Mission
Speaker magazine is NSA's official member publication. Its purpose is to educate NSA members about the speaking industry and communicate news about NSA.
Speaker is published 10 times a year, with two combined issues: January/February and July/August. In general, NSA members gather for Conventions and Conferences in February, August and November.
Manuscript Submissions
Articles that convey unique ideas or perspectives that specifically address the needs of professional speakers are favored over generic articles that could appear in a variety of publications.
Articles submitted for publication in Speaker should not be submitted elsewhere for publication. Articles that have been previously accepted or published elsewhere will rarely be accepted for publication in Speaker.
The content must be original and written by NSA members in good standing. Occasionally, articles are written by non-members with a particular expertise that benefits the membership, for example, an attorney writing about copyright.
To contribute an article to Speaker magazine, please submit your idea or "pitch" to Barbara Parus, director of publications, at Barbara@NSASpeaker.org. State the topic and a brief article summary, including why it is relevant to readers.
Magazine issues are planned months in advance, so it is highly recommended to present your idea before writing and submitting an article.
Manuscript Content
Speaker accepts three primary types of submissions: articles, columns and Letters to the Editor. The content of articles should fall easily into one of four competencies: Expertise, Eloquence, Enterprise and Ethics.
Make certain your manuscript is relevant and timely for fellow members. When you have completed your article, ask yourself the question, "So what?"
Letters to the Editor express individual members' reactions to specific articles. All letters should be 150 words or less, be of general interest to the membership and should not be self-promotional. Send an e-mail to Barbara@NSASpeaker.org.
Manuscript Specifications
Feature stories should be 1,500 words and columns are 500 words. The editor reserves the right to edit articles for style, clarity and length.
Format - All submissions must be e-mailed as MS Word documents to Barbara@NSASpeaker.org.
References - The style of Speaker is journalistic, not academic. References need to be included only when 1) Words have been quoted exactly from a source, or 2) Ideas or concepts are derived from a source that is not widely known; references should be incorporated into the text rather than supplied as footnotes.
Writing Style
Professional speakers have a range of specialties. Jargon and technical terms specific to a particular industry should be avoided. Acronyms should be spelled out on first use.
Ethical, ethnic and prejudicial statements and implications should be carefully scrutinized before sending your submission. All self-promoting references must be omitted (e.g., "I'm offering a special discount on my services...").
Gender-inclusive language is essential (e.g., "he or she" rather than "he"). Use plural pronouns to avoid the awkwardness of he or she whenever possible.
Write succinctly and clearly. Be positive and conversational in your approach. Favor the active voice over the passive.
Review Process
All submissions should be e-mailed to Barbara@NSASpeaker.org. You will receive confirmation that your manuscript or article pitch was received. The manuscript will be reviewed by the managing editor and editorial advisory board chair for publication consideration.
Submission of an article or news item does not guarantee publication. Articles accepted for publication usually appear four to six months after submission. No submission will be returned. Authors are urged to keep a file copy when submitting an article or news item to NSA.
Conditions of Acceptance
The National Speakers Association has First North American Serial and electronic rights as well as nonexclusive reprint rights. Authors of articles retain all other rights.
Galley copies or other edited forms of manuscripts are not sent to authors because of time constraints. Manuscript submission implies author agreement with this policy. Speaker does not pay for manuscripts from members. Published articles from members are considered contributions to the discipline.