Grid FAQ
What are guest grids?
Guest grids are grids that offer a selection of news stories chosen by Newser's partners—celebrities, other web sites—that focus on their particular interests. If you are interested in partnering with Newser and creating your own grid, please contact us.
What's a grid?
A grid is any section page, including the homepage, that displays Newser's rectangular story layouts.
Why have a grid?
The grid is Newser's signature format for presenting the news, combining the graphic impact of imagery and bold headlines with concise, sharply written story summaries. It offers a more efficient and pleasurable experience for users than having to click on long lists of headlines.
Are stories the only content that appear in the grid?
News stories make up a majority of the content that appear in the grid. Occasionally, we will promote new features or functions on the site using the first square on the grid.
Why does "MORE" appear in the corner of the grid squares?
Each square uses a corner trigger to activate pop-up summaries. Just mouse over "MORE" to read the first 60 words. Click on the headline to read the entire summary.
When I mouse over "MORE", nothing happens. What's wrong?
The pop-up activation feature is incompatible with some versions of AdBlock Plus. You'll have to disable this on your computer to ensure proper functionality on Newser. Also, some versions of Apple Safari are unable to activate our pop-up summaries. We’re currently working to solve both of these issues.
Can I turn the pop-up feature off?
Yes. You can either click "Stop showing pop-up summaries" when viewing one to disable all future pop-ups, or you can click "Customize Page" at the top of the grid and uncheck the box next to "Show pop-up summaries."
Why do Newser stories open in a window/tab when I click on them?
By default, Newser stories open in a new window or tab (depending on your browser) after you click on them. This preserves your place in the grid; after you’re finished reading the story, you can go back to the same spot in the grid where you left off instead of having to scroll down each time. Moreover, this gives you a faster experience since you don’t have to wait for the grid to reload each time you go back.
If, however, you prefer not to have stories open in a new window or tab, just click on “Customize Page” above the grid and uncheck the box, “Don't lose your place; open stories in a new tab or window.”
How can I see more stories?
You can use our vertical slider bar to the right of the grid to scroll backward in time and read earlier stories.
What does "Adjust the grid" mean?
You can customize your view of the grid to show a particular selection of stories (News Preference), a particular number of stories (Stories), or stories from a particular date in the past.
What does the "News Preference" slider do?
Stories in Newser are rated on a scale from "hard" to "soft"; you can select any point along that continuum to vary the menu of stories that appear. By "hard news" we mean serious, important, and immediate news. By "soft news" we mean cultural, lifestyle, and celebrity news.
Can I turn off promotional messages that appear in the grid?
Yes, you can turn off the promotional message by simply selecting the "close" link in the bottom right hand corner of the square.
What is Newser by Users?
The user grid is a collection of Newser-style stories (a headline, picture, and short summary) written by Newser readers.
How do I write a story?
Easy! Go here and enter the URL of the story you wish to summarize. Then, write a snappy headline, boil the article down to a few sentences, pick a photo for your grid square, and click publish. Learn more.
What kinds of stories am I allowed to post?
You can post any story that interests you—or that you think readers would like—from any source (except Newser), as long as it’s not spam, a solicitation, or pornography. Note that you must accurately summarize the story – no personal rants – or your story may be removed.
What does it take to be an approved writer?
We’re looking for writers who do a great job summarizing news articles, just like our own staff. A great summary is never a cut-and-paste job; it’s your chance to get rid of all the fluff in a story and tell the Newser community what's really important and interesting, in your own words. Click here for more tips on how to write a good summary.
Can my approved writer status be taken away?
Yes. If we find that an approved writer has slipped into bad habits (copying and pasting, writing one-line summaries, etc.), we may revoke his or her approved status. If you see a writer on the Front Page whose stories shouldn’t be approved (see below for what we don’t like), please email us and we’ll take a look.
Why haven’t I been approved?
We want the Front Page to be top-notch, which means making sure the user stories that appear there stick to our formula. Here are some no-nos:
- Your story isn’t in your own words—it’s just a cut-and-paste job. Original content, only!
- Your writing isn’t very clear. Take the time to proofread, and see our tips on how to write a good summary
- Your story isn’t an accurate summary of the source article. This includes biased writing, personal rants disguised as summaries, or summaries that are too short (1-2 sentences) and don’t give readers the gist of the story
- Your story just doesn’t resonate with our readers. Examples of this would be hyper-local or run-of-the-mill news
- Your story is just too old. We’re all about current news, so make sure your source article was written recently (within the past few days is a good rule of thumb)
None of my first three stories were approved. Can I still make it to the Front Page?
Absolutely. We know that sometimes it takes more than a few tries to get the hang of what we do, and that’s why we’ll periodically scout the Latest tab for writers who deserve to be included on the Front Page. If you think you or someone else should be there, please email us.
Why are certain stories promoted to the main grid?
Our editors promote stories that are well-written, and contain few - if any - grammatical errors. They particularly look for quirky or touching stories from lesser-known sources. They also choose stories that haven’t been covered already – by Newser writers or fellow readers – so be sure to scan both grids to make sure the news you want to summarize hasn’t already been posted.
Will Newser edit my story?
If we choose to promote your story, we’ll edit any typos or factual errors, and may tweak your headline to make it more attractive to search engines—and readers.
Why was my story removed?
Your story may have been considered spam, pornography, or a solicitation. Also, if you posted a bogus link for your source and/or didn’t write an accurate summary, we may take it down.
I see a story that doesn’t belong on the user grid. What should I do?
If you see a story that’s spam, pornography, or a solicitation, or if it’s not an accurate summarization of the source article, please flag it by clicking “Flag as Inappropriate” above the story.
Who are Featured Writers?
Featured writers are NBU contributors who do a particularly good job summarizing an article for Newser, and their stories are avidly read by the community. The Featured Writers change every week, so be sure to check back to see if you’ve made the cut!
