Contributor Guidelines
Although The Eye seeks to be as inclusive as possible of ideas and opinions, the filter that will be used to determine what content can be added to the publication is our set of guiding principles. Content should advance, or at the very least not hinder, the principles of:
- equity
- justice
- compassion
- choice
- progress
- pragmatism
- dynamism
- knowledge
- diversity
- respect
- love
WHAT IS NEEDED:
Please check out the website first to get a feel for the publication. If you are thinking of starting work on a piece, please contact us first with your idea so that you don't submit in vain. Content is needed in the following general areas:
News
Original reporting of local, regional and international news, especially content not covered by the mainstream media. News can be anything of importance to the lives of people. Of particular value are well researched investigative reports backed by solid sources. This type of content is usually handled by regular contributors, but feel free to contact us about joining The Eye's team of contributors.
Commentary
Opinion pieces on any topic including, but not confined to, politics, agriculture, crime, justice, children's issues, gender issues, the arts, health, development, environment, activism, business, economics, history, culture and social welfare. Two accepted lengths are 800 words and 1000 words. You can also contact us if you are interested in becoming a regular columnist.
Feature articles
On any topic, particularly local places, people, events and issues. The Eye has a strong interest in highlighting the arts and shining a spotlight on different communities in order to present a rich picture of life in different parts of the country. Three accepted lengths are short (600 words), medium (1200 words) and long (2000 words).
Reviews
Of art, cultural events, music, dance, film, theatre, eating places (not necessarily restaurants) and liming spots. Preference is for reviews of things local or of local relevance.
Sports
Feature articles (600, 1200 or 2000 words) and commentary (800 or 1000 words) that go beyond traditional coverage of sports and examine the underlying issues, while relating developments in the field of sports to social, political and economic realities.
Illustrations
Some of our articles and commentary are accompanied by illustrations. An illustration can also stand on its own. If you have skills, why not join the team?
Cartoons
These can be single or multiple panel and should have some sort of underlying commentary. You don't have to be Da Vinci, just clever.
Literary work
The Eye would be pleased to highlight the original creative work of Trinibagonians.
Poetry, prose, songs - 1000 words maximum.
Short stories - 2000 words maximum.
Photos
Photo essays and single quality photos of at least 400 pixel width and maximum file size of 1 Mb. Acceptable formats include: jpg, gif, png; or for compressed files: rar, tar zip, gz.
We are also interested in candid photos that depict life in T&T. These can be taken by members of the public with their cameras or cell phones and can be any size, provided they are clear.
We especially need photos for our regular "What De People Say" feature on how people express themselves through graffiti, signs and placards.
Letters
Respond to our content or pen a treatise on any topic you want. If the result is sane, coherent and relevant, we just may print it.
If you have additional ideas or questions, we encourage you to contact us to discuss.