monkey.linuxworld.com
If you have questions about writing for LinuxWorld.com, please mail Don Marti: dmarti@linuxworld.com.
LinuxWorld.com is looking for contributed articles on how you use Linux and free/open source software in real-world IT projects, including everything from the largest corporate data center to the smallest mobile phone.
We're looking for your insight on how to apply Linux and other software to a real problem, not just articles that substantially duplicate the online docs for individual programs or what should be in the docs for individual programs. But if your article does come in handy as part of the docs for a program, we encourage you to contribute it to the project.
LinuxWorld.com pays for articles. We buy first rights and a bundle of other rights that give us the right to re-use your article in other media. However, you do keep the copyright. Our "first rights" contract terms mean that you can't reuse your article or parts of it in another place for 90 days without our permission. As an exception to the first rights term, you may contribute your article or part of it to a free or open source software project before the 90 days are up.
Of course you'll be citing your sources with appropriate attribution. For any code that appears in the article we'll ask you to also let us know not just the source but also the terms under which you are allowed to use the code, such as a software license or permission from the author.
We're flexible on length, and can handle anything from a short tip of 100 words and one code example to a multi-part series of several 2000-word articles.
We're not email spammers, but at least one spam blacklist is blocking our outgoing mail. We do not answer challenges from challenge-response email systems. If you have aggressive spam filtering set up, please make sure that your mail server is set up to accept mail from the linuxworld.com and nww.com domains before mailing us. (To test this, subscribe to one of the email newsletters from the home page. If you can't get the newsletter, you can't get mail from us.)
Why LinuxWorld.com?
You have many choices of venue in which to publish your Linux-related article. So why here?
Reach new-to-Linux IT experts. Our readers are often new to Linux but IT professionals with much experience on other platforms. You'll be reaching people who have the power to move a lot of users and projects onto Linux right away, and need help doing it.
You keep the copyright. We buy first rights and a bundle of other rights, not a copyright assignment. We don't do "work for hire".
Professional editing. You get both a tech edit and a copy edit, and have the option to review your work after editing and before publication
Artistic Immortality Policy. You can contribute your article, or part of it, to the online documentation for a free software or open source project, even before the first rights window expires.
Getting Started
If you want to write an article, please send mail to Don Marti at dmarti@linuxworld.com with some ideas. Please include a link to something you have written online, such as a mailing list or blog posting.
Remember that many of our readers are new to Linux, but experienced IT professionals on other platforms.
You do not need to do a full outline or abstract at this point, but we do expect to see one or both before assigning the article. Please also let us know what length you have in mind.
Steps for producing an article
Query letter
If you prefer to send a formal query letter, please do so, via email. Otherwise simply send mail with your article idea and a link to something you have written.
Assignment
In order to send an assignment and author contract, we will need to have your full name and postal address. We will send materials by email but need your postal info for our records.
Author contract
You will get an author contract by email; please print two copies, sign both, and send to the address printed on the author contract.
Submit
You can submit your article by email or using ssh and git. See http://monkey.linuxworld.com/meta/monkey/ for more information.
Invoice
Please send your invoice to your editor by email.
Follow the invoice guidelines included with your author contract. Pay special attention to the US tax information if you are required to pay US taxes.
Your editor will put the invoice in for payment. We can't pay for anything without an invoice. Please keep track of your invoice number and date in case you have questions about it.
Here's a sample invoice:
INVOICE
Invoice number: 31337
Pay To:
Joe Author
666 Main Street
Springfield, USA
Date: 17 May 2007
Bill To: Don Marti, LinuxWorld.com <dmarti@linuxworld.com>
Terms: Due upon receipt
Description Price
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Article: "Greeting the World: Hello World for Linux" $100
TOTAL $100
Taxpayer ID number: 314-15-9265
Article format
The article can be plain text, Markdown, or simple HTML. We accept HTML to make it easy for you to put in links and lists—please don't send the "save as HTML" output of a word processor.
You can include HTML links anywhere in the body of the article, even if it's otherwise plain text. Or try playing around with Markdown—it combines the best features of working in plain text with the functionality you need from HTML.
Please check with the editor if your article will be substantially longer or shorter than the agreed length.
Formatting interviews
Please put questions within double asterisks, like this:
**Just how awesome is Hello World 2.0?**
Pretty darn awesome.
**What does 2.0 do that 1.0 didn't?**
Did you not read the FAQ before you started
this interview?
**Who's asking the questions, me or you?**
Citations for code
If your article includes any code for which you are not the copyright holder, please include the name of each code source, the URL or citation from which you obtained it, and the type of permission under which you're copying it: a license name or the permission of the copyright holder.
You can re-use an article
After 90 days, you can use your article or part of it for anything. You can contribute all or part of your article to a Free Software or Open Source Software project immediately. If you would like to use your article for other purposes within the 90-day first rights period, please let us know and we'll usually grant you permission.
Posted Sun 16 Dec 2007 04:29:48 PM EST