Writers guidelines
Article length: Feature articles are usually between 1,200 and 2,700 words.
Content: It is important that articles cover the 5 Ws of journalism: who, what, where, when, and why. But given the nature of Rural Matters, that it is a communications vehicle to share experiences and best practices, the most effective articles concentrate on the why and how of the story. For example:
- How were challenges overcome?
- Why were certain decisions made?
- How was a particular course of action or process chosen?
In other words, the article can tell what the players and events were (who did what), but the most interesting articles are those that talk about the process of a project – how challenges and successes emerged and how solutions were found. What was learned in the process? Also, were there unexpected outcomes? What should others know about the process if they are in a similar situation or are embarking on a similar project? What worked and what didn’t work?
Quotations: A good article, like one you read in a newspaper, includes quotations from real people (or you’ll notice that a story on the TV news about the mayor will include a sound bite showing the mayor him/herself or a spokesperson). Quotes add interest and credibility to an article when people state things in their own words. They are also a way for a writer to include opinion or make a point without including the writer’s own opinion. (For example: “At first we were skeptical about this new plan,” said the town’s mayor, “but we are really glad we went through this process.”)
Photos: Photos are always needed to accompany the text of an article. Photos can be submitted in jpeg format and in as high a resolution as possible. Please try to take the photos you submit with your article with a proper digital camera and not a cell phone camera, although the newer models of iPhones take decent photos (just be sure to use then flash when indoors). In addition to showing equipment and facilities, please try to include some photos that show people, and the best photos of this type show people (or usually just an individual) doing something, rather than a group posing. See more tips for taking photos below.
Tips for taking photos to accompany Rural Matters articles
- Turn off the function of your camera that imprints the date and/or time on each photo. Nothing ruins a good photo more than a digital date and time stamp in the corner. This information is already stored digitally with your photo (can be accessed another way with digital photos).
- When taking photos to accompany Rural Matters articles, set your camera to take them in a higher resolution. Print publications like magazines require photos in high-resolution. Taking photos at the absolutely highest resolution on your camera isn’t necessary (the settings that create photo files that are huge, like 5 MB), but photo files that are 1 or 2 MB are sufficient for this magazine. Photos that are used first in print (in a magazine or a brochure) can always be resized (down) for use on the web, but taking a low-resolution photo and trying to resize it (up) for use in print creates very poor-quality photos. So it is best to always take high-resolution photos because they are the most versatile - they can be used in both print and on websites.
- Ensure that you have enough light. Obviously, the best place to take photos is outside during daylight hours (although dawn and twilight are beautiful times to take photos). Never put a person against a bright background, such as when taking a picture inside a room with a brightly lit window behind the person. When outside, don’t shoot directly into the sunlight. Be careful of your own shadow - it often pops up in unusual places.
- The most interesting and best photos show people doing something, rather than people standing and posing for a photo. Photos of meetings and someone giving a presentation to a group are needed on occasion, but it is always better to get more interesting photos. (There are always exceptions to rules.)
- Get a variety of shots – wide, medium and close-up. Try different angles – over a person’s shoulder when they’re doing something, from above or below a subject, etc.
- Never (ever) put photos into a Word document or other word-processing software that you use. Also, don’t put photos in PDF files. If you do, it is harder to use your photos in other places. A photo sent raw (as a jpeg file) is the most versatile and highest-quality.
Provided by:
Stephen Padre [1]
Director of Communications and Editor of Rural Matters