i2P.com.au welcomes unsolicited contributions from interested persons.
The best way to pitch ideas and submit articles is by email to: neilj@computachem.com.au.
Include your name, contact details, a short profile and an author headshot (100 x 100 pixels, jpeg file).
Please help us cut down on editing time by submitting articles in MS Word.
Copyright remains with the author, and articles may be reproduced elsewhere but we ask that i2P.com.au is attributed with first publication.
Avoid jargon, dot points, numbered paragraphs and unexplained acronyms.
Please provide hyperlinks to any documents, media reports or websites to which the article refers.
NO footnotes, but please provide references as links or citations.
Please assume you are writing for a non-expert but engaged readership, here and overseas.
A short biographical note should be included. Anonymity, if essential, will be protected.
Suggestions for illustrations are welcome.
You must warrant that your work is original, has not been published elsewhere (including online), does not breach copyright nor defame any person.
i2P.com.au will not publish material that is untrue, seeks to defame or unnecessarily distorts an issue.
We seek submissions on innovation, new developments, political and social issues in Australian Pharmacy and the world – writing that is witty not whingeing, independent not ideological, brave not bland.
Pitches for articles are welcome.
Unsolicited pieces can be submitted to a maximum length of 1200 words, an ideal length being 600-800 words.
Illustrators and cartoonists are also encouraged to submit their work.
i2P represents a forum where any pharmacist, or any other person with a valid interest in pharmaceutical affairs, can deliver a considered commentary to the leaders of the Pharmaceutical Profession and the Pharmaceutical Industry at large.
In this way you are able to influence decision-making in a unique way.
The site has a high hit rate.
i2P and its precursor, Computachem E-Newsletter, has been published and distributed electronically since February 2000.
It is an e-magazine of opinion, style and solutions, and is gradually extending its writer base (and distribution), globally.
It was also the first e-magazine produced for the pharmacy profession in Australia.
Editorial policy is simple at i2P:
You are not directed how to write any of your material, but if requested, the editor will assist in helping you choose a suitable topic, or expand your basic set of ideas.
You are not restricted as to topic, so long as it can be related in some way back to pharmacy.
You will however, need to obtain approval from any copyright holders for any text or images that you wish to have published.
Your own material is copyrighted as from the date of publication and we generally allow free usage by others, provided acknowledgement is made, and permission of the writer is sought separately from i2P management.
Material that contains libel will not be published. It will be referred back for amendment.
If an individual named within your writing is being criticised, it is ethical practice to offer a right of reply.
If the party named will not respond, then the fact that an offer was made should be included in the article text.
In such instances, always endeavour to provide solutions and alternatives, to what you see as a poor decision process.
Articles critical of policies of Industry or professional organisations, are fair game. Again, always endeavour to present solutions to balance the criticism.
Some authors like editor comment or interaction to back up their article.
This is always available on request.
Grammar and spelling will always be checked, and edited, if faulty.
Advertorials are permitted within articles, but are limited and must only occupy a small part of the content, unless they serve an educational purpose, or offer a unique solution.
ARTICLES
The ideal article should be 600-800 words, although there is no real restriction on length. However, if the article is 1200 words or more, it may be more practical to run it over two or more consecutive editions.
Language should be kept simple within each article, and when you commence one article, it should be planned as one of a series, so that your thoughts develop within logical pathways.
References should be quoted where appropriate and links to other supporting web pages should also be illustrated.
Avoid jargon, dot points, numbered paragraphs and unexplained acronyms.
Please provide hyperlinks to any documents, media reports or websites to which the article refers.
NO footnotes, but please provide references as links or citations.
Please assume you are writing for a non-expert but engaged readership, here and overseas.
All your material is automatically archived and available with each publication.
WRITING FOR OTHER PUBLICATIONS
There is no restriction if you wish to write for another publication, other than the material that is published in i2P not be directly published in other publications simultaneously, or ahead of i2P publishing your material.
Material published in i2P is generally unique to i2P which is why we have a specific readership that we do not wish to dilute in any way.
You must warrant that your work is original, has not been published elsewhere (including online), does not breach copyright nor defame any person.
i2P.com.au will not publish material that is untrue, seeks to defame or unnecessarily distorts an issue.
We seek submissions on political and social issues in Australian Pharmacy and the world – writing that is witty not whingeing, independent not ideological, brave not bland.
Generally, if the same article is requested to be published in another publication at the same time, no barriers would be imposed if it was to be a “one off” and i2P was acknowledged in the article heading.
GRAPHICS
Where possible, the use of graphics is encouraged, to brighten up the page and illustrate your article. We standardise on the jpeg format, but we do have the capability to convert from other formats to jpeg.
jpeg is the “lightest” format and opens reasonably fast.
Remember that too many graphics will slow down your page opening, so this can be counter-productive.
A graphic image of yourself also helps to create an identity for your page.
ARTICLE PRESENTATION
If possible, your article should be presented as an e-mail attachment of a Word document. Text should be 10 point Ariel, if possible.
Formatting is lost when it is transferred to a web page in HTML code, and for this reason it is requested that the use of “tables” be kept to a minimum within your presentation (tables have to be reconstructed separately and are tedious to manage).
OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK AT SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
i2P writers are held in high esteem, and are often contacted to be keynote speakers or to present material that is unique to the writer.
If you wish to be included in this list, please advise the editor.
A BRIEF PROFILE
If you could provide a brief profile and an updated photograph of yourself, this will be published in the Author’s Index, where your information and a list of your past articles are published.
The link to this page is useful to describe your writing activities if ever you have to update a resume’.
DEADLINES
This depends on when the writers wish to see their work published. Usually, a seven-day period is requested i.e material sent and received by i2P today would appear up to seven days later. However, if urgency is needed, earlier publication could be arranged.
INTERACTION WITH OTHER WRITERS
You are free to interact with any of the i2P writers, through the contact details given on site or through a common email address managed by the editor at (adsl4d5l@tpg.com.au ). This is encouraged.
You are also free to disagree in article format or in the comments panel located at the foot of an article with any other writer within i2P, because alternative perspectives are often necessary to debate a topic for best effect.
Your reciprocation is also encouraged.
INTERACTION WITH SUBSCRIBERS
This may occur through the editor, or direct to writer, by subscribers.
Most commonly, subscribers will contact you privately.
Leaders of our profession are competitive, aggressive and cynical.
It goes with the patch.
On occasion, you may be contacted by one or more of the “power brokers” within the profession, to persuade you to write from a particular perspective.
It is your choice as to how you respond, and if you need help or advice, then please communicate directly with the editor if unreasonable pressure is exerted.
Do not be disappointed if direct feedback from subscribers is not voluminous.
I can assure you that whenever we publish well written and well-researched material, the “hit counter” starts to climb rapidly.
You are definitely “read”.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE i2P PUBLICATION
The editor always welcomes any new ideas and comments to improve the appearance of the publication, or its direction.
While there are limitations on cost and time, whatever can be incorporated will be taken on board. Remember, we are not for profit and the entire cost of the publication is carried by the editor.
The current policy of i2P is to maintain the publication as a free one, and not carry paid advertising.
Consideration to changing this policy is always under review and we may get to a point where this may have to occur.
We sometimes carry advertorials, mainly for pharmacists or pharmacy-related people wishing to publicise some specific IT or other pharmacy related project that they may be involved with.
If they are Australian or New Zealand pharmacists/citizens, then we are happy to do it.
We may also publicise conferences and workshops free of charge, particularly if one of our writers is presenting.
HOW YOU CAN HELP FURTHER
For the moment, each writer will assist greatly just by being prompt with article copy.
Late copy plays havoc with efficient production, but more than that, it interferes with the limited time I allow for family and relaxation.
When I get complaints from the “managing director with the falsetto voice” I know I must jump to attention or suffer the consequences.
Neil Johnston
Editor