Submission Terms

Updated November 2, 2026.

Story ideas can be emailed to info@coastalvirginiaauthority.com or started from the Contact page. Public upload and submission forms are not provided. These terms describe how Maryland Authority considers material when Coastal Authority Group, LLC agrees to receive a contribution.

What to provide

A useful suggestion identifies the subject, why it matters locally and sources that support it. Tell us who created any text or photograph, who owns the rights and whether the material has appeared elsewhere. Disclose any business, employment, payment, gift or other relationship relevant to the subject.

Do not submit someone else's work as your own. Obtain any permissions needed for material and identifiable people, especially children. Do not send confidential documents, private contact details, account credentials or sensitive personal information through a general inquiry.

Review and publication

Sending an idea does not guarantee a reply, coverage, publication or payment. It does not make you a staff writer or create an advertising agreement. We may ask for sources, permissions, clarification or changes and may decline a submission.

Contributions are subject to the Editorial Standards & Corrections. We may verify claims and propose edits for accuracy, length and clarity. Material changes to a commissioned contributor's argument or attributed words should be resolved with that contributor before publication.

Rights and payment

You retain the rights you already own. Permission to evaluate material does not by itself grant an unlimited license to publish it. Before publishing an accepted contribution, we must confirm the rights, attribution, permitted edits, publication channels and any payment in writing. A separate contribution or commissioning agreement controls those details.

Keep your original files. Do not send an irreplaceable original through a submission route. We cannot promise confidentiality merely because unsolicited material is marked confidential; agree on any necessary confidentiality terms before sending it.

Promotional submissions

A press release or business profile suggestion is a source for review, not a promise of editorial placement. Paid promotional content requires a separate agreement and clear disclosure under the Advertising & Sponsorship Disclosure.