Hi all,
I have thought I should maybe do a story with pics for the n gauge journal about my first go at weathering. As a beginner and with the current thought that the mag is being dumbed down for people like me should I send in an article about my journey into this side of the hobby.
Or am I wasting their time?
Bart
Go for it Bart!
Your recent examples posted here and your upcoming talk on the topic will give you plenty to write about and show.
Look forward to seeing you in print!
Dave G
Thanks dave,
Great idea, never thought about incl the exhibition thing. Maybe I could incl it as a two part story.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, like others have said the members need to submit articles so I thought I best not be an armchair member I do my bit as I have enjoyed and learnt so much from the journal and ngs not to mention this site.
Bart
Quote from: 1936ace on March 20, 2014, 10:16:01 AM
Hi all,
I have thought I should maybe do a story with pics for the n gauge journal about my first go at weathering. As a beginner and with the current thought that the mag is being dumbed down for people like me should I send in an article about my journey into this side of the hobby.
Or am I wasting their time?
Bart
Hi Bart,
I write articles for the Stag Owners Club on a fairly regular basis and they are always published in their monthy magazine and I think appreciated. Find out what format is wanted for submitted articles first though, so they can open/view and edit them as necessary.
It is usually a good idea to include photographs as well, as like the saying goes - a picture can post a thousand words.
Go ahead - submit your article.
Quote from: 1936ace on March 20, 2014, 10:16:01 AM
Hi all,
I have thought I should maybe do a story with pics for the n gauge journal about my first go at weathering. As a beginner and with the current thought that the mag is being dumbed down for people like me should I send in an article about my journey into this side of the hobby.
Or am I wasting their time?
Bart
You are not. Submit the article.
Go for it, Bart, and good luck with getting your article in the mag :thumbsup:
Send it in :thumbsup:
The worst you'll get back is probably "please can you elaborate on (whatever)" or "your pictures are not of sufficient clarity/resolution". It is not in their interests to dismiss decent articles out of hand, they are after all reliant on members submitting things so more likely to get helpful encouragement on improving it if necessary rather than harsh criticism ;)
Paul
Quote from: 1936ace on March 20, 2014, 10:39:22 AM
...like others have said the members need to submit articles so I thought I best not be an armchair member I do my bit as I have enjoyed and learnt so much from the journal and ngs not to mention this site.
I've already submitted one beginner's article myself and am waiting for the new editor to formally take over before I submit another. Richard Bardsley has already signed off in terms of receiving articles, but I would certainly recommend you have a go at it.
with the current thought that the mag is being dumbed down
Where does this come from? Graham the new editor of the Society Journal has put on the N Gauge Society website a lot of useful guidelines about items for the Journal; I did not see that bit.
General Secretary N Gauge Society
Quote from: free debt man on March 20, 2014, 04:05:33 PM
with the current thought that the mag is being dumbed down
Where does this come from? Graham the new editor of the Society Journal has put on the N Gauge Society website a lot of useful guidelines about items for the Journal; I did not see that bit.
General Secretary N Gauge Society
From reading the mail train there has been been plenty of comments re this
Quite right Bart :thumbsup:
I seem to remember quite a few accusations that the NGS journal was catering for the "lowest common denominator" - all this of course was before Grahame took over as editor but was instigated by his original letter ;)
Paul
Go for it anyway, Bart. Your weathering techniques should make interesting and informative copy. When I was editor of a local N Gauge newsletter, I know I would appreciate such an article! :thumbsup:
George
N Gauge Society Story sounds like a soapie.
Boy meets girl, boy meets N Gauge, the eternal triangle of emotion and love. (sigh)
Sorry Bart, you know this happens when I forget to take my medication.
Kind regards
Geoff
I thought "N Gauge Society Story" was going to be an article about the history of the Society!
A history (maybe done as a timeline) of the Society (and N Gauge) would be interesting for the 50th Anniversary.
Best regards
Michael
I read the new NGS guidelines for submitting articles for publication in the Journal. In respect of most aspects they seem pretty free and easy. Photograph guidelines are more stringent and this section is bigger than the others - file definition and format are easy enough, and hard copy photos are encouraged even at 4x6 - but lighting requirements specify even lighting across the layout board and advise (quite properly) that flash is unlikely to be suitable.
