SQL Server Standard

PASS is relaunching the SQL Server Standard with a wholly new approach and format. I’ll put more out about it as it becomes available. I just wanted to get the word out now, as far and as wide as I can. Basically submissions are open for articles. We’re only interested in publishing experienced writers who’ve published in some other tech-reviewed medium (Simple-Talk, books, SQL Server magazine, the old SQL Server Standard, are a few examples).  If you’re interested, send me a direct tweet @GFritchey or an email to grant.fritchey -at- sqlpass.org.

All the details will be published soon over at the PASS web site. Short info for those interested:

  • experienced writers who are members of PASS
  • abstracts can be 4-6 sentences describing the thrust, scope & length of the article
  • articles will be 2000-4000 words long
  • authors will be paid $500 for a completed article

Again, more info as I get it.

A couple of points that are going to be emphasized in other places. The intent here is to provide content for PASS, not compete with great sites like SQL Server Central or Simple-Talk. I like those guys and will continue to try to write for them. I am not competing with them and neither is PASS (I’m not because I know I’d lose, and lose big). We’re trying to go for high quality, in-depth articles. That’s why we only want experienced authors. We see this as a possible path of growth and maybe a way to work towards presenting at PASS. There’s going to a lot more information about this communicated very soon. Watch for it.

If you’re wondering why I’m making the call here, and accepting submissions, I volunteered to be the editor. We’ll see how that works out.

8 thoughts on “SQL Server Standard

  • This is great news. I enjoyed SQL Server Standard. My only complaint will be the focus on published/experienced authors. I don’t want to subscribe to SQL Server Standard and read something that isn’t worth the read but I would love to tune in and read something that is both useful/interesting AND from someone I haven’t read before.

    I know PASS was hoping to try and get newer speakers to the conference and it exists to be an organization by, from and to the SQL Server community. I think it would be great to see a newer author get a nod every once in awhile in one (well reviewed) article in the magazine that represents PASS, no? (Not volunteering to be that author, my plate is already quite full 🙂 maybe next year or the year after)

  • scarydba

    Great feedback. You sure you don’t want to volunteer?

    I agree. I’d like to see some new names every once in a while too. We’ll see how it works out. I already have received several abstracts from people, and I don’t think you’ll recognize all the names, despite the fact that all of them have published. It should be good once we get it going, I hope.

  • Looking forward to this. Like Mike, I hope SQL Server Standard continues to provide burgeoning authors with additional opportunities. I completely understand the experience requirements. That shouldn’t be seen as an impediment because the options for getting published aren’t too difficult. For instance, submit a well-written article to SSC and you’re already on your way. SQL Server Standard should just further the opportunities.

    Grant, are the issues going to be theme based like in the past? If so, will you publish a list of themes ahead of time so some of us who are slackers can get our act together and get our abstracts published to meet the theme in time?

  • […] The details of SQL Server Standard's return has been posted by the new editor, Grant Fritchey. Do you have some writing credits under your belt and would like an opportunity to write? Check here for the details. […]

  • scarydba

    Well, part of the approach and format is, it’s not going to be in print any more. It’s going electronic and will be a part of the material posted bi-weekly from PASS. I don’t want to go too much into details until Andy Warren posts all the good stuff, which should happen sometime next week (he’s on vacation).

    We’re not going to publish 3-5 articles all at once, but we should be able to aggregate a few themes together. At this point I’m just trying to get as many articles in to the pipeline as possible.

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