Do you have a tip for a story Neutral Ground News should cover? Read on, fwend!
This boring information lays out what NGN does, who we are, and what it is that we expect from submitters who hope to grace our pages with whatever twisted ideas they come up with for a story.
What We Do
We publish what you might call “imitation” or “fake” news, whether it be based on parody, satire, or just plain ol’ rumor-milling. We’ve had tons of people send us legitimate news, but we’re not a legitimate source—at all. We make up things. In fact, we make up a lot.
Who We Are
Neutral Ground News is a satirical online entertainment publication that focuses primarily on the people, places and things in the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas. This website is for an immature audience 18+ years of age. We’re staffed by individuals who may or may not have been dropped on their heads as babies or inadvertently inhale dangerous fumes in their spare time. Either way, our writers possess a unique outlook on the world — often one that does not align with reality and which some readers may find amusing-ish.
What We Expect
Think you have a great idea for a NGN story? We’d love to hear how not right you in the head you are. Send us a short outline of your idea that’s about 150-250 words, give or take, NOT the full story. Our best stories are typically short and sweet with a great headline that draws readers in. Include a few headline options with your outline.
Getting To It
Browse our content to get a taste of what works well. Most submissions we receive miss the mark entirely, so it’s useful you’re familiar with our style.
Read this if you’ve never written satire before – http://www.nottheonion.com/howto.cfm
➢ Brilliant Headline – The headline is everything. If it is funny and a joke in itself, it will get shared, and that’s the aim.
➢ Topical – It should chime or connect with New Orleans or Louisiana current events, people, or culture in some form or fashion. See trending topics on Twitter, or the front pages of legitimate news sites for inspiration, both local and national. Stories don’t necessarily need to be satirical; it can just something you’ve experienced and think would be funny. Some of our best pieces have been stories about a flying roach being shot and burned in a Mid-City home invasion or a report on how 750,000 king cake babies are abandoned every year. Whatever you choose, it MUST be original content you have created, has not been used elsewhere, and does not have a copyright.
➢ Sharable – The content must hit the mark for people to both share and like on Facebook, among other social media. This drives and increases readership, and is one of the toughest aspects of developing articles.
➢ Don’t Be Too Clever! – We all pat ourselves on the back when we think we write something clever or funny. But, unfortunately, it usually doesn’t get read by anyone else or gain any traction. You really have to be critical with yourself and look at your idea objectively.
➢ Picture This – Sometimes, a picture can tell the whole story. Think about what imagery would go with your story. What would the featured image be? Are there any in-story images to help enhance the piece?
Unfortunately, we can’t accept every piece that is submitted. If the editorial team feels an idea will not run well or doesn’t fit our expectations we won’t use it. We will not read submissions that do not follow these rules. We cannot guarantee a response to unsolicited submissions.
If you don’t see the form, please send an e-mail with your suggestion to submit@neutralgroundnews.com.