PokerPages Player Article Writing Guide and Terms

Writing Guide:

The following is a guide that should be followed when writing for PokerPages.com. While this is only a guide, your submission may be edited to conform to these standards without notice.

PokerPages in an online poker portal, that caters to a broad audience. While much of our demographic is made up of novice to intermediate players, they are committed to learning about the world of poker and improving their play. We encourage a diversity of article types, including novice-specific information, playing strategy, trip and tournament reports, analysis, fiction, interviews, professional player profiles, and features.

PokerPages Policies:

1. PokerPages works hard to maintain a constructive and unbiased relationship with all of our industry participants. To this end, urls or references that promote specific online money sites are not allowed. To minimize the potential for any conflict of interest, PokerPages also prohibits the use of urls or references that promote any sites where a writer has a personal interest or affiliation.
2. PokerPages has a policy of zero tolerance for derogatory language relative to gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or handicap.

Submissions:

1. Submission length can vary as we are not under the same constraints as print media outlets. However, articles should generally run from 800 to 1200 words. Articles of significantly longer length than 2000 words should be considered for a multiple-part article or series.
2. PokerPages' current format uses a picture (ideally of the writer), the title of the article, and an article lead-in. We use the first couple of sentences of the article for the lead-in. As the lead-in is used to draw readers, writers are encouraged to develop the first two sentences as a "hook" for the rest of the article.
3. Player articles should be submitted on the form at http://www.pokerpages.com/contact/contact-playerarticles.htm

Style/Terminology:

PokerPages has few guidelines on style, as we appreciate a diversity of voice and perspective.

1. There are few absolutes in poker. As the poker advice adage goes, "It depends." When discussing or analyzing poker strategy, "never" and "always" situations are rare. Stating a strong opinion relative to strategy is encouraged. Representing a strategy as irrefutable or an absolute rule is discouraged.
2. The internet is not capitalized. It has become a "major media" and is treated the same as other major media: television, radio, newspaper, and the internet.
3. Do not underline for emphasis or formatting. On the internet, underlining is used to signify a www link.
4. Poker and casino games are always lower case unless the name of the game includes a proper noun, i.e. Texas hold'em, hold'em, Omaha high, Omaha split, seven-card stud, seven-card stud split, no-limit hold'em, pot-limit Omaha high, poker, blackjack, roulette, craps.
5. For guidance relative to terminology, a good resource can be found at Michael Wiesenberg's The Official Dictionary of Poker at http://www.poker1.com/mcu/dictionary/

TERMS:

The following governs the use and terms of Player Articles:

Rights:

1. The writer grants PokerPages.com the internet rights to post, publish and archive their submission on PokerPages.com and any Planet Ace Gibraltar, Ltd. related sites for perpetuity. PokerPages.com also maintains the rights to utilize, reproduce, and promote the writer's name, likeness, photograph, and biography in connection with promoting the features/offerings of PokerPages.com and Planet Ace Gibraltar. Ltd.
2. PokerPages retains editorial rights to submissions.
3. The writer retains ownership rights to use and reuse submissions in any form, manner or media.
4. Submissions must be the writer's original work. The writer also affirms that they have not sold, granted or conveyed the right to their work to any other person or entity.

Payment:

Generally, there is no compensation associated with Player Article submissions. However, if a "player" writer demonstrates a consistent ability to provide quality content, we would welcome the opportunity to have them pursue a paid writing relationship with PokerPages.com.

Player articles should be submitted on the form at http://www.pokerpages.com/contact/contact-playerarticles.htm