Mythcreants loves receiving submissions for guest blog posts. However, we have strict editorial standards that every article must meet in order to be published on Mythcreants.

Length

We generally look for posts that are 750 – 3,000 words long.

Subject Matter

We like posts that cover wordbuilding, writing, and storytelling. Articles that discuss the intersection between stories and social justice are very welcome. While we have some tabletop roleplaying content on the site, we are less likely to accept guest posts in that topic area. We do not usually publish content on video games.

We also have many posts analyzing popular stories. However, we rarely take posts focusing exclusively on one story or franchise unless it is incredibly popular, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Instead, we recommend most guest bloggers write a list post about multiple stories. If you do focus on a single, popular franchise, we will be evaluating whether you have a fresh take on that franchise.

Our content is speculative fiction focused. This includes any genre that deviates from known reality: fantasy, science fiction, supernatural horror, steampunk, alternate history, etc. If your article is about writing or storytelling in general, please use examples from speculative fiction where possible. If you are analyzing popular media, all of the media under discussion should be speculative fiction.

We focus on evergreen content over timely content. If you send us thoughtful and timely commentary on something that was recently released, we might still publish it, but in general we want articles that will stay relevant for years.

You are welcome to pitch ideas to us before you write your article.

Structure

All articles on Mythcreants must be written in an organized manner around a central thesis. A good thesis clearly states what content will be in the article and its value to potential readers. That statement will become the title of the article.

These are not good theses:

  • My Misc Thoughts About Vampires
  • An Ode to Vampires
  • Blood as Life: Vampires Today

These are all good:

  • How to Create a Scary Vampire
  • What Vampire Stories Tell Us About Gender Expectations
  • How Vampire Stories Have Changed Over Time
  • Why We Should Stop Writing About Vampires
  • Five Fresh Takes on Vampires

The easiest way to organize your article is to write a list post. Just remember that “Five Vampires” isn’t a good list title because it offers no value to the reader. Add a qualifier, for instance, “Five Mind-Blowing Vampires.”

Subsections

Every article must be subdivided into sections. Like the article overall, each section should have a clear, descriptive heading and content organized neatly around that sub point.

  • A list post should have numbered sections for each item on the list.
  • If the article title is a bold statement like “Why We Should Stop Writing About Vampires,” then each heading should be one, complete reason supporting your bold statement. Example: “Vampires Are Cliche”
  • If your article title poses a question like “Should We Stop Writing About Vampires?” then generally you want one section supporting a “yes” answer, one section supporting a “no” answer, and a third section reconciling the two sides.
  • If your article title starts with “how,” then generally your sections will step through the process you are covering in order.

Subsections should feel consistent with each other. Than can vary somewhat in length but not wildly in length. If you cover similar content in each section (typical in a list post), put that content in the same order each time.

Style

Mythcreants has many style conventions, but most style mismatches are easily corrected by our editors. However, one problem regularly appears in guest pieces and is not easy to correct: convoluted sentences.

Please:

  • Split up long sentences. If it takes up three lines in a standard MS Word document, it’s too long.
  • Clean up excess language. Instead of using multiple words or phrases that say almost the same thing, pick one. Get rid of clutter words.
  • Read your article out loud before submitting it to us. Having clear and smooth text without obvious typos demonstrates your dedication to working with us.

Have Questions?

We’re happy to answer them; just contact us.