Our backlog of “Out of the Woodwork” articles (the last editorial page of the magazine), is running dangerously low; it’s time to restock the file, and we need your help. So, we’re running a contest for “OOW” submissions. The writer of the best submission (in the editors’ collective opinion) will not only get paid for the article ($250), but also win a 24” Leigh Superjig and matching vacuum and router support. We’ll buy all the runners-up, too ($250), and they’ll be published in future issues of Popular Woodworking.In case you’re not familiar with the column, it’s a one-page article (600 words or so) that reflects on the writer’s thoughts about woodworking as a profession or hobby. The article can be either humorous or serious, and ideally should be on a unique topic – or present a ubiquitous topic from a fresh viewpoint. We get a lot of “grandpa was a woodworker,” “my first toolbox” and “my dad and I bonded in the shop” submissions; we don’t buy many of them. That’s not to say they’re not good – most of them just aren’t new. We want new. We want fresh. Because we know that’s what you want to read. So, if you’ve got a great story, write it up and e-mail it to me (Megan Fitzpatrick) via e-mail. You could win a Leigh Superjig, and/or publication (and, OOW column is a great way for new writers to “break in” to the magazine!). The deadline is October 10, 2008. We’ll choose the winners by October 17.— Megan Fitzpatrickp.s. Below, we’ve posted pdfs of a few of our favorite OOWs from the past as examples, and for your reading enjoyment.
