The user group exclusively for project managers that work with Microsoft and other applications wants to publish your best thinking. Every week we’re on the hunt for “how-to” and other kinds of articles to feature in the MPUG newsletter and run on the MPUG website.
Two-step Guide to Getting Published on MPUG
Here’s a quick two-step guide for getting your name onto the MPUG roster of esteemed contributors:
1. Come up with a short description of your nifty how-to technique, project management tip or case study and send that to editor@mpug.com.
2. MPUG’s editor will evaluate your idea and get back to you promptly, typically within one week of receiving it. The message may be one of these outcomes:
Yes, please write your story! (We’ll negotiate a deadline with you at that time.)
Maybe, but we have recently run a similar article; how would your idea differ?
Thanks, but no thanks. Right now we’re not interested in running an article on that topic. What about a different topic?
Basic Guidelines
Easy, right? So if you’re interested in joining MPUG’s amazing group of writers, keep these basic guidelines in mind:
- The best articles are original — written with MPUG readers in mind. Can’t think of topics worth covering? We provide a list of them below. (And if you’ve published a blog article that you’d like MPUG to consider republishing, just send us the link and we’ll check that out too.)
- Submit the article to editor@mpug.com. Put “MPUG article submission” in the subject line.
- At the very beginning of your article (in the first paragraph, if possible) make sure you spell out just what the reader will gain by reading it — the key takeaways.
- Make sure to include your bio with all appropriate links and a headshot so that we can run those with your story.
- If you want readers to know about a particular website, include that URL with the bio so that the editor can review it for inclusion (we don’t typically include links in the body of the text).
- If your article includes screenshots, go ahead and place them in their original size where you’d like them to appear when the article is published on MPUG.
- Submit your article in Microsoft Word format as an email attachment. (It’s harder for us to work with PDF files.)
- Minimum of 300 words (1,500 seems to be a sweet spot)
Note that you will retain the copyright to your original article; however, MPUG requests a six-month exclusive on the edited version of the article from the date of MPUG’s publication (varies based on author agreement). After that you’re free to submit the story for publication elsewhere. In the case of blog articles, which have already been published, MPUG will reference your blog as an addendum to the article and request that you grant us that six-month exclusivity outside of your blog. We also request the right to include your article in compilations that MPUG publishes for its members and subscribers.
The Types of Articles You May Decide to Write
How-to articles typically explain how to do a particular operation using Microsoft software. These run anywhere from 600 words to 2,500 words and may include a few or a lot of screenshots.
How-to article examples we like:
Integrating Project and Outlook
3 Ways to Integrate Your Project Lifecycle Methodology into Microsoft Project
3 Incorrect Ways to Do Scheduling with Microsoft Project
Tips share quick techniques for accomplishing a specific task. These run from 50 words to 500 words and may include a screenshot or two.
Tip examples we like:
Microsoft Project Quick Tip: Display a Status Date Gridline in the Gantt Chart
3 Task Tips
3 Project 2013 Tips
Case studies describe a specific problem and how it was addressed using Microsoft project management tools. These typically run from 600 to 2,500 words. They do not have to mention the specific company or client where the work was done; however, if you’re concerned that your boss or client may not want the case study to appear, better to share it with them before you share it with us.
A case study example we like:
Doing Good with Project Management
Story Ideas
Want to know what readers are looking for right now? Choose a topic in one of these categories, and you won’t go wrong:
Agile
Baseline
Basics of project budgeting
Basics of project resource management
Basics of project scheduling
Benefits management
Business intelligence projects
Change management
Charts
Communications
Critical path
Do’s and Don’ts
Earned value
Enterprise project management
Milestone reporting
PMO best practices
Reporting
Resource leveling
Risks and Issues
Templates
Workflow
Note that we also run special theme articles, such as an annual September tip extravaganza or the October “Tales of Terror in Project Management” series of articles.
If you’re interested in contributing to these MPUG writing opportunities, send a note to editor@mpug.com with a subject line, “Add me to MPUG’s list of special themes” and include a note with your areas of interest or experience. When MPUG starts assigning those articles, we’ll get in touch to see if you’d like to contribute.
Have Additional Questions?
Send your questions to editor@mpug.com and we’ll answer as quickly as possible. We look forward to working with you!
