 02 October 2009 |
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Submission GuidelinesArticles Who writes? The Friend doesn't rely on a mafia of known writers; it is glad to hear from anyone - of any age, in membership or not - who feels they have something to say to Friends and like minds. ‘Commissioning’ To save you wasting your time, the editor would prefer to give you a response on an idea before you write it. Please send an outline by email or post, or give the office a ring. Judy will try and give you an answer quickly and if she doesn’t, don’t be afraid to hound her. Although we prefer articles to be commissioned in this way, we do still use some unsolicited articles, so if your idea is burning and you must write it, the following guidelines will help ensure it is used. Length Our standard lengths are as follows and your article is less
likely to be cut if you stick to them: Format and info If possible, please email your article with a Word or Text-only
attachment and paste the text into the email just in case the
article becomes corrupted. Editing There are very few articles which receive no editing at all: the writer, being so close to what s/he is writing, isn't always aware of problems. It is good practice, when writing, to leave your first draft for a while and then return to it: you may well find that you need to do some revising. Anonymity We always prefer to give authors' names. When necessary, as in discussion of sexual or other abuse where confidentiality is essential, we are able to publish articles anonymously. The editor must know the true identity of the writer and have discussed the question of anonymity with him or her. A similar rule applies to letters to the editor. Illustrations We like to receive illustrations, whether photos or drawings. Originals will always be returned to you. We cannot use photocopies of photos, or reproductions (including postcards) of pictures unless permission from the holder of copyright is obtained. While copyright of articles generally lies with the publication in which they are printed (including The Friend), copyright of photos and drawings remains with their author. If you are thinking about suggesting a cover pic, remember the shape: portrait (ie tall & thin) not landscape (short and fat). Further information is available on the following topics: Payment & Copyright |
