Just write an article - that will be fine

I believe the best way to find out how the world works is to just get stuck into it. You can read all you want about a subject, but until you experiment and get your hands dirty the real learning doesn't really start. (And for those of you really interested in the theory behind these statements go to: Some of the stuff I learnt about for my MEd)

Which is why I like to talk to people, to get involved in their things, to share their problems, and help find solutions - all very satisfying.

I can't remember how I found it, but when I did this website caught my eye - it's for, "Dive St. Abbs and Eyemouth."

I've had some very memorable diving experiences in this area, there's some great shore diving, and a really pleasant B&B by the harbour (or at least there was 15 years ago).

I found the website interesting, very professionally put together and full of useful information.

But in a section called articles, there was just one lonely write up. The thing is, it wasn't an article at all, it was a few paragraphs about one dive over the May Bank Holiday written in the style of a press release. 

The site has all the appearances of being a fairly new venture, so perhaps they're just getting started on building up a bank of articles - but if they are all written up in this way, readers will instantly get turned off. This is what you read about in newspapers as advertorial self promotion.

As far as newspapers go, the group behind the site has done quite well in getting their name out there, short pieces in the local newspaper like this one are a useful way of locally marketing your own national marketing campaign. 

Intrigued about their plan to populate the site I e-mailed them to ask for their Contributor Guidelines, which led to a phone call two evenings ago from Dawn, "Hi Brendan, so, when are you going to write this article for us?"

Once I had explained my interest was in finding out more about their plan for populating their site with articles, I discovered that the group had no idea what they wanted, "we'd be happy if people just wrote an article for us," said Dawn, "we can't pay, but it's a way you could promote yourself, we'd be happy to add your e-mail address." Actually, they will do more than that - the one author on their site has a link, a short bio, photograph and an e-mail link.

Thirteen years ago I started to get my name out there and known in a similar manner - for those of you looking to build up a clip file, this opportunity is perfect. You just need to have done some diving in St. Abbs and Eyemouth. But then again, what local opportunities exist closer to home, or in locations where you have dived recently?

During my conversation with Dawn I asked what they would do if someone sent them a 4000 word article? "Mmm... don't know," was her reply. Dawn had just said how they wanted, "articles," but this word can mean many things to different people and clearly the current author on the site hasn't quite got it yet.

So, I said I would put some basic contributor guidelines together for them:

• 800-1000 words (online isn't as easy on the eye as on paper, and people's attention span isn't as great, shorter punchier articles would probably work better - but not press releases!).
• Should have a theme - for example, our first dive in the marine reserve, the difference the reserve is making, a local wreck site, shore diving, unusual marine behaviour.
• Articles which include information in a fact file about where to stay, family activities and where you would recommend to eat will be very welcome. (This links in with their website and their objectives as a group)
• Your article should have a distinct beginning, middle and end.
• Answer the who (went diving), when (best time? Weekend vs. weekday?), what (did you do?), where (the dive sites, stuff you did outside of the diving), how (any logistical challenges, method used to go diving), questions in your article.
• If you can, include some quotes from others, this helps liven up your writing.
• Send in some digital pictures if you can to illustrate your article - if you can't, don't worry, we can supply some, but think about the pictures you might take of your group? Getting in the water, kitting up, at the restaurant in the evening, photographs of the families enjoying the area outside of the diving?

I would suggest Dawn also takes a look at the Contributor Guidelines elsewhere on this site for more ideas. Word of warning though, you don't want to make them so complicated that people don't bother.

So - if you have been diving in the St. Abbs and Eyemouth area, and you want to get published, here's your chance!

Keep writing...

Brendan