Become a MUG Editor...
The user group community is constantly on the lookout for good ideas and input. If you would like to contribute your ideas, expertise or stories, please get in touch. Readers will love hearing about your success stories and victories.
Writers Guidelines
If you would like to write an article for any of the AACUG or User Group Network publications, we’d certainly want to hear from you. Following is a collection of guidelines you should familiarize yourself with before sending us any materials.
What is "MUG"
MUG is the monthly tabloid publication of The Association of Apple Computer Users & Groups, devoted to sharing ideas, practical information, advice and tips on how to increase readers' capabilities and knowledge.
We’re open to just about any topic relating to the Apple OS, Macintosh, iMac, iBook, PowerBooks, iPods, AppleWorks, FinalCutPro, iMovie, iTunes, iTools, and any other software or hardware product from Apple Computer. Readers particularly want how-to articles, product reviews, and your project success stories.
What do our readers like_
- First-person articles which explains the use of traditional tools or computers
- First-person articles dealing with problems, crisis projects
- First-person articles getting ripped off, or dealing with legal issues
- Know-how for effective computing practices
Articles which deal with starting, growing and marketing a user group, computer club or local community project. Book or product reviews which have helped you with software or hardware Books, experiences relevant to using an Apple Computer product.
How-To Articles
These are what members of user groups like best. Show your friends and fellow members how to do something unique, or more efficiently. Show how you accomplished a unique technique, or a really time-saving, or profitable operation. Remember, most of our readers use software and computers in their business, and are eager to learn anything new that will make them more productive, or more capable.
How-to articles should include
- Why you report on the process (briefly, personal use, client, etc.)
- The software you used
- Special commands, tricks or support software operations
- The results
Feel free to number the steps, and don't be afraid to be as elementary as you like. Many readers tell us to be more "basic" with our descriptions, particularly on difficult or lengthy processes.
Software Reviews
Software reviews ideally should deal with a function of the software as it relates to specific operations, occupations or computer operation. Reviews can be short and should be no longer than 1,000 words. They should include a basic understanding of what the software does, and how you felt about the value in terms of functionality and productivity. If the product is not good, or you found it lacking in some way, by all means tell us.
You must include:
- Name of Software and Version
- Author or Publisher name
- Platform
- Memory and Hard Drive Requirements
- Price (Cover price, and "street price" if available)
Also helpful to the reader is unique features like the inclusion of "freebies", whether or not manuals are included, illustrated (B&W or Color), etc..
Most importantly are screen captures. The reader will get the most benefit if you show the software actually doing something, or menus, dialogs, etc. If you need assistance with this, just let us know.
NOTE: screen captures should be NUMBERED, or TITLED and then REFERENCED in the text of the article so our editors will know where the graphics need to be placed in the article.
Book Reviews
Book reviews can be short and no longer than 400 words. They should include a basic understanding of what the book is about, and how you felt about the value of the information and writing. If the product is not good, or you found it lacking in some way, by all means tell us. You must include:
- Name of publication
- Author's name
- Publisher
- ISBN number
- Number of pages
- Price (Cover price, and "street price" if available)
Also helpful to the reader is unique features like the inclusion of a CD, whether or not the book is illustrated (B&W or Color), etc..
A scan of the cover or some graphic from the book is helpful, but not mandatory.
Initial Submission
Briefly describe your article idea for an article or column, and a bit about your background, your user group, etc.
Materials Submission
- All articles should be submitted electronically by email.
- Articles should not exceed 500 words unless your topic is complex or requires
many steps. (or, can be broken into multiple issues.)
- If it is particularly lengthy, multi-part, or contains many graphics, we may
request that you submit on disk or CD. (Regular contributors or columnists will be
provided with a private FTP site for uploading articles.)
- Article text should be saved as ASCII TEXT, and pasted into an email.
- Graphics should be in GIF or JPEG format, attached to the email. (For high resolution
images, inquire for instructions.)
Be sure to include a brief biography at the end of your article which describes your business or profession. Email addresses are not necessary unless you want your email published in the article. MUG staff will forward all mail regarding the column or article.
MUG editors, reserve the right to edit any articles submitted due to space limitations or clarity.
Do you pay for articles_
While we currently cannot pay for articles, we do welcome and appreciate your submissions. After sponsors have begun to participate in MUG, we plan to offer an honorarium for full articles. Any contributor who's article is published will receive a subscription, and/or other perks as they become available. We also believe writers in MUG and the AACUG Publications, have the opportunity to reach many readers and become established as experts. Many times readers contact the experts who appear in the publication and forge new business relationships. We have reports of some of these relationships being very profitable!
Please take advantage of everything we have to offer.
It will only help you in your daily activities. Please also take advantage of all the opportunities that exist in the online community. Ask questions, offer feedback, and contribute your ideas and opinions. We're here for you, and we're
all here for each other.
Thanks for reading
The AACUG Mac User Guide Staff
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