What is The Fold?

The Fold is an online magazine produced by the OrigamiUSA community and accessed through the website https://origamiusa.org/thefold. Much of the content is available only to current members of OrigamiUSA; some is available to all visitors to our website.

How is The Fold different from other origami publications?

We are an online-only magazine, and unlike our print cousins, The Fold is not limited to a fixed number of pages. Articles in The Fold may contain enlarged photos, animations, sound and video. Additionally, online publication allows for a flexible schedule. Each issue covers a period of two months, but the articles that comprise an issue are published a few at a time, approximately twice a month.

Can I be notified when new articles are posted to The Fold?

Yes. If your browser permits, you can be automatically notified by subscribing to our RSS feed, feed://origamiusa.org/thefold/feed.

Who has access to The Fold?

The Fold, including all back issues, is available to any current member of OrigamiUSA who has an email address and can access the internet. Joining OrigamiUSA is easy and inexpensive. You can join online. You can also access the all issues of The Fold with the one-month Access Pass.

Is there any content accessible to non-members of OrigamiUSA?

Yes. Some articles are available to all visitors. Articles that are available only to members or Access Pass holders bear a note requesting that you sign in to obtain access.

How does The Fold address piracy of its content?

As with any online venture, The Fold’s content is vulnerable to being pirated and illegally distributed online. PDFs for download contains a copyright notice indicating that rights belong to the designer. At the bottom of each web page is a link to OrigamiUSA’s copyright policy. Since OrigamiUSA membership is relatively inexpensive and members can obtain articles readily and legally, we believe that piracy is rare.

That’s not going to prevent a determined person from posting copies of The Fold on a file-sharing site, is it?

Nothing will prevent a determined person from doing that, but we hope that by clearly stating our copyright policy and making our content available for the price of a year’s membership (or less if you contribute your own articles), people will refrain from unauthorized distribution.

I’m a member of OrigamiUSA, but I can’t see the articles. What’s wrong?

In order to see many of the articles in The Fold, you need to (a) be a current member of OrigamiUSA, (b) have an online web account connected to your membership, and (c) be signed in. Or you need to have a current (unexpired) Access Pass.

When you’re signed in, you’ll see an icon of a head and shoulders, rather than the word “Login,” in the upper right-hand corner. If you don’t see the icon, you’re not signed in. If you are signed in, click on your username, and you’ll see your membership status and/or the status of any Access Pass you might have.

Can I contribute and/or provide content to The Fold?

Anyone can contribute. We accept content from the worldwide origami community.

How do I contribute content to The Fold?

There are two good ways to submit an article. One is to go to our submissions page: https://origamiusa.org/submissions. You can read more about submissions to The Fold by scrolling down to The Fold’s section on that page.

The “Submit an article …” link near the top of the submissions page leads you to a form where you can upload diagrams and pictures. If you are submitting diagrams, we also require some text and need to know if you would like the diagrams to be available to anyone who visits the site or just to OrigamiUSA members.

You may also send content or inquiries to the managing editor at thefold [at] origamiusa.org.

Why should I contribute to The Fold?

Contributing content to The Fold is a great way to get your work out to a worldwide audience while maintaining a large amount of control over how your content is displayed. Contributing is also a wonderful way to support OrigamiUSA and get free months of membership.

What kinds of content can I contribute?

The Fold publishes many types of articles. Possibilities include diagrams, videos, crease patterns, origami convention reports and book reviews as well as articles on origami design and origami mathematics, but we are open to any origami content you’d like to provide.

A good article consists of novel content that contributes to the world of origami. Commentary and background information can be included, where appropriate. An article containing diagrams might also include a paragraph on the model’s design process, some biographical information on the designer or tips on how to fold the model.

I have some diagrams that are currently published. Can I contribute them?

In many cases, we are happy to reprint diagrams that have been published elsewhere, especially if they appeared in an origami magazine published by another organization or in an out-of-print book, or if they are of timely interest.

If I contribute content, do I get anything?

If your article or diagrams are accepted, you will be given two months’ membership in OrigamiUSA. If you are an existing member, your membership will be extended.

You mean, if I contribute six articles or diagrams per year, I get a free year of membership with all benefits?

Yes. The membership is digital-only. You will receive PDFs of The Paper along with all other basic membership benefits, including discounts at The Source, our online store.

I’d like to contribute, but I believe strongly in Creative Commons and don’t want my contribution available only to OrigamiUSA members.

Not a problem. We’re happy to mark your article or the content within it with your desired CC license and make it open access (available to all visitors).

Can I submit the same thing to The Fold, The Paper, The Annual Collection and/or the website’s free diagrams page?

Yes, but we will probably print it in only one or two of the publications. You can specify which publication(s) you’re submitting to, but of course, we’re happy if you leave the choice up to us. You’ll get the reward associated with the publication(s) in which it appears.

Is a contributor the same thing as an editor?

Not quite. While editors may contribute their own articles and diagrams, they have made additional commitments. Editors may responsible for finding high-quality content for the magazine, copy editing or testing and editing diagrams.

If you’d like to contribute in some way, please contact thefold [at] origamiusa.org and tell us what you’re interested in doing.

How long is an editor’s term?

We hope that editors will volunteer for at least a year.

What are the responsibilities of an editor?

Contributing editors should aim to submit as many as six articles per year. Copy editors and diagram editors edit content as needed, generally at the request of the managing editor. Any editor may review and comment on an article.

Do editors have to create original content?

No. In general, editors are only required to obtain (or edit) content, not necessarily to create their own articles, though many do.

What do I get for being an editor of The Fold?

Editors receive two months of membership in OrigamiUSA for each article they develop and/or edit.

Who can become an editor?

Any OrigamiUSA member is eligible to become an editor of The Fold. People with a background in publishing, copy editing or diagramming are especially welcome. Because editors need access to The Fold to do their job, being a current member of OrigamiUSA is a requirement. If you contribute or edit articles regularly, this should keep your membership up to date.

How can I become an editor?

Send a message to the managing editor at thefold [at] origamiusa.org. It should include your contact information, your background and a description of the type of content you hope to contribute. You may also send a proposal or a draft of your first article. The managing editor will review your application.

How do I post an article as editor? Do I need any special skills to do so?

Once you are accepted as an editor, you’ll receive a general description of your role and a PDF document that describes the technical aspects of the process. You will use a web-based interface to upload articles and image files. It helps if you know some HTML (the formatting language of the web), but if is new to you, you can probably learn what you need to know fairly quickly.

Some editors prefer to use all their volunteer time to produce content, and they upload their work to Google Drive, in which case the managing editor creates the HTML version.