Conciliar Post

A Practical Reference Guide

Conciliar Post Editorial Team
Last Modified: May 24, 2020
 Table of Contents
Roles & Responsibilities 3
Step One: Writing and Editing an Article 4
Step Two: Publishing an Article 5
Guidelines for Special Articles 8
Community Interaction 9
Conciliar Post Fellowship and Sabbatical 10

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 Roles & Responsibilities

Editorial Team
The editorial team makes decisions concerning the overall mission and vision of Conciliar Post

Editor-in-Chief (Ben Winter)

Holds final responsibility for all operations and policies.
Works with the editorial team to ensure that Conciliar Post is running well.

Executive Editors (Jody Byrkett and John Ehrett)

Assist the Editor-in-Chief in executing Conciliar Post’s vision,
such as coordinating management, site activities, onboarding, and communication with members.

Associate Editors (Jacob Prahlow and Wesley Walker)

Aid in the oversight and operation of editorial activities. General responsibilities
include reading, editing, and publishing articles, as well as oversight of editorial style guidelines.

Social Media Manager (Anthony Maynard)

Bolsters Conciliar Post’s presence on various social media outlets.
Facilitate community engagement through activities such as daily updates and promotions.

Round Table Manager (Jarrett Dickey)

Takes charge of Conciliar Post’s quarterly Round Table discussions. Edits Round Table
contributions, plans Round Table schedules, and brainstorms new ideas for future discussions.

Authors
Write one article every four weeks on their assigned day.

Contributors
Write on flexible timeframe (at least once every six months).

Guest Authors
Write on an ad hoc basis.

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 Step One: Writing and Editing an Article

1. Write Your Article: General Guidelines

a. Please write articles in accordance with the stated mission of Conciliar Post, to faithfully
and lovingly (Phil 4:8) dialogue about important issues in our world.
b. You may write on any topic you choose. Generally speaking, we expect writers to work
from within the paradigm of their own Christian tradition(s).
c. The suggested article length is 500-2500 words.
d. Do not write propaganda pieces, or pieces that simply point readers to other websites.
Articles may reference and link to other websites, but please ensure that articles have
substance and that the links you use contribute to your argument.
e. Whenever possible, provide a full citation for your references using the Chicago Format.
f. When online content is being referenced, hyperlinks may be used within the body of an
article for the sake of clarity and convenience.
g. Bible verses in parenthetical references should be linked to an appropriate online Bible.

2. Create a Google Document for Editing

[Note: On an individual basis, authors and/or editors may choose to forgo this method and instead
use email attachments and Microsoft Word’s “Track Changes” system.]

a. If using Google Docs, do NOT simply upload a .doc or .docx file. Rather, create a
separate Google Docs file.
b. Go to your Articles for Review_FIRST + LAST NAME folder in Google Docs.
c. Click the “Create” button at the top left of the screen and select “Document.”
d. Copy your Word text into the Google Docs file, or simply compose the entire piece here.
e. Name the document. This may be a preliminary title, though for contributors it should be
the title you think is best for your article.
f. Email your assigned editor to let them know your article is ready for review.
g. An editor will review your article. The editor will double-check grammar and
punctuation, make sure your article has a discernible thesis, suggest stylistic changes, and
(where needed) ask you to consider other revisions.

3. Review your Article

a. An editor will email you when your article has been edited.
b. View “Suggestions” and Accept/Reject each change; respond to any comments.
i. Click on the drop-down menu on the right side of GoogleDocs (often a pencil).
ii. Select the “Suggesting” option (an icon with lines of text and an eyeball).
iii. Modified text will appear in strikethrough and added text will change color; there
will also be changes that appear as comment boxes on the right of the interface.
iv. Please remember to accept each change individually.
c. If any changes are not to your satisfaction, your editor will be happy to dialogue with you
and resolve the issue(s).
d. Whether you are an author or contributor, be sure to communicate with your editor
that the article is ready for publication.

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 Step Two: Publishing an Article

1. Create Your Post in Wordpress: Formatting the Text

a. Copy the text of the edited version of your article (from Google Docs or Word).

b. Login to Wordpress using your Conciliar Post username and password.

c. Create a “New Post.”

i. Hover over “Posts” in the toolbar on the left and click “Add New.”

d. Paste your article into the main text box.

i. Don’t forget to add your title.
ii. Look over your article to ensure that there are no additional spaces between
paragraphs, or other cosmetic issues (use the “Preview” box at the top right).
iii. If the article is part of a series, be sure to link the previous articles, preferably
either at the beginning or end of your post. You will need to revisit previous
articles—once future installments are published—in order to complete this step.

e. Set off block quotes.

i. Highlight your block quotes and click the button that looks like a quotation mark.
Your quote should now show up in a different size and font. As a reminder,
quotations longer than four lines should be set off with block formatting.

f. If you break the body of your article into sections, please make sure in the text viewer
that headers have the appropriate header tags: <h3>This Is My Header</h3>

g. (Optional) Create a “Sources” or “Footnotes” section below the text of your article.
i. Using the “Text” tab, simply copy-paste the following exact code into the end of
your document:

<hr />

[wpex more="View Sources" less="Hide Sources"]

(1) Footnote Information

(2) Footnote Information
(3) Footnote Information

[/wpex]

h. (Optional) Make sure that all footnote numbers in the body of your text (i.e. what appears
in the “Visual” tab) are superscripted, and that these numbers are ordered properly.
i. Click the “Text” tab in the top right side of the text box to view the HTML.
ii. Insert the tags ^and on either side of each in-text footnote numeral.
E.g. ¹
iii. Note that if an article was copy-pasted directly from Microsoft Word, this
process is automated! (This is a major benefit of using Word over Google Docs)

