III. How Can I Play?

This is Part III of a Series on Contributing to this Website.

Writing for a blog or website like this one is sometimes called being a "citizen journalist" and, honestly, it's not that hard. If you can write a lucid email, you can write a post. If you can take a photo, transfer it to the computer, and send it in an email, you can improve your post. If you can take a video and email it, you're a multimedia producer. If you have an iPhone or other smart phone and can use them to do these things, your'e an Internet Publishing Genius. At first, you'd probably just want to email your material to me. That way we can see how much editing you need, avoid any technophobia you have, and satisfy my inner control freak—I have one, like any editor. (If you can't do all these things I can probably teach you, if you have the tools, and I'll be especially motivated if you are a passionate Greenie who can really write.) That takes care of the technical part.

What Can I Do?

What do we want you to write? Well, keep in mind our mission:  

Vision: A sustainable and self-reliant future for the Lake Chapala region of Mexico."

Mission: Our mission is to promote, educate and advocate sustainable living in the Lake Chapala region. The LCGG offers community education and activities, advocates for the responsible use of resources, and considers direct involvement in any project which is in line with this mission

If you're already an LCGG or GTiA member, you're well-placed to generate material. Of course your Announcements have a place to go on the site. And you can bring up topics of interest in the Forum. But when an event takes place, or even a meeting, I would hope that someone would be designated to write it up as a post. Each event is different, and a post that "brings you there" is a valuable contribution. Or maybe you are a member of another Lake Chapala area group (Amigos del Lago comes to mind) and something in our ballpark comes to your attention. We'd be more than happy to have the post and will give your organization a plug. But events aren't the only thing to report on. Maybe, as I am now, you are contemplating adding solar water heating to your home. Of course you'll go to the internet to determine your possibilities, capacities, even search out plans or kits, but how does this apply to our situation down here in Jalisco? Our readers would benefit from your insights and the live links as well. 

A post doesn't have to be long to be interesting. You can say a lot in a couple hundred words. In fact, a post must be under 800 words (you just witnessed editorial  policy being made), and less is probably more. There's room for longer-form work as an article—you'll get your own page(s) and a link besides. Or how about a poem or a photo or other image that matches our theme? Maybe you already have something ready that is appropriate and can be "repurposed." I'm well aware that some of you out there can write rings around me. Please do!

Bob Craft.

More tips on contributing will posted in the future.