Tips for contributing to Ridgeback Student Voices

Hi, my name is Sylvia and I’m a Ridgeback Student Voices Crew Member! In my time with Ridgeback Student Voices, I’ve written a variety of articles and have been through the editing process with students many times. Here are some tips I have if you’re looking to contribute to the Ridgeback Student Voices but don’t know where to start.

What are you most passionate about? 

via GIPHY

All of my Ridgeback Student Voices articles are a direct reflection of something that was happening in my life at the time. This I find is the easiest way to generate an idea! Simply think, what have I been up to? What have I been watching, doing, listening to, etc? For example, I wrote the article “13 times Rory Gilmore was me during midterm season" because I was super into Gilmore Girls… and you guessed it because it was midterm season! 

Write from your perspective 

Giving advice or tips are great and even better when it’s intertwined with your own experience. 

For example, when giving self-care tips instead of saying “you should read a book to unwind”, tell us about what books you’re reading and tailor your tips to fit things you do in your day-to-day life. Using words like “I, my” instead of “you, yours” is a great way to accomplish this. 

Get creative 

GIFs

As you’ve seen in this article we love GIFs and encourage their use of them! They’re a great way to add some personality to your article.

Images 

Images are also an awesome addition to any article. Feel free to take and include your images! If you’re using images from the web, ensure that they are royalty-free. A great source that I use is Pexels.

Some other ways to get creative are (and are not limited to): 

• Linking Youtube videos 
• Creating a playlist 
• Creating a quiz 
• Developing a podcast episode

Always remember that if you’re using outside sources (videos, websites, etc.) include the URLs or embed codes so that we can add them to your article.

Have fun 

The goal of Ridgeback Student Voices is to give students an outlet to share their experiences and learn from their peers. In accomplishing this goal we want to make sure that you’re enjoying the process as you go through it. While articles may not always be upbeat and can also tackle more serious topics, we hope that by focusing on what you’re passionate about and writing from your unique perspective article writing is a rewarding experience for you. 

Submit an idea 

Visit our creator central to submit an idea today! https://studentvoices.ontariotechu.ca/join-ridgeback-student-voices/become-a-content-creator.php