STAFF DEVELOPMENT: Comms Submission Guidelines & Suggestions
MOBILE USERS: Links to other resources at bottom.
GENERAL
- Jenna is the layout designer. Submit everything to her via the WRIKE submission form.
- Article length: (actual editorial/story) at least 800 words. We prefer long-form stories around 1200 if possible.
- About the parish calendar: Content from the current RG will automatically be copied to the AA for the pertinent dates, with the exception of the summer AA issue, which has no corresponding RG. All events for summertime should be turned in along with everything else. Only events that are new or have changed need to be submitted for the AA.
- Announcements (100-150 words)
- Ad Request (graphic or text)
EVENT LISTING FORMAT
Please check all event submissions to insure they are formatted correctly. Please use all caps where shown. No need to italicize or boldface:
EVENT DATE (all caps)
EVENT NAME (all caps)
Event Time
Event venue
Event RSVP date & to whom (if needed)
Event cost (if needed)
Description
EXAMPLE:
SUNDAY, JULY 26
LEMONADE IN THE SHADE
10 AM CDT
The big tree at the Dallas Arboretum
RSVP by June 26 to [email protected]
$50
Celebrate a wonderful year of formation and fun, with Lemonade in the Shade! We’ll be taking over the big tree at the Dallas Arboretum from 10 a.m. to Noon. We’ll have lemonade, pie, and all the brisket you and eat!
CLASS LISTING FORMAT
CLASS NAME
Led by [Teacher’s Name]
CLASS MTG DAY
CLASS MTG TIME
Class venue
Description
EXAMPLE:
POETRY & FAITH
Led by Richard Kilgore
2ND THURSDAY /MONTH
7 – 8:30 p.m.
Parlor
For more information or questions: Richard Kilgore at [email protected]
The Poetry & Faith group explores important Christian poetry, primarily of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The group meets monthly and is open to all Saint Michael members and their friends.
TIME FORMATS
[A.P. STYLE]
SMAA PHYSICAL EVENTS
DIGITAL EVENTS ONLINE
The format is optimized for online viewers in different time zones:
10 AM CT
10:30 AM CT
7 PM CT
2:30 PM CT
NOTE ON WRITING STYLE:
“Every ministry and event description is a sales pitch — make it compelling!”
Please note that the RG is really meant to be like a “phone book” — 95% pure hard facts. The AA, by contrast, will have those facts in the Parish Calendar section only. The rest of the AA should be very descriptively compelling! In your listings, descriptions should be passionate and accurate. Articles and stories should really paint a picture for the reader. Announcements should be inspiring! After all, they’re kind of a sales pitch, aren’t they? So please give attention to the type of content submitted, and ask yourself if this should be “phone book” content, or “inspiring & compelling” content.
At a recent conference, I was reminded that, yes,storytelling is king — if that’s what you’re actually doing.
They made the distinction that EVENT journalism is not storytelling. Finding the human interest “hook” in those moments–really getting up close and personal–is storytelling. To be sure, an event is probably mentioned as the backdrop, but the point of the story is how someone(s) life was changed, or how “X” was benefited by the event. That makes it a personal story that someone wants to read.