Want to be a writer? We’d love to hear from you! Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when writing for the Observer:

• Aim for 300-500 words. More or less is fine, depending on the story.
• Check your facts. Take the extra time to ensure accuracy.
• Submit original stories and photos. Don’t copy others’ work and remember to credit your sources.
• Be respectful of others.
• Write for the community. Your stories will be read by people throughout Westlake and Bay (and beyond) so keep the audience in mind when choosing topics.
• Know you’ll be edited. All stories pass through an editor who reviews stories for spelling and grammar. We try to keep the news as “unfiltered” as possible, but reserve the right to edit length and content if necessary.
• Disclose your affiliation. If you have a personal or business relationship with the subject of your story, let your readers know.
• Ask questions! We’re here to help you at every step along the way. Don’t hesitate to come to us for advice or help with topics, content or the submission process.

The Westlake | Bay Village Observer is a citizen-written community newspaper that prints every two weeks. All of the stories you read in its pages were written by those who live and work in our two cities. They are people from all walks of life with interesting stories, events or photos to share. Anyone in our community can participate, including you! So what are you waiting for? Join the fun and share your interests with your neighbors!

How it works
Contributing to the Observer is as easy as 1-2-3:
Step 1. Sign in at http://www.wbvobserver.com/members.
Step 2. Submit stories, events, opinions, pictures, poems, recipes, etc. in the online Member Center.
Step 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as often as you’d like!

I’m not a professional writer. Many of the people who have written articles for the Observer are not professional writers. They are simply people in our community who have something to share with the rest of us. That’s what I think is so great about the Observer project. It’s an open forum where people from all walks of life can communicate ideas, viewpoints and information.

The point I’m getting at is that you (yes, YOU, really) can write for the Observer, too. Anybody who lives or works in Westlake or Bay and has a story to tell or an idea to express can be a part of this community project. You don’t have to be an experienced writer or an influential member of society. The Observer gives an equal voice to everyone who participates.

A discussion with the Lakewood Observer's Jim O'Bryan

As part of our series of articles introducing the Westlake | Bay Village Observer to the community, I wanted share with our readers the successes of a similar publication in Lakewood. I sat down with one of the founders of the Lakewood Observer, Jim O’Bryan, to discuss the positive developments his city has seen as a result of citizen journalism. Jim is a lifelong Lakewood resident and is active in various community groups. As the Lakewood Observer celebrates its five-year anniversary, I talked to Jim about the project’s impact on the city. I hope that this article will provide a glimpse at some of the benefits that citizen media can bring to a community.

The most common question we are asked when people hear about the Observer project is, "You're starting a newspaper now?" The struggles of the newspaper industry are well-known - the death of Denver's Rocky Mountain News, the bankruptcies of papers in Chicago, Philadelphia and the Twin Cities, the buyouts and consolidations of papers in Northeast Ohio. We can understand why the initial reaction to the Observer is skepticism, and our response is simple: this is not a conventional newspaper.

The Observer is a citizen-generated news source, fueled by local residents and focused on our community. It is a true community effort; anyone and everyone in the community can contribute in whichever way they choose - writing stories, taking photos, submitting press releases or announcing events. It is a way of communicating between neighbors and filling in the gaps left by the mainstream media.

We're getting close! Thanks for all of the articles submitted for the Premier Issue. Your stories will appear on this website when the paper comes out. Keep 'em coming!

[Meet the Observer staff at Mojo's Coffee and More (600 Dover Center in Bay) on Tuesday, August 18 at 7:00pm to learn about how this new local media source can help inform, energize and strengthen our community.]

The citizen-written Westlake | Bay Village Observer community newspaper is coming! And we'd like you to be a part of the Premier Issue!

We're going to press with our first issue and newspapers will be available at local establishments beginning August 25.

The free, full-color newspaper is your chance to speak directly to the community—announce events and programs. discuss local topics, or write about items of interest that you'd like your neighbors to know about.

We invite all residents of Westlake & Bay Village to join in and submit stories (and photos) to share by Thursday, August 20th.

It's a fun, easy way to communicate with fellow Westlake | Bay Village residents. Simply sign-up in the Member Center and submit your story and photos -- we'll take care of the rest!

We're starting this new citizen-generated news source for the communities of Bay Village and Westlake and encourage people with an active interest in their towns to become involved. This unique, community-building project is gaining momentum across the country and has thrived in other Northeast Ohio communities. Citizen journalists in these towns have helped inform fellow residents about community issues related to government, schools, arts and events and have provided a source for civic conversation on all types of topics.

We want to inform, enrich and energize our own communities and are looking for like-minded people to share news, offer opinions, review events and share pictures of things that are news to you. Want to read more? Click here.

Stop on by Mojo's Coffee (on Dover Center in Bay) any Tuesday around 7pm and we'll buy you a cup of coffee. Hope to see you there!

We're working hard to get this website and the free community newspaper up and running, but you don't have to wait to become a part of the process. Visit our discussion board at www.wbvobserver.com/deck, where you can view and post news, opinions, events and photos, and engage in conversation with other Westlake | Bay Village citizens. There's also a forum to ask us questions or post comments and suggestions.

If you're interested in writing for the newspaper, you can get started now! Click below to read more...

Do you know of a local news story that has gone unreported? Have you attended/hosted an event that you would like to see covered? Why not write about it and have it appear right here in the Westlake | Bay Village Observer!

Get up, get out and get active in your community! We're calling for news and information from your neighborhoods, schools, churches, civic groups, rec leagues and more in Westlake and Bay Village. Write stories, conduct interviews, review restaurants, report news, annouce events, and submit your photos.

You don't need experience - if you see something of interest...

The Westlake | Bay Village Observer is a new citizen-led community building project which incorporates a news website, a community forum and, soon, a free printed newspaper for the residents of Westlake and Bay Village.

Following the model of the Lakewood Observer and the Heights Observer, this emerging form of media allows citizens to bring attention to issues that are important to them and their community. We aim to be a complement to your regular news sources, bringing you stories and insights from a local perspective.