Writers' Guidelines

You can write guest reviews for Sound Bytes. Before submitting any review, please read the guidelines below:

• all recordings reviewed for Sound Bytes should have a connection, however tenuous it may be, to folk/roots/traditional music;
  
  
• genres usually reviewed here include folk, country, jazz, blues, and some roots-rock (folk-rock, rockabilly);
  
  
• the purpose of any review is neither to tear down nor to flatter the artist but rather to provide criticism which is informative and constructive to both the listener and the artist;
  
  
• reviews should be positive in tone if not in the writer's opinion of the CD, suggesting remedies for problem areas and also mentioning areas in which the recording is a success;
  
  
• submission should include the name of the artist/group, label name, year of release, and number of songs on the CD, as well as the review author's e-mail address;
  
  
• all submissions should include the name of the author so that appropriate writer-credit can be given as a byline;
  
  
• reviews should be less than 300 words in length;
  
  
• this may seem obvious, but do not review your own music;
  
  
• submission of a review does not guarantee publication here;
  
  
• rights in submitted reviews, except for the Sound Bytes publication, remain with the author;
  
  
• reviews may be published in whole or in part, or not, or edited as required by and at the discretion of the editors of Sound Bytes (for major edits or edits affecting content, authors will be contacted prior to publication);
  
  
• the review author's URL and e-mail address can be published with the review if requested;
  
  
• the review author is allowed to link from his or her web site to the page on which the review appears, however appropriate credit should be given Sound Bytes;
  
  
• there is no fee or payment for reviews submitted to Sound Bytes;
  
  
• reviews should be submitted in text or html form to Bob MacKenzie, editor, Sound Bytes;
  
  
• submission of a review does not guarantee that it will be posted.