We like to think being a DINKY Travel Guide writer is prestigious. The name is becoming “street” recognised and our journalists are (usually) treated with the greatest of respect. That’s because just by writing for us is received with the knowledge that you must be a qualified and experienced journalist.

When you apply to write for us we may ask to see evidence of your work. It’s not because we are being awkward. It’s because we have promised a commitment to the reader and we want to mitigate any risk of falling short in this.

If in doubt, pop over an e-mail and we’ll do the rest. If all goes well, you’ll be up, running and published before you know it.

Now, the big question: “What’s in it for me?” Although DINKY has a policy of NON-PAYMENT for articles to be published, we do provide other benefits that can amount to much more. For example, as a trusted writer with adequate qualification we are always happy to consider commissioning a specific feature that you have a passion to deliver to us. We are equally willing to legitimately verify your existence and commission to assist you. You are also free to exploit any opportunities that DINKY provides to self-promote and, for example, “double-up” on a writing consignment to earn revenue. PR’s love this approach because they invariably receive considerably more in return for their investment.

How old do I have to be to write for Dinky?
You must be at least 18 years old to be published.

Can I include a picture of myself in my writer profile?
Yes. Profile pictures are useful. Readers like to know that writers are real people and it’s nice for the community to put a face to your work.

What is “original” work?
Articles must be written wholly by you and must not appear without our knowledge in an identical format anywhere else (either in hard copy or on the web) before our publication. If you quote specific places, text or people in your article you must credit the sources properly. This is standard journalistic practice.

Can I publish the same articles after they’re published on DINKY?
Yes, that’s your choice, but please credit DINKY Guide as the original publisher.

Can I include affiliate or my own business links in my articles?
These will be looked at in isolated consideration but we reserve the right to delete a link if we feel a conflict of interest is apparent. Self-promotion (e.g., linking your article to your own website, blog, or an article you’ve written for another site) is not acceptable but your writer profile page may contain such promotion.

What is the DINKY policy about reviewing products and services or attending Press Trips?
As is good practice in any profession, writers must not provide preferential treatment to any outside entity based on their relationship with the person or company who authors or owns that entity. For example, writers may be granted media or otherwise free access to services or events for the purpose of writing reviews or otherwise informing their readers. Travel writers may receive free food, lodging, or travel for the purpose of reviewing services but any perks must not influence any editorial coverage. Writers must disclose any relationship or perks that could compromise their impartiality.

Do you commission me feature ideas or do I find my own?
Both. You have complete freedom to accept commissions from us or choose what you write about.

How many articles does DINKY expect me to write?
We’d like to think DINKY writers will contribute around 10 articles per annum, preferably equally spread throughout the year. You can, of course, write more.

Do I own the copyright to my work?
Yes, the copyright always remains with the writer. You own the electronic rights but you grant DINKY the rights to it so that we can publish it on our site. See our terms & conditions.

What can I do if someone has published my work on another site without my permission?
This can (and does) happen. It is your responsibility to protect your copyrighted work, but we may assist regarding copyright infringement incidents. Here’s some practical advice on how to fight back:

1. Regularly search the internet (e.g., perform a Google search for unique phrases from your articles, using quotation marks to search for exact matches) to identify sites that have reproduced your work without your authorisation.
2. Directly approach publishers who violate your copyright.
3. If you detect an infringement of your copyright for which DINKY remains the licensee, contact us directly by e-mail. Please provide the following information:
   • the URLs of your original article on www.dinkyguide.com
   • the URLs where you see the infringing content.
   • any contact information you have for the infringing site and copies of any correspondence you had with the site regarding this infringement.
   • your stated declaration that the infringing sites were not authorised by you nor by your representatives to display this content.
   • your stated permission that DINKY is authorised to act on your behalf and request removal of the infringing content.