Join The Team

If you’re reading these words you’re thinking of joining The Utah Review (TUR). There are a couple of essential items you need to know about contributing to TUR. Firstly, we’re a friendly bunch, just wait until we’ve had our third coffee of the morning before dropping us an email…

Why should I join The Utah Review

Why shouldn’t you? Oh wait you really wanted to know, ok. The Utah Review is a collaborative online magazine put together by some of the best and brightest creative people in Utah. We can offer you a broad, far reaching audience for your work on a platform that reaches 1000’s of engaged end readers.

Bringing You The Best Of Your Utah

That’s our tagline. If your content fits that outline and is related to the arts or lifestyle in Utah, it’s probably a good fit. Reviews, previews, profiles, interviews, best of guides, critiques – you name it – if it highlights something or someone Utah based, our readers want to know about it.

In creating content we ask that you provide original and unique work. Please do not reproduce PR items; it’s ok to quote press releases for pertinent items – but the bulk of the piece needs to be original work. Not only does this help our brand quality but it is also a requirement for some of our news syndication channels like Google News.

How often should I contribute?

Simply put, as little or as often as you like. We’re here first and foremost for the love of what we do, if you don’t love it, don’t do it. Note: you’ll probably love it though.

WordPress

TUR runs on WordPress. As a contributor, you will have your own login to the publishing platform, the ability to write drafts and add media. All that you can’t do is hit the publish button. If you don’t have any WordPress experience, don’t worry, we can teach you. It’s really very simple once you get the hang of it.

If eight tracks and polaroid cameras are more your vibe, we can always take care of the heavy lifting for you as well – you will need to email us your content and photos.

Editing And publishing

Our editorial team (Stuart and Heather) edit content submitted for publishing. In the WordPress interface, when you save your work as ‘pending review’ – the editorial team are notified. From there we review for simple stuff like typos and grammar as well as a range of technical items (tags, links, social, etc.)–but please fill in all these items as part of the WordPress uploading process. We try to follow AP Style.

We also take care of scheduling posts too, so don’t worry if your post doesn’t go immediately live – we see the big picture and want to get your content the best possible exposure. Finally, we also take care of publishing your content across our social media accounts not to mention shipping the content to potential interested third parties.

Money money money

We do not presently pay our contributors for their work. Think of us as Ebenezer Scrooge hoarding his money in his frigid, solitary confines. Actually, we only have about fifteen dollars in the account, so don’t get too jealous just yet.

In 2018 we began accepting advertising from local arts organizations. These funds currently help to support the operation of the site: software licenses, backup costs, printing etc. We do hope to be able to begin paying our freelance writers as we onboard more advertisers over the next 12 months. But…

Media connections

We have very good connections within the local media and PR communities. If you need a hookup to get access to an event, product, business or personality – just let us know. Bank vaults are about the only things we can’t get you into (see above notes re: funds). We have been credentialed media for a range of local events – everything from the Sundance Film Festival through to Outdoor Retailer.

If it’s happening, we can probably get you in for free, with a shiny badge and maybe a glass of free wine too. That’s one of the perks of contributing to TUR. If you do receive a freebie, please mention this at the end of your article, e.g. “tickets to the show we’re provided courtesy of blah blah blah”. Not only is this exceptionally good form, karma and ethics – it’s also something on the FTC’s radar.

Content ownership

* TUR has ‘first rights of publication’ on any material created with the intention of publishing via TUR.

* After publication TUR enjoys an initial 30 days exclusive rights to photography and an initial 90 days exclusive right to written content.

* Following the expiry of these dates, the TUR retains unrestricted right to continue using the published content (via our website/s, our social networks and any future offline print media) regardless of the contributors future use of the work.

* It is the contributors obligation to inform any potential future user/buyers of their content of the existing rights already held by TUR.

* This does not extend to content we do not publish.

Urgh. We know. That sounds like we want your first born too. It’s not as horrible as it sounds. As an online magazine, all we have is the exclusivity and value of our content. Reproduction in full elsewhere can hurt our search engine rankings, our branding and our value to readers; as a result we’re very cautious that all your hard work is handled carefully and with the respect it deserves.

Please note: we’re generally happy for our contributors to re-use their own and others work (in part) – but please do ask first so we can review this.

Share retweet and like

Please help get the word out that you are writing for us by sharing, tweeting, posting, etc. what you write once it’s been published.

And, where other contributors create something you like, please do share with your own friends, followers and social platforms as makes sense. Spreading the good word about TUR helps us grow our readership to dizzying new heights that benefits everyone. Shout from the top of Mount Olympus if you think it will help.

O.k. that sounds quite cultish, don’t be afraid, we don’t gather in advance of any passing comets, ready to meet our makers.

I’m ready

If you see anything here that you don’t agree with or don’t understand please let us know. Otherwise we’ll take your silence as agreement that everything is fantastic. If you’d still like to join us at The Utah Review, and bring the best of Utah to our readers, please email us at contactus@theutahreview.com with a sample of your work. Whether you’re a writer, web developer, photographer or podcaster, we’re always looking for creative folks to join our team.

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