Social media update
OWPG ’ s Substack
Current News / David Jordan
Social media update
Where to find us
Instagram @ teamowpg
Facebook Outdoor Writers & Photographers Guild
YouTube @ OWPG
Linktree linktr . ee / OWPG
Substack owpg . substack . com
Website www . owpg . org . uk
We have advised followers on X ( formerly Twitter ) that we are moving to Instagram . The X account is no longer active .
OWPG ‘ Socials ’ 101 Some of us thrive , some are daunted – that ’ s social media for you . But it doesn ’ t have to be this way ! Our social media roadmap is aimed at helping you and increasing our reach into the wide world .
Our Instagram account will be our central focus for connecting with each other , organisations , prospective members and partners .
If you are a ‘ Facebook person ,’ don ’ t fret ! Instagram is now linked with Facebook , and they will shadow each other .
Our Instagram profile also sports a Linktree ( or “ link in bio ”). This creates a landing page with multiple links to all our social outlets . Most importantly , it directs potential members to the “ Join Us ” and “ Outdoor Focus ” pages , and potentially to your work if you send us a request for a members showcase !
How we plan to use our social media
• Share Substack pieces on Mondays , encouraging subscriptions
• Member ’ s showcase – biography and examples of their work
• Share Outdoor Focus issues , followed up by individual articles
• Share Zoom programme and advertise upcoming Zooms with reminders and posts to thank speakers
• Share professional and social aspects of the Big Weekend
• Advertise future Awards with posts focused on rules , categories and judges
• Collaborating as much as possible for more reach
Three posts on Instagram will be “ pinned ” ( once posted ): |
1 . |
About OWPG + Why and How to join |
2 . |
Current OF issue |
3 . |
Most Recent News |
Why we need active social media and how can you help Greater exposure for the Guild could bring potential new members and opportunities , such as contracts and member discounts . It can mean more people accessing your work , resulting in more sales and opportunities for you .
For social media to work , members need to interact with our pages regularly . Only content that is liked , shared , and commented-on is filtered and recommended to other social media users . Without it , we will remain invisible on social media , rendering our work futile . You help increase our profile by :
• Following us on social media
• Like and comment on our posts
• Share them in your stories ( Instagram and FB ), repost ( Facebook ), and send them to others via ‘ share ’.
Dee Crute Media Officer
OWPG ’ s Substack
The Guild ’ s Substack newsletter is an online blog , simultaneously showcasing our members and the guild as a whole . It has been running since July , edited and managed by Life Member Jon Sparks and Vice-Chair Ronald Turnbull . It posts on Mondays : every week if there ’ s material available , less often if there isn ’ t . You can see all recent posts online at owpg . substack . com .
So far there have been 19 posts from 12 different members , offering advice on writing and photography , accounts of expeditions , general musings on the state of the outdoor world , or even a tempting extract from one ’ s latest book .
Since we enrolled the members on June 21st , subscribers have risen steadily but slowly from 113 to 148 . Obviously , the more subscribers we have from outside the guild , the more worthwhile it gets for members to display our work in this way ; linking with our Social Media should help here .
So , supposing you ’ d like to , what should you submit ? The quick answer is up to 1200 words , and between 1 and 6 images . Provided there are no copyright issues , this could be an extract from something already published ; or even some of your very finest writing that got rejected by an especially insensitive editor …
And then get in touch with Jon and Ronald via substack @ owpg . org . uk .
Quick Pitching to Conway / Bloomsbury
Our Associate member Conway ( the outdoor imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing ) offered an opportunity to submit quick , one-page book pitches directly to their commissioning editor , with requests for full synopses to follow where appropriate . Last time we ran this exercise with Conway , six of the pitches went through to published books , now reflected in three of this year ’ s Awards for Excellence .
Thirteen book ideas from eleven guild members have now gone forward to Conway . Individual members are of course free to submit direct to Conway themselves , and if two or more want to make a follow up set , we could set that up as too before this particular window closes again . Conway ’ s regular submissions criteria can be found on their website .
Entry-level membership
At the AGM , our Constitution was updated to allow for a new category of membership offered to those at the very start of their careers .
Entry-level membership is time limited , in that it can only be renewed once before moving hopefully on to Full membership , so for a maximum of two years . The subscription is half that for Full members .
If you know anyone who might be interested , please put them in contact with the Membership Secretary , via the How to Join page of our website .
4 OUTDOOR FOCUS Winter 2024 – 25