Editorial Guidelines for creating content

The Self unLimited Resources Library is a rich and dynamic collection of knowledge. It contains materials created by Self unLimited and chosen friends.

If you’d like to contribute, these are the editorial guidelines to appreciate and follow.

While your contributions don’t need to reference Self unLimited core concepts, it’s useful that you have some familiarity of what these are, and thus align your contributions to the general flavour of these. Learn more.

 

Content Types

a. Podcast

Duration is typically 15-45 minutes. Style is conversational. Light interview format, with Helen usually as host.

Topic is varied. It can be helpful to reference any of the Self unLimited core concepts during the conversation – if you aren’t so familiar with these, then Helen will be happy to reference them during the conversation.

Speak to an audience of individuals, not to a head of an organisation or a team leader. Your ideas, perspectives and thoughts are for anybody who is willing to take a personal lead in shaping their work experience.

Full collection of podcasts is open to public (URL can be shared). Also available to be downloaded (and subscribed) from iTunes and Spotify, accessed via an RSS Feed, and played directly from Soundcloud.

Positioned as having no regular release schedule, though from mid-2020 the cadence has been monthly. See podcasts currently published.

 

b. Story

Length is 700-800 words. Topic is generally linked to one SU concept, either one of the Responsibilities, or Scenarios or Life-stages.

Style is limited to a personal testimony (written in first person) – a story about something you did or that happened to you. A good story provides the context for why the main character needed to change. A good story is filled with cause and effect that gives meaning to what happened. A memorable story is one in which the main character exposes some flaw and how they dealt with it – you can make yourself the hero of your story!
A basic format to get creative juices following: Describe a situation; what you (and/or others) did; why you did it; and what happened.

Includes your photo or avatar with your likeness (300×300); and a short 1-3 sentence author bio with any social media profile links you desire.
URL can be shared with others, BUT only part of a story is seen by open public. Full viewing/reading requires logging into Folkscape for access.

Some stories are incorporated into, and restricted to, SU Learning Options. See stories available to public.

 

c. Activity (a How-to)

Length is 2-4 pages. Topic is generally linked to one of the Responsibilities. Can be flavoured for a particular Scenario or Life-stage. Style is How-to, advice, steps, tips etc.

Can be branded with SU branding, acknowledging you as author; or can be branded with your own business brand with licence to Questo to publish and utilise.

Can be paired with a SU branded Canvas or a Template when an Activity has an artefact to create.

See the free collection of Activities currently published. There is also a small Premium collection of activities, that are available only to Folkscape Members.

There is a growing collection of Activities (40+), with more in the works. The full collection is made available to Coaches as part of their licencing arrangement. Other activities are incorporated into, and restricted to, SU Learning Options.

 

d. Article

Length is 700-1,200 words. If your work is longer than 1,200 words, it may be suitable to publish as a 2 or 3-part series of articles.

Style is opinion piece or essay; can also be a book/video review; can also be a creative piece written for, or on behalf of, one of the twelve SU adventurers.

Write to an audience of individuals, not to a head of an organisation or a team leader. Your ideas, perspectives and thoughts are for anybody who is willing to take a personal lead in shaping their work experience.

The article may contain examples of things you have personally done; and/or observations of what others have done to illustrate key points of your advice or opionion. Articles may contain tips or insights gained from experience; however articles are not specific how-to pieces of content. If you wish to write a set of steps of advice to follow, consider the option to compose an Activity.

You are acknowledged as author, with a short bio that can include links to your online profiles and/or businesses.

The article can be accompanied by a photograph of your choice for descriptive purposes – please be sure to provide the source so credit can be attributed. We often source free high-quality photographs from Unsplash.
Intention is to follow a monthly publication cycle; but there are no set release dates.

When an article is first released it is fully open to the public (URL can be shared). After a month or three, the article is typically amended so the contents are only partially seen by open public (though the bio remains visible) – to read the full article then requires logging into Folkscape Community space (which is accessed via free membership).
See articles currently published.

 

e. Recommended material

Any format, any length. Provided/presented as a web link.

Web link can be to another collection or a singular piece of content.

Not SU branded.

Organised into various categories, and where appropriate connection is made to specific SU concepts.

The curated collection is only seen by logging into Folkscape to view. See currently curated collection.

 

Other Notes

  • All the content above has potential to be used in eLearning programs and for participants on Courses which are are paid offerings. In providing your content, you are giving permission for such utilisation.
  • Content for the podcasts, stories, activities and articles is introduced to the public through the regular Self unLimited newsletter, and via social media channels. We will be keen to link to you personally in appreciation of your contribution, and to include other relevant links for the audience to find out more about you and what you do.
  • All content needs to be uploaded to the website by Self unLimited or Questo personnel – there is no method for directly uploading, and there is a desire to apply light editorial controls to ensure alignment with these editorial guidelines.
  • You are also welcome to contribute/post content as a general member of the Folkscape Community by publishing/uploading directly in the Social Feed. There is no editorial control over this.

 

Ready to take action to contribute something? Make an offer with a synopsis.

 

Advice for getting past the blank page

  • Don’t attempt to write the finished content product in a single step. See steps below to get from idea to completion.
  • Consider the brief or editorial guidelines you are following. Revisit these before investing too much time in your work – else you risk writing something that will not be valuable to use. Value = Alignment with the brief/editorial guidelines.
  • Step 3 below could be Step 1. Consider whether you like to start from a point to converge to; or from a broad place to diverge from. If you prefer convergence, make Step 3 below your first step.
  • If you are unsure whether your work is heading in the right direction, then do Step 1 or Step 3 and check with Helen before you invest time in the other steps.

 

  1. Start by brainstorming a list of topic points or even questions to answer – things that will be relevant to the audience.
  2. Write the answers to the questions or write statements for the topic points. This writing should not be finished polished prose – simply raw content for the next step. You don’t have to think about word limit or the right choice of words. Simply get your thoughts and ideas down on the page.
  3. Write a two-sentence statement to give you the angle for your content. Imagine you are writing a tweet that summarises your content. Put this at the top of the blank page.
  4. With your raw content written or gathered, play around with the pieces to organise into a flow or narrative that fits with your two-sentence statement. Don’t be afraid to cull what it is not relevant or doesn’t fit. Maybe it’s material for a different piece of content.
  5. Polish, or wordsmith, the emerging content, in consideration of your audience and your word limit.

 

Ready to take action to contribute something? Make an offer with a synopsis.