Guests Posts, Local Bike News, Photos Welcome
Show diverse voices of people who bike in Monterey County by writing a guest post
Special note to children and teens
Your poems, essays, stories, articles, or other writing are especially welcome at the Bicycling Monterey website. Don’t worry about the guidelines below, just contact me (if under 18, with a parent or guardian’s permission, of course). I look forward to your ideas and to answering your questions.
And no worries either about things like grammar and spelling! I will be happy to help you correct those if needed, as I’m a writer and editor by profession. Surprised? The Bicycling Monterey website shows it’s okay to be casual about “fussy” or exacting standards sometimes! “Perfectionism and procrastination go hand-in-hand, and they compromise our creativity.” Sometimes it’s important to do things “perfectly,” and other times it’s more important to just dive in and do things!
So just go for it. Write from your heart about biking!
Privacy? If you prefer, you may provide a byline of a first name only, or use a pseudonym/pen name.
Guest features by adults also encouraged
One gentleman told me he thinks this website is great–and he feels intimidated about sending in a guest post. Don’t be shy!
Simply contact me in advance with your ideas and to discuss how to make the process a fun experience. If you are a resident or visitor and might like to write about biking in Monterey County–or about anything in the county that includes a bike–you are encouraged to contribute your writing to support this community effort.
It’s fine to promote your business, civic club, hobby, or whatever on this site, as long as there is something in your piece that relates to biking. You may want to include detailed tips on how to bike to your location, and share a photo of a bicyclist on arrival there. If it encourages people to bike in Monterey County, it’s most likely appropriate for this site.
Bike-related poems and essays, as well as videos in local setting, are also welcome. So are….
Press releases and other announcements
Please submit your press releases, public announcements, or other information related to bicycling in Monterey County for posting. Bike news and events from around the Monterey Bay region will occasionally be published here; feel free to ask.
(Photo courtesy of Devian Gilbert.)
Local bike-related news and features from other local media
Send me a heads-up about bike news or features in other local media. I will be glad to link to their work, helping to bring attention to any bike-related buzz happening in Monterey County.
Your alerts will help this site grow into a more comprehensive info source regarding bicycling in our county.
How to submit your item
Please phone me (831-375-6278) or email me in advance to discuss your idea.
Email: If you don’t already have my email address, please contact me to obtain it for submitting your work. (To avoid spam, I don’t post an email address.)
Photo(s): When making a submission, including a jpg image of a relevant photo is appreciated. One photo is necessary for every post, and more photo submissions are welcome. No photos? I may have a suitable one to accompany your writing.
No anonymous submissions. Children and teens ages 18 and under, if they and their parent or guardian prefer, may provide a byline of a first name only, or they may use a pseudonym/pen name. (Adults are asked to use their real name.)
I’ve got a beef about biking!
On January 27, 2012, I noted this statement by Erik Schmidt of Santa Cruz, on Twitter @erikschmidt: “The number of blogs with ‘rants’ in the title is a testament to the fact that on the Internet, rants are not only accepted, but encouraged. Where else but on the Internet is it a weird badge of honor to be someone who rants?”
Erik’s comment reflects my values. Clearly rants have a place on the web. Not here though!
If a guest post addresses a challenge, keeping the tone positive is requested. The Bicycling Monterey website is a place to share the joys of biking and to offer solutions to challenges, helping to build a more bike-friendly world.
I look forward to publishing your contribution.
Thank you,
Mari
I want to streamline my computer hours so I have more time for my bike, including more direct outreach throughout the county. Please check the volunteer opportunities page too.
