Around Des Moines

Writer’s Guidelines for AroundDesMoines.com

Around Des Moines combines elements of a web log (blog) and elements of a local newspaper. This makes it a news blog, which is an evolving description. Whether you lean more towards the blogger or the reporter, there are a few guidelines to follow:

1) Mark the end of your submission with either a “# # #” or a “- 30 -.” This will ensure that we know your entire post is received.

2) Your submission should not exceed 500 words. There are exceptions to this word limit, but they apply mostly to reviews of multiple venues, complex news reports, and feature articles.

3) We try to publish at least one post a day, with a maximum of three per day. Time-sensitive material will be given priority, such as posts related to special blogfests and posts about current news events.

4) Around Des Moines is about life and events around Des Moines, Iowa. That can mean a blog on what life is like in Des Moines. It can mean a news article about the school board or the city council as it impacts the lives of people living in Des Moines. It can mean promoting an upcoming event either in Des Moines proper or in a surrounding community. It can mean a resident expressing an opinion or a visitor writing about experiences around Des Moines. It can mean Des Moines, the greater Des Moines metropolitan area, cities that are a straight shot up or down an interstate, or it can mean someplace else in Iowa. The news blog Around Des Moines has room to grow along with the city and the state.

5) Your submission should be sent as an .rtf attachment. You should either type it directly into Notepad or Wordpad or copy it into an rtf program before saving. The e-mail must include your true name as you want it to appear in the credits, your telephone number, and an e-mail address. If you have any connection to the subject on which you write, you need to disclose it in your e-mail (and possibly in your post).

6) Pictures should be sent in the jpeg format. Please indicate any caption that may go with it. Send no more than three pictures, unless it is a photo essay. We understand that many people who may be comfortable with their photos in a print publication do not like to have their picture on the Internet. We expect respect to be given to private citizens.

7) Do not send attachments without first sending an inquiry.

Submission of an article, even if a query has been accepted, does not guarantee posting of the article and/or pictures.

9) Links to relevant web sites for providing more information are encouraged. Please provide the links when you submit your item.

Contact: events@arounddesmoines.com

Tips for presenting an effective opinion piece:

1) Present your point of issue.
2) List three arguments supporting your position.
3) Address an argument from the opposing side.
4) Summarize your arguments and state your conclusion.
Editorial Guidelines:

1. Please submit original content only.
2. Proofread it first!
3. Suggested length is between 150 and 500 words. Longer articles may be divided into a series.
4. Copyright of the post content belongs to the author.
5. Use double quotes for any third party quoted content with attribution (link).
6. Add a disclaimer for any conflicts of interest in your post (e.g., you are praising a particular business for something great and you just happen to work there).
7. All editorial decisions are made by Sandra Renshaw. That means we can modify words, add links, and accept or reject any submitted material.
8. There is no payment offered for any entries submitted (at this time). We do give you link love in the form of a byline credit/link. Submit your name, a link to your site, a short contributor description, and a photo. Heck, if you write often enough, we’ll add your name to the category list so people can easily find your work.
9. By submitting content to AroundDesMoines.com you are giving us permission to publish your articles.
10. NO inappropriate Content (chronic negativity, prejudices, expletives, sexually explicit content, etc.
11. Photos are encouraged. Suggested sizes are:
12. Include a photo credit (who is the photographer).
13. Include a photo release unless it is a crowd shot.
14. All content submitted will be open to comments.

Suggested Iowa-Related Topics:

• How You (or Someone) is Making a Difference
• Community
• Events
• Weather
• Work
• Fun
• Concerns
• Food
• Family
• Small Business
• Gardening

Email your submission to events@arounddesmoines.com. We will then review entries and post them for you.