The Spreadsheet Project - Submission Guidelines

Do you have a good story to tell?

We are out to document how the spreadsheet changed the world. Obviously, overnight, we went from a world of green sheets, mechanical pencils and adding machines to something very different.

We are looking for one-page essays - 600 to 800 words with a photo or two to document how you are using a spreadsheet. I think the interesting stories will shake out into these categories:

Innovative Uses for the spreadsheet. A lot of people are running their P&L statement on a spreadsheet, but many others are doing innovative things with a spreadsheet. This year, we'll meet a woman who designs quilts using a spreadsheet and an arranger who does music on a spreadsheet. We'll meet a company who keeps their product catalog in a spreadsheet, and we hope to meet you, if you are doing something out of the ordinary with your spreadsheet.
Interesting Places - even if you are using a spreadsheet for a P&L statement, if you are doing it at the South Pole, or in the press box of the World Cup, or in the cabin of the Americas II yacht, we want a photo of you. Send us a digital photo of you and your spreadsheet in your environment.
Interesting People - We hope to spotlight Dan Bricklin, Bob Frankston, Mitch Kapor and others who are the movers and shakers of the spreadsheet world. We'll spotlight you, too, if you have an interesting story to tell. Let us know how the spreadsheet changed your world.

Guidelines
Submissions should be no longer than 600-800 words long. Digital photos will add interest to your story. We need your permission to publish your story here and elsewhere. If you work for a company, bounce this idea off of your company's media relations people to get their OK. In a perfect world, we will spotlight about 50 essays throughout the year, and we will attempt to get the best 2 or 3 published in print media as the 25th anniversary approaches. Shoot the photos as high-res. We'll optimize them for the web, but then have the high-res photos in case we choose your submission for print media. We'll be happy to include company logos when the essay is published on the website so that your company gets some free P.R. out of the deal. We'll give byline credit and photo credit to whoever does the writing and photos. Screenshots are welcome (Snag-It will let you shoot 300 dpi screen captures), but be careful not to include any confidential information in the screenshot. Consultants: Feel free to nominate your interesting clients and we will include your name and company name in the essay. Anyone who submits an essay which is published on the web will receive a free book or CD from the Holy Macro! Books catalog.

Zip up your essay and photos (smaller than 5MB please) and mail to submit@TheSpreadsheetProject.com