Public Works Digest Contributors guide

1. Text – Submit articles of 1 ‐ 2 pages in Word format, Times New Roman 12 pt. font. The editor will assist you with editing your article to meet the needs of the publication.

2. Data needed (include at end of the article) – a. POC – name, telephone number, and e ‐ mail address; if POC Is other than the author and is not identified in the article, provide title and organization. b. Author info – name, title or position as it relates to the article, and organization. c. Acronyms and abbreviations used – list along with their spelled out versions.

3. Art – Send photos and graphics as individual files. Acceptable file formats include jpg, tif, Photoshop and hi ‐ res pdf files. As a general rule of thumb, the artwork should be at least 800 pixels or more in either width or height. Avoid sending artwork that is already embedded into PowerPoint or Word; send the original files. You can submit numerous images, and the editor will select one or more that work best.

4. Submit – E ‐ mail your material to: editor.pwdigest@usace.army.mil . If submitting more than one article, send each in a separate message. If you do not receive a reply from the editor, please follow up to make sure the editor received it.

Tips and suggestions for producing a great article

1. Look for a way to breathe life into the piece:

• Organize your article around a number, i.e., "10 tips for master planning success" or 2 things or 50 things ...
• Tell the story as an answer to an intriguing statement or question, i.e., "How Fort (XXX) overcame (something)" or "Where is the military lodging world heading?"
• Offer the information as "how ‐ to help," i.e., "Fast way to find out how to ..." or "Get quick answers to ..." or simply "How to ..."
• Start with an example that illustrates what you are writing about, then explain how that fits into the big picture, and then write about the big picture. Be careful to emphasize your topic and not the example by making its description lengthy.
• Ask yourself why this information is important to the reader – for example, the Director of Public Works at Fort XXX. What does the reader get out of it? Use that as an aid as you organize and write.

2. Avoid writing in the first person. (You are a reporter writing an article, not an editorial.)

3. Great photos and graphics help to pique the interest of the reader and to tell the story.

• Photos should be high resolution. Higher is better. Graphics also need to be high res.
• Photos can also be illustrations. Rather than a snapshot of a project, shoot something that illustrates what you are writing about. An example is the solar panels photo on the cover of the Sep ‐ Oct 2011 Energy and Water issue.

4. Length – about 700 words is optimum, but less or more is OK when needed to cover the subject.

5. Provide related information in a sidebar.