ActivistLab is powered by its authors, so we’re really excited to get you writing. Here’s everything you need to know to go from concept to published piece.
Step 1: Fill out this form with the basics of what you want to write.
Step 2: We’ll take a look and give you a thumbs up/down on the concept – if it’s thumbs up, you’ll begin work on a draft.
Step 3: We’ll work with you on finalizing the article and, once finished, give you a date for when your piece will be published.
That’s it! We try to keep things simple. If you have additional questions, check out the FAQ below – or shoot us an email at write@activistlab.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens once I fill out that form?
Submissions go straight to our editors who will take a look and get back to you as soon as possible. Once you get the thumbs up, start writing and we’ll work with you to finalize it.
If you’re ready to roll and want to start writing immediately, go for it. The submission form is just our way of making sure we can publish what you’re working on.
What Tone & Type of Content Are You Looking For?
We aim for range of styles of writing while maintaining a high level of quality. We want our articles to be useful to both new activists and those who have been doing this for awhile. We’re looking for both professional writers and those new to writing.
We currently publish two types of content: longer essays and articles that are featured prominently on our homepage and shorter thought pieces published in the Sapere Aude section.
Essays and Articles: The current essay and article categories we’re focused on are: tutorials sharing a particular skill, independent research or analysis on relevant topics, and interviews. This is our ‘flagship content.’
Sapere Aude: This section is dedicated to shorter pieces that are focused on bringing new ideas into conversation. Intended as a forum for pure ideation, this section brings in a broader set of topics.
The trick for both sections is to make sure you’re writing about the practice and theory of social change, or identifying topics relevant to positive reform. It doesn’t matter how ‘important’ a particular issue is, what matters are the tools, tactics, and strategies being used to create change – and your take on them.
Check out our past articles for ideas.
Will I get paid for my work?
Right now we’re only able to offer small nominal payments for pieces we commission. We have a limited pool of funds and all of it goes to authors and server costs. We pay via Paypal within two weeks of your piece being published.
How Do Copyrights Work?
Once published, your work will be licensed under the Creative Commons: Attribution license. This allows anybody to reprint and share your work as long as they properly attribute it. If you’re unfamiliar with Creative Commons, this is a helpful explainer.