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29 July 2010

Headlines » Contribute

How to Contribute to the Wincanton Window

The following is designed to make contributing to the Window as easy as possible. You can contribute both articles and diary entries.

1. Download the Article Template (Blank / Demo)
2. Fill it in
3. Email it to editor@wincantonwindow.co.uk

Below:
Updating the diary
Understand the web site
Prepare an article for the system
How to write an article
Or... pay a modest £15 to have an article written for you
Professional photography at a bargain rate
What to do next

Updating the diary

At the bottom of the diary page you'll find a form you can fill in to send in your diary entry directly. Be careful to include all the necessary details before submitting the form. Also ensure to include your email address correctly - you'll receive a copy of your submission by reply. If you don't, it's likely your email address was entered incorrectly, which means we may be unable to contact you if we need any additional details.

Understand the web site

Before contributing an article to the Window it's best to familiarise yourself with how it works, so go to the home page and have a look around. The site has a fairly basic structure - understanding it will make contributing to it an awful lot easier.

Along the top of each page is a menu; Home, About, Contact, Diary, Contribute etc. (more to be added). These pages contain basic information about the site and those involved.

Down the right hand side is the list of some 30 Sectors, such as Sports. Click on those to reveal a further list of sub-sectors, one for each sport or other related activity. Each sector, or sub-sector page shows summaries of articles contained therein. Check shopping/retail, churches/religion or sport to see some examples of sub-sectors.

The Home Page acts as a Front Page and features nine stories, picked by the Editor, each with a headline, a small picture (called a thumb-nail) and a brief introductory paragraph, or summary. Each ends with a "read more" link. Click on that and the rest of the article appears, often with more pictures.

Note that with these 'front page' stories, and those on sector pages, the most recently published story appears at the top. When a new story is published it will push the bottom (10^th) story off the page – BUT IT WILL NOT BE LOST – it will simply remain in its sub-sector folder where it can be accessed directly via the sector list where again you will be faced with a headline, thumbnail and summary. Alternatively, you can click the ‘next’ and ‘previous’ page buttons at the bottom of the page to reveal older articles which were published in the same location. There is no limit to the number of entries or contributions that can be stored in any one sub-sector folder. Old entries will simply get lower and lower as new entries come in at the top.

In addition to the article summaries, the home page (only) shows a short list of the latest article headlines from ALL sectors without discrimination, and a link to a separate page that shows full summaries, just like the home page itself. This ensures that every single contribution published on the site will, at some point, appear on the home page for all to see.

Prepare an article for the system

Which articles actually go on the home or front page as one of the ten stories is an editorial decision. Every article however, be it news, information or opinion needs to have exactly the same structure to work, that is an Introduction Headline, a Thumbnail image if possible, an Introduction Summary of up to 40 words to appear before a ‘Read more...’ link. This is followed by a Full Article Headline and the rest of the story and accompanying JPEG images of your photos or art work.

The Wincanton Window Article Template has been arranged with all the necessary fields to make contribution as easy as possible. Simply download a copy of the template and fill in the boxes on the first page. Begin your article on the subsequent page and then email the final document and any relevant good quality images you have to .

Editing
As editor my responsibility is to choose the front page stories and see that nothing goes on the site that invades privacy, decency or libel and to maintain an open, polite and friendly style, and a balanced discussion of issues at all times. Either I or your Sector Promoter will do what we can to make all submissions interesting and readable.  This will normally include rewriting headlines and often re-ordering paragraphs, shortening sentences and cutting out repetition. If I think I have significantly changed the substance of what you have sent me, or if I suggest a substantial rewrite to make a piece more readable, particularly as you get started, I will always email you a copy of my edited version for you to comment on before publishing. Please reply to such emails ASAP. As editor it is my intention to put aside every Wednesday and Thursday for working on the Window but please do not wait for a Wednesday or Thursday before sending in or replying.

How to write an article

Imagine you are chatting to a friend, not making some formal announcement. This usually means you should write in the first person. ("It is now six years since I moved here," rather than "John Baxter came to Wincanton six years ago.") Short, simple sentences are best. Always avoid jargon and aim for clarity – we so easily take jargon for granted – be it medical, educational, social, religious or whatever. Always think, "How can I make what I am involved with sound interesting to those not yet involved." Be enthusiastic. Sometimes it works if you imagine you are talking to someone who knows NOTHING about your interest or activity. Sometimes it works if you set out your article in the form of the questions they might ask and the answers you might give. e.g. "What is the Balsam Centre?"

Increasingly as we get established I hope you will look at the Wincanton Window and see articles or entries you like and think have been well done. That should inspire and make it easier for you. If you get stuck do not hesitate to send a draft either to your sector promoter or to me as editor.

Or... pay a modest £15 to have an article written for you

Since we started in October 2009 it has become obvious that some will find it hard to find the time, or confidence, to write an article themselves. Some have asked if this could be done on their behalf, for a small fee. I have agreed and immediately several have taken up this offer.

I will come and visit you in Wincanton, ask you what you would like to have said and collect from you any written information and images in JPEG form you may have. I will then provide you with an article on our template for you to check.

Professional photography at a bargain rate

In addition I am prepared to come and photograph you, your shop and products to illustrate your contribution. As a professional photographer I am prepared to do this at no extra cost until the end of February. After that I will charge a very modest £10. That's a total of £25 for a contribution and photos prepared for you. (7"x5" prints or images for use on your own web site will be available at £10 each.)

What to do next

Download the Article Template below, save a copy, fill it in and then attach it to an email addressed to . We have also provided a demonstration article using the template.

BLANK Article Template - (MS Word) - DOWNLOAD

DEMO Article Template - (MS Word) - DOWNLOAD

Any comments as regards the clarity of this guide and any suggestions you have as to how it could be improved would be much appreciated.

With thanks, John Baxter