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2. Create Your Post in Wordpress: Categorization, Tags, Featured Image, and Search Engine
Optimization (SEO)

a. Check the categories and sub-categories that best describe your article. For new authors
and contributors, please consult your editor. Pieces generally have 2–5 categories.

b. Add relevant tags to your article.

i. Tags are added by typing terms into the “Tags” box in the lower right portion of
the Wordpress interface.
ii. Add both general tags (e.g. History, Christianity, Ancient world) as well as
specific tags (e.g. Arian, Arius, Nicaea, Council, Ecumenical, Athanasius,
Heresy, Nicene Creed, etc.).
iii. Try to include as many tags as possible. One easy way to do this is to look
through your article and include all proper names, places, subjects, etc.

c. Set your featured image.

i. Find a royalty-free image. We suggest using https://unsplash.com/
ii. Image resolution should be 1000-1200 width and 600-800 height
[in pixels – this is the rectangular shape found on our homepage]
iii. Please crop your photo to this resolution before uploading to Conciliar Post
using free online tools such as https://imageresize.org/. If this is not an option,
you can crop the image after uploading to Conciliar Post.
iv. To upload, use the “Featured Image” link on the right side of the Wordpress
interface. If you still need to crop, click “Edit Photo” (below the thumbnail of the
image on the right side) and follow the directions.
v. Featured images are automatically placed inside your post. Do not add images
directly to the body of your article unless using them as illustrations for the text.

d. Optimize your post for search engines using the “Yoast SEO” box, which appears
directly below the box where you enter the text of your article.
i. Use Yoast (see images below) to enter a “Focus Keyword” for your article, and
also to address suggestions on its “Readability” tab.
ii. Ideally, you will see both “lights” (for Readability and SEO) turn from Red to
Green—or at least to Yellow.

3. For Authors: Schedule your article for the morning of your scheduled post day.
a. Set the publish month and day to your scheduled publishing day.
b. Set the time for the morning (around or after 4am) of your day—Wordpress uses Eastern
time.

4. For Contributors: Save your completed article as a “draft” and notify your editor.

5. Preview your article.

a. Click the “Preview” button on the right side of the Wordpress interface.
b. Look over your post, double check that your footnotes are superscripted, block quotes are
set off, your sources section is functioning properly, headers appear normal, and your
featured image is formatted correctly.

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Yoast Readability Example:

Yoast Keyword Example:

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 Guidelines for Special Articles

Round Tables

Round Tables are articles in which multiple members of the Conciliar Post community respond to a
specific question. They allow readers to engage multiple viewpoints within the scope of one piece. Round
Table submissions are solicited via emails that include the following information:

● A specific question to which posts should respond

● The desired length of submissions
● A deadline for submissions

Reviews

One part of Conciliar Post’s mission is providing accurate and authentic reviews of various media forms.
When reviewing a book or film, please be sure to:

● Include a link to where readers may purchase or view the media.

● Format the title as “TITLE OF BOOK | Book Review” or “TITLE OF MOVIE | Movie Review.”
● Choose the “Reviews” category for your post.
● Do not upload an image of the media you are reviewing into the actual post.

Conciliar Post Sabbatical (3–6 Months)

_________________________________________________________________________________

It is our desire that members of our community—whether editors, authors, or contributors—will

never feel burdened by their roles and responsibilities. As such, we actively encourage those who are
overwhelmed (or simply going through a busy period in life) to take advantage of a three- to six-
month sabbatical.

Simply communicate your desire for a break to the Editor-in-Chief, and we can easily make
arrangements. Your duties at Conciliar Post should not interfere with your mental, spiritual, or
physical health.

Community Interaction

One unique aspect of Conciliar Post is interaction and dialogue between authors.

On Conciliar Post

Please keep all dialogue informed and charitable. Seek to understand (not attack) through the
comments section. Avoid sarcasm, rhetorical questions, ad hominem attacks, and general statements
which do not contribute to meaningful dialogue. Be clear and precise when commenting and
responding. In short, treat others as you want to be treated. Please familiarize yourself with the
Conciliar Post site, especially the About and Authors pages.

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Disqus

Conciliar Post uses the commenting platform Disqus. To comment using Disqus, create an account
(click “Get Started”) and add a profile picture under “Settings.” Once you have created an account
and are signed in, you are able to comment on articles at Conciliar Post. Through the Disqus platform,
it is also possible to “Subscribe” to Conciliar Post—if you do this, you’ll never miss a comment!

Social Media

Consider adding your fellow authors as friends via social media. Be sure to follow Conciliar Post’s
Facebook and Twitter pages. Post your articles to your own social media accounts, and consider
sharing what your fellow authors have to say as well. Consider adding the site URL
(www.conciliarpost.com) to your email signature. Comment and share as much as possible.

Email

The Editor-in-Chief will send regular communiqués to everyone involved with Conciliar Post. These
emails are the primary means of group communication. Please read them carefully and consider
saving their contents for future reference.

Video Chat

We envision Conciliar Post as more than just an online community, despite the fact that our authors
are spread across the country (and at times, the world). One way we hope to develop community and
enhance meaningful discussion and relationships is via video chat. Given the size of our group, these
meetings take place in smaller groups, which are scheduled by the Editor-in-Chief.

Moderation Policy

The internet is already a place where many speak before they think. Conciliar Post is not complacent
against this trend; disruptive and/or hateful comments are immediately removed by our moderation
team. If the offender is a known member of our community, a personal message will come first.