Well, it’s been a year and a half since I wrote my last post on Central Ohio Dog Blog. Obviously, parenthood has gotten the best of me and I must have hit some critical mass of busy-ness after my second daughter arrived two Octobers ago. My days are full of children, my evenings are full of work, and there’s a few minutes in between the madness to eke out a facebook post or reply to an email. Please forgive my negligence, readers. Or if you’re not the forgiving type, blame the two on the left.
2014 is a new year, though, so I am re-visiting a resolution I had made in January 2012: to resuscitate the blog, with a modest, modified goal of a single post per month for the duration of 2014.
And this is where you come in, readers. I have decided to open the blog to guest authorship. That’s right, I want to feature YOU in the blog. I want YOU to think about the dog-related issues that are nearest and dearest to your heart, those dog-related topics you feel proficient and even expert in, and put your thoughts down in writing and send them to me.
My hope is that guest authorship will achieve the following things: First and foremost, I hope it will broaden the range of topics addressed by the Central Ohio Dog Blog. If authorship depends on me, information shared will be limited to my rather narrow expertise. Second, I hope it will help me meet my goal of more-frequent postings, and give my readers fresh perspectives at a shorter interval. And finally, and this is the big one, I hope it will build community and dialogue amongst the different factions of our dog-interested community. I want more of us to be talking to one another outside of our immediate circles, getting to know one another, learning from one another’s experiences and perspectives, and creating a community of mutual support and understanding.
I will accept reader submissions in the following three categories:
Category 1: General/Expository
Posts in the General/Expository category are those with a primary intent to inform and educate readership on a dog-related topic. Parameters for submission in this category:
- Submissions may be on any topic clearly related to dogs. Examples of topics include: issues related to dog legislation, breeding, rescue and animal welfare, dog health, dog behavior and/or training, special programs related to dogs, dog bite prevention, local news, event, facility and/or product reviews, etc.
- Contributors should seek to include photographs, graphics or media links in their submission, as appropriate. Contributors should secure permissions for using any media prior to submission.
- Submissions should have a local component. This may mean simply linking to central Ohio resources (such as links to low-cost spay and neuter services in a post regarding the importance of spaying/neutering).
- Authorship will be disclosed. Central Ohio Dog Blog does not post content anonymously.
- Where applicable, content should grounded in and consistent with current research and/or best practices.
- Submissions should be at least 250 words, but up to 1500 words. Length should match the complexity of the topic addressed.
- Submissions should be accompanied by a headshot or portrait-style photograph of the author.
Category 2: Creative
Creative posts celebrate dogs and dog-ownership through creative and expressive arts. Parameters for submissions in this category:
- Creative posts may be poetry, short fiction or non-fiction creative writing, video, audio or visual arts.
- Creative posts should adhere to copyright law, and contributors should secure all permissions and/or rights to content prior to submission.
- Submissions should be accompanied by a headshot or portrait-style photograph of the author.
Category 3: Five Questions
The Five Questions category seeks to build community and dialogue amongst central Ohio dog aficionados. Parameters for the submissions in this category:
- Each contributor will submit their name, city of residence, organizational affiliations (if any), and their answers to the following five questions in their submission:
- How are dogs involved in your life?
- Describe one formative experience you had that changed the way you think about, work with, and/or relate to dogs.
- What is one thing that the central Ohio dog-loving community has going for it?
- What is one thing that the central Ohio dog-loving community needs to work on?
- If you could communicate one thing to dog-interested folks in central Ohio that they don’t already know, what would it be?
- Contributors may be anyone. Dog owners, trainers, breeders, dog wardens and/or humane agents, owners of businesses that serve dog owners, community leaders, rescue organization leaders and volunteers, and interested citizens may submit their answers to the Five Questions.
- Priority will be given to contributors who offer unique perspectives on dog ownership and/or stewardship.
- Posts should ideally be 700 words or less.
- Submissions should be accompanied by a headshot or portrait-style photograph of the author.
Other Considerations
- You don’t need to have experience writing to make a submission. I’m a great editor and can clean up almost anything you hand me, so don’t be shy!
- Submission does not guarantee publication. Central Ohio Dog Blog reserves the right to decline any submissions that are inappropriate or mismatched to the blog and its audience.
- Central Ohio Dog Blog will edit for content, grammar, tone, pace, general readability and other considerations. Ideal submissions are upbeat, informative, inviting, and appeal to a broad range of dog lovers.
- Contributors will see the final edited copy for their submissions before publication on the blog.
- Central Ohio Dog Blog may waive one or more of these guidelines on a case-by-case basis.
Submissions should be sent as Word attachments to centralohiodogblog@yahoo.com. The subject line should indicate the category and a brief description of the submission. Example: “Expository: How to Recognize a Good Breeder” or “Creative: Poem on Pet Loss.” If you aren’t sure something quite fits the parameters for a submission, feel free to contact me ahead of time by emailing centralohiodogblog@yahoo.com.
