writers wanted

What we are looking for
Articles for MercatorNet shine an ethical spotlight on current events and trends. This doesn’t mean that they should be preachy, but they should somehow highlight our central theme of human dignity. We are looking for contributions which are positive without being smug, realistic without being bitter. We want to radiate light, not heat.

We prefer that contributors take an honest and open-minded approach to polemical issues. Being open to ethical reasoning and the transcendent nature of man does not mean being religious. We prefer arguments that are not faith-based, although we will certainly cover religious issues which are in the public eye.

Tied to the headlines
Our target audience is well-educated and curious. But don’t assume that readers are familiar with the issue that you are covering. This means that articles should draw them in quickly by establishing their relevance. There are many ways to interest readers – and we welcome creative approaches – but normally we’d like MercatorNet articles to have a “ripped from the headlines” feel. Writing for the internet is demanding and unless you grab your readers’ interest in the first few lines, you will lose them. 

Adding value to readers’ time
Like everyone who uses the internet, the readers of MercatorNet have access to a vast range of news sources and social and political commentary. A visit to the MercatorNet website has to add value to their busy day. What they want from its articles is a fresh approach which enables them to dialogue with friends, family and colleagues about the ethical dimension of current affairs. Always ask yourself if what you have written contains information or arguments that they won’t find elsewhere.

Substance is more important than style, but style is important. Unless the writing has flair, it’s difficult to keep readers engaged. We like tightly written articles which entertain as well as inform, which speak to the heart as well as the mind.

Submissions
If you have an idea for an article, please pass it by the editor first before submitting it. It would be unfortunate if your idea has already been covered by another contributor. This also gives us a chance to discuss the article with you and give you some broad guidelines.

Warning!
Our editors are busy people. We cannot afford the time to rewrite poorly-written contributions even if they contain the germ of a good idea. Please check your copy carefully for factual and spelling errors. If your article contains unusual names, retype the word in brackets to reassure the editors that it is correct. For instance, “Smythe (Smythe)”. Use endnotes rather than footnotes when referencing. Insert links in the copy. 

Length
Broadly speaking, articles for MercatorNet should be between 1200 and 1500 words long. This is about the upper limit of intelligent commentary of writing for the internet. However, we welcome crisp, stylish pieces of 600 to 800 words which deliver a clear message about a topical issue. We also accept longer articles of up to 3000 words which are carefully argued and well documented.

Biographical information
Please provide a one-sentence self-portrait at the conclusion of the article. Include your email address if you are willing for readers to contact you.

Style guide
In general, we follow the style set out by The Economist in its style guide. This covers such conundrums as spelling, punctuation, hyphens, capitalisation and italics.