Thinking about contributing?

The idea behind citizen journalism is that people without professional journalism training can use the tools of modern technology and the global distribution of the Internet to create, augment or fact-check media on their own or in collaboration with others. For example, you might write about a city council meeting on your blog or in an online forum. Or you could fact-check a newspaper article from the mainstream media and point out factual errors or bias on your blog. Or you might snap a digital photo of a newsworthy event happening in your town and post it online. Or you might videotape a similar event and post it on a site such as YouTube. 

Who writes the stories on the site?

In the most basic terms, you and your neighbours write the stories on the site. In addition to articles from individuals, you'll see postings from all sorts of community groups and organizations like schools; churches; sports teams, and political, social, hobby-oriented, and philanthropic clubs.

How do I get started?

To read posts, just go to www.thebooster.ca and look around.

To post an article, you have to register on the site. Once you register, you can select "Post a story," "Post an event," or "Photo Gallery" on the top of the home page. The site will walk you through the process from there.

Do you have any advice on writing a story?

Remember the five W's:

Who: Who is your story about? Don't forget to include names and other relevant identifying information. Also, identify yourself, the writer. Include your name, occupation, title, where you live or work or any other information that would be relevant considering your topic.

What: What is the main point of your story? Make sure you have a sentence or paragraph that really drives your point home.

When: When did this happen? If you're letting us know about an upcoming event, don't forget to tell us when it is – be specific with the date and time ("Wednesday at 8" doesn't help much …which Wednesday? 8 a.m. or p.m.?).

Where: Give us specific locations, including an address if there is one.

Why: Why is the person doing whatever it is you're writing about? And why is it important? What makes it unique and essential — or simply fun?

Be descriptive but concise. Your story can say a lot without overusing flowery language. Instead of telling us an event was "charming and delightful," describe the details that made it so (perhaps there was an entertaining speaker, unusual decorations, or activities that were unique). Think about how restaurants present a menu – instead of describing a dish simply as delicious, they give specific details like: Grilled and braised pork loin with wild mushroom sauce, sautéed potatoes, braised endive, and spinach (Okay, pork loin and spinach might not be your thing, but you get the idea… make our mouths water!)

Mostly, have fun. You don't have to write like a journalist – that's not the point of this. Do be accurate, but write in your own voice and tell your own story.

Will my story be edited?

Though we do monitor stories for objectionable content (content must be suitable for a family newspaper; we are not going to ban a posting simply because we don't agree with an opinion piece), we do not edit stories online too much, except for major spelling and grammatical faux pas. We do, however, edit stories for grammatical mistakes or spelling errors if we print it in The Booster.

When will my story appear online?

Stories go live on the site after Managing Editor Kristy Elik has approved it. She looks over stories several times a day.

What size photos should I post?

Size does matter here. The bigger the photos, the better, so post as high resolution photos as you can. It takes a little longer, but it will make a huge difference if your photo is published in The Booster. (While a low-res photo might look fine online, by the time it gets to newsprint, it may be unrecognizable.) The minimum sizes we look for are 200 dpi or 1 meg. If this means nothing to you, just set your camera to the highest resolution setting possible and snap away. You should be in good shape.

Do you have any photo tips for me?

The most important advice is to post high resolution photographs (see above). Other things to keep in mind are photos where the subjects are active and where we can see people's faces are generally more interesting than pictures of folks standing around. Pictures with people in them tend to be more interesting than ones of just a storefront, etc., but remember to try and position the subjects (or yourself) so that it doesn't look like they plants or poles growing out the top of people's heads. Also, remember to give a descriptive photo caption and let us know who took the picture!

How many pictures can I post to the site?

As many as you want in the photo gallery. One per story.

How long can my story be?

There is no size limit for the story online. We do reserve the right, however, to shorten a story for publication (and probably will if it runs more than about 250-300 words).

How are stories selected for print?

We try to select stories of general interest that are really local. If you are interested in being in the print section, it's best to include high resolution photos with your entries and be very descriptive in your stories and in photo captions (including who is in the photo and what are they doing).

How do I find a particular post?

There is a search window at the top of the page. Type in a few keywords (try the subject of the post or the author's name if you know it) in the box and hit "go."

How long will my post remain online?

Indefinitely. As of now, we have no plans to time stories out.

Is there an age limit for posters?

No, but we do hold all posters to standards suitable for a family newspaper.

Can I edit my stories after I post them?

…afraid not. If you notice a major mistake after posting, contact us and we can make a change for you (our contact information is below). You also can add a comment below your story to get the correct information out immediately.

Why do you ask for my e-mail address in the registration process?

From time to time we may need to contact you to get information about a story you post (for example, in case you forget an important detail) or to convey site information.

Who can I call with questions?

Call the editor at 905-273-8234 or e-mail at info@thebooster.ca.