Contact Information:
Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter
514 W. Roosevelt St.
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 253-9140
Email: CanyonEchoSubmissions@gmail.com
Canyon Echo is published by the Grand Canyon Chapter of Sierra Club. This newsletter strives to further the mission and purpose of the national organization and its 2.7 million members and supporters. Our subscribers are concerned about the environment, and many are active within a range of environmental issues. Canyon Echo depends upon volunteer contributions for its content.
Items for Submission
Canyon Echo accepts submissions in the form of feature articles, poems, event listings, essays, diatribes, book reviews, event summaries, artwork, and photos. Each issue of the publication has a theme, but submissions are not required to adhere to that theme.
Our upcoming Canyon Echo issue is Spring 2023. The theme is Agriculture and alternative energy sources.
Winter Issue Submission Deadline: December 1
Spring Issue Submission Deadline: March 1
Summer Issue Submission Deadline: June 1
Fall Submission Deadline: September 1
Submission Format
Submissions for Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter’s newsletter should be sent via email to CanyonEchoSubmissions@gmail.com. For written submissions, please send the item either by pasting the document directly into your email or by attaching it as a Microsoft Word file. You are also welcome to send a typed article to the office on a CD. The preferred file format is Microsoft Word. If you’d like the material returned to you, please provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE).
The preferred format for submitting digital photos is as a jpeg or a tiff file. A higher resolution, at least 200 dpi (at size), is required. You can submit photo files electronically or on a CD. We also accept printed photos. If you’d like the CD or photos returned to you, please include a SASE.
Formatting Requests
Articles and Written Work:
Articles must be no longer than 500 words. It is advisable to consult with the editor before writing a piece. The editor can provide guidance on length and content from a planning perspective. In general, feature articles run 300–500 words. Longer articles are difficult to accommodate in the current Echo format.
Please use minimal formatting if you submit the file electronically. Underlining, indenting, and bulleting must be removed prior to layout, after which they can be replaced. If you have ideas or suggestions for the format of your piece, please let the editor know.
Please include only ONE space after a sentence, rather than two. This saves the editor a fair amount of time.
How is the number of words determined?
The number of words in an article, candidate statement, and so forth is as determined by the editor’s word processing software. In Microsoft Word, a word is considered all alphanumeric characters that occur between spaces. For example, “the” is considered to be one word and “antidisestablishmentarianism” is another. “Merry-go-round” is also considered one word. Character length does not matter. Punctuation is not considered a word.
Most word processors have a word-count function. If you are not sure how to determine the word count of your article in the program you use, please contact the editor.
Note: In articles, the 500 word limit only applies to the body of the article; it does not include the article title, author’s name, or author’s tagline. In candidate statements, the candidate’s name and membership number (which appear before the statement itself) are not included in the 200 word limit. In classified ads, every word in the ad applies to the cost and the word limit.
Photographs:
Most photographs require some digital manipulation by the editor before publishing. Photos that start with good contrast (i.e. a balance of light and dark) are best for manipulation.
Electronic files are preferred to hard copies. Digital photos should be high resolution (at least 200 dpi) and at least 4x6” in size.
General Writing Tips and Suggestions
If you would like some guidance with your writing, consider picking up a copy of Elements of Style at your local bookstore or library. It is a great resource for new and experienced writers alike. If you would like feedback or assistance with your writing, please provide a draft to the editor at least a week before the copy deadline. The editor can work with you on your submission. A final draft of the piece is due to the editor by deadline; only minimal changes can be made after that time.
These are some general tips for writing articles:
- Use active, vivid language to engage the reader.
- Avoid gender-specific pronouns whenever possible. Replace with gender-neutral pronouns.
- Aim for the specific rather than the general. Details are a good thing in journalistic writing!
Want an easy way to “get your feet wet” writing for the Echo ? Try writing a short book review or a summary of a recent Sierra Club event.
Creative Commons
When you submit an item for publication in the Echo , you will be asked if you’d like the piece covered under Creative Commons. The Publications Committee encourages Canyon Echo contributors to license their works under a Creative Commons license, which allows for others to copy, distribute, and display your work under certain conditions. To learn more, visit www.creativecommons.org. If you choose the standard, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Creative Commons license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/), the appropriate icons will be included next to your work. A sidebar in the Echo will explain the significance of the icons and include the necessary Creative Commons language and logo.
Upon submission, please indicate how you'd like your Echo contribution licensed:
- Through the Echo's standard Creative Commons license – Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike,
- Through another Creative Commons license (indicate which one), or
- Not through a Creative Commons license (covered instead by standard copyright laws).
Deadlines
The deadline for Canyon Echo is typically the first day of the month preceding the issue to be published; check with the editor for possible schedule changes. Canyon Echo is published quarterly by the Grand Canyon Chapter of Sierra Club. Late submissions are not accepted without prior approval from the editor as they can create timing problems with production of the newsletter. Due to space limitations, some articles may be withheld for future use. Every effort will be made to include announcements and current news in a timely manner.
Policy Concerns
The viewpoints and opinions expressed in Canyon Echo are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official views or polices of Sierra Club. The editorial staff aims to publish copy that further defines and states the policies of the Grand Canyon Chapter of Sierra Club. We are not obliged to publish differing perspectives on various issues as a means for open discussion or debate on matters. Although the editor will often make decisions on whether or not a submission is appropriate, articles are occasionally subject to review by committee(s) for approval or corrections. For example, a controversial piece on a political topic may be reviewed by the political committee, either at the group or chapter level.
Canyon Echo is an advocacy newsletter. It does not follow AP style and is not considered to be a journal or newspaper. We are interested in providing Arizona-related information for our members on a wide range of environmental concerns. We are primarily concerned in defending and promoting the cause of environmentalism as Sierra Club defines the cause. The editor is charged with the responsibility of understanding Sierra Club policy and ensuring that the content of the newsletter promotes Sierra Club viewpoint. This does not imply that the editor will censor opposing viewpoints, although these will be kept to a minimum. The publisher (Grand Canyon Chapter Publications Committee) will make all final decisions regarding layout, design, and content.
Thank you for your interest in Canyon Echo .