Ethos publishes a newsletter, which is emailed out to all JP@Home members and other interested community members. Members are welcome to submit articles for publication. Please see below for submission guidelines.

Submission Guidelines

The JP@Home Newsletter highlights news, activities, events, and other Ethos or member-led initiatives that might be of benefit to others. The editors reserve the right to edit and shorten text as necessary; they also reserve the right to refuse text. Editorial contributions from non-members are welcome and gladly considered for publication. All submissions are subject to the following guidelines:

Articles should be informative and contain non-commercial, non-partisan, and non-sectarian points of view.

No more than the first 150 words of any article will be included in the newsletter with a link to the complete text on the JP@Home section of the Ethos website. Articles should be no more than 450 words long.

Ethos complies with all laws regarding publishing rights.

The article submission deadline is the 15th of the month for the next month’s newsletter. Articles may be submitted to jpathome@ethocare.org.

Submission of an article does not guarantee it will be published in the newsletter. The editors reserve the right to publish a submitted article at a later date.

Members must receive permission to publish photos from each subject prior to submission.

If you have a question about any of these guidelines please contact Love Droster at ldroster@ethocare.org.

Articles may be submitted to jpathome@ethocare.org.

Tips on writing effective and engaging newsletter articles.

1. Think from an audience perspective. What do you enjoy reading? Why? Readers want to learn something new that is important and relevant to them. Does the article offer anything new for readers such as information, tips, advice, resources, or benefits? Give readers reasons to read and they will.

2. Use a journalism style of writing. A well-written article will reflect a news-style of writing. The five W’s and H (who, what, where, when, why, and how) should all be contained in an interesting opening statement. The remaining information should be answered in the subsequent paragraphs.

3. Do your homework. Research and gather any necessary facts, conduct interviews, find resources, etc.

4. Use Quotes, Facts, & Statistics. Use direct quotes from interviews and supplement articles with interesting facts and statistics. This will offer useful information for readers and add credibility to your article.

5. Writing should be straightforward. Use simple language and active verbs. Avoid using jargon or expressing personal opinions, except in direct quotes. Do not editorialize.

6. Keep it short and concise. Be BRIEF – use bullets, lists, short sentences, and lots of paragraphs. Give readers the info they need in the fewest words. That means you can’t offer great detail, but you can give people an overview. If the topic is complex, suggest additional resources or offer a contact for more information.

7. Use images/pictures to support an article. Choose pictures/images that will enhance your article. Avoid using images for the sake of having one.

8. Use lively, interesting headlines. The purpose is to grab readers’ attention. Avoid headlines that are too wordy. Try using an active noun/verb; offer a benefit, new development, etc. Ex. 6 quick tips for… 10 ways to conserve… Recycling event raises $6,000… Environmental workers awarded… Wind power proving to be… Global warming issues heating up: debate… Climate change linked to…

9. Pay attention to copyright issues. Cite sources and provide references to quotations and facts when used.

10. Proof read, proof read, proof read! Nothing is more distracting than an article with spelling mistakes and typos. Have a colleague or friend proof read your draft and always use spell check.