Meet the Crew
The Westrn is a cooperative of writers, artists, and freelancers with deep roots in the outdoors, art, narrative nonfiction, and other creative pursuits.
Nicole Qualtieri, Editor-in-Chief — Nicole Qualtieri is the Editor-in-Chief of The Westrn. She’s written for Outside Magazine, USA Today, GearJunkie, Men’s Journal, MeatEater, Modern Huntsman, Backcountry Journal, Impact Journal, Business Insider, and many others. A lifelong horsewoman and DIY outdoorswoman, Nicole lives on the outskirts of Anaconda, MT with a full pack of happy critters.
Kestrel Keller, Executive Editor — Kestrel Keller is Executive Editor of The Westrn. Their writing and reporting on science, conservation and rural culture has appeared in High Country News, Smithsonian, National Geographic, MeatEater, Outdoor Life, Outside, and many others. Kestrel is a reverse transplant from Bozeman, Montana to New York’s Hudson Valley.
L Nichols, Creative Director — Bio incoming!
We Combine Substack + Print
If you choose to subscribe annually, you’ll have the option to receive our quarterly 32-page print newspaper.
As a free subscriber, you get access to all online content.
As a monthly subscriber, you get access to all content and brand discounts.
As an annual subscriber, you get access to online content AND you’re eligible to receive four issues of our quarterly newspaper The Westrn. Currently, annual subscribers will receive the Summer 2025-Spring 2026 issues as delineated below.
Annual subscribers MUST fill out this address form to receive their issues!
The Westrn’s Publication Calendar
We print on a quarterly basis. Issues in print and to come are listed below.
Spring 2025 Issue: The Inaugural 32-Page Newspaper
Mailed April 1st, Available For Purchase
Summer 2025 Issue: The Art of Warmer Weather Pursuits
Mails July 1st, Available for Preorder
Fall 2025 Issue: The “Hunting and Gathering” Issue
Mails October 1, Available for Preorder
Holiday 2025 Issue: The “Gift Wrap” Issue
Each foldout doubles as full gift wrap on one side.
Mails December 1, Available for Preorder
Spring 2026 Issue: Theme to come
Mails March 1
As a founding member of The Westrn, you get access to all content for $150 a year. You also get two free gift subscriptions, including the quarterly newspaper, for anyone you’d like. Please reach out to us at editor@thewestrn.com with your additional emails and mailing addresses.
Submissions, Tips, & Newspaper Pitches
We’re closed for pitches until July 2025, when we’ll open up pitch calls for both our fall and holiday issues.
We are open to pitches for our quarterly newspaper only. We pay a fair market rate, and we’ve set a goal to of paying $1/word in the future. We manage time windows for our seasonal newspaper. Learn more by reading our pitch guidelines in detail.
We also welcome tips and letters to the editors. We are happy to provide anonymity to anyone sharing sensitive information. Don’t shy away from tough topics. We certainly won’t.
Contact Us
General: editor@thewestrn.com
Nicole (advertising, sales): nicole@thewestrn.com
Kestrel (editorial): kestrel@thewestrn.com
L Nichols (design): design@thewestrn.com
Above all, make yourself at home here.
Kick off your boots, warm your bones by the fire, and listen closely. We have much to share.
For a spam-free, ad-free reading experience, plus audio and community features, get the Substack app. Check out our publication archives while you’re at it. To learn more about the tech platform that powers this publication, visit Substack.com.
