Guest Post Guidelines

[h3]Greetings![/h3]

First off, I’d like to personally thank you for your interest in becoming a guest post contributor to fitdeskjockey.com! In the past I’ve produced the majority of the content myself, but after being approached by several people asking about guest posting opportunities, I’ve decided to open the site to more guest posts.

If there’s one thing that my time within the fitness blogosphere has taught me, it’s that there are MANY people out there with a ton of valuable information, tips, and tricks based on their own experiences. We can learn SO much from each other.

[h4]The Fit Desk Jockey Mission[/h4]

Fit Desk Jockey is a blog, community, and fitness oasis dedicated to those battling the sedentary lifestyle on a daily basis. My hope is that the in some small way fitdeskjockey.com can help people live better lives by using humor, and personal experience to educate them about exercising and eating the right way. I’m a firm believer that small consistent positive actions have the power to change our lives beyond our wildest fitness dreams.

I aspire to write articles that cannot be found anywhere else on the Internet. The articles might sometimes cover typical fitness topics, but they should always have a desk dweller slant, or a personal touch that makes them valuably unique.

I’m a firm believer that the articles we feature are applicable to both the 18 year old high school football player who wants to gain 10 lbs of muscle, and the 50 year empty nester who wants to lose 100 pounds and reclaim her right to the full menu of life’s options.

I’m a big supporter of clean eating, buying local, etc, but I also realize that many people are on a shoestring budget in this economy. I strive to emphasize that healthy eating and exercising are possible on just about any budget. We focus on real fitness solutions for real people, striving to maintain a balance between health friendly, and budget friendly living.

[h4]The Fit Desk Jockey Audience[/h4]

Overall it’s fair to say that Fit Desk Jockey readers are roughly 60% male, 40% female. They are on average age 25-35, they may or may not be married, and may also have a kid or two. They work a desk job and they want practical, down-to-earth, real world advice about how they can live a healthy life as efficiently and effectively as possible, while still taking care of their other professional and personal responsibilities.

Generally speaking, I don’t adjust my writing style for men or women, but I always strive to make sure my articles are applicable to both men and women. I’m a firm believer that like men, every woman should incorporate strength training into their fitness journey. Many are resistant due to preconceived notions of bulging biceps and Adam’s apples, but we’re doing our best to change all that.

[h4]The Fit Desk Jockey Style[/h4]

I want readers to finish reading an article and be inspired to take action immediately or educated enough to improve their situation.

In order to ensure that your article is approved, please follow the following 12 Fit Desk Jockey article guidelines:

1. The Reader is # 1: Make sure your topic relates to the reader as described above. Think Desk Jockey!
2. Topic Review: Once you have a topic selected, I highly recommend that you run it by me for approval prior to starting your writing process. This will help to ensure that you do not labor yourself needlessly, and will also help to ensure article approval.
3. Humor = GOOD:  While I take my own commitment to fitness very seriously, I’ve seen again and again how maintaining a lighthearted, fun-seeking attitude removes barriers and apprehension.  There’s no doubt in my mind that I’m an odd duck, so I poke fun at myself when possible. I’m certainly not perfect and part of the fun of the fitness journey is going from clumsy oaf to fitness master one goal at a time.
4. Leave the preaching to the preachers:  Most people HATE to be preached to, so always strive to emphasis the benefit(s) for the reader. Sharing your personal accomplishments is absolutely fine, and is actually encouraged, but always bring it back to how the reader can benefit from your experiences.
5. Focus on Action:  Whether the purpose of your article is to inform, entertain, inspire, etc, it should have specific actions and instructions for readers so they know exactly what they need to do how to better themselves. What can they do today?
6. Blog Style: To facilitate content consumption your article should be in the blog style, which means using bold and italics, headings, sub headings, indented paragraphs, numbered lists, and bullet points to guide the reader. While I will fix simple typos and grammar mistakes, I am not an editor. This means that the article you submit should be what you regard as your polished, final draft.
7. Don’t Spam: Please do not use any affiliate links that are not pre-approved or refer to any spam sites. Naturally, if you have your own blog, you are encouraged to link to it.
8. Exclusivity: Once approved, the article you submit cannot be published on other sites, including your own.
9. Article Length: The typical length of our posts is 750-1500+ words long, though length may vary if your article incorporates alternative media styles
10. Sources: Always site your sources where appropriate.
11. Images: All articles should contain at least one quality image that relates to the subject matter. Images should be free of any copyright claim, and should list their source where appropriate.

Best Regards,

-Lean Muscle Matt