How the site works

We accept news stories and opinion or editorial stories from the public or journalists. When you register for the site, you can choose any username. Please select first and last name for your byline where it asks you for the name the public will see. Your story can be text, text with images, a video or audio file.

Use the WordPress author box to write and submit your story. Note that we include a link to Kalura video so you can even create a re-mix and submit that. Your story goes into a “pending” queue where our editors will review and publish it. They may contact you if we need more information.

To get the most viewers for your video, post it on youtube or blip.tv or a service like that and then embed it in our site. More people may happen on your video that way. Once your story is published, please publicize it by using the “Share This”, “Post to Windy Citizen” buttons as well as your own Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites. When you bring readers to your story, you benefit, and so does Chicagotalks.org. If you want to know the user statistics on your story, contact Barbara at citizenjourno@gmail.com.

We recommend that you try installing Zemanta, a semantic search add-in to your browser. It will suggest links, tags, and even give suggest images which may fit your story. An image will enhance a text story. Be sure to add hyperlinks to your writing. If you mention an alderman, an organization, a band, a museum, etc. be sure to make a link to the website. If you talk about a neighborhood, provide an address or street names, so that the story can be geo-located (put on our story map.) Thanks so much, we love your creativity and ideas.

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