Contributor FAQs
If you would like to get involved at News Hit but are not sure how to get started, these FAQs will explain everything you need to know.
If you have a query that isn't addressed on this page, please do not hesitate to Contact Us directly.
How can I get involved at News Hit?
When and where are News Hit meetings held?
How do I get on the contributors wall?
Why should I contribute to News Hit?
How do I contribute articles to News Hit?
I've written an article. Where do I submit it?
How many words do articles have to be?
What are the guidelines in terms of content and style?
What does being a copy editor at News Hit entail?
What does being a sub-editor or section editor at News Hit entail?
What does being a photographer/photojournalist at News Hit entail?
What does being a promoter at News Hit entail?
What does being an illustrator at News Hit entail?
How do I get a column on News Hit?
How do I become a news blogger at News Hit?
Do you pay for contributions to the site?
Do you pay editors for their work?
Can I get an internship at News Hit?
How is News Hit structured?
With News Hit, we have done our best to recreate the structure of a professional news organisation. We are building up a network of writers, copy editors, sub-editors, columnists, bloggers, photographers and illustrators to make News Hit a truly multi-faceted student news organisation.
Each section of the site is presided over by an editor who spearheads the content of their particular section. When articles are submitted to them, they decide whether they are of a sufficient standard to be published on News Hit and whether articles need to be passed along for editing.
Articles are then edited by copy editors, who check articles for various errors. At this stage of the process, illustrators or photographers can also be brought in to create visual accompaniments for an article. Depending on the level of editing that is required, articles are passed back and forth until the section editor or a sub-editor uploads the edited article onto News Hit.
How can I get involved at News Hit?
The best way to get involved with News Hit is to request to become a News Hit contributor. Once you put in a request, we'll get back to you as soon as possible and answer any questions you might have about the site.
On top of that, we recommend that you add your name to our email list when you request to become a News Hit contributor. That way, you can stay informed on all the latest site updates, any events that we are covering or any giveaways that we are able to hand out to reviewers.
Another good way to get involved is to come along to one of our weekly contributor meetings. These meetings are a great time to meet up with the News Hit crew and network with other writers.
Finally, it also helps if you Register for an account with News Hit. If you become a News Hit contributor, you can use your account to check the status of any articles you have had published o News Hit and access in depth information on how to best submit and copy edit your work. If you have submitted three or more articles you can use your News Hit account to post in the news blog and use RSS feeds. If you ever choose to become a News Hit section editor or sub-editor you can also use your account to upload articles directly onto News Hit.
When and where are News Hit meetings held?
News Hit meetings are held at 1:00PM every Monday at Monash University Caulfield in room T202.
MAP OF CAULFIELD
How do I get on the contributors wall?
After your first article is published on News Hit your name is listed as a News Hit Contributor on the Contributors Wall.
If you become a copy editor at News Hit, your name will appear under the Copy Editors tab.
Once you have three articles published on News Hit, your status is upgraded to Regular Contributor and you are entitled to a full profile on the site (with photo and bio), a personalised RSS feed and the ability to post in the News Blog.
Why should I contribute to News Hit?
Below are some reasons why you should consider contributing to News Hit:
- Contributing to the site will help you will build up a portfolio of published work.
- You can put your skills into practice and attract an audience for your work.
- You can network with others who share similar interests.
- You can get feedback on your work from others, identifying mistakes and working on ways to improve your abilities.
- It's a great way to get started in producing content for online audiences. As more and more people choose to go online to find out about the world around them, being able to cater to the needs of online readers is a valuable skill.
How do I contribute articles to News Hit?
We prefer articles to be submitted to us in Google Docs format. Google Docs is a free online word processor, one which you only need a Google/Gmail account to use. If you intend to submit articles to News Hit regularly, we suggest you sign up for a Google account.
This short video brilliantly explains the benefits of Google Docs:
Once you have written an article in Google Docs, share it with the relevant section editor. If you have written an article for a section that does not yet have its own editor or if you have written an article that defies simple categorisation, send it to Craig Butt, News Hit's Editor. His email address is craigbutt@newshit.com.au
However, Google Docs requires Internet access and if you are not using a computer with an Internet connection to compose your article then it cannot be utilised. If this is the case, we are still happy to receive articles in other formats. Plain text files (written in basic text editors like Word Pad, NotePad or Text Edit) are preferable because they are easier to upload onto News Hit, but we are also happy to receive articles in Microsoft Word format.
If you are having trouble composing and sharing articles in Google Docs, or if you would simply like to find out more about Google Docs, consult our handy guide 'Submitting articles to News Hit'.
If you have any photos or images that you would like to include with an article, email them over separately to Anirudh Asher, News Hit's pictures editor. His email address is anirudh.asher@gmail.com
I've written an article. Where do I submit it?
Submit your article by email to the relevant section editor. They will take a look at your article, tell you whether or not it is of a sufficient standard to be published on News Hit and then pass it along for copy editing. A table showing all of News Hit's current section editors is below.
