The 5 Cardinal Rules For Getting Published On Auto Spies

The 5 Cardinal Rules For Getting Published On Auto Spies
Are you a closet journalist, a frustrated literary savant, or simply a piston head without a “real job”? In case you haven’t noticed, 001 is passing out prizes like candy each month for the best submissions. Here is your chance to cash in on immortality, infinite glory, and possibly a pretty cool prize.

Auto Spies receives hundreds of submissions a month. While many are posted, a few are not usually for very simple reasons.

This list of the 5 cardinal rules will help you gain literary notoriety:

1. Check before you post: With so many submissions posted each day, there is a chance that it may have already been posted before.

2. Commentary: Articles sent in with a one or two line blurbs, are typically not published. Give a few insightful lines or include the first few paragraphs of the article. Open ended questions that invite comments will typically lead to active discussion and offer a greater chance of publication.

3. Give credit where credit is due: ALWAYS link back to the original article source or give credit to the originator in the commentary

4. Include a picture or graphic: Articles with appropriate pictures lend interest and encourage others to read your submission.. (A word of advice here is if you see a copyrighted photo do not include that as your picture.) Find another graphic to insert and let the link back to the original article serve as the source for the picture. Out of respect for the originator Auto Spies cannot publish submissions that include copyrighted pictures for the teaser.

5. Be realistic: While everyone wants to share their enthusiasm for their marquee. If you submit 20 posts about the new Skoda V12 sedan, don’t expect all of them to be posted. Auto Spies is about community .Contribution of pertinent articles should be of interest to everyone and relatively unbiased and informative. Language and content of all submissions must remain appropriate. Commentary that’s express interest is to ridicule another group will not be posted. In other words no flame wars.

Now that you have the scoop. Give us your scoops!

LuxuriousLuxurious - 10/5/2006 5:18:00 PM
+2 Boost
That's why your own article about the Mercedes Cl launch in the US was pulled out!!

"3. Give credit where credit is due: ALWAYS link back to the original article source or give credit to the originator in the commentary"



elsupelsup - 10/5/2006 5:41:35 PM
+1 Boost
rule 3 is often not followed, neither by submitters nor by the agents.

We should all work on giving creadit where creadit is due because that is the most important one.

A lot of the rules are hypocritical


Agent009Agent009 - 10/5/2006 10:56:30 PM
+1 Boost
It was removed as soon as it was brought to our attention and the proper source was established. Basically it appeared it was a slightly reworded press release and it was posted. As you are aware not every source can be traced back to the originator. At least when the eroor was mentioned it was corrected. Better than many other sites out there.

Actually that actual incident spurred this posting, to avoid future incidents.


Agent009Agent009 - 10/5/2006 11:11:34 PM
+1 Boost
Actually we just approved 3 and denied 7 because they had no originating link to refer back to.

The two biggest issues are giving credit where it is due and pictures. Those articles are still out there they simply need to be submitted and referenced and only a few paragraphs of the article posted.

If the reader wants more they will link back to the originator to finish the story. The originator will get credit and a hit on their site as well.

If the submission is a repost then only a teaser (enough to generate interest) should be present not the whole article.



webguywebguy - 10/5/2006 6:25:19 PM
+1 Boost
#5 Should be #1. I personally like rational, well informed opinions that stir debate... Well expressed observations of the auto world are more than welcome, to me; even if I wholeheartedly disagree. Just not when the opinions become emotionally based teenage rants from brand obsessed lemmings who dismiss facts that contradict what they feel as mere heresy, and attempt to use The Spies as a podium to prove to themselves that everyone who doesn't buy or like the brand they like is an idiot.

Good opinions do exist here, and I'm very glad AutoSpies is dedicated to bringing those opinions to the attention of readers, thus forming a solid community.



crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/5/2006 6:43:57 PM
+1 Boost
Please!!!

The Flame wars are the ONLY things that keep Autospies interesting. I can get all this news without bias from LeftLane News. If GermanNut or Logical or Chewy or that nutty Will weren't here this site would be boring. Please keep giving me the bias. It challenges me to view things with your perspective.

Let's cut all the blabber about dedicating ourselves to the respectful feelings of varied opinions which are all valuable blah blah blah. Use the 1st Amendment. Have an opinion. State your case. We're not babies here. We can take it.


webguywebguy - 10/5/2006 8:43:25 PM
+1 Boost
Who’s blabbering about "dedicating ourselves to the respectful feelings of varied opinions which are all valuable?" I think you mis-read or misinterpreted the post, so I’ll simplify.

-Opinions(which are always biased in some way) = Good
-Opinions which get people stirred = Good
-Fabricated rantings designed purely to incite flame wars = bad for AutoSpies.
-Admins which filter someone's attempt to commandeer the article submission for their own senseless, poorly conceived OCD brand love = good for AutoSpies.

Comments to news stories are all fair game. Have at it. Be as senseless as you want if you’re ready to take it. Be an idiot or call someone an idiot. Welcome to the Internet; but the news submissions is an AutoSpies podium, of sorts. It will, over time, begin to define the community, and AutoSpies owes it to their community which makes up the site to make sure that one or two obsessed jackasses doesn’t ruin their hard-earned reputation.



crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/5/2006 9:26:56 PM
+2 Boost
Webguy, the fans aren't here to be mouthpieces for car makers, or provide free labor for 001. We're here because we enjoy being here, for ourselves. I don't want to hear about all the rules we're supposed to follow. The fact is, Autospies is lucky to have a community that spends time here. As long as people aren't swearing or violating the law, I really don't want to hear it with the rules. 001 said this is a place for fans. We're the fans. So let us be fans.


Agent009Agent009 - 10/5/2006 11:01:40 PM
+1 Boost
Flame wars will happen, but we are limiting the "Brand "X" is better than brand "Y" because I say so" type of postings. All it seemed to do was upset people when they see the same post over and over again.


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 11:01:31 AM
+1 Boost
Filtering story posts makes a lot of sense.

Filtering unexpurgated comments within posts is dicey. The no-holds-barred aspect of the site is appealing. I've rarely seen that abused. Being annoyed at someone's 1-note responses is a small price to pay for freedom of speech. (Are comments going to be yanked because someone think they're unoriginal? Based on what standard? It's dicey is all.)

Fan is short for fanatic, after all. I personally think blind allegiance to one's ride is a lost-art.


Agent009Agent009 - 10/6/2006 2:29:22 PM
+1 Boost
Comments would only need to be removed if the are threatening towards an individual or have inappropriate language. There is no effort to censor any comment but there is always a need for responses to be civil.


Sauceboy01Sauceboy01 - 10/5/2006 7:41:48 PM
+1 Boost
Notice we've been getting less article updates a day in the past few days?


chewychewy - 10/5/2006 9:44:00 PM
+1 Boost
Why is that?


Agent009Agent009 - 10/5/2006 10:58:52 PM
+1 Boost
Actually they are up overall. Agent 001 is traveling extensively performing undercover work so you see less of his postings.


Agent009Agent009 - 10/5/2006 11:20:45 PM
+1 Boost
Also after Paris most of the big news has slowed down, it will bounce back soon enough though.

Some of our colleagues are only posting two or three articles a day since Paris.

It is an excellent time for some of you to start poking around for unusual stories... Like the “Volvo Passion Wagon” article earlier today.

Even crafting your own submissions posing debatable questions will fire off the discussion. Hey there is another great prize this month and everyone has a clean slate.



Agent004Agent004 - 10/5/2006 11:41:57 PM
+1 Boost
2 Auto Show Galleries in 1 week isn't what I would call a slow down :). Well, not from our end at least, they take a lot of work, we just make it look easy! ;)

The SEMA Auto Show is right around the corner, things are extremely busy then, as it is the biggest show we cover all year long. Plus we're doing video at the show this year, so we should have tons of new products and trends to report on.

Before you know it, it will be January again and Auto Show season will be upon us!


vcowmanvcowman - 10/5/2006 7:51:19 PM
+1 Boost
i agree with cjones


elsupelsup - 10/6/2006 2:21:52 AM
+1 Boost
disquising advertising as news is not very nice.


PlanoA4PlanoA4 - 10/6/2006 3:34:50 PM
+1 Boost
Unless it concerns Toyota recalls! :-0



PlanoA4PlanoA4 - 10/6/2006 8:18:05 PM
+1 Boost
Well no dirt on Toyota lately. And I have been REAL busy with some special projects. So I haven't been able to harrass you as much as i would like.

Trust me if there is dirt out there I will find it... :0


M53RM53R - 10/6/2006 6:19:11 AM
+1 Boost
point 6: stop germannut from posting anything about audi because we know its gonna b baised (towards the superior audi interiors)


MarkMark - 10/6/2006 7:13:30 AM
+1 Boost
Ha!!


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 10:13:33 PM
+1 Boost
You guys wish you had the talent, knowledge and singular passion this individual named GermanNut brings to his work. When he hangs it up, his screen name will hang in the rafters of the garage that is Autospies.


lewissalemlewissalem - 10/6/2006 10:11:01 AM
+1 Boost
I just wanted to thank Autospies for filtering story submissions.

Example of headlines from other so called automotive websites:

"This Is Our Country, This Is Our, uh, Stephen Colbert?"

"Go-fast girl in a '99 Civic EX coupe"

Wannabes!




M53RM53R - 10/9/2006 6:35:58 AM
+1 Boost
*hides under the table* did he leave yet? :p


answeranswer - 10/6/2006 12:30:00 PM
+2 Boost
If the story title does not include the word "sucks" the story should not be put up.

It is important for posters to stick to the proper format as well. People that are posting opinions based upon facts really don't belong here.




elsupelsup - 10/6/2006 1:34:07 PM
+1 Boost
There should be less censorship in the comment section. Why is it bad to mention the other automotive websites/blogs. It seems that you can't refer to any of the competitors without your comment being deleted.


Agent009Agent009 - 10/6/2006 2:31:34 PM
+1 Boost
We don't currently censor links back to our friends. We want to give credit. I personally have never deleted a link back.
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