Writing for Global Voices doesn't mean you have to spend days and days of time and energy on a long post — unless you want to! We can also write short posts between 100 and 300 words that support GV's mission:
We work to find the most compelling and important stories coming from marginalized and misrepresented communities. We speak out against online censorship and support new ways for people to gain access to the Internet.
These short posts are often easier to research, write and edit, which means they are published faster and more likely to be translated too. They are short, but they still leave the reader well informed.
Other important documents:
- How to Write for GV Best practices for writing and reporting a GV story.
- Style Guide Information about GV stylistic standards.
- Posting Guide Technical information about creating posts including text formatting styles and instructions for dealing with images and video.
How to write a short post
Short posts appear in the main well of the Global Voices homepage alongside all other posts, and as such they must contain:
- a headline;
- a large feature photo at the top;
- an excerpt under 30 words;
- a clear lead;
- any necessary context;
- and citizen media commentary.
There are a few specific things to keep in mind while crafting a short post:
1. Short posts should make sense in their entirety
Don’t forget to include context of how something happened and why the content you are highlighting is important. If clicking a link is central to understanding the short post, that means the short post is not complete. Short posts must stand on their own.
2. The headline should be well crafted
Just because a post is short doesn't mean it should have a clipped headline. Headlines are enormously important for drawing readers on the homepage as well as in social media, so we want to make people curious to know what’s inside with a well-crafted headline. Take a look at GV's Tips for Crafting Headlines for advice.
3. The post must include solid sources and links
Like any other post on GV, we must use be transparent with our sources by linking to them and/or citing them in the story. We must also take care to choose only reliable sources and be rigorous in our fact-checking.
4. Images and videos must be attributed
We have to have permission to use all images, whether from the author directly or through a licensing scheme such as Creative Commons. We must also include all links and appropriate attribution.
Content that makes great short posts
Especially videos and photos, make for great short posts. Don’t forget to add a line or two about why something is going viral or trending in a certain region.
- ‘Halal’ Internet Advertisements Pop Up in Toronto, Canada
- The Tweet That United Government and Opposition Supporters in Venezuela
- #IFellAsleepToo: Sleeping Latin American Doctors Go Viral
- After Weeks of Scorching Heat, Myanmar Is Hit by the Worst Hailstorm in 50 Years
Popular or unique blogs
Public Facebook groups and Twitter accounts too. Highlight why they are distinct.
- Learn To Speak English With a ‘Pershian’ Accent
- Real Goats. Real Stories. Bangladesh Delivers.
- Video Blog Provides In-Depth Insights Into How Japanese Politics Work
- Poetry Project Bridges Language and Cultural Barriers Between Arabic and Hebrew Speakers in Israel
Unique protests, urban art or events
Fascinating commentary on society or culture
Make sure it is specific, not vague.
- An Animated History of How the Cherokee Have Adapted Their Language for Technology
- How School Lunch Plays a Central Role in Education in Japan
- A New Collection of Children's Books Intends to Subvert Your Ideas of Princesses
- An Indian Photoblogger's Lone Fight Against Plagiarism
- [Video] Decoding Indian Headshakes in Less Than Two Minutes
- Five Years Ago, a Tsunami Devastated Japan. Now a Filmmaker Looks Back.
- Film Says Students Across Central and Eastern Europe Should Cooperate on Fighting Corruption
Latest tech developments
Background on a developing story
Or a breaking news summary before a longer post is written.
Inspiring, shocking and vivid quotes
They should grab readers and introduce them to important stories. Don’t forget to include relevant context to make sure the quote is understandable for our global audience.
