How to contribute to the UNS Engine Project book.

The UNS Engine Project is being compiled to produce a book of 50 engine images.  I need folks who know about vintage engines to write essays about them for the upcoming book.  I’m just a photographer; there is no way I could write with authority about 50 different vintage engines.  You have until December 1, 2007 to contribute. More engine images will be added to the collection until November 1, 2007.  If you’re interested, or know someone who would be, then read on:

 

Really important stuff to read.

  1. You will not be paid for your contribution.  I would be very generous if I thought there was a large sum of money to be made.  This will just be a cool book project to be involved with.  Bragging rights only. [Why I get all the money]
  2. Your contribution may not be published.  I will pick only one essay per engine to go into the book.  So, in essence, you are competing for the spot with other contributors for the same engine.
  3. This is not a book made as a historical record of vintage motorcycle engines.  It’s a photography project.  The engines selected, and the images selected, are strictly for their graphic appeal.  Almost none of the engines in the collection are "factory correct" examples.

 

Writing Guidelines

  1. Essays should be sent to me as Word files.  Length should be 600 to 1000 words.  Longer than a thousand words and it may be subject to my editing, so it would be better to edit it down yourself.
  2. As mentioned before, this is a picture book.  Essays heavy in the technical such as compression ratios, torque and oil levels will have limited general appeal.  Some of that information needs to be any essay about an engine, but the technical aspects should not be the main focus of the essay.
  3. Suggested essay themes:  the history of the engine development, the history of the people/factory that made the engine, interesting aspects of the actual engine in the picture, notorious good/bad traits of the particular engine, your personal experience working on, or riding with the engine.
  4. I think I mentioned that this is a picture book.  Essays can be funny, serious, dramatic or tongue-in-cheek.  The point is to be entertaining, and the essays will be judged from that perspective.
  5. Please double-check your facts. Nothing is more embarrassing than facts that aren’t really facts.
  6. Lastly, by submitting an essay for consideration you are verifying that the work is original, in your own words and not subject to copyright infringement.  That would be embarrassing as well.

 

Submission Guidelines

  1. Submit any time.  Deadline for essay submissions is December 1, 2007.  Writers making it into the book will be notified during January 2008.
  2. Simply email the Word file to me using the title of the engine print in the subject line.  If you’d rather not attach a file, I will accept the essay in the body of the email.  Include your name address and telephone number for future contact.
  3. Seeing as I make all this up as I go along, check back to this page once and a while to view additional or changed information.
  4. Send your essay or questions to:  trickphotog@tx.rr.com
  5. Go to ENGINES to review engine images.

  [Engine List by Brand]

This is the third version of these instructions and was posted 5/7/07. (First posted 03/18/07)

Publisher inquiries are welcome at:  trickphotog@tx.rr.com