Submit an Idea

The Act Build Change website is an important platform for sharing work and insight. Here, you can share your learnings and bring attention to your work. If you would like to contribute, we look for work that is:

• Centred in organising methodology or grassroots principles.
• Driven by our shared values of collective care.
• Provides support and learning for our wider community.

Our offer to you

• We offer £150 per published idea.
• We'll give light, honest feedback to help develop your piece.
• We’ll hype you up and platform your work.

The process to getting published

1. Pre-pitch thinking – review our guidelines below and have a think about how you want to pitch your idea.
2. Pitching form – once you’re ready to progress, use the form below to submit your idea.
3. Drafting – once we have gotten back to you with a green light to go ahead, begin drafting. Whilst you should bear in mind target word count, first drafts can be longer.
4. Editing and review – there may be some back and forth to redraft and work towards a final edit with us. Don’t take any editorial comments personally, it's all about getting feedback to help shape a better piece!
5. Proofing, Publishing, and promoting – make sure to proofread before publishing with a suitable image. Post on social media and get people talking!  

Writing guidelines

The following guidelines are designed to help provide structure for your idea. 

Keep your writing concise

Ideally, your blog should run about 500-800 words, and have no more than 1,000 words. Structure your sentences so they are succinct, short and direct.

If you’re struggling with word count: 

• Empathise with the audience: What do they need to know, and can quickly digest? Write with colour and warmth, but remember to think about how readers might engage with it, rather than only how you would. 
• The ‘cut test’: Cut a paragraph (copy somewhere to save it). See if you miss it or remember it. 
• Remember you are contending for their attention in a world full of demands and distractions! 
  

Use clear language

Use plain, clear language — the kind you would use in everyday conversation. To be accessible, avoid using concepts or terms that are less familiar to mainstream audiences - explain them if you do. This doesn’t mean you should “dumb down” your work; it means that you should present your work in a way that will make sense to non-experts and help them acquire new vocabulary. 

If you have been in the community organising or social justice space for a while, perhaps think back to when you first got involved and were getting to grips with key vocab and concepts.

Have a purpose

Each blog should have a purpose and central idea it is putting forward. Think about what you want the reader to take from the blog and try to write from this position.

Be creative

It should be enjoyable as well as informative. Use creative and stylistic techniques (analogies, historical references, metaphors, rhetorical questions, colourful descriptions) to elevate the creative writing. 

Hook your reader’s attention

People are often busy and distracted by the hundreds of other things in their inbox or on their timeline competing for attention. Show why what you have to say should rise to the top. Along with the headline and feature image, a critical part of this is the opening paragraph that should be provocative and compelling. Avoid dry descriptions. 

Use subheaders to signpost your reader

Use subheads to organise your content and motivate readers to keep reading by signposting where you are taking them. A good rule-of-thumb is to write one subhead for every 250-350 words of copy.

Other dos and don’ts 

• Don’t provide too much granular detail, unless you are using it to illustrate a point. 
• Do reference (hyperlink) other sources of information and ideas.
• Do edit yourself ruthlessly. Prioritise what is important. Cut the rest!
• Do include visuals that add to the piece. 
• Do conclude with something thoughtful. Say something provocative, ask a question or propose a way forward.