Editorial Guidelines
GET PUBLISHED! Tell Your Story Here!
OPEN EXCHANGE MAGAZINE wants to tell your story in words and pictures!
With over 1/3 million Northern California readers, OPEN EXCHANGE MAGAZINE (in print AND online at www.openexchange.org ) is the largest circulation magazine of its kind. Since 1974 we have published thousands of features from experts like you—more stories by a wider variety of writers than any other major publication. Our mission is to promote technologies for creative change, and your story is our editorial beat! Take your message direct—not filtered through a reporter—to our readers, your prospective clients.
WHO GETS PUBLISHED:
OPEN EXCHANGE MAGAZINE's express goal is to turn passive readers into active participants! Accordingly, OPEN EXCHANGE publishes articles, photographs, interviews, reviews, and book excerpts from paid listers only in the issues they offer an event or personal service. (In other words, you must arrange in advance to advertise with us for your editorial to be considered.)
Owing to the high volume of submittals, we cannot guarantee placement of any editorial in advance. However, if your submission is not used in one issue, we keep it on file for another time that you advertise. In practice, we use 90+% of editorial materials received, with regular listers getting priority placement.
COMPENSATION:
OPEN EXCHANGE MAGAZINE prints articles as a public service. We don't sell "advertorial" self-promotion pieces, and we don't pay for stories, either. However, writing has many rewards. Sharing your experience is cathartic and fun. You'll be widely recognized and respected as an expert in your field. And your paid ads will be more effective as new clients seek you out.
WHAT TO WRITE & WHAT NOT TO WRITE:
Write about what you know best! Your values, your mission, your goals, your training, and your special expertise all inform your writing. We're especially looking for timely information and heartfelt "real people" stories.
Stay within your area of expertise. If you list with us as an anger management coach, don't submit an article about your recent trip to France—unless you specifically relate it to anger management!
Do not write about past events, last year's conference or previous headline speakers. Instead, focus on topics and issues of interest to new students or clients. Remember, we want to turn passive readers into active participants!
Do NOT write a formula press release—don't put your name in every paragraph! Sophisticated readers tend to resent stealth advertising in the guise of editorial. Please, no autobiographies or prose resumes, either.
Avoid starting sentences with "I," e.g., "I trained..." or "I discovered...." Demonstrate your expertise by showing how you solve other people's problems, not by restating your resume or retelling your own life story.
Test your article: Does it entertain and inform, or does it sound like a sales pitch? If it reads too much like a commercial or an extension of your paid listing, it will be edited heavily, if used at all. Put the sales pitch in your ad and pay for it!
We have four other criteria for editing an article: Does a passage develop your story? Does it hold a reader's attention? Can it be said better or in fewer words? Must we edit for space?
Bottom line: Is your article a "good read"? A "good read" is conversational, not academic. Use plain English! Avoid abbreviations or jargon. Have fun! Let your natural enthusiasm shine through.
Mini-articles (up to 500 words) may be more personal, e.g., "Dance Troupe Celebrates 20th Season." Longer articles (over 500 words) should be topical and of general interest, e.g., "What Your Dreams Really Mean," not "Dan Jones Offers Dream Interpretation Class."
A well-written article can be "virtually" any length. If we have to heavily edit an article for space in print, we may direct readers to a more complete version published on our website, www.openexchange.org.
Here are some surefire attention-getting slants:
1.) Lists: "5 Investment Strategies" "7 Dating Mistakes" "Top 10 Stress Relief Techniques"
2.) How To's: "How To Feel 10 Years Younger" "How To Paint Like Picasso"
3.) Case Studies/Client Successes: "John's New Career In Hypnotherapy" "How Mary Lost 25 Pounds In Two Months" (use pseudonyms to protect confidentiality)
4.) News: "New Health Benefits of Garlic" "New Tax Law Changes"
5.) Interviews: Q & A about your philosophy, method, benefits....
BYLINE, INTRODUCTION & FORMAT:
Please, no phone numbers, web sites, locations, or dates in your article; put these in your paid listing or ad. We never publish contact information in articles; this preserves the separation between editorial and advertising, which ultimately enhances your credibility and status as a published author. Instead, write a 15-35 word introduction to your article including a mini-bio and cross-reference your paid advertising. "Jane Smythe, founder of Effective Coaching, offers individual coaching in OPEN EXCHANGE's Coaching category on p. 00."
Finally, don't forget your byline, e.g., "By Jane Smythe," so you receive proper credit for your article!
Submit your polished, spell-checked article by email, Microsoft Word file (preferred), post, or fax. Published authors, send us a copy of your book with permission to excerpt for an extra free "plug." We prefer you use a standard 12 pt. font such as Geneva, Helvetica, or Times (no script type). Please provide clean copy; avoid strikovers and corrections. Please, no tabs, paragraph indents, or double-spacing. Our authority in matters of grammar and punctuation is the Chicago Manual of Style.
PHOTOS & ART:
We want to publish your photographs and artwork, too. Send black & white or color, print, negative, or digital (jpeg, tiff, pdf, or eps.) All sizes and shapes are welcome; minimum resolution 200 dpi, 3 inches wide.
HANDOUTS & LINKS:
We must reserve the right to last minute editing for style and to make all the pieces fit. You retain copyright. Copy your printed article for use as handouts or to send to prospective clients. Post them on your own website, and link to your articles archived on our website, too. Include "From OPEN EXCHANGE MAGAZINE, (date)" to reinforce your status as a published writer. See you in print—and online!
---Bart Brodsky & Janet Geis, Publishers
(510) 526-7190
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