Crew 2 Crew message boards allow you to get involved in lively industry discussion and comment and create posts within your specific topics.
If you want to share your information and experiences of crew life effectively and benefit industry communications, it is important to make your post easy to understand.
Following are hints and tips on everything from starting discussions, writing basic comments, to creating quality journalistic pieces we can use as breaking news in our Crew 2 Crew news feed.

Starting discussions

• Find the most appropriate message board for your subject so it can be easily found by interested users; off topic discussions may be closed or removed.
• Check the other discussions first so you don't repeat an existing conversation.
• An interesting title or subject will gain attention so that other people will want to join in. Basic tips
• Stick with the main topic of the discussion.
• Using short sentences makes your messages easier to read and more effective.
• Double check your message before you post it – you can always you can always edit your post after it has been posted.

• What is your main point and does this come through?
• Is your post relevant to the topic/thread?
• Is it of interest to your industry?
• Does the headline capture attention?
• Does it flow in a logical sequence?

Hot Topics

• Introductions – always important when joining any conversation!
• Piracy – how will the International Maritime Community deal with it?
• The Environment – Ships CO2 emissions, what can be done now?

• Subject/Headline – Good quality headlines grab attention and help clarify. The headline must be relevant to the subject matter and topical within the message board thread. A possibility for the sub headline is to pose a question to the user. (5-15 words)
• Lead Paragraph – Acts as the opening to your article and should contain as much information as to grip in readers. Answer the 5 W’s & H of journalism, (who, what, where, when, why and how).
• Main Body – The body of the text is the chance to elaborate and add meaning to the post. It can be split into different paragraphs if it is a longer post, as it is important to use bite size nuggets of information instead of bulk text. (Each section 30 – 80 words)
• Quotes – Not mandatory for a post but beneficial to include if possible. Quotes add weight and credibility to a written piece (especially if the source is a professional/expert in the field) and also serve to break up the article. The quote can stand on its own within the piece to draw emphasis.
• Image Selection – Appropriate picture selection can add depth and compliment a post. This should normally be positioned on the top corner of the article, adjacent to the headline.
• Conclusion – Serves to round up the piece and can also lead the way for a follow up post on future events.