Getting into a special edition of NT? How?

     Being part of a special edition is a dream of lots of Neopians. Some try every time, but not everyone is selected. Whether it is the Halloween special, the Birthday special or the 50 editions special, what is the secret to having your text published?

     Your specialty

     First of all, what do you do the most? Are you an avatar collector? A stamp collector? A trophy collector? A gallery collector? A restocker? Someone who customizes your pets at least once a month? If you are a trophy collector, it will be easier to write something about games - a guide, for example - than to write about restocking. Of course, it is possible to write about both, but the safe approach might be the best option in such competitive editions.

     You don’t know what your specialty is? It’s never too late to start something new! After some time, you’ll have a great amount of knowledge to help you.

     The theme

     Do you need to write something related to the special edition - for example, writing about spooky food for the Halloween special edition - to be accepted? Well, it may increase your chances, but it is not a must. If you see the previous special editions, some articles are not related to the main theme. It depends on how safe you feel. As a suggestion, if you have enough time, you can write two articles, with one of them being thematic and the other not being one.

     The more, the merrier

     Complementing the previous point: yes, you can send more than one entry. They do not have to be related. They can be from the same category (two articles) or from different ones (one article, one comic, one short story). You are likely to be accepted in the special edition with two articles than with one, therefore If you have time, go for it! Just a reminder: you will not have two entries from the same category published at once. What does it mean? It means that if your article number 1 was already accepted, your article 2 will be rejected, because you will have one article published already, and other people deserve the chance!

     The time

     Send your entry for yesterday! The best time to send your text to evaluation is about a month before the edition is published. Sending it earlier, the article will be noticed by the team earlier, and your chances of being accepted increase. Just be careful: do not send your entry way too early! If you are planning to be part of a 50th special edition, you better send it when the edition ending with 45 or 95 is released. If you send your entry, for example, in the 20th edition, it will be harder to be accepted as it will be forgotten (it may even be not considered)! Depending on your schedule, it is all about planning. Oh, and don’t forget to put “[For edition number]” on your title or comments. Otherwise, you may see your 50th special edition entry being published in the 46th edition. Do not worry. The tag will be removed after it is accepted by the editors.

     Division Time!

     This is a strategy that may not work for every article, but it is worth a try. Make a series of texts of the same “theme”. For example, a series called “The Best Books: From A To Z”, in which every letter is a different text. You should have 26 articles published by the end of the series. Do not forget to make a proper schedule so that the articles are published, let’s say, once in two weeks. If you plan well, one of the editions the article is expected to be posted is a special edition.

     Just one theme?

     Now going back to one of the first suggestions. Thematic entries are more likely to be selected to the special edition. However, what is better than one theme? Two themes! Picture this: a 50th special edition will be released on April 22nd. If you look at the site calendar (in the community page!), you will find out it is the same day of Kougra Day! So, instead of just talking about the 50th edition, insert Kougras in your article, somehow. This strategy is more directed to the ones pursuing a place in the special 50th and 00th editions, as their dates are not fixed.

     Previously

     This one is simple: read older special issues. You will be able to spot some patterns in the winning entries and you will have a better idea about what you should do. Also, there is an additional tip: read older standard issues and try to figure out a few differences between both entries. It might be what you need to your article to be accepted.

     Practice, practice, practice!

     This is the most important suggestion. Each special edition happens once a year. You can take part in every single one of them, but they will still be the minority of the annual editions. That means you have more than enough issues to write down a few articles and get used to NT. Do not be discouraged if your first article is not selected; the right approach is to review, to find out what was the reason for the rejection. If you need help, do not be afraid to ask in the neoboards (Neopian Writers, board 3, welcomes you!). Another important thing to consider: use the standard issues to find out where you work best. Most of this text is directed to articles, but some suggestions can be applied to other categories. If you have more confidence in drawing comics, go for it! Just never give up and you will get the opportunity to be selected.

     Write an article about being able to get into a special edition of the Neopian Times

     If you are reading this article, it means this strategy worked. Metalinguistic Power!

          And, with these tips, you should have a better idea about what to do for the next special issues. Time to start planning and start writing! Have fun!