Submit Your Story

Welcome to Positively Positive. We are honored that you are interested in being a part of our online community of talented writers.

When we launched this website in October 2011, we had no idea how quickly it would become the go-to destination and online multi-media platform for inspiration and aspirations, and it is because we have been blessed with the most gifted storytellers sharing their hearts with our passionate audience.

One of the reasons our audience is so loyal and committed to our mission is due to the quality of our contributors and the connection they feel towards the topics addressed on the site. We value raw and authentic stories that provide a unique voice and a fresh perspective.

You don’t have to be a professional writer to be a part of the Positively Positive family. In fact, our contributors and guest writers hail from every conceivable walk of life, from celebrities, Olympic Gold Medalists, and best-selling authors to kids fighting for their lives and everyday people with something valuable to share.

We are currently looking for people who can share articles that are vulnerable and real. Stories. Prose we can connect with on a deep emotional level.

We are moving away from the standard fare and top lists (i.e. 3 Ways To…, 7 Ways to… 11 Life Lessons… ) and focusing more on deep, sincere, candid articles that will have an impact on our readers.

We don’t really have any “rules” for you to follow, but here some tips for you to keep in mind as you craft your blog post for submission.

**Please note: If you have something that you think our audience would love, then we encourage you to submit it even if it doesn’t line up with the tips below. We want works from the heart, and not marketing pieces that are a part of your website launch or just another check off the to-do list.

1. The Headline. Your headline is one of the most important parts of your blog post. Do your best to write the headline and if you aren’t sure, then submit three or four different headlines and we can help you choose the best one. The first three words and the last three words of the headline are the most important – make them stand out as much as possible. Look at headlines by James Altucher and Jen Pastiloff for inspiration. Put a lot of time and energy into the headline – it will pay off in spades (in the form of clicks, shares, and readers).

2. Storytelling is key. Tell your story in the beginning to hook readers into continuing to read the rest of your post. Make your post more engaging by tying your personal story into what you are talking about. Raw and real generally work best. Don’t be afraid to go “there” in your writing. Our audience wants to see and feel your vulnerability and experience your journey with you.

3. Images are important. The right image not only encourages people to click on the blog from the main page (and on social media sites), but it also moves your story forward and strengthens your message.

It could be a personal image, an image you own, or a creative commons image that we have permission to use. It is very important that we have the right to use the image on our blog post. Violating copyright laws is not cool.

Feature images should be 640 pixels wide (min) by 540 pixels high (this is ideal but could be wider). High resolution, please. You must own the image or provide a direct link to the picture you are using, not just the photographer. You can also include an image for inside the article, in addition to the feature image.

4. Break up your copy with sub-headers to make post more scannable. If it’s a long post, you use sub-headers that add a punch of character and/or entice the reader to keep reading.

5. The perfect blog doesn’t have a set word count – quality over length. The impact of the article is of more importance than the length.

6. Bullet point or number your list and use block quotes to make it more scannable for the reader. Also consider using short paragraphs and bold/italics to make it easier to read. If you have any questions about formatting, check out any of our most popular posts for examples and inspiration.

7. Add a tweetable to your content. Keep it around 100 characters (no more) because we have to add your blog URL and our Twitter username (@pospositive). Pull your best bits from your article to tweet.

8. Include a call to action – like a tweetable, a question at the end, or a request for specific comments.

9. Your bio at the end should be two to three sentences – short and to the point, with a link to your website, your Twitter account, and your Facebook Business Page. You can also mention any books you have written. Make it super easy for people to find and connect with you.

A few more things to keep in mind:

  • A submission does not guarantee that Positively Positive will publish it.

  • First blog posts are usually published in the “From Our Community” section. Authors that produce articles that resonates with our audience, and would like to blog at least monthly, may be invited to become a regular contributor with their own contributor page and permission to promote their affiliation with Positively Positive on their website.

  • We reserve the right to edit for style as outlined above.

  • If you’d like to include links, please do, but make sure they are set to open in a new window instead of linking away from Positively Positive.

  • Images that cannot be solidly credited with the proper copyrights will not be used (but you knew that, right?)

A word from our hard-working editors:

  • All submissions, whether you’re a bestselling author or a weekend blogger, will be run through our editorial staff. For the most part, our editors just scan for typos, grammar, and overall style (we adhere to The Chicago Manual of Style).

  • In some cases, our editors will edit out superfluous/redundant words, sentences, and punctuation as necessary to offer our readers a more streamlined, consistent experience.

  • Our editors may also, from time to time, rearrange the structure of the article in order to engage the reader, in which case we will let you know so you can review it, time permitting.

  • We do not review your content substantively to determine accuracy or whether it may contain third party materials; that is your responsibility.

  • While we don’t require that you submit fresh, unpublished content for consideration, we do ask that you take the time to transform your blog posts into an article that is aimed at our audience, isn’t overly promotional, doesn’t assume that they know who you are, and offers a new perspective or insight into a situation.

  • Submissions that link directly to your blog will not be considered.

  • By submitting your blog post to Positively Positive, you are agreeing to allow our editorial team to make these cosmetic editorial changes. (This is mega-important to understand so if you have any questions, please reach out to us before submitting your post).

Please email your submissions in a Word Document to submissions@positivelypositive.com

PUBLICIZE YOUR POSTS

Because we live in a social world, and we are a social platform, we encourage all of our contributors to promote their Positively Positive posts by sharing them on their website and/or via email, newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Tumblr, StumbleUpon, Instagram, and any other social networking sites.

We also love it (and so does our audience) when authors encourage interaction and engage with commenters to their post. We highly recommend that you respond to all of the comments on your posts as this supports the community and turns a blog post into a conversation. We’ll help out by posting a link to the post on our social networking sites, so be ready to connect with people around the world.

A Loving Note: Due to the high volume of submissions (boy, are we popular :), it could take up to three weeks for us to review your blog post. We cannot guarantee a response to all queries. We will reach out if we are interested in your work.

Just remember, no matter if we post your blog or not, keep writing and keep sharing and keep spreading positivity throughout the world.

Thanks for your love and support. We are humbled and honored.