How to Submit News Tips or Write for Patch in Millburn-Short Hills

Ever wonder how news organizations get their stories?

Submitting news tips, press releases or community announcements for your local Patch site is easy… Just follow the below tips!

SUBMIT NEWS TIPS OR PRESS RELEASES

Send all news-related tips or press releases to Eric Kiefer, Patch Editor, eric.kiefer@patch.com

Including small attachments is fine, but PLEASE include all pertinent information directly in the body of your email (so it can be easily “cut and pasted”).

One high-quality photo or image may be included (preferred format is a .jpg).

[Click here for a good tutorial on how to send a press release]

PATCH CONTRIBUTOR FAQ

More of a “take-charge” type of person? Want to get a post online, ASAP? Or maybe you’re looking to get some great writing experience while simultaneously fostering community spirit in your hometown?

Patch is actively seeking volunteer contributors, and it’s never been easier to post your own story to your local town site. Get started on your first article now with the below FAQ instructions and links!

Note: While you don’t need permission to make a post, submissions/posts are subject to review by the editor.

Here’s how you can become a contributor for your local Patch site! (One login works for all PATCH sites nationwide).

1) Sign in to your free account at Patch — http://contribute.patch.com

2) Click “+ Contribute to Patch” in the upper right corner of the page.

3) Assign your community in the right corner of the page. You will need to start typing the name of your community and it will appear. Click it when it appears to “assign it.”

4) Enter your title, article text (including a summary) and add a photo. Don’t see a preview? Don’t worry. Make sure it says “image received” under the photo box.

Writing Tips: Don’t use all caps - Readers just won’t click on posts that are written in all capital letters. Do capitalize the first letter of each word in the headline only. Also remember, you are sharing the News categories with editors. Publish once a day, please!

5) Click “Publish” — Be patient, you may not see your article at once. Do not publish it more than once, or you will see it appear many times.

6) You can now edit your story while you are reading it. If you are on your local Patch and are looking at one of your stories, click on the small “P” icon next to the dateline. Click that to access “Moderation Mode.” You will be brought back to contribute.patch.com to make your edits or deletions.

7.) You’ll notice that your blog categories are no longer on Patch. So how do you find all your content in one place on your local Patch? Click your byline to be brought to your profile page on Patch. The link will look like this: http://patch.com/users/user-name ... That is your new “home” on Patch and where all your readers can find your content!

8.) If you have any questions or concerns about the user program, please email: moderation@patch.com … If you have a technical issue (example: you can’t login or are finding a dead link on the site), please submit a ticket at: http://support.patch.com

Have a question or comment? Contact Eric Kiefer, editor, Eric.Kiefer@Patch.com