Check-Out How: 7 ways to make sure your submission gets seen

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s pitching to a magazine or submitting an editorial for publication, it’s always a “How the fuck do we do this?” kind of situation. No one teaches and nine times out of ten, no one will give you any feedback. CHECK-OUT HOW is our way of making this process easier, by showing you practices you can put in place to get your work noticed. 

We’ve all been there…sitting at our computer, mouse hovering over the send button, sweat dripping off our brow as we question ourselves over and over again: “What the fuck are we doing?” No one ever teaches you how to submit to publications or magazines, let alone how to write emails or do the ‘adult’-ing thing. You’re sent off into the world and expected to just know. It’s like Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid, except real life doesn’t end after 21 days…

That’s why we’ve created this template, guide, how-to, whatever you want to call it, to help you when submitting editorials to us and other publications. Check it out below and hopefully you’ll find some tips and tricks on how to make sure your email submission doesn’t get lost in the inbox.

1. Context

First off the bat, context: Is my editorial right for this magazine? Does this style fit the publication? Oftentimes, people will send in submissions that totally miss the mark when it comes to the style, aesthetic and tone of the magazine they’re submitting to. Not only does it mean that the images or film won’t sit right side-by-side with other content, it also shows you haven’t done your research.

For Check-Out, we like anything that’s youthful, vibrant and different. It’s not about having a good camera and taking some decent pictures, it’s about pushing the boundaries of fashion, experimenting and having fun. Without meaning to quote RuPaul (some of his choices are highly questionable), it’s all about charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. Still unsure? Have a look at our other content.

2. PDF/Link

We can’t stress this enough, put in a simple PDF and send via email in a low-res format (not so much that the entire image turns to one pixel, but you get the idea). Attaching Google Drive documents that require permission to access, Dropbox links which never seem to work or end up with you trawling through folders trying to understand what in the world is being submitted… not fun. A simple PDF or private YouTube/Vimeo link is perfect. Keep it simple and sweet, and easy to access.

3. Emailing Etiquette

Do. Your. Research. It’s not too difficult to find out who you’re submitting to, generally a quick Google search or LinkedIn stalk will do the trick. A lot of publications will also have a masthead either online or in their print credits. Starting off an email addressing the name of the person you’re talking to will automatically put you in the top 5%, trust.

Don’t ramble on for ages telling us about how you’ve loved fashion ever since you saw McQueen’s Plato’s Atlantis collection in Spring of 2010. Keep it short and sweet, personal and above all, don’t overcomplicate matters. Nice and friendly goes a long way…

4. Chasing Up

And of course, sometimes things won’t work out. Maybe your email ended up in the junk folder (honestly it does happen a lot), or the inbox was so clogged with emails that finding yours was like trying to locate a needle in an obnoxiously large haystack. Either way, give it a couple days before chasing up. No one wants to be seen as too clingy, so I’d say 2-3 days is great to start with.

5. High-Res Assets

When you’ve been given the go-ahead and we, or another magazine, would like your images, be ready to send over the high-res assets. Every publication will want it a different way, but in general, JPEGs are great - preferably under 5MB in size each. If you’re looking at print or perhaps blowing the image up to ultra large proportions, Tiff files are the way to go. If in doubt, ask! P.S. please send over via WeTransfer, it’s honestly the easiest way.

6. Credits

Credit everyone! From the photographer and stylist, to hair and make-up, assistants, producers, everyone - no one should be left out. Also, it’s super helpful if you put them in a list detailing their first and last name, and their Instagram handle. Believe me, you’ll be saving us a lifetime of internet searching.

It’s also a good idea to get your stylist to include fashion credits. After all, that is what this is all about. We want to know what and who your talent are wearing, whether it’s your own vintage archive or a look from Luis de Javier. Give us details!

7. A Final Send-Off

It’s always a good idea to have a final send-off before the email chain inevitably meets its end at the bottom of the inbox. Just a simple, “Thanks so much, it looks great!” is a nice way to end a conversation, and hopefully means that the person accepting your work will keep you in mind for future projects. It really does pay to be nice sometimes…

SUBMISSION GUIDE:

To: hello@checkoutmag.co.uk
Subject: [Your name/title of shoot], Submission

Body:
- Introduce yourself and any key team members that we should know about.
- Briefly explain the shoot and why you think it would fit with Check-Out.
- Include any other details (i.e. if it’s time sensitive, a date for publication; team credits; accompanying text).

Attachments: A low-res PDF of the images or a link to a private YouTube/Vimeo link.

Remember! If already published, even on your own personal account, it can be seen as a conflict of interest and most magazines won’t want to publish it!

Want to submit your own shoots to Check-Out? Click on the button below and get in touch!