illuminem Editorial Guidelines

At illuminem, we are committed to providing our readers with the most comprehensive, accurate, and high-quality information on sustainability and related topics. To uphold our reputation as a premier information source in this field, we ask that all writers and contributors follow these editorial guidelines when creating content for our platform:

The best articles: 

• Address or explore topics of interest within the sustainability community

• Captivate and engage audiences through exceptional writing and originality

• Demonstrate clear purpose and integrity

• Are written with clarity and pre-edited for readability and style. Authors in need of assistance with English language editing or formatting should request this before submitting an article

• Adhere to our formatting policy (details provided below)

• Follow our no advertising policy

Readability and structure

Authors are asked to pre-edit pieces for readability before submission. To this end, please follow these guidelines: 

• Readability and style: To maintain content quality, please use active voice, be concise, maintain consistent verb tenses, apply proper punctuation, utilize bullet points for lists, and always spell-check before submission

• Abstract: Please include a short 30-80 word abstract at the top of your article that summarizes your article succinctly

• Introduction: Begin with a brief introduction that engages the reader and provides an overview of the topic being discussed. This should be concise and enticing, setting the stage for the rest of the article

• Body: Divide the main content into clear, logical sections using headings and subheadings. Each section should address a specific aspect of the topic, providing relevant information, data, and analysis

• Conclusion: Summarize the key points of the article and offer any concluding thoughts or recommendations. This section should wrap up the content and provide a sense of closure for the reader

• Length: Please aim for a length between 1,000 and 1,800 words, though we might accept shorter or longer pieces

Headings and Subheadings

Headings and subheadings are essential for structuring content and making it easier for readers to navigate. Follow these guidelines for creating effective headings and subheadings:

• Style: Use clear, concise language that accurately represents the content within each section

• Capitalization: Use sentence case for all headings and subheadings. For example, use "Understanding the impact of renewable energy sources" instead of "Understanding The Impact Of Renewable Energy Sources"

• Paragraphs: Include at least 5 sub-headings in your article (our experience shows that the optimal number is around 8-12). Also, make sure that the paragraphs are well-developed

Images & Graphs

Images are a highly efficient way of conveying messages or illustrating narratives. There are two types of images: banners & inside-article images/graphs. Please follow the below guidelines to ensure an optimal experience for the user:

• Banner image: Please share separate image files of high-quality pictures in landscape format (resolution 1080p) taken from a stock website or with the express permission of the owner 

• Inside-content images: Please share separate image files of high-quality pictures & graphs in landscape format (resolution 1080p)

• Relevance: All images and graphs must be directly relevant to the article's content and purpose. They should enhance the reader's understanding of the topic, and illustrate points made within the text

Originality

Published articles will be available exclusively on illuminem.com:

• If your post is published in our illuminem Voices section, you generally cannot republish the article on any other website, including your own website or blogging platforms such as LinkedIn Pulse or Medium

• We do however encourage you to share the link with your network

• We may consider republishing existing content on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to submit non-exclusive content, please share the link to the page where the content is currently hosted

Citations and External Links

Citing sources and including external links is crucial for establishing credibility and providing readers with additional resources for further exploration. Adhere to the following guidelines when citing sources and including external links:

• Submission Format: We prefer submissions in editable Google Docs format. If you must submit in PDF, please attach a separate document listing the links you'd like to include in the article

• Footnotes: In-text citations should be numbered, and ordered sequentially as they appear in the text, tables, boxes, etc.

• Sources: Always cite the source of any data, statistics, or quotes used in your article. This includes research studies, news articles, and other reputable sources

• Links: Use in-text citations in the form of hyperlinks, embedding the link within the relevant text

• Authority: External links should be relevant, authoritative, and directly related to the content being discussed

By following these editorial guidelines, we can maintain the high quality and credibility our readers expect from illuminem. If you have any questions or concerns about these guidelines, please contact your editor for clarification

Thank you for your contributions to illuminem. We look forward to creating impactful and informative content together

Important disclaimers

• We reserve the right to refrain from publishing content that does not adhere to our guidelines

• illuminem editors reserve the right to edit the title and content of any piece for readability & clarity. For any material modification, we will first seek the permission of the author 

• illuminem has never published commercial content without clearly informing our community. Please contact our corporate engagement team for any information regarding sponsored content

Examples of articles adhering to guidelines

• Carlos Terol, Democracy and systemic change: why we have more power than we think
• Matt Cyrankiewicz, The AI counterattack to climate change
• Wim Naudé, Seven reasons why degrowth is no solution to the ecological crisis
• Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Race to zero in Asia and the Pacific: our hopes in the climate fight
• Erin Remblance, Climate action: the time for incrementalism is over
• Mark Workman, Bringing society together around the creation of a UK carbon removal sector

Are you interested in becoming a featured author on illuminem? Please send us a message at: https://illuminem.com/contact. Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’d like to write about.