Here’s how it works:

1. Get a brief from our Editorial Manager

Once you’ve signed the Work with uS Promise, you’ll receive an email each month from our Editorial Manager Alexandra Hepworth (Alex to us). Alex will explain the broad topics we’re writing about next month, and ask if you’re interested in writing about any of them.

2. Reply with your pitch to Alex

Do you have any experience with these topics? Have you been through any of these situations or feelings? Do you have a story other students could learn from? Reply to Alex with a brief description, and a short summary of the article you’d like to write.

If you can’t write that month, send Alex a quick email to let us know.

3. Agree your topic and submission deadline with Alex

Alex will consider your pitch and write back to confirm that she’d like you to go ahead. She may ask you to consider certain points and angles that might not have been in your pitch. Alex will give you a deadline of around two weeks, dependent on how many articles you would like to submit. If you know this is going to be difficult, just let Alex know.

Your university work always takes priority and we’ll work around it.

4. Submit your article on or before the deadline

When your article’s due, and you’re happy that everything’s ready, send your article to Alex.

Read Submitting your article for everything you need to know.

5. Receive editorial feedback and edited article

Alex will send you the edited version of your article within two weeks of you submitting the original. She’ll also send detailed editorial feedback, and ask you to read through both.

Read Receiving our editorial feedback for more on this stage.

6. Let Alex know if you’ve got any questions

Happy with the way we’ve edited your article? Does it still reflect your experience, and your advice? Understood the editorial feedback? Then there’s nothing further you need to do.

If you’re not comfortable with something at this point, or you’ve got questions, just let us know. We’ll work together until you’re completely happy.

Alex will also tell you when your article will be published on the Common Room.

7. Show off your published article

We’ll publish your article on the agreed day, and Alex will send you a link once it’s live on the Common Room.

Then you’re free to share the link on your social media, your personal blog - and anywhere else you like. But you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

Other articles in this series:

How it works | The Writing Academy

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