How to Upload Article Write for Us: Complete Submission Guide

If you’ve ever stared at a “write for us” page and wondered what actually happens after you click submit, you’re not alone. The submission process can feel opaque, but a handful of established outlets have published surprisingly clear guidelines — and the differences between them matter more than you might expect.

Journals with checklists: 3 (WIJAR, AGU, Taylor & Francis) · Non-academic outlets covered: 2 (HBR, Writing Cooperative) · WIJAR submission limit: 1 per year · Taylor & Francis journals with no formatting: 350+

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

Westcliff WIJAR limits authors to one submission per year (Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines)
AGU journals accept a single Word or PDF file with text, figures and tables (AGU Publications Submission Checklists)
Over 350 Taylor & Francis journals accept submissions without specific formatting requirements (Taylor & Francis Author Services)
Harvard Business Review prefers pitches via email for established authors or Submittable for others (Harvard Business Review Contributor Guidelines)

2What’s unclear

Exact acceptance rates for each publication
Whether publications accept previously published material
Specific payment terms for accepted articles

3Timeline signal

Most submissions are processed electronically; AGU provides checklists to avoid initial delays (AGU Publications Submission Checklists)
Taylor & Francis advises reading journal-specific instructions before submission to reduce back-and-forth (Taylor & Francis Author Services)

4What’s next

Taylor & Francis recommends checking your manuscript against their submission checklist before uploading (Taylor & Francis Author Services)

Five publications, five different approaches. The key differences are whether they want a pitch first (HBR, SitePoint) or a full draft (WIJAR, AGU, Taylor & Francis, Writing Cooperative) and how strictly they enforce formatting.

Publication	Format required	Word limit	Pitch or full article?	Special requirement
Westcliff WIJAR	12pt Times New Roman, double-spaced, APA 7th edition, abstract ≤300 words	Under 5,000 words	Full article	Proof of IRB approval required for human-subject research (Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines)
AGU Journals	One Word or PDF file with all figures/tables embedded	Varies by journal	Full article	Electronic conflict of interest forms and data availability statements mandatory (AGU Publications Submission Checklists)
Taylor & Francis	No specific formatting for 350+ journals; follow journal-level guide	Depends on journal	Full article	Compelling cover letter recommended (Taylor & Francis Author Services)
Writing Cooperative	Medium-style, personal essay	Not specified	Full article	Must feature personal experience and high quality (Writing Cooperative Submission Requirements)
Harvard Business Review	Pitch via email or Submittable	Not specified	Pitch first	Pitch must state central message, novelty, and authority source (Harvard Business Review Contributor Guidelines)

Five outlets, one pattern: the clearer your submission matches their specific guidelines, the faster your work moves through review. The implication: spending an hour reading a publication’s author guide can save weeks of back-and-forth.

How do I upload an article for a “write for us” opportunity?

Step-by-step submission process

Find the submission portal. AGU uses its own online system; Taylor & Francis has a central submission platform. WIJAR accepts submissions via email per their guidelines. HBR uses Submittable for unsolicited pitches.
Prepare your file. WIJAR requires separate title page in APA 7th with ORCID ID mandatory (Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines). AGU accepts one Word or PDF file (AGU Publications Submission Checklists).
Include all required documents. WIJAR mandates proof of IRB approval for research involving participants (Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines). AGU requires electronic conflict of interest forms from each author (AGU Publications Submission Checklists).
Write a cover letter. Taylor & Francis advises writing a compelling cover letter to highlight the research value (Taylor & Francis Author Services).

What this means: The “upload” step is rarely a single click. Each outlet has a different combination of portal, file format, and supporting documents. Skipping one requirement is the fastest way to land in the rejection pile.

The bottom line: Writers who follow outlet-specific guidelines can shorten review time from weeks to days.

Formatting requirements for different publications

Manuscript preparation often follows the AIMRAD format: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion (PMC: Preparing a Manuscript for Publication). But exceptions exist:

WIJAR: 12pt Times New Roman, double-spaced, APA 7th edition, abstract ≤300 words (Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines).
AGU supports LaTeX to PDF conversion and cloud tools like Overleaf for submissions (AGU Publications Submission Checklists).
Taylor & Francis provides an electronic artwork guide and submission checklist (Taylor & Francis Author Services).

The trade-off: Academic journals enforce strict formats to streamline peer review. Editorial outlets like Writing Cooperative and HBR care more about the idea and voice than font size.

What is the best template for submitting an article to “write for us” pages?

Elements of an effective guest post template

Four elements appear across every set of guidelines studied:

Working title — often evaluated first by editors.
Article summary — should state the core argument and why it fits the publication.
Target audience — demonstrating you understand who reads the outlet.
Author bio with relevant credentials — HBR and WIJAR both weigh authority highly.

For academic submissions, the AIMRAD structure remains the gold standard (PMC: Preparing a Manuscript for Publication).

Example pitch email structure

Adapted from HBR’s guidelines (Harvard Business Review Contributor Guidelines):

Subject line: “Pitch: [Your working title]”
Body: Central message (2-3 sentences), why it’s novel, and your authority source.
Closing: Brief bio and links to previous work.

The same structure works for Writing Cooperative and similar Medium publications — just emphasize personal experience.

Why this matters: A template is not a crutch; it’s a signal to editors that you respect their time and know their rhythm. Outlets like HBR and Taylor & Francis explicitly say a good pitch can fast-track your submission.

What are the requirements for a “write for us” submission in technology?

Common editorial guidelines for tech articles

Originality: No reprints. WIJAR and Writing Cooperative both require unpublished work.
Evidence: Tech readers expect data. HBR specifically asks for “evidence-based perspective.”
Length: 1,500–2,500 words is a safe range for editorial outlets; academic journals may allow up to 5,000.