Even as a photographic hobbyist, looking at my own photos where they are attempts at showing a view across the layout, the even lighting guideline is hard to achieve without auxiliary lights because of the effect of widow light. Maybe reflectors like large sheets of card would help.
Oh, for Heavens sake. If a person is proud enough and enthusiastic enough to go to the trouble to write about it and send it in...all those details are (or should be) sorted by the publisher!
No person contributing to the Journal should have to worry about this!
Quote from: Bealman on March 21, 2014, 09:58:05 AM
Oh, for Heavens sake. If a person is proud enough and enthusiastic enough to go to the trouble to write about it and send it in...all those details are (or should be) sorted by the publisher!
No person contributing to the Journal should have to worry about this!
Presumably George you have read the new guidelines that the new editor of the NGS Journal has written? Are you suggesting they are irrelevant and should be discounted? Has the man wasted his time?
Sorry did not mean to cause an issue, I will submit my story and see how it goes after all I'm just a fireman with a electrical trade who likes playing trains not a photo journalist
And as always keen for the next journal to hit the mailbox
Bart
Quote from: 1936ace on March 21, 2014, 10:42:29 AM
Sorry did not mean to cause an issue, I will submit my story and see how it goes after all I'm just a fireman with a electrical trade who likes playing trains not a photo journalist
And as always keen for the next journal to hit the mailbox
Bart
No issue here Bart. The new editor says he has brought the graphic design in-house to reduce costs and I guess is just asking for a bit of help to ease the DTP work that an outside publisher might have waded through.
George must have his own reasons for his own views.
Quote from: Bealman on March 21, 2014, 09:58:05 AM
Oh, for Heavens sake. If a person is proud enough and enthusiastic enough to go to the trouble to write about it and send it in...all those details are (or should be) sorted by the publisher!
Completely disagree - there is a limit to what any editor can do with poor photos.
The point about lighting is under "tips for taking photographs" ie it is there to help people.
Cheers, Mike
Bart
I am with George on this one. Just go for it. Its up to the editor to knock into shape.
Regardless, of who or what we are we all have capabilities.
If you need someone go through the draft I am always available.
Kind regards
Geoff
I best do some reading up then as I must admit I have only read the bit in the journey where it mentions who to send it too. I think the net issue will/may have new info maybe
Bart
Hi Bart,
Many years ago, while still at school, I was lucky enough to be allowed to spend a day at my then local paper (Northampton Chronicle and Echo) and I accompanied one of the reporters to a police briefing and then back to the office. Used to school lessons, I was expected some kind of long and earnest discussion about how the story would be told, what the key points were, etc etc. But he sat down and just started writing. No preamble - just getting words onto paper. Once it was written he then switched around a few paragraphs and marked a few typos and that was it.
What I learned from this, and what I still do in my own career, is that if you're going to write something, just start writing.
It's nerve-wracking looking at an empty sheet of paper, but the quicker you start filling it the easier it'll be. Worrying about the exact wording, or how to layout the content, is totally understandable but deep down is just displacement activity to put off actually starting writing.
Go for it, and I am sure you'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is!
cheers
Ben A.
(model Railway enthusiast and jobbing reporter for 26 years)
Hey Ben,
As an ex Northamptonian I used to frequent the Bat & Wickets pub, where a few reporters for the Chronicle & Echo used to visit. They seemed to have a collective name of 'Scoop!' which was always shouted out as they do in the TV comedy 'Cheers' whenever one walked in.
Happy Days................and completely :offtopicsign: :sorrysign:
Quote from: ParkeNd on March 21, 2014, 10:58:33 AM
The new editor says he has brought the graphic design in-house to reduce costs and I guess is just asking for a bit of help to ease the DTP work that an outside publisher might have waded through.
Its interesting how things go full-circle.
Roger Pearson used DTP to produce the Journal 20+ years ago, I continued this from 1993.
Back then, articles would come hand written! I still have one of Andy Calverts' originals.
Best regards
Michael
Quote from: ParkeNd on March 21, 2014, 10:20:37 AM
Presumably George you have read the new guidelines that the new editor of the NGS Journal has written? Are you suggesting they are irrelevant and should be discounted? Has the man wasted his time?
I have read the new guidelines (Bart: they are on the NGS website).
They are relevant. The new editor has not wasted his time.