Coastal communities and even private citizens have been nurturing the CoastalGuide as their own ''online magazine'' since 1995. The CoastalGuide now has content web pages numbering well into the thousands. Contributors range from professional writers, to book and magazine publishers, to community organizations, to museums, to state agencies, to interested individuals. ...here's how...
Any individual or organization is free to contribute --or invite others to contribute-- materials on your community's behalf...we'll make room for anything "the locals" (past & present) value about their heritage. Suitable attractions, events, histories, tales, and lore about the region will be included in our pages. There is NO CHARGE.
Submitted articles do not have to be professional or about a "significant" topic. One of our popular sections is history "From Memory" ....where locals recount how it was 1, 2, or 3 generations ago. Certainly, we need Civil War history and stories......but it is Uncle Jack's recollections of "the old days" that are more likely to be lost over time. For some examples, of pro, semi-pro, and amateur, see:
- Elizabeth City, NC...a waterfront history
- A Boy In the 40s
- Knotts Island, NC....just great!
- Elizabeth City, NC...Civil War
When contributing:
- FIRST THINGS FIRST... Send us an email describing what you have in mind. There is a possibility that it may already be on the sites.
- Do not send the URLs of a related site assuming that we will simply link to it.
- This is a commercial project; do not use copyrighted material or photos without the owner's permission. Whenever possible, document that permission in writing and forward it to the address of record. An email granting permission is usually acceptable, provided it is from a verifiable address.
- Be sure the facts are well-documented. If you are uncertain of a fact, then state that it is "generally believed," "assumed," etc. We have released CoastalGuide copyright to the NC Dept. of Public Instruction, The National Science Foundation, and several other educational resource sites so that the schools may download our histories and use them for reference. This is not to say that Tall Tales aren't encouraged...they most certainly are! Just be sure the reader can tell which is which.
- Please send digital images. We do not scan photos that are to go along with an article as we cannot take responsibility for the possibility of loss.
- Again, always advise us prior to sending. To protect against viruses, all files from an unauthorized or unknown source will be deleted without being opened.
