Writer's Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in submitting a story idea to AARP The Magazine for review. Please note: Any material you submit will not be returned. AARP The Magazine rarely uses unsolicited ideas. However, you may submit your idea based on the following guidelines and your material will be reviewed.
 
Story idea letters for specific features and departments should be one page in length and accompanied by recent writing samples. The letter should explain the idea for the piece, tell how you would approach it as a writer, give some sense of your writing style, and mention the section of the magazine for which the piece is intended. Your samples should not include the actual story that you are proposing, except in the case of personal essays, which should be submitted in full.
 
Features and departments cover the following categories:

• Money: investments, savings, retirement, and work issues
• Health and Fitness: tips, trends, studies
• Food and Nutrition: recipes, emphasis on healthy eating
• Travel: tips and trends on how and where to travel
• Consumerism: practical information and advice
• General Interest: new thinking, research, information on timely topics, trends
• Relationships: family matters, caregiving, living arrangements, grandparents
• Personal Essay: thoughtful, timely, new takes on matters of importance to people over 50
  

AARP The Magazine does not accept queries by fax, so either e-mail your story idea to pubspitches@aarp.org as plain text within the body of your message (no attachments) or mail it to the following address:
 
AARP The Magazine
c/o Editorial Submissions
601 E St. NW
Washington, DC 20049