Title: Writing Contributor Spotlight posts
Author: Courtney P.K.
Published: January 17, 2024
Last modified: August 26, 2024

---

# Writing Contributor Spotlight posts

## In this article

 * [Volunteering to write a Contributor Spotlight post](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#volunteering-to-write-a-contributor-spotlight-post)
 * [Interviewing the Contributor](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#interviewing-the-contributor)
 * [Writing the Post](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#writing-the-post)
    - [Using the Contributor Spotlight Pattern](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#using-the-contributor-spotlight-pattern)
 * [Publishing the Post](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#publishing-the-post)

[↑ Back to top](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#wp--skip-link--target)

**[Contributor Spotlight](https://make.wordpress.org/training/tag/contributor-spotlight/)**
posts are a series of posts in which the Training Team introduces the community 
to one of our many valued contributors.

## 󠀁[Volunteering to write a Contributor Spotlight post](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#volunteering-to-write-a-contributor-spotlight-post)󠁿

Review the [tracking spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QqaIlzu34V9ivCdd9mINyJVMnez8ofz-TUi7SAvoe6g/edit?usp=sharing)
for upcoming posts. If there is not an author assigned to a post, you can volunteer
to write it! Notify a Team RepTeam Rep A Team Rep is a person who represents the
Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and 
addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. with your interest, and
they can add you to the spreadsheet.

_Note to Team Reps: Add the author as an editor on the tracking spreadsheet, and
give them editor access to the [“Contributor Spotlight” folder](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AuVF6M7tfjLShLLlKg6hHCPlsN4R3vre?usp=sharing)._

## 󠀁[Interviewing the Contributor](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#interviewing-the-contributor)󠁿

If there is not a folder with the Contributor’s name within the `Contributor Spotlight`
folder, please create one. The name of the folder should follow the format: `Firstname
Lastname - Month Year`. Within this folder should be a copy of the interview questions
document. If this document does not exist in the folder, please make a copy of the
template `Contributor Spotlight Interview [TEMPLATE]` and rename it to include the
Contributor’s name.

Share this new document with the Contributor that you are interviewing. Note that
the interview questions in the document are just a starter set of questions, and
are there to inspire you and the Contributor! You have the freedom to ask relevant
questions and/or allow the Contributor to tell their story however they feel comfortable.

If the Contributor would like to share some photos in the post, grant them Editor
permission to their folder and ask them to upload a small selection (2–5) of photos
to that folder.

## 󠀁[Writing the Post](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#writing-the-post)󠁿

Once the interview is complete, you can use the Contributor’s answers to start writing
the post. This can either be drafted in another document, or in a draft post on 
Make/Training. If you would like to draft in a new document, you can use the template`
Contributor Spotlight [TEMPLATE]`. Please feel free to exercise your creativity 
and write about the Contributor in third person, or you can choose to quote them
heavily throughout the post. A mixture of both styles is also great!

Note that it is a good practice to share a draft of the post with the Contributor
so they can review it for accuracy.

When you are ready to draft the post on Make/Training, Create a new post on [the Training Team’s blog](https://make.wordpress.org/training/).
To do this, go to [https://make.wordpress.org/training/wp-admin](https://make.wordpress.org/training/wp-admin)
and login with your WordPress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress
code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source
code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for 
community conversations and organization. [https://wordpress.org/](https://wordpress.org/)
account. Once logged in, select `Post > Add New` from the left sidebarSidebar A 
sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes
to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always 
a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the
content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme..

### 󠀁[Using the Contributor Spotlight Pattern](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#using-the-contributor-spotlight-pattern)󠁿

 1. Once inside the newly created post, type `/spotlight` and select the `Contributor
    Spotlight` Pattern to use the template for Contributor Spotlight posts.
 2. Once the pattern has populated the post, detach the pattern (by going to the `three-
    dot menu > detach pattern`) to ensure that any changes you make will not overwrite
    the pattern.
 3. Typically, we would use the WordPress.org profile picture of the Contributor to
    introduce them, but if the Contributor prefers we use a different photo, that is
    also okay, as long as it is a simple photo featuring themselves.
 4. Please be sure to link their name in the first paragraph to their WordPress.org
    profile.
 5. Complete the different sections of the post and save the post as a draft. Again,
    feel free to exercise your creativity! For example, breaking up the text with photos/
    images or quotes. See [previous posts in the series](https://make.wordpress.org/training/tag/contributor-spotlight/)
    for inspiration.

## 󠀁[Publishing the Post](https://make.wordpress.org/training/handbook/training-team-how-to-guides/writing-contributor-spotlight-posts/?output_format=md#publishing-the-post)󠁿

When you are happy with the post, please schedule it on (or as close as possible
to) the date noted on the tracking spreadsheet.

_Thank you for your help in writing a Contributor Spotlight post!_

First published

January 17, 2024

Last updated

August 26, 2024

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