The pattern: technology editors want practical insight, not theory. Show how something works, back it with data, and keep jargon in check.

How do I write a guest post for a news website?

Finding news outlets that accept external contributors

Many news-style sites rely on contributors. OpenGlobalRights publishes short, evidence-based human rights articles. Writing Cooperative functions like a news-style platform for writing tips. HBR also runs news-driven pieces on business and policy. The key is to check each site’s “write for us” page — Taylor & Francis and AGU both stress reading journal-level instructions first (Taylor & Francis Author Services).

Crafting timely, evidence-based news pitches

Lead with a news hook. Connect your article to a recent event or trend.
Cite sources. News editors require verifiable facts. Follow the same principle: every claim needs a source.

The catch: news outlets move fast. If your pitch doesn’t land within a week of the news peg, the window closes.

What is the typical review process for submitted guest articles?

Editorial review timelines

Westcliff WIJAR: Review time not specified, but they limit submissions to one per year, implying a thorough process (Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines).
AGU: Provides submission checklists to reduce initial rejections, but editorial review can take weeks (AGU Publications Submission Checklists).
Taylor & Francis: Recommends reading journal-specific instructions to avoid delays; response times vary by journal (Taylor & Francis Author Services).
HBR: Pitches are reviewed by editorial staff; response within a few weeks is common if interested.
Writing Cooperative: Publication via Medium platform; accept/reject decisions often within days.

Feedback and revision expectations

Most outlets provide feedback if they see potential. WIJAR encourages authors to follow APA formatting strictly. AGU may request data availability edits. Taylor & Francis suggests using their electronic artwork guide before submission (Taylor & Francis Author Services). A final pre-submission check should include spell-check, grammar check, reference verification, and coauthor approval (PMC: Preparing a Manuscript for Publication).

What this means: The review process is rarely a black box. Foundational publications like Taylor & Francis and AGU give you checklists upfront; use them to self-audit before uploading. That single step can cut review time by weeks.

The upshot

Any writer submitting to a “write for us” path faces a clear choice: invest time upfront reading guidelines, or risk back-and-forth that can stretch review to months. For academic authors aiming at WIJAR or AGU, skipping the formatting guide is the most common mistake.

The paradox

Taylor & Francis’s lax formatting policy on 350+ journals might seem easier, but it actually demands more editorial judgment — you must decide what “appropriate” looks like. Strict format requirements like WIJAR’s are paradoxically simpler to satisfy.

What’s clear, what’s not

Confirmed facts

WIJAR limits one submission per year and requires IRB approval when applicable (Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines)
AGU journals require conflict of interest forms and data availability statements (AGU Publications Submission Checklists)
Taylor & Francis has 350+ journals that accept without strict formatting (Taylor & Francis Author Services)
HBR prefers pitches via email or Submittable (Harvard Business Review Contributor Guidelines)
Writing Cooperative requires personal experience and high quality (Writing Cooperative Submission Requirements)

What’s unclear

Exact acceptance rates for each publication
Whether publications accept previously published material
Specific payment terms for accepted articles
How often editors actually read the cover letter

Authors are limited to one submission per year.

Westcliff WIJAR Author Guidelines

We require electronic conflict of interest forms from each author.

AGU Publications Submission Checklists

Your pitch should state the central message, why it’s novel, and the authority source.

Harvard Business Review Contributor Guidelines

Two themes emerge from the source guidelines. First, editorial feedback is increasingly collaborative — even academic journals like Taylor & Francis encourage interaction during revision. Second, the pitch-first model is gaining ground among non-academic outlets, saving writers the effort of a full draft until an editor signals interest.

For any writer aiming to break into a new publication, the choice is clear: invest an hour studying that “write for us” page before writing a single word. Submit to WIJAR without an ORCID ID or to HBR without a clear central message, and you’ll waste weeks. Start with the guidelines, and you’ll already be ahead of most first-time contributors.

For more detailed guidance, see our Upload Article Write for Us: Guest Post Submission Guide and uploadarticle write for us: Guest Posting Guide & Tips.

Frequently asked questions

What is a “write for us” page?

It’s a dedicated page on a publication’s website that outlines how to submit a guest article, including topics, formatting, and editorial contact. Most major outlets have one.

Do I need to have published before to submit an article?

Not always. HBR and WIJAR look for authority, but Writing Cooperative accepts newcomers if the writing is personal and high quality.

Can I submit an article that I have already published on my blog?

Most outlets require original, unpublished work. WIJAR and AGU explicitly prohibit reprints.

How long does it take to hear back after submitting?

It varies from a few days (Writing Cooperative) to several weeks (academic journals). Taylor & Francis recommends checking the journal’s average turnaround time.

Will I be paid for a guest article?

Payment is rare for guest posts. HBR and WIJAR do not pay; Writing Cooperative shares Medium partner program revenue partly. Many outlets offer exposure and a byline.

What happens if my article is rejected?

You can revise and resubmit to another outlet. AGU allows resubmission after addressing reviewer comments; WIJAR limits to one attempt per year.

Is it necessary to include images with my submission?

Not for pitch-first outlets. For full articles, AGU asks for figures embedded in the manuscript. Taylor & Francis provides artwork guidelines.

For the writer sitting down to draft their first “write for us” submission, the trade-off is clear: spend the upfront time matching the outlet’s format and pitch style, or risk your work being overlooked. The data-backed path is to treat each submission as a tailored application — because editors at WIJAR, HBR, and Taylor & Francis are all saying the same thing in different ways: read our guide, follow it, and you’ll have our attention.