Write For Purple Speaks

Submission Guidelines

Photo by Florian Klauer on Unsplash | Customised by Team Purple Speaks

Thank you for coming to this page and expressing your interest in contributing to Purple Speaks. Here are some simple guidelines we encourage you to bear in mind while sending in your submissions to purple.speaksup@gmail.com

1. We are documenting stories of emotional abuse in children and young adults, especially by people in positions of authority who pass it off as acts of “discipline”.
2. While we can publish narratives around all forms of systemic discrimination and abuse, we encourage sharing stories where you felt punished, harassed, marginalized or singled out unfairly in school or college. Any instances or behaviours during your academic journey, that may have triggered mental health issues even in the long run, can be shared here.
3. We do not wish to name or disclose the identities of any specific educators or institutions. We request our contributors to adhere to this.
4. Our aim is to not only to draw attention to abusive practices in educational institutions but also to help facilitate a dialogue towards mobilising sustainable changes, keeping in mind the child’s emotional and mental well-being.
5. You may submit personal accounts, non-fiction, scholarship or opinion pieces recommending positive implementable changes or best practices for schools (500 –1500 words).
6. Photo essays, comic strips and infographics, are welcome for our social media platforms.
7. For photo essays, there should be at least 5 photos in a series, with a description of 250–400 words. Comic Strips must be a minimum of 3–5 panels and not more than 10 panels.
8. We are open to interviewing you and publishing the transcript. Our Editors will walk you through this journey.
9. Mention “Blog Contribution_format” (where format is personal account/photo essay, etc) in the subject line of your email.
10. Please include a short, third-person bio-note of 50–100 words, accompanying the contribution. Your social media handle may be included in the bio.
11. We, at Purple Speaks, are aware of the sensitive nature of the narratives and testimonies that will form a large part of the submissions. In case you are interested to publish with us, but wish to remain anonymous, please mention it in the body of the email. We will get in touch and publish your contribution accordingly. If you choose to remain an anonymous contributor, you can keep the bio-note as generic and not include information that could be used to identify you.
12. Our editors will work with you to help align your contribution with our objective. We will consult with you regarding the final draft before publishing.
13. Our editorial policy is driven to foreground the voice and story of the contributor and not the language used. We only make editorial changes where it affects readability. We don’t tamper with our contributor’s writing styles or impose pre-defined standards of English language usage on them
14. We might be late in responding, but don’t worry. We will get back to you :)
15. Finally, send in your submission to purple.speaksup@gmail.com

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