Orbiter Magazine

[fireballs619]

Ok,if you can make the article I'll include it.

This brings up a good point - in which format should articles be submitted? When it comes to making magazine/newsletter articles, I tend to make mine in Photoshop, as to add some extra aesthetic goodies to it. How, and where, should I submit that?

 

[agentgonzo]

This brings up a good point - in which format should articles be submitted? When it comes to making magazine/newsletter articles, I tend to make mine in Photoshop, as to add some extra aesthetic goodies to it. How, and where, should I submit that?

All submissions for magazines/journals etc should be submitted in a common format (like scientific papers are) or in simple format that allows for the editor to edit it all together in a consistent format. There's nothing worse than a publication that's been cobbled together from individual authors that uses different fonts/layouts for each article. Just makes it look crap.

 

[garyw]

I'd suggest text for pure text article, .doc for articles with graphics and png for pure graphics. This allows whoever is co-ordinating it to format it to a set style.

One question - how many words for a full page article?

 

[ky]

You can submit it to [email protected] formats can you use to save it in photoshop?

---------- Post added at 11:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:14 AM ----------

I'd suggest text for pure text article, .doc for articles with graphics and png for pure graphics. This allows whoever is co-ordinating it to format it to a set style.

One question - how many words for a full page article?

Well as long as a page allows,maybe 150 words,200 tops,if it is in a size 12 or 14 font.The font should be MS Serif.

 

[agentgonzo]

I'd suggest text for pure text article, .doc for articles with graphics and png for pure graphics. This allows whoever is co-ordinating it to format it to a set style.

One question - how many words for a full page article?

I'd suggest .odf for rich text. PNG/TIFF for uncompressed images (make them bigger than they need to be to give the editor size to play with). Basically, anything that can easily be reworked.

 

[garyw]

150 to 200 is quite small for a full article.

Can you please correct your email address link?

 

[Pablo49]

if it is in a size 12 or 14 font.The font should be MS Serif.

Font and font size is on your end (or, whoever compiles the magazine) We're just talking about a framework for submitting raw content.

 

[ky]

[email protected] .

---------- Post added at 11:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 AM ----------

150 to 200 is quite small for a full article.

Can you please correct your email address link?

Well 300 words can work

 

[fireballs619]

I’m not sure if you realize how little one hundred to two hundred words is. As it is, this post is one hundred and fifty words, and, as you can most likely see, it does not take up very much room at all. Also, size fourteen font is somewhat large in comparison to what most magazines use, so I would recommend going with the standard twelve point font. One hundred to two hundred words might be good for a small blurb, but there is no way you would be able to fully cover a topic in such a concise space. I would recommend going up to four hundred to six hundred words for an article, give or take some. Of course, it stands to reason that the main article would be longer, but that really depends on the subject manner it is covering. I would rethink that article size estimate.

 

[ky]

However you feel is long enough.

 

[Pablo49]

Well 300 words can work

Also remember this (along with everything else being discussed currently) is a framework. This isn't a school paper with a required 300 words, no more, no less. You come across as very "if not this, than it is that.". This needs to be flexible.

 

[agentgonzo]

Personally, I'd get your editor out that you want to compile your magazine in, get a few dummy pictures and start a basic layout that you want and put some [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorem_ipsum"]lorem ipsum[/ame] in there as a placeholder to get a rough feel of how you want it to look. Then decide how much you want a single article to span - 1/2 a page, 1 page or 2 pages for different sized articles (a mix would be good rather than have everything be mandated to be the same length). Then just do a word count on the articles to give as guidelines to the authors (have you found any of these yet?).

Seems better than just banding around random numbers.

 

[Columbia42]

I agree with people who said that well defined content sections such as Addon Development or Orbiter Development Updates may not be the way to go. The sections should be sort of like rough guidelines to help writers decide what kind of articles to write and also to help editors decide which articles to include in the magazine. That doesn't mean all articles have to fit into a section or that every section has to have an article. The magazine's content should be based on the available articles that have been written and submitted.

As for the submission process I would suggest that it may be too large a task for one person. Maybe a team of editors should report to the editor in chief. Articles would be submitted to them and they choose the best ones which are then given to the editor in chief for final selection. Perhaps graphic design should be handled by one or two other people who would, after the selection process, create the layout of the magazine based on the articles that have been selected. An article doesn't have to be a text article either. Someone could submit a good screenshot for inclusion into the magazine.