If you have written an article for a section that does not yet have a section editor, or if you are unsure of where to send an article, simply send what you have written to Craig Butt, News Hit's Editor.
How many words do articles have to be?
The minimum length for articles is 400 words, although if an article contains a significant amount of photographic/audio or video content then the written component of articles can be less than this amount. An article length of about 600-800 words is preferred. As News Hit is an online publication, we do not have to worry about space restrictions, so at this stage there is no upper word limit for articles, although longer articles may be broken down into smaller parts to make them more digestible to readers.
The minimum word limit for short stories is 800. The minimum word length for columns is 700 words. The maximum word length for news blog posts is 400 words, and blog posts should ideally be about 100 words long.
What are the guidelines in terms of content and style?
Here's a brief overview of the content rules:
- We're not averse to swearing in articles, just don't make it gratuitous.
- Don't use emoticons >:0 in your articles.
- Avoid excessive punctuation!!!! One explanation mark is enough.
- We prefer all articles to conform to U.K. spellings (i.e. colour instead of color).
- DO NOT SHOUT AT READERS! There is no need to write entire sentences in capital letters (although in the case of humorous articles we are willing to make exceptions)
- Back up any contentious claims with hyperlinks to evidence in the same way that you would include references in an essay.
- Do not include hyperlinks to pornographic (or other nasty) material.
- Do not plagiarise other writers' work.
- Do not write anything that defames another individual
- Always include links to any photos/pictures that you use in your articles, and don't just take pictures off the Internet without first checking their copyright status.
News Hit’s editors reserve the right to refuse publication of any piece of writing that contravenes any of these guidelines or is not of a sufficient standard.
A more detailed guide to content is available once you register for a Contributors account with News Hit. Register for a News Hit account here.
What does being a copy editor at News Hit entail?
Copy editors edit articles and other work submitted for publication on News Hit, checking for spelling mistakes, grammatical flaws, factual errors and ambiguous expression. Copy editors can also take on a more creative role, suggesting hyperlinks or images to accompany articles. Copy editors do not upload articles onto the site, as this is the role of section editors and sub editors.
If you choose to become a copy editor with News Hit, you will regularly receive articles to edit via email. However, before you are added to the list of copy editors you must first edit a couple of sample articles that test your skills at copy editing.
What does being a sub-editor or section editor at News Hit entail?
Section editors edit (or oversee the editing of) articles that have been submitted to their section of News Hit, ensuring that articles are passed along for editing by copy editors. They have control over what goes up on their section of the site and have the final say over copy editing. Depending on which section they are helming, they suggest topics for contributors to write about, make sure that giveaways are handed out and organise for events to be covered. Once articles are edited, they upload articles onto the site.
Sub editors have a similar role to copy editors, but unlike copy editors they can also upload content onto News Hit at the behest section editors.
What does being a photographer/photojournalist at News Hit entail?
If you register to become a photographer/photojournalist with News Hit, you will receive information on events that we are covering or interviews that we are conducting for which we would like photographs taken.
As we do not provide digital cameras, you must have a digital camera of your own if you intend to become a photographer. It also helps if you have either a Flickr or Picasa account to store and share photos online.
Whenever we are covering an event, an email will be sent out to you inviting you to come along and take some photos.
What does being a promoter at News Hit entail?
Promoters put up News Hit advertising materials up around campus, publicise the site and help us build up a library of potential contacts within universities (with clubs, academics, lecturers).
What does being an illustrator at News Hit entail?
Whenever an editor feels that an opinion piece or feature story is lacking and needs some kind of graphic to make it complete, you will receive emails containing a brief explanation of an article's subject matter and the sort of illustration that is desired to go with it, as well as the time frame by which an illustration is desired.
How do I get a column on News Hit?
As columns take a considerable amount of time and effort to put together and have to be written to a strict weekly, fortnightly or monthly deadline, we are selective about who we give columns to. You are more likely to get a column on the site if you have had several articles published on News Hit or if you can point to a blog that you have been able to maintain over an extended period of time. To receive a column News Hit, you must also have an original idea for a column - something that will interest News Hit's readers and offer them something that they cannot get from existing articles on the site.
How do I become a news blogger at News Hit?
As contributions to the news blog go up without any intervention by the site's owners and editors, we restrict access to the news blog to people who are regular contributors or who have been involved at News Hit for an extended period of time. If you would like to become a news blogger without having previously contributed articles to News Hit, it also helps if you can point to a blog on news and current affairs that you have managed to post in regularly or if you can comment on topics (i.e. business news or sports news) that are not currently covered on the news blog.
Do you pay for contributions to the site?
No, we do not pay for contributions. All contributions to the site are voluntary.
Do you pay editors for their work?
No, we do not pay editors. All roles at News Hit are undertaken voluntarily.
Can I get an internship at News Hit?
We are currently trying to organise a program whereby university students can undertake internships at News Hit. If you would like to find out more information about internships, email Taha Khan at tk@newshit.com.au
Who handles your web design?
News Hit's web and graphic design is handled solely by Daniel Butt
