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Submission Guidelines for Interconnections in Health
Writer’s profile, submitting stories, & formatting
Welcome to Interconnections in Health, a digital publication that explores the intersection of all things and health!
We aim to explore the question what does anything have to do with health? Our goal is to make readers curious, provide health education, or invite reflection on a specific health topic.
Our goal is to make readers curious, provide health education, or invite reflection on a specific health topic.
To learn more about us, please read here. If you are interested in writing for this publication, please continue reading below. Read the submission guidelines & formatting tips carefully. Stories that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be accepted.
Writers’ Profile: Who are we looking for?
Experts by education or authorities on a given topic
Our definition of experts is broad in the sense that we are not looking only for MDs or PhDs. People with expertise in health in a professional setting are welcomed to apply and specify their background. Medical doctors, scientists, community health workers, social workers, psychologists, behavioral therapists, etc. are welcomed, as long as their expertise and experience is directly related to health.
People with lived experiences in any given health topic
People with lived experiences on any given health topic are welcomed to apply and share stories from their perspective, their experiences, frustrations, insights, lessons, tips for others managing similar conditions, etc.
*A short ‘bio’ or ‘about the author’ will be required to explain why you are qualified to speak on the topic. This can be included as part of the text (e.g., stated as part of the story) or in a separate paragraph as a note at the end. Experts may be asked to link any validating websites.
Themes: What are we looking for?
As our title says, we are interested in exploring the intersection of all things and health. Therefore, almost any topic will be acceptable for publication as long as the story centers around and is about health.
Health information with cited sources from verifiable experts and narrative stories about health from a personal and lived experience perspective are welcomed.
We accept reflections on anything health-related and are happy to include creative pieces, including poetry, fiction, and photography. Again, as long as the main focus is health.
Stories in English and Spanish will be considered
Exceptions — We will not publish:
We will not consider stories that are AI-generated nor will we accept writers with AI-generated content.
Stories that include individual clinical and/or medical advice, unbacked claims, misinformation, and discriminatory pieces will not be considered.
A note on accountability
Authors are responsible for the veracity and accuracy of the information shared. A good faith effort will be made by the editors to review the stories' accuracy and the cited sources. However, this is not a peer-reviewed journal. The authors remain responsible for the information in their pieces, including any need to edit or revise.
Formatting Guidelines
Please read and use recommended formatting practices, which are widely available online. For example, this one on Blogging Guide by Casey Botticello.
For IH. the following are required:
Title and subtitle
The title and subtitle are required and decided by the author. We reserve the right to use the Kicker to include the publication’s name and indexing.
Please refrain from using clickbait, “trendy”, or overused article titles (e.g., “5 Foods That Will Change Your Life Forever!”)
Length
We value quality over quantity. Rather than length, we will consider whether the ideas or arguments are well developed.
At the time, there is no minimum or maximum length required. The ideal length will depend on the type of submission — opinion, anecdotes, educational, reflection, poem, photography, etc.
About the author
A short bio or ‘about the author’ is required at the end of the story. If you are claiming to be an expert in something, you can use this space to explain why and link any verifiable sources. If you are speaking from a personal perspective on a certain topic, you can integrate this within your story.
Text and language
Please be mindful of the audience and use plain language. Define any jargon.
Articles with unbacked claims, misinformation, or including biased or discriminatory pieces will not be considered. Additionally, we have a zero-tolerance policy for AI generated text. (Note: Using AI for prompts, ideas, or grammar check is not considered “AI generated text”). We use AI detectors and will automatically discard submissions and writers with more than 15% AI text.
“Health” must be one of the tags in your article.
MLA or APA citation styles are acceptable for all submissions.
Stories in both English and Spanish will be considered!
Photos
Authors are highly encouraged to take and use their own photos for added authenticity. (I recommend this story by Ryan Porter)
All photos must be credited, even if it’s yours or created by the author with AI. If so, please specify which. Articles with copyrighted images will not be accepted.
Depending on the length, include 2–3 high quality pictures maximum. At least one picture is required at the beginning (top, before the text) of each story. Please include Alt text for all images.
Becoming a Writer for Interconnections in Health
Applying to be a writer
We value different perspectives and authentic stories. People from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and intersectional identities are especially encouraged to apply.
Make sure you fall into the requirements to become a writer (Writers’ Profile: Who are we looking for? above). Again, we do not consider writers with AI-generated content.
If you are interested in becoming a writer for this publication, please fill out this Google Form. You will be notified via email when/if added as a writer to the publication.
Submitting stories
Please be aware that becoming a writer for the publication does not automatically mean that your stories will be accepted. All stories will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Suggestions and feedback can be made to improve grammar and/or readability.
Submitted stories must be thoughtful, well-written, and properly edited. Rought drafts will not be considered.
Step by Step:
- Start a draft as you normally would in your profile.
- Once it’s finalized, with the requirements above > Click on the three dots in the top right corner, next to the Publish button (see image below)
- Click ‘Add to Publication’
4. Select ‘Interconnections in Health’ and submit
5. An editor will review your story & write any feedback or changes as a private note
Thanks! Read our latest stories at Interconnections in Health.
