Contributor FAQ

Click your question to jump to an answer.

How do I get a username and password?
How do I change my password and fill out my profile?
How do I post stuff?
What are the image requirements?

How do I get a username and password?

For now, usernames and passwords are set up manually. Just send us what you want your username to be, and we’ll get you started. We will give you a temporary password, which you should change when you log in.

PLEASE READ: Your username cannot be changed after it’s set, so choose wisely. Before you choose, consider that you may change your display name at any time. Your display name appears in your byline and below your posts with a short bio. Your username, however, appears in your custom URL like so: stuffwriterslike.com/members/username.

If you have any questions, email us at contribute<AT>stuffwriterslike.com.

How do I change my password and fill out my profile?

We’re currently working on slick-ifying the profile page template. The goal is to make it similar to that of LinkedIn, but customized for writers. Hope to have it ready soon. Check out the wire frame here:

In the meantime, you can fill out your profile info, including your Starbox  (the short bio that appears below your posts).

Here’s how to edit your profile:

  1. Log in (This will take you to a profile page. [Don’t worry, these pages are being overhauled as you read this].)
  2. In the top bar on the left side of your screen, click Stuff Writers Like. (This will take you to the backend CMS.)
  3. Click Profile in the left column navigation.
  4. You can change your password on this page.
  5. Fill in your details.
  6. Choose your head shot image. If the email you’re using for your profile is linked to a Gravatar account, your Gravatar image will appear by default. If you do not have a Gravatar account or you want to override your Gravatar image, no problem. Simply upload a different one.
  7. Click Update Profile at the bottom of the page to save your changes.

About the Starbox: If you want to promote yourself or, say, your freelance company, your Starbox is a great place to do it.  You will find your Starbox on your profile management page, which you will arrive on after you complete Step 3 above. On that page, under Job Settings, simply enter your Job Title, Company and Company URL. If you don’t have these things, don’t worry—you’re probably not much of a self-promoter, and that’s cool, too. Just leave those three fields blank, and only fill in the biographical info.

NOTES: The profile management page is set up to just add water your info. Please do not change any settings or switches.

If you have any questions, email us at contribute<AT>stuffwriterslike.com.

How do I post stuff?

Once you get your username and password, you can start posting stuff right away.

You have two options on how to submit your stuff. We prefer you to submit it via WordPress. If it’s easier for you, though, you can email a Word doc to contribute<AT>stuffwriterslike.com, and we’ll post it for you.

Here’s how to post via WordPress:

  1. Log in (This will take you to your profile page. [Don’t worry, these pages are being overhauled as you read this. See above PDF mockup.])
  2. In the top bar on the left side of your screen, click Stuff Writers Like. (This will take you to the backend CMS.)
  3. Click Posts in the left column navigation.
  4. Click Add New in the main column.
  5. Write/paste post.
  6. Choose applicable Categories (Be strict with yourself. More is not better. Accuracy is important.)
  7. Choose/create applicable Tags (Don’t duplicate Categories. Again, please don’t go overboard. Three-five tags is usually plenty. Tags are a good place to include a couple of SEO keywords or phrases.)
  8. Click Save Draft—often!—in right column to save your work.
  9. When you’re happy with it and ready to make it live, click Submit for Review, then email us separately at contribute<AT>stuffwriterslike.com with a heads up that you are in fact ready for review. In your email, include any notes like ideas/text for social promotion and/or image suggestions (see additional instructions below).

NOTES: You may add a sub-title/nutgraph (optional but preferred) in the Post Settings below where you post the body content. But please DO NOT change any of the other Post Settings or switches. If you are comfortable with SEO strategies, feel free to fill in those fields, too. Also, your post will need a featured image, which you may provide yourself (if you own it) or get from Flickr.com. If you are familiar with Flickr’s licensing options, feel free to choose a photo with a Creative Commons license and send us its link with your heads-up email. We will check the license, download the image then upload it and add it to your post. If you prefer to let us handle the SEO and/or choose the image, no problem; we’re happy to take care of that for you.

If you have any questions, email us at contribute<AT>stuffwriterslike.com.

What are the image requirements?

All posts require a Featured Image.

There are two rules on images:

  1. Nothing graphic—duh!
  2. It must be decent quality (not grainy or pixelated).

If you do not have your own image—no worries; usually you won’t, I suspect—you may choose one from Flickr.com. If you are familiar with Flickr’s licensing options, feel free to choose a photo with a Creative Commons license and send us its link with your heads-up email when you are ready for us to publish your post. We will check the license, download the image, then upload it and add it to your post. If you prefer for us to choose the image, no problem; we’re happy to do that for you.

Things to know if you are supplying your own image: Featured images are auto-sized, so be sure it’s large enough so it does not appear pixelated when stretched. A width of 500-600px should be OK. Larger is also OK. Don’t worry about height; it is variable based on width.

Please center all other images within your posts.

NOTE: If you try to upload an image and get an error, just email us your photos, and we’ll add them for you. We’re aware of this issue and working on fixing it.

If you have any questions, email us at contribute<AT>stuffwriterslike.com.

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