Submissions

Why You Should Submit To The History News Network

HNN reaches a large number of readers. The website attracts hundreds of thousands of readers a month. Writing for HNN can help you find an audience for your ideas and publications.

If you have a book coming out an op ed can be an ideal way to draw attention to it. We've found that a good op ed can push readers to buy a book they otherwise would pass up. Of course, we'd happily feature the book jacket along with the article (and provide a link to Amazon or whichever website you wish).

Guidelines for Writing Articles

Successful op eds make an argument that takes the reader from point A to point B. They should either tell the reader something new or frame an old issue in a new way. Articles may include the author's opinion but primarily serve as vehicles for informed analysis with an emphasis on history. 

Article length may vary depending on subject matter but most articles run about 1,000 words.

Only in rare cases should footnotes be included -- instead, please use embedded links.  Using WORD you can highlight the phrase you want hyperlinked and then insert the link.  That is far preferable to pasting the link into the text, with the URL visible.

For helpful advice on writing an op ed, read:  Tips for Aspiring Op-Ed Writers by Bret Stephens.

How To Submit An Article

To submit an article, email Kyla Sommers at editor@hnn.us. If possible, articles should be sent as a Microsoft WORD attachment. If this is impossible, please simply paste the article into the email.

Please include in your email: 

• A resume. Because we need to be able to assure our readers that writers are experts in the areas they discuss, we request that all submissions be accompanied by a resume.
• How you would like to be identified.
• A brief author biography to accompany the article when published.

A response can be expected within three business days. Please contact us again if you haven't received a message within that time frame as emails occasionally get lost.

We encourage all historians who write for HNN to become a member. Membership is free. All you have to do is sign up for our thrice weekly newsletter by clicking here.

HNN Editorial and Publication Policies

HNN encourages the wide dissemination of information and therefore allows other publications to reprint our articles unless the author expressly requests copyright protection.

Writers should know that HNN allows search engines such as Google and Yahoo to use spiders to search the archives and post search results.

The editor reserves the right to select the title of any piece published by HNN.

Once a piece has been published the author relinquishes the right to withdraw it.

Authors should disclose in advance to the editor any potential conflict of interest they have which may affect their objectivity--or may appear to do so.

When you submit a piece for publication please indicate if it is a ROUGH DRAFT. Otherwise, the editor will assume the piece is in its final form and he will edit and post it in HNN's system. Writers are strongly discouraged from asking to make changes in pieces after they have been accepted in their final form as this requires laborious re-editing.

This is what we tell authors who ask to re-submit pieces that have already been accepted:

I am really sorry about this, but …  as we state in our Guidelines, once your piece has been accepted it goes through an editorial and production process that takes a lot of time. Our policy is therefore not to implement changes in a piece that’s been accepted unless there’s a factual error or grammatical mistake (if that’s the situation, then please flag the error). The schedule of the production editor is already heavy enough as is without my putting an additional burden on him of reposting stories he’s already posted. I hope you understand. HNN has a small staff.  We are overwhelmed as is. This is our standard reply.  The fact that we need a standard reply suggests how often this happens.  I hope that makes our policy more understandable.

Does HNN Pay Its Writers?

Ideally, HNN would be able to pay its writers and we hope in the future we can. Currently, however, we are not in a position to pay for articles submitted for publication.  

HNN is a 501(c) non-profit and has only one paid employee. We do not advertise and do not charge readers for access to our articles or newsletter. 

What the History News Network can offer historians is a national platform.