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Guidelines for submissions to the Playcentre Journal – for writers and photographers
All Playcentre members are invited to submit articles and photographs for publication in the Playcentre Journal.
What does the Journal need?
The Playcentre Journal needs a range of types of material:
* Varying lengths – pieces can be from one paragraph to several pages long
* Varying styles – e.g. it could be a piece written from a personal viewpoint, reporting news from a Centre, sharing ideas for on-session activities, an academic piece about the theory behind what we do at Playcentre, a list of bullet pointed tips, an illustrated centrespread, a great pic with a caption ...
* Varying subjects –
• Personal experiences – eg of being a Playcentre parent and/or part of a Playcentre community
• Playcentre management – property and equipment, recruiting new members, leadership, strategic planning, managing records, integrating technology, etc.
• Working with diversity – cultural, age, etc.
• Theory relating to Playcentre, such as child development, early childhood education, working as a group or as a co-operative, creativity, and so on
• Ideas for on-session activities
• Sharing ideas that have worked for your centre or association, and beyond.
How many words should it be?
* Personal viewpoint/letter to the editor – 50-300 words.
* Centre/Association/Federation news – 50-300 words.
* Short feature: an in-depth piece about something that happened or Playcentre practice – 500-900 words.
* Long feature: an in-depth piece that broadens the topic, for example by covering various aspects or viewpoints – 900-3200 words.
How do I get started?
First: the idea. What interests you? What’s the most exciting thing about Playcentre for you? What do you know about? What could you do some research on? What are people at your Centre talking about or challenged by or pleased about? What happened at the last meeting or session at Playcentre? What would you like to see an article on?
Then, stage two, start writing. Just start somewhere and put down everything you can think of. Then, leave it a few days and come back to it and develop it further.
Then, stage three, check the piece.
Get someone else to read it and give you some feedback. You don’t have to take on board all their comments, but it gives you an idea as to how readers will perceive it. Then, pass it to someone else. It’s probably best if you use people who have read the Playcentre Journal.
Stage four – do you have any good images that could go with the piece? (It doesn’t matter if you don’t for most pieces.)
Finally, send it to the Journal, where an editor will put it through the production process. | 
