Newsletter Guidelines

The Real Dirt
Newsletter Guidelines

Refer to the calendar on the MGANM website (www.mganm.org) for submission deadlines.

All articles, photos, and artwork will be considered for publication. All articles are subject to editing for content, length and style.

All contributors are to follow established grammar and punctuation rules.

There is no financial compensation for articles submitted but contributors do receive Master Gardener volunteer credit for time spent writing articles for the newsletter. Additionally, contributors will receive a byline in the newsletter.

Document file types: The Real Dirt is produced on a PC platform. The following file types are acceptable for submission: Microsoft Word .doc and .txt. Contributors may also paste their articles within the body of an e-mail.

News articles: News articles should be written in standard newspaper style, using third person voice and presenting facts in a who, what, when, where, and why fashion. MAXIMUM LENGTH: 300 words

Press releases: Press releases should be written in standard newspaper style as described above. The submitter's contact information should be included. MAXIMUM LENGTH: 250 words

Feature articles and research articles: Feature articles should be limited to horticulture and gardening subjects. If the articles are research in nature, they should have a scientific basis. Research articles, if particularly lengthy, may require serialization in two or more issues. MAXIMUM LENGTH: 500 words

Book reviews: Reviews should focus on the content of the book and should help the reader decide whether or not to purchase it. The reviews should point out the positive aspects of the book and not be entirely negative in tone. Include the book title, author, ISBN number, publisher, price (if available), and copyright date. MAXIMUM LENGTH: 300 words

"First person" columns: Articles should be written using the first person voice. They may be about any horticulture-related subject that is important to the contributor. MAXIMUM LENGTH: 500 words

Photos: Photos should be submitted in digital format with a .jpg extension and in the largest file size possible, without exceeding 1 MB per photo. Digital cameras should be set at "highest quality." All photos are credited to the photographer, when known.

WHERE TO SEND ARTICLES AND PHOTOS: marinalrodriguez@yahoo.com