Editorial Guidance for Campus Men Contributors and Spokesmodels

This page gives guidance on the themes of what you should add into our Self-Publishing Tool. We also offer a tutorial on How to Use Our Self Publishing Tool.

It is important to us to offer topics that are highly useful to high school and college students and that allow them to learn what you know.

We like contributors who can discuss topics with ample details, and mention brand names and products, equipment and gear needed. We want your readers to leave our site, thinking "I learned a lot from CampusMen.com and will tell my friends to check out the site."

Pretend you are writing "for" a junior high school student who has never played your sport before. Do not assume he knows the basics. So, be thorough.

Start with One Topic, Then Wait for Us

If you are a new to our site, only add one topic until one of our editors has a chance to give you feedback on your first topic. If you do not hear from our editor within 24 hours, please contact us!

Expect Requests for Modifications

If you are a new to our site, only add one topic until one of our editors has a chance to give you feedback on your first topic. To explain, every topic you add to our site will be reviewed by a human editor. If our editor thinks your topic is missing details or is not clearly written he or she will send you an email with suggestions on how you can improve your topic. Especially when you first sign up with us, you should expect to be asked you to log back into the site, navigate to your topic and make the edits he or she requested.

You Get Better

Most students learn the intracacies and finesse of producing a high-quality topic after following an editor's feedback to their first few topics. Their topics tend to not need edits as the relationship progresses. Our editor's feedback should help you become a better writer!

Save Time by Being Detailed

Most requests for modifications will be caused by not giving enough details or by assuming the reader knows the basics. One method is to imagine you are writing for a seven-year old child. Here is a trick you can use to save time: When you think you are done with a topic, save your topic. Then, wait at least one hour or overnight. Then, log back into the site, find your topic, click edit to go back through your topic and read what you wrote. Ask yourself - Will someone might not know what I mean with this sentence? Try to be very specific, even if you think doing so if useless.

Specific Guidance

Let's start with some basic guidance on how you should write and some Do's and Don'ts.

"Stuff The Reader Will Need" (gear/training aids)

For each and every topic, we ask that you suggest at least one gear or training aid that can help the reader.

When your topic is published on our site, products you add in our "Stuff You Need" will be automaticaly hyperlinked to the product's page on Amazon. The reader can easily click and be taken directly to the page for the product! Because of this, products you recommend must be available on Amazon.

Four Tips

Give the reader specific brand names such as, "SKLZ 15-Rung Quick Ladder"

Avoid telling the reader to go to a physical store.

Avoid telling the reader to make their own.

Giving suggestions on how to save money is good, as long as you also give an option for more pricey items. Remember, you get what you pay for. (Meaning)

Don't Tell The Reader to Ask Their Coach

Don't assume the reader is on a team. For equipment, gear and training aids, do not tell the reader to ask their coach what to buy. Yes, most teams have standard items for all athletes. In this case, you are acting as the coach or knowledge authority. In some cases, your reader may be a new coach or school board member who is looking for ideas on which items to buy for his or her team. The reader may not be on a team. Other readers may be parents who are seeking for their son or daughter to prepare in advance for team tryouts. In some cases, a player may seek an item that replaces a team-issued item the athlete feels is inferior.

Consider Gear Construction

Whenever a product is made with fabric or cloth, or anything that can rot, be sure to mention considerations on type of fabric (cotton/poly blends, mesh, etc.) (Example)

Otherwise, what is the gear constructed from?

Are there items that are made of metal or composite versus other items that are made from plastic?

Do some hold up better than others (weather, transporting, getting banged up during use).

Are some easy to collapse or put together? Easier to transport or store?

Gear Cost

Are there cheap ones vs. pricey versions?

If yes, why would I want to buy an expensive version?

Should I avoid cheap versions?

Does a costlier version help me on the field more?

Do costlier versions fit better?

Remember, the athlete gets what he pays for. Cheap is not always better for an athlete who has one chance to try to get a college scholarship. Example: A cheap training aid may fall apart after rigorous use.

Topics That Do Not Require Gear or Products

Even if a product is not absolutely crucial to performing the topic, we ask that you add one. Example: Let's say you choose the topic "How to build your abs." Gear or equipment may not be needed to work abs. If the topic doesn't normally require gear to do the topic, consider encouraging the reader to order a book, DVD or other training aid (available on Amazon) that someone searching for this topic might also benefit from or help them get deeper understanding.

Think of similarities or "You might also consider." Example: If the reader wants to know how to clean baseball bats, they might also be interested in a baseball swinging aid

Avoid Promoting Other Sites

We are not paying you to promote other websites! Please do not tell the reader to go to other websites. However, you can tell the reader to go to Amazon. Exceptions can be made. Please contact us if you want an exception.

Don't Try to Compete with a Book or DVD

Some topics are broad and would need extensive explaining. For example, "How to Learn basketball shooting fundamentals" is an extensive topic. Entire books have been written on that topic. It is not possible for you to try to exhaustively explain every detail in a single page.

Encourage Readers to Buy the Book

When you choose a very broad topic, such as the one above, do not try to compete with 200-page books available on Amazon. Instead, summarize that basics of what you know and encountered when trying to learn the topic when you began. Then, encourage the reader to order 1 or 2 specific books or DVDs on Amazon that you recommend. State the "basics" one must learn about your topic, challenges they may face and what they will generally learn in the book or DVD.

Sometimes Amazon previews chapters of its books on its product pages. You can look at the book or DVD chapter headings for ideas of what you should mention in your topic.

Mention the actual title of the recommended book/DVD and actual author.

Treat Topics Starting With "How to Buy" or "How to Choose" as a Buyer's Guide

Our site includes many topics on gear. These types of topics are our highest priority! Example

When a topic begins with "how to buy a..." we are not looking for a simple step by step guide on how to check out from an online store.

Regardless of the title of the "how to buy" topic, write the topic like you would write a buying guide - how to "consider" different types/styles. Be sure to mention:

Price levels (low-priced/mid-priced/high-priced)

Construction types/materials

Major Manufacturers of this type of product