-to approach so that readers can actually participate.

Accuracy & Readability: Every story must be correct, clear, and interesting. Sunset is proud of its reputation for accuracy and dependability.

Style: Stories should be written using the active voice. The tone should be informative but friendly, intelligent but not intimidating. Write as if you were giving travel guidance to a friend or family member. Writers may want to address the reader in the familiar (you) form ("You've probably never heard of a calf blabber, a chain-gang persuader, or a frozen Charlotte. Even if you have, you'll enjoy a stop at the Frontier Relic Museum.").

Sense of Place: Travel writers should strive to convey a sense of place: the characteristics that set a place apart and make it a worthwhile destination.

The writer's personal insight into a place or event can help the reader to more thoroughly enjoy a travel experience ("Upon arrival, honk your horn") or to avoid an unpleasant one (crowds, sunburn, dangerous terrain, etc.).

Insight and local flavor also can be expressed through the judicious use of a quote or two from an expert source ("I've traveled the world, and always come back. There's a lot of hype about Malibu but also an intangible magic.").

Logical Order: Establish a logical order for topics, categories, and listings: alphabetical, chronological, geographical (north to south, near to far, etc.). Begin with an arresting lead that clearly establishes a reason for reading on.

Straight Facts: Basic travel facts are essential--directions for getting to a destination, distances, addresses, dates, hours of operation, costs, and telephone numbers for further information.

Freshness: Look for news pegs and fresh angles on familiar destinations or events. Often a single destination offers multiple opportunities for readers to visit related attractions such as art galleries, specialty shops, or restaurants.

Variety: Look for activities that would appeal to a wide range of readers, from families to empty-nesters. Here are some subjects regularly treated in Sunset's stories:

OUTDOOR RECREATION: Bike tours; bird-watching spots; camping and hiking in state and national parks; cruising; fishing; hiking; skiing (downhill and cross-country); walking or driving tours of historic districts, fruit- or wine-producing areas.

INDOOR ADVENTURES: New museums and displays; art exhibits with unique Western themes; living history programs dealing with Western lore; hands-on science programs at institutions such as aquariums or planetariums; specialty shopping (Western art, crafts, antiques).

SPECIAL EVENTS: Festivals that celebrate a region's unique social, cultural, or agricultural heritage (examples: Oktoberfest, jazz festival, strawberry festival).

SURPRISE US: Look for great weekend getaways, backroad drives, urban adventures, culinary discoveries (ethnic dining enclaves).

Photography: Writers are encouraged to submit the names of prospective sources of color photographs (35mm or medium-format transparencies preferred) to illustrate stories. However, Sunset will arrange for all photo submissions and/or assignments to photographers.