Hope these suggestions help.

 

[garyw]

However you feel is long enough then.400-600 words is good also.

Ky, If you are going to co-ordinate this you need to make a decision and stick to it. You've gone from an article length of 150 words to up to 600 now. A lack of consistency will not only cause concerns for those of us thinking of submitting articles but it will make the magazine look silly. 150 words means you don't even have an article but you have a small comment..... Orbinaunts letters anyone? Dear UMMU? :lol:

Seriously though, there needs to be some standards set for article submission. I'd propse the following:

A single article should be no more than 1,500 words and submittied in either text format or MS word format. Graphics should be cropped to show the image you wish to convey rather than an entire orbiter screenshot. Smaller articles are fine but must convey something of interest related to orbiter rather than just looking like an Orbiter Forum Post.
Tutorials, walkthroughs and so on are very welcome but must be something new and not already published on the forum. They can be extensions of whats on the forum.

 

[Pablo49]

As for the submission process I would suggest that it may be too large a task for one person. Maybe a team of editors should report to the editor in chief. Articles would be submitted to them and they choose the best ones which are then given to the editor in chief for final selection. Perhaps graphic design should be handled by one or two other people who would, after the selection process, create the layout of the magazine based on the articles that have been selected. An article doesn't have to be a text article either. Someone could submit a good screenshot for inclusion into the magazine.

I think this starts going into the same trouble VSA's get into, again. Too many cooks in the kitchen. Say you have three editors, two graphics people and the editor in chief. There you have 6 people All doing the overhead. No need to start with a large "staff" if you don't need it yet.

Also that just leads to people wanting titles but not wanting to follow up.

 

[Arthur Dent]

I would recommend to submit texts in basic txt files. If you a text requires special markup texts should be in rtf or doc.

Tools like InDesign or Scribus work well with importing texts. It is up to the head editor / layout designer to choose a fitting font and font size.

As Agentgonzo said, it makes sense to test a few designs with placeholder text first. If it is a pleasing design, it might encourage more people to write for it and it could create higher attention and anticipation to the potential reader base.

 

[ky]

However you feel is long enough.

Ky, If you are going to co-ordinate this you need to make a decision and stick to it. You've gone from an article length of 150 words to up to 600 now.

Thats why I edited the above statement.I want to stick to that,but then other people are offering suggestions and I want to hear them out so thats why I keep changing it.

---------- Post added at 11:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:44 AM ----------

For the front cover,I wanted to edit an Orbiter screenshot of Atlantis's final night landing and the final mission of the shuttle program.Anyone have a such pic?

 

[Columbia42]

I think this starts going into the same trouble VSA's get into, again. Too many cooks in the kitchen. Say you have three editors, two graphics people and the editor in chief. There you have 6 people All doing the overhead. No need to start with a large "staff" if you don't need it yet.

Also that just leads to people wanting titles but not wanting to follow up.

You're absolutely right about that. I was thinking maybe in the future if the article load gets too large. Right now there are probably not going to be very many articles submitted so one editor is probably all we need at the moment.

 

[Pablo49]

I would recommend to submit texts in basic txt files. If you a text requires special markup texts should be in rtf or doc.

Probably best to find one format to submit text in, (special markup or not) just for consistency.

Thats why I edited the above statement.I want to stick to that,but then other people are offering suggestions and I want to hear them out so thats why I keep changing it.


For the front cover,I wanted to edit an Orbiter screenshot of Atlantis's final night landing and the final mission of the shuttle program.Anyone have a such pic?

Then don't set the length yet. If it's not decided on, then don't set it. Again, no rush.

Again, you are moving to fast. Instead of taking time figuring out submission requirements, you are 20 steps ahead and working on the cover. You are the coordinator (so it seems), so coordinate.

 

[ky]

Probably best to find one format to submit text in, (special markup or not) just for consistency.



Then don't set the length yet. If it's not decided on, then don't set it. Again, no rush.

Again, you are moving to fast. Instead of taking time figuring out submission requirements, you are 20 steps ahead and working on the cover. You are teh coordinator (so it seems), so coordinate.

Im not working on it ,im just looking for a pic.