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Navigating the Guild
Updated - 05.06.07

Guild Home

This is the first thing you should see upon entering the Guild. It's our front page, and is where we post general announcements. Right now, it has a list of things to be added to the guild, but eventually it should have a general welcome message, and some basic instructions directing you here.

Guild Forum

HEADQUARTERS - This is where the most discussion takes place. If you have suggestions, questions, or just want to talk, this is the best place to go.

VISITOR'S CENTER - The Answer to Almost Everything is at your fingers--a one-stop guide for understanding The Gaian Press.

CURRENT ISSUE - Here lies the latest issue, for those who have trouble finding it in the Writer's Forum. It stays here until the next issue is out, then gets moved to The Archive.

IDEAS - Call it a drop-box for ideas and/or suggestions, if you will. Anyone is free to post.

THE ARCHIVE - Feel like catching up on your reading? Here are all the issues of The Gaian Press since day one.

THE GALLERY - Our imaging archive--where we keep our headers and banners and sigs. Please feel free to partake and/or contribute!

HIRING - If you're interested in acquiring a staff position with The Press, here's where we list what's currently open, and what we're specifically looking for. (See also the How To... post in this thread.)

Subforums

Staffies At Work

This is currently our only subforum. If you're not planning to join our staff, you don't need to pay much attention to it. It pretty much is what it sounds like. Some essential threads exist for organizing the coming drafts, as well as threads for individual staff members.

THE DRAFT - This is where we gather the month's issue, bit by bit.

THE OASIS - If we have an over-flow of great submissions, the extras go here. These generally don't need editing, and can be added to the next draft as-are.

THE MOUNDS - Here are the rest of the submissions that didn't quite make it up to par. Critics are free to feast, but only on those that have given permission to be critiqued. There is a chance that some of these pieces, if they have been edited enough, may move on to The Oasis.

LA REVUE - Our gathering of reviews, both used and unused. Think of it like a monthly grab bag for our La Revue section of the issue.

WRITER'S AIDE - Articles for our Writer's Aide section go here. Pretty self-explanatory. If you'd like to write an article for this section, just submit it to our monthly submissions thread for consideration. (See the How To... post for more details.)

CRITIC'S CORNER - Critiques are gathered here to be publish in The Gaian Press.

AUTHOR INDEX - Simply a categorized listing of titles and authors with links to profiles, so that we can keep track of who, what, which, and where.

THE WATCH - Here is where we discuss accepted advertisements and affiliations.

FAQs
Updated - 05.06.07

Submission FAQs

Q: How can you guarantee my story won't be stolen?
A: We can't. If you're really worried, however, you could send it by PM to a staff member so that it remains out of the public eye until it is (possibly) published, but after that, we have no say in the deeds of desperate idiots. Sorry!

Q: Is there a limit to how long my piece can be?
A: We do not have a length limit for submissions, but trust you to use your judgment. In other words, if it is outrageously long, we may either ask you to shorten it --or simply ignore you.

Q: How many pieces can I submit?
A: As many as you like. Just follow the posting guidelines for each submission and keep all of the above in mind.

Q: I was just in the last issue/have been published by GP before/won BOI. Can I submit again?
A: Of course you can. You can get published as many times as you earn it.

Q: I entered my piece in a separate contest/posted it on another website/used this piece somewhere else. Can I still submit it?
A: Yep. Please do. We want your work to get as much exposure as it can. wink

Q: I submitted a piece a long time ago, but I've never seen it published. Should I submit again? Do I just suck?
A: You certainly don't just suck! Most likely your piece just got lost in the Mounds. With the guild switch, we've pretty much abandoned all our old submissions, since most of them are really old anyway. Submit again, and see what happens.

Q: I submitted something, but now it's just sitting in your Mounds. It's been there for a few months. What's wrong?
A: There are a few possibilities here. First off, it's possible we just haven't gotten to it yet. We only have so much room each issue, and we usually try to group like-things together, or vaguely maintain themes for each month (like, not publishing winter poems in the middle of summer, etc.). It's also possible that there was a problem with the submission itself. Either it wasn't edited well, it was too long, or some other such little problem. If you think this is the case, feel free to contact us and provide an edited or shortened version.

Application FAQs

Q: I applied to be staff awhile ago, but no one ever responded to my pm.
A: This is actually a current problem. The old guild tells you to pm applications to our former Editor-in-Chief. However, she's retired from Gaia, and as a result none of use can the applications, or change the front page of the old guild. That's one of the reasons for the guild change. If you think this happened, please submit again in the Hiring thread.

Q: I want to be staff, but I don't know if I can keep up a regular column, or something like that.
A: That's alright, we don't just need columnists. Scouts don't have to do any of their own work, and we always need people to help advertise the Press, help find new submissions, or just help out around the guild.

Q: I have a great idea for a column, but I don't if it's been done already, or if anyone but me would think it was good.
A: The best way to find out is to give us a shout in the HQ. We love brainstorming columns and the like, and I'm sure we can help you fine-tune it.

Q: I want to write a column, but I don't know what to write about.
A: Again, the best way to find out is to ask us on the HQ. You don't have to be on staff to drop in and chat!

The Gaian Press: Past, Present, and Future
Updated - 05.06.07

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