Blog guidance for external contributors

Welcome to the Alive blog! We appreciate your interest in contributing. Below are our style and submission guidelines and editorial policies for a smooth publication process. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@aliveevidence.org‍

1. Content Guidelines

We aim to publish insightful, engaging, and high-quality content relevant to a wide audience committed to delivering better evidence for a better world. In particular, we are keen to promote and share the lessons learned from developing living evidence partnerships, a collaborative model of evidence production that delivers trustworthy, affordable and current insights to users. 

Please ensure your submission aligns with these key principles:
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  • Originality: Be original and not already published elsewhere (although the research it draws upon may have already been published).
  • Relevance: The topic should align with Alive’s mission. 
  • Depth & accuracy: Provide well-researched insights, cite reputable sources, and ensure factual accuracy.
  • Tone & style: Use a professional yet conversational tone, making the content engaging and accessible.
  • Readability: Use clear, concise language. Avoid jargon unless necessary, and explain technical terms.‍
  • Language. We strive to publish in a range of languages, including English, Danish, and Italian. If your language is not listed here, please do still contact us, and we can explore ways for it to be reviewed.

2. Formatting & Structure

To maintain consistency, please follow these formatting guidelines:
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  • Word Count: Blogs should be between 800 and 1,500 words.
  • Headings & subheadings: Use sub-headings to divide up content and help structure the key points.
  • Paragraph length: Keep paragraphs short (2-4 sentences) for readability.
  • Bullet points & lists: Use these to enhance clarity.
  • Links & references: Include relevant links to authoritative sources that provide further information or supporting evidence (please avoid in-text citations and a reference list. Hyperlinks to sources are preferred).
  • Contributor(s) byline: Include a short biography for each author (max 50 words per person) with a link to their website and include their social media handles.

3. Submission Process

Please follow these steps to submit your blog:
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  1. Pitch Your Idea: Send a brief proposal outlining your topic, key points, and relevance to hello@aliveevidence.org 
  2. Draft Submission: Upon approval, within 15 working days, submit your draft in Google Docs or Word format.
  3. Review & Feedback: We will review and provide feedback within 7 - 10 working days of receiving your blog.
  4. Final Edits: Revise based on feedback and resubmit for final approval within 15 working days of receiving our comments
  5. Publication: We’ll notify you once your blog is scheduled for publishing. We anticipate this will occur within 4 to 6 weeks.

4. Editorial Control & Revisions

  • We reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, grammar, formatting, and alignment with our style guide (see Section 2 above).
  • We may request revisions to ensure quality and alignment with our audience’s needs.
  • We maintain the right to decline submissions that don’t meet our standards, that are not aligned with Alive’s values and mission, or seek to sell products or services or receive a commercial benefit. 
  • We reserve the right to remove blogs from our website at any time and without notice if necessary, such as to maintain integrity or as part of any website updates.
  • We will include the following text on your blog: “This post is a guest contribution, and the views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of Alive or its partners. We are not responsible for any errors or omissions in this guest blog”.

5. Copyright & Ownership

  • By submitting your blog, you grant us non-exclusive rights to publish and distribute it.
  • You retain ownership of your content and may republish it elsewhere after it has been live on our site for at least 30 days, with attribution and a link back to the original blog.
  • Any images or media you provide must be your own or sourced from royalty-free platforms with proper attribution.

6. Author Attribution & Promotion

  • We will promote your blog on our social media channels and in the Alive Newsletter. 
  • We encourage you to share your published blog across your networks.

7. Contact & Next Steps

If you're interested in contributing, please contact us with your pitch or any questions hello@aliveevidence.org 

We look forward to collaborating with you!

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