You, sir. We are constantly on the lookout for fresh writers. We want to hear about your ideas that will challenge our readers and drive our industry ahead. But you don't have to wait for a revolutionary concept to reshape web design. Simply try to provide readers with a new viewpoint on a subject that is keeping you up at night.
We'll be honest: writing for Who To is a lot of effort. We want your piece to be the best it can be, and we'll work with you to get there. Once you've been approved, you'll get detailed feedback from our staff and will collaborate directly with an editor on changes.
It's also gratifying. Thousands of your peers (as well as prospective employers, customers, or publishers) will read your work, and you will learn a lot along the way—about expressing your ideas, writing, and even the subject you thought you knew so well when you began.
What we're on the lookout for
You may send a rough draft, a partial manuscript, or a brief pitch (a paragraph or two outlining your thesis and why it is important to our readers) accompanied by an outline. The more comprehensive your contribution, the more useful comments we can provide. Please keep in mind that we only accept original material and will not post anything that has already been published elsewhere (including on your blog).
Please, no press releases or commercial pitches. They make us unhappy on the inside.
Before submitting, consult our style guide and previous articles for ideas on how to structure and format your post, and ensure that your submission:
Has a thesis and a coherent argument, rather than simply a collection of tips and techniques.
Has the ability to speak. Be daring, intriguing, and human.
Is aimed for designers, developers, content strategists, information architects, and those in a related field.
Is backed up by compelling reasons, not simply views. Check your facts and reference sources if needed.
It adheres to our style guide.
See "Writing is Thinking" for some insightful comments on the writing process. You should also read "So You Want to Write an Article?" to learn about typical submission mistakes and how to avoid them.
What we make public
Depending on the topic difficulty, we publish articles ranging in length from 600 to 2,500 words. The average length is 1,500 words. Custom illustrations are often used in articles. Articles may be informal in tone and substance, which is ideal for less-intensive lessons and articles, or they can be carefully organized and edited. All should be well-thought-out examinations of current and cutting-edge online industry issues.
How to Make a Submission (and what happens next)
Send us an email with your contribution. We prefer Google docs for submissions so that editors may quickly offer comments and advice right inside your copy. You may also email us a plaintext file, a Markdown file, or a link to an HTML page. (Please do not submit a ZIP file containing assets unless specifically asked by an editor.)
Here's what occurs when you press the Send button:
Your contribution will be reviewed by an editor to see whether it is a good match. If this is the case, the whole team will go through it and debate it. This occurs once a week.
The editor will compile the team's comments and provide you with remarks. (We seldom accept articles on the first try, but we'll let you know if we're interested.)
Send us your updated copy after you've answered our suggestions. The team will reconvene and let you know whether we wish to accept it.
If your piece is accepted, an editor will work directly with you on issues such as organization, reasoning, and style.
We'll schedule your publishing as soon as your changes are finished. We won't be able to offer you a precise publishing date until the piece is nearly finished.