Ilka Kostka, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Over the past few years, I have enjoyed working on the SLW News editorial team as a book review coeditor then managing editor. Lena Shvidko and I have often spoken about writing an article to offer advice to future writers to pass on what we have learned as editors. The goal of this article is to share some tips for interested writers and encourage our SLWIS membership to write for our newsletter.

1. Become Familiar With the TESOL Newsletter Genre

Before publishing any kind of text, it is important to become familiar with the newsletter’s content and style. This is especially true for TESOL newsletters, as they are a unique genre. Authors who are interested in publishing for SLW News are encouraged to read through the newsletter archives, which can be accessed by both members and nonmembers, and also look at other newsletters within the association. It is also important to adhere to the submission guidelines. Articles that exceed the word limit may not be accepted if editors anticipate too much significant revision. The submission guidelines also help provide guidance about the types of articles that are welcome and what word limits are.

2. Bring Your Experiences Back to the Newsletter

Some authors believe that they must submit an article about an original piece of research or a pedagogical innovation in order to publish an article in SLW News. This is not the case! Articles that summarize experiences at a professional conference, workshop, or webinar you recently attended are always welcome. Teachers are busy people, and not everyone has the opportunity to participate in the varying professional development activities that occur throughout the year due to time, schedule, and budget constraints. Let your colleagues know about the event you attended and what you learned from it or your future plans for professional development. For an example of a conference preview, please read Katherine O’Meara’s article about the 2019 Symposium on Second Language Writing.

3. Have a Colleague or Friend Read Your Article Before You Submit

This is a piece of advice that I give my students and essentially anyone who is preparing a manuscript, abstract, or presentation slides, among others. When we are working on the same text for a while, our eyes get tired and cannot easily see areas for improvement. Sharing work with someone else is a valuable way to receive feedback and a fresh perspective before an article is submitted for editing. Having initial feedback can also speed up the editing process if major issues are sorted out before submission.

4. Plan Ahead

There are two deadlines per year for SLW News. However, submitting an article for one issue does not guarantee that your article will be included in the issue you intend it to be included in. It is always wise to submit your article early. Articles are included in the order in which they were received or based on the other submissions for a particular issue.

Conclusion

Publishing in a TESOL newsletter is an excellent professional development opportunity, and your submissions keep our interest section vibrant and connected. The submission deadlines are 30 June for the October issue and 10 January for the March issue, so consider working with a colleague or student to share your insights with our second language writing community.