Everything you need to know about contributing to Best Writing. This page covers editorial standards, link policies, submission process, and content requirements.
Link policy
- Up to 3 sponsored links per article.
- All paid or sponsored links carry the rel="sponsored" attribute per Google link spam guidelines.
- Editorial (non-paid) links are standard dofollow.
- Anchor text must be natural and contextual. No keyword stuffing or generic anchors like "click here."
- Links must point to live, high-quality pages. No redirects, login walls, or paywalls.
- Do not link to competitors of the publication.
- The editorial team may modify or remove links at its discretion.
Prohibited content
- Gambling and betting
- Casino and poker
- Cryptocurrency trading
- CBD, cannabis, or THC
- Forex and binary options
- Adult content and dating
- Unapproved pharmaceuticals
- Payday loans and predatory finance
- Weapons and ammunition
- Tobacco and vaping
- Multi-level marketing
- Fake news and misinformation
- Link farms and PBN schemes
- Political campaigning
- Weight loss supplements
- Counterfeit goods
- Illegal services
Editorial process and turnaround
- Submissions are reviewed within 2-3 business days.
- The editorial team reserves full right to edit, rewrite, or decline any submission.
- Approved content is typically published within 5-7 business days.
- Authors receive a notification with the live URL upon publication.
Generative AI use
- AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.) are acceptable for research, outlining, and editing. They are not acceptable for generating wholesale article drafts that are published without substantive editing and original contribution.
- Every article must include a unique point of view, first-hand experience, or expert insight that an AI alone could not produce. Articles that read as commodity summaries of common knowledge will be declined.
- Verify every fact, statistic, quote, and citation generated by AI. AI tools regularly fabricate sources and misattribute information.
- Do not use AI to inflate article length, generate filler paragraphs, or pad word counts. Article quality is measured by usefulness, not volume.
- If AI was used materially in producing an article (more than light editing assistance), disclose this in the article footer or author note. Readers benefit from knowing how content was created.
- AI-generated images must be disclosed in the image caption. Original photography, screenshots, and custom illustrations are preferred over AI-generated visuals.
- Articles that violate these guidelines may be edited, unpublished, or removed at the editorial team's discretion.
Sponsored content disclosure
- Sponsored articles are not marked or labeled as sponsored content on the site.
- All paid or sponsored links carry the rel="sponsored" attribute per Google guidelines.
- We do not accept sensitive or restricted niche content. See the prohibited content section above for the full list.
Content permanence
- Published content remains live indefinitely under normal circumstances.
- The editorial team may update, modify, or remove content that becomes outdated or non-compliant.
- Links may be nofollowed or removed if the linked destination degrades in quality.
Payment and pricing
- Pricing varies by site and content type. Updated pricing is available on the /advertise page.
- Copywriting services start from $300 with a 3-business-day turnaround.
- Accepted payment methods: Stripe, PayPal, and wire transfer.
- Payment is required before publication.
- Agency and bulk discounts are available on request.
- Invoices are issued from Lithuania.
Editorial standards
Guidelines for writing style, formatting, sourcing, and media.
Mission and tone
- Friendly, expert voice. Write like you are helping a colleague.
- Educational, not promotional. Content should help readers, not sell to them.
- Keep it simple. Use clear language over jargon.
Style and formatting
- Minimum 800 words. Long-form articles (1,500+ words) are preferred.
- Use subheadings (H2, H3, H4), lists, blockquotes, and images to make content scannable. H1 is reserved for the post title only.
- Follow correct heading hierarchy: H2 for major sections, H3 for subsections, H4 for deeper detail. Never skip levels (for example H2 straight to H4).
- Keep paragraphs to 3-4 sentences maximum.
- Headings in Title Case (AP style). Keep them short and straightforward.
- Never place two headings back-to-back. Always add a short transitional sentence or paragraph between a heading and the next subheading.
- Do not place blockquotes directly above or below an image or heading. Use them to break up long stretches of text, not next to other visual breaks.
- Always include concrete, real-world examples to illustrate your points.
- No pop culture references, memes, slang, or GIFs.
Links and sources
- Link generously, but not in the first few paragraphs.
- If citing data or quotes, always link to the original source.
- Sources should be no older than 3 years unless historically required.
- Include at least 3 internal links to existing articles on the site.
- Use at least 3 reputable .gov, .org, studies, or official resources.
- Embed links in clear language that describes the destination. Never insert links on the word "here."
- When interlinking, anchor the link on the target keyword or key phrase (3-4 words). Good: "improve your writing habit." Bad: "click here to read more."
Images
- At least 1 image per 500 words. A 3,500-word article should have at least 7 images.
- Prefer screenshots, graphs, illustrations, and custom images over stock photos.
- All images must be 1,400px wide. Featured images should be 1,400x735px.
- Always include a descriptive caption with source attribution.
- Compress images with TinyJPG. Keep files under 1MB. Use JPG or JPEG when possible.
- Use descriptive file names (example: grammarly-pricing-and-plans.jpg).
- Write alt text for every image as a full descriptive sentence. Alt text is essential for accessibility and appears when images fail to load.
- Any stock photos must come from free-to-use sources like Pexels, Unsplash, or Pixabay.
Grammar and writing
- Follow AP style. Use contractions naturally where appropriate.
- Write in simple language and active voice. Be clear and concise.
- Use American English throughout.
- Never use ALL CAPS for emphasis. Use italics or bold instead.
- Do not overuse exclamation points.
- Be consistent with style choices (for example Oxford comma usage).
SEO and metadata
- Write a unique meta title (under 60 characters) optimized for click-through. It can differ from the article headline.
- Write a meta description (under 155 characters) that summarizes the article and encourages clicks. Two sentences maximum.
- Review and edit the URL slug before publishing. Keep it short, lowercase, hyphenated, and keyword-rich (example: /best-writing-tools).
- Include the primary keyword naturally in the first 100 words, the meta title, and at least one H2.
Editing checklist
- Double-check all facts and links.
- Run your writing through Grammarly and Hemingway Editor.
- Rewrite your introduction after completing the article.
- Remove filler words such as: just, basically, actually, really, very, and a lot.
Post-publish checklist
- Re-read the live article and check for rendering issues: broken links, blurry images, and formatting problems.
- Validate the social sharing