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Writers Wanted! Association Leadership magazine continually seeks educational and newsworthy material from members based on their experience and expertise.
The Association Leadership’s mission is to provide readers with timely information about all aspects of the association management profession and the activities of TSAE. Each month the magazine covers issues and trends relevant to the staff of associations of all sizes and scopes. Much of the editorial content is grounded in actual association experience, with an emphasis on applicability of key concepts and techniques.
Most of our 1,000+ readers are members of the Texas Society of Association Executives, primarily chief staff executives and decision makers at professional societies, trade associations, philanthropies, and other nonprofit organizations, along with affiliate/supplier members.
Who may write?
Authors are not required to be TSAE members; however, they must stress the applicability of their topic to the profession—as well as describe their expertise in and relationship to the association industry. Affiliate submissions pertaining to the association industry are encouraged.
Why write?
· Publishing an article in Association Leadership puts your name in front of your peers,
· Allows your article to be archived on TSAE’s website,
· Establishes you as an expert in the field,
· Enables you to exchange ideas with colleagues, and
· Allows you to earn CAE points.
In lieu of payment, you will receive multiple copies of the related Association Leadership issue to share with your board, your boss, your family, and friends.
What to Write About
Personal experience is perhaps the best source of article ideas. Association Leadership seeks articles that can help readers better understand Texas association management issues. For this reason, generic articles without specific association relevance will be rejected. How-to articles demonstrate how you have encountered a problem, developed a solution, or corrected a mistake. Case studies illustrate a process, event, or solution and the lessons learned from the experience.
- What kinds of programs has your organization instituted that have worked really well and why?
- Do you have a fresh approach to an old problem?
- Have you noticed any trends that are at work in the profession that affects the industry?
- Has your organization developed a cost-effective solution to a problem?
- Think about the kinds of information you need in your job. Is there an aspect of the profession that you think is important?
- Are there ethical issues to be addressed?
- Did a workshop or seminar help you solve a problem?
Your article has a better chance of being accepted for publication if you think beyond the scope of your own association and show readers, through examples, the relevance of your insights to their circumstances—that is, how to apply your insights to their own situations. Thus, the framework of your article is not just your association's case study, but rather insights learned from your experience and explained through examples. Try to anticipate a reader's questions and answer them, including:
- How can other associations adapt what you've done?
- What kinds of pitfalls might they run into?
- What costs are involved?
How to Submit an Article
Feature articles vary in length from 1,200 to 2,000 words. In addition, we accept submissions for regular columns in Association Leadership (Technology and Legal segments). Contact Beth Brooks or write a query letter outlining the highlights of your proposed article. Please include the subject area of association management to which your article applies (e.g., Human Resources, Governance, Membership Recruitment, etc.). All article submissions are given equal consideration for publication. The main criteria are:
· relative value of information,
· recently published articles on a similar topic,
· perceived reader interest, and
· preparation of the manuscript (how well the author follows the requirements and guidelines).
Consideration for publication may take several weeks, depending on the volume of articles received. Several months might elapse before an accepted manuscript is assigned a publication date. Submit text via e-mail to Beth Brooks. You will be notified once a publication date is determined. At this time, you will be asked for a photo and credit information. While every effort is made to preserve the author's style, Association Leadership reserves the right to edit articles. While Association Leadership tries to publish articles in designated issues, they may be pulled or bumped to later issues.
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GUIDELINES: A CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESS
· Keep your colleagues in mind. Remember, you are writing to a sophisticated audience with experience ranging from seasoned CEOs to staff new to the association world.
· Follow a journalistic style. Keep your writing tight, provide adequate detail, and follow a logical progression of ideas. Make sure your facts are correct.
· Use as many quotes and scenarios from Texas-based association professionals as possible in supporting your topic. This will ensure that your article is not only credible, but appeals to various associations, not just those in your field.
· Capture reader attention by using a brief, catchy headline, and lead sentence or paragraph that is relevant to the topic.
· Write in the active voice, and use specific examples and case histories to illustrate points. (Do not promote an individual, company, product or service. Articles with such material are immediately dropped from consideration.)
· Address readers in a friendly, conversational tone. Avoid complex vocabulary and excessive jargon. If you use acronyms, please spell them out the first time they are used.
· Add subheads to signal topic changes, and use bullets to make your points easier to understand.
· Credit your sources within the article. Do not use footnotes.
· End your article as memorably as it began, with effective concluding remarks.
· Use sidebars for related and pertinent facts or data that do not fit within the main body of the article.
· Provide supporting tables, figures, charts or artwork along with your article. Accompanying information should be supplied on separate pages. Titles should be self-explanatory, and the reader should not have to refer to the text to understand. Likewise, the body of the article should not rely on supplemental material. Add captions to photographs. Photographs are returned upon request.
· Give your article a final edit to eliminate unnecessary words. Make sure paragraphs flow smoothly and logically. And be sure to double-check facts and figures. |
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