The Neopian Times

General

The Neopian Times, or NT, is Neopia's newspaper. It can be accessed by clicking on "News" on the upper taskbar and scrolling down to "The Neopian Times", or by going to http://www.neopets.com/ntimes/index.phtml. A new issue comes out every Friday, and you can submit stories, articles, comics, or editorial questions to have answered by TNT. Just keep in mind, though, that the chances are slim that your entry would be published. Also, you must be logged in if you wish to submit anything. All creations must be original.

Articles

So, you've seen the NT and you want to publish an article. First, choose a topic to write about. Do you want to inform the readers about Faeries or games or a Neopian world? Or maybe caring for pets or buying a shop? After you've chosen a topic, enter a computer program that allows you to type your NT entry and upload it later. Next, type your article into that program. Be as specific as possible and don't include any pictures, videos, or drawings in your submission. Keep in mind that anyone who reads it will be a Neopian user, so you shouldn't explain what Neopets is. The minimum amount required to submit an article is 1,000 words and the maximum amount is 50,000 words. Keep your submission on-topic, and don't relate to or talk about something that isn't Neopets. When you're finished, check for any spelling or grammar errors, and save it. Make sure you remember which thing you saved is your submission. And don't put the title of your article on the page.

After that, go to http://www.neopets.com/ntimes/nt_submit.phtml and go down the page to "Submit an Article". It is the first thing on the page, so you won't have to go far. Next to the pink words that state how big your article should be, there is a button that says "Submit Your Article". Click that. At the top of the submission form, give your article its name. Then open your document in another window. Highlight every character of it, and then copy it. Then go back to the Neopets window and paste it. Your article should now be inside the bigger box. If you want, say anything about your article and then click "Submit Article". You will receive a message saying that you have successfully sent your article to TNT.

The chance that your article will be published is based on the number of articles submitted by users during the week. If you don't see your article in the next issue, don't worry. If TNT liked it, they are saving it for another issue. You will receive a Neomail from TNT saying that it will be published. If TNT didn't like it, you will get a Neomail saying that TNT couldn't publish it.

Short Stories

For short stories, the minimum amount of words is 1,200 and the maximum is 4,000. Short stories are a bit like articles, except this time you need characters, a problem, settings, a solution, and a plot. You should have a minimum of 3-5 characters in order to make it interesting. The maximum amount is limitless, but too many characters can be confusing, hard to remember, or just plain boring. Characters can be anyone--farmers, store clerks, royalty, businessmen, teachers, or even something like a plumber. Give your characters names and spell them out, so you don't need to think about how to spell them when you're writing. Make sure you can remember who's who, which was have jobs, which ones are friends and which ones are enemies, and so forth. Make them all Neopets, unless you want to star in it as their owner. Families are okay, but TNT doesn't allow marriages, Neopets giving birth, romance, dating, or sexual activity in the stories. TNT also hates blood and gore in the short stories because--who knows--a little kid may be reading that story. It's also alright to have fueds as long as there isn't any death or bodily functions involved. Make sure you have your problem(s), solution(s), and plot based out before writing, unless you want to make up the plot while you go along, but that may waste time while making a submission. You need good events that would make a reader want to continue reading your story and not stop till its done, and that makes your chances of getting published stronger.

When you're ready, be sure you have no title, videos, pictures, images, comments or errors on your typed submission, and save it. Then go to http://www.neopets.com/ntimes/nt_submit.phtml and scroll down to "Submit a Short Story", the last thing on the page. Click the "Submit Your Short Story" button, then fill out your title and open your submission. Copy and paste it into the bigger box, and if you wish, add anything you'd like to say in the commenting box. Then, click "Submit Short Story", and you should receive a message saying that it was submitted successfully.

After the next issue of the NT comes out, you should receive a message from TNT telling you whether or not you got published. Again, if TNT said they liked it, but it isn't in the current issue, they are just saving it for another issue.

New Series

For series, the minimum amount of words per part is 1,500 words and the maximum per part is 50,000 words. Series are like short stories, because you need a plot, setting and characters, as well as a problem and solution, except is series each part is like a chapter. A part from the series comes out every issue until it's done. Examples of series are "Green Beginnings" and "Unwanted". You can submit as little as two parts or as many as twelve parts. Again, TNT allows families and friends, but not marriages, Neopets giving birth, romance, dating, sexual activity or death. Fueds are alright.

When writing your series, mentally divide the text into parts, and know how many parts you will have when you're done. Have no title, videos, images, comments or errors on your submission, and save it. Then go tohttp://www.neopets.com/ntimes/nt_submit.phtml and scroll down to "Submit a Series". The option is the third-out-of-fourth option from the top. Click "Submit Your Series", and select how many parts your series has in total. Then, submit the amount.

This part is a bit tricky. Remember where you mentally divided your series when you typed? Open your series in another window. Okay, so let's pretend you have four parts. Copy and paste your first part in "Part 1". Then copy and paste your second part in "Part 2", and so forth. Give your series a title, and add comments if you'd like. Then, click "Submit Series", and you should recieve a message saying that it was submitted successfully.

After the next issue of the NT comes out, you should recieve a message from TNT telling you whether or not you got published. Again, if TNT said they liked it, but it isn't in the current issue, they are just saving it for another issue.

Comics

For comics, the maximum size is 200 KB, and the maximum width is 470 pixels. To start, draw a comic on the computer or on paper. If you draw it on paper, you'll have to scan it into the computer. When it's ready to upload, save it and go here and click on the second option, "Submit a Comic." Click on "Submit Your Comic" after double-checking that your comic fits all of the requirements. You'll be taken to another page. Enter the title of your comic, and click "Browse" on either the first or second option, depending on the size of your comic. After you select your comic, its complete name will be entered into the box. If you want, add a comment or two, and click "Submit Comic". You should recieve a message saying that it was received successfully.

About a week later, when the newest issue appears, TNT will Neomail you. They will tell you if your comic was published or rejected.

Editorial

Editorial questions can't be submitted from the submission page; they're submitted by the NT itself. TO begin, go to the NT's main page, or [http://www.neopets.com/ntimes/index.phtml? http://www.neopets.com/ntimes/index.phtml?] then, see the big Slorg on the front? He symbolizes the Editorial, so click where it says "More", and scroll to the bottom of the page, where it says "Need more help?" In the text below it, click "click here". You should be taken to a page with a Meowclops on it. Add a title (this won't be shown if your question gets published) and select your topic. If you select "Jelly World", it won't work, instead giving a pop-up saying that Jelly World doesn't exist. You can't select the hyphens, either, because that's like you're saying you don't have any topic at all. Type in your question, being as specific as you can, and click "Send it to the Editor!" and you should get a message saying that it was sent.

TNT doesn't Neomail you about whether or not your question got published; you need to find that out for yourself.