Regional Interest Sites Online
by Susan J. Letham
Regional interest sites are appearing online in increasing numbers. When I say "regional interest", I don't mean commercial tourism sites, which have been around for a while now. What I mean are citizen-centred sites, where local people can share knowledge and impressions of their home region with the rest of the world. These sites are the online equivalent of the community news rag, the historical society and local writers' group, all rolled into one. Like their paper and ink counterparts, they are promising places to offer your work to and can play an important role in getting you initial exposure and publishing experience.
Most local or regional interest sites feature both fiction and non-fiction contributions. The larger regional interest sites, like larger newspapers, may also pay for your articles and stories, though this is the exception rather than the rule at this time.
So what can you write for a local interest site? Here are a few start-up ideas.
Local Legends
Investigate local stories and legends. You may come up with some new and interesting detail, slant or speculation to do with an old story. If the story relates to a building or site, visit the place and soak up impressions to include in your story or article.
The Good Old Days
Write about 'the way things used to be'. Talk to people, especially elderly people, and ask their opinions about what has changed in their lifetime. Share these impressions with younger people and ask them for their thoughts. Contrast the various points of view.
Local Cuisine
Does your region have its own particular cuisine, style of building, traditional costume, or geographical features? Are there past or present celebrity residents you can write about or interview? Are there distinct communities or projects within your community that you can report on - a monastery, an anti-poverty co-operative, a farmer using alternative agriculture methods?
Paradise Lost
Has any part or aspect of your community disappeared in the past years? Was a village flooded as part of a water reservoir project? Ask the former residents to tell you about it. This could result in either an 'in the past' or a 'social study' story.
Reminiscences
If you moved away from your home town to live elsewhere, what was it like growing up there and what, if anything, do you miss? What are the differences between where you grew up and where you live now?
If you think this is the kind of writing that might interest you, it's worth checking out particular local or regional interest websites over a period of time. Try to get a feel for the themes, style and length of article they publish. Once you have written and edited your work, approach the editor with your story, or better several stories or articles and query their interest.
Don't be put off if you are asked to rewrite or if the website doesn't publish your initial offering. Editors are very busy people and often receive more submissions than they can publish. Ask if there are upcoming specials or themes, and try your skill with those.
I hear many voices that mourn what they see as the loss of community spirit. Some of them attribute this loss to modern communication and the web. Writing for local and regional interest sites is one way to make a positive contribution to your community. It can give people the message, that while we are indeed well on our way to becoming a global society, we can still use the web to make valuable contributions to our local communities.
© 1999 Susan J. Letham
Susan J. Letham is a British writer, multimedia author,
and
Creative Writing lecturer. Visit Inspired2Write and sign
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E-mail: susan.letham@inspired2Write.com
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