Writing Submission Rules

The rules for title, length and text layout when adding an essay, story or column.

Pieces are published at their own address under the author's name. What follows is not a list of bans; it is a handful of habits we agreed on so that essays, stories and columns can stand side by side in the same archive.

Title

Write the title with ordinary capitalisation: neither all caps nor all lowercase. Capitals read like shouting; a good title takes its voice from its own words.

Length

A piece needs at least 400 characters. A single paragraph is not enough to carry a thought; that belongs on the Scribble Board.

Standfirst

Lists show the opening lines. Write your own standfirst if you like: two sentences that invite the reader in — an invitation, not a summary.

No need to sign

Do not write your name or the title inside the text, and do not date the end. The archive adds all of that itself.

Links and code

Do not put links, HTML tags or ads in the text. If you are quoting a source, write it in the source field; the address is shown properly to readers there.

Copyright

Only add text you wrote yourself or have the right to publish. Publishing someone else’s writing under your name ends with your account being closed.

A short reminder

  • The title uses ordinary capitalisation (not all caps or all lowercase).
  • The text is at least 400 characters.
  • No signature, repeated title or date inside the text.
  • No links, HTML tags or ads.
  • The text is yours, or you hold the right to publish it.

To add your piece, use the My writings screen in your member area.

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