Welcome!
So you’ve made an Overmental account and are ready to get started. Awesome! Here’s how to get the ball rolling.
Fill out your profile
The first thing you’ll want to do is fill out all your profile information. I know this sounds unnecessary, but it will help readers (and other writers, and editors) to know who you are and what you’re all about.
Put your actual name in (if you want), fill out your bio (take it seriously, or be goofy – your choice), and input any other pertinent information you feel like sharing!
I want to write something, already!
Great! That’s the kind of enthusiasm I like to see! The first thing you’ll do after logging in is hover over the on the “New” button in the top left-hand corner of the page. Once the drop-down appears, just click on “Post” and you’ll be taken to the post editor. Now, get crafting your next geeky literary masterpiece. That’s about it!
Tips and Tricks
You’ll put the title of your article at the top, where it says “Title.” Make sure you pick something accurate, but attention-grabbing!
Insert images into your article using the “Add Media” button right above the post editor. Also, don’t forget that you must have a Featured Image for your article. This image is the one that appears at the very top of your article, as well as in search engine results and directly on the site itself.
You can add a Featured Image to your post by scrolling down and locating the box that says “Featured Image”. From there, just click “Set Featured Image” and upload your image from your computer. Our system will automatically resize your image to ideal dimensions but, for reference, images do scale horizontally to 750px so wider images tend to look crisper as a rule.
That big honkin’ text box is where you put your article! Just copy and paste (or write the thing right in there, if you’re the run-and-gun type), and that’s it! You can use the toolbar at the top of the post editor section to insert pictures, links, pictures of Link, videos, utilize block quotes, control the preview – all sorts of things!
If it’s a news post, make sure you put the source in the proper section at the bottom so the editors can verify that you’re not making things up (if you are the source, we’ll get in touch with you for verification). Also remember that if you’re getting your news from an outside source, link to it in the article. Can’t stress this enough. They worked hard to get it in front of you, so make sure they get the link credit before working hard to get it in front of someone else.
Now just go ahead and publish that baby!
Where do my articles go?
All of your articles will automatically be viewable on the “Overmental Community” section of the site. In addition, all the articles you write will be easily accessible from your profile page.
Presumably, though, you’ll want your articles featured on our front page, and if your writing is good, you show a basic understanding of grammar, and your article seems like the kind of thing that is both well thought-out and attention-grabbing, one of the editors will pick it for inclusion on the front page.
How do I get my articles featured on the front page?
Well, besides writing well-written stories, the important thing to remember is to have a strong voice. Show passion for what you’re talking about, and others will be just as passionate. In essence, be original! Seek out interesting news and be the first to cover it. Draw on your own personal expertise to give unique angle on a topic. Discover interesting stories buried in unexpected places. Find your niche, find something that you really like talking about, and your articles will reflect the way you feel, and readers will tune in to that.
Overmental is a place where everyone is safe to geek out over the things they love and enjoy, both readers and writers alike. If you want your articles to be successful, don’t hold back, express your love for the things that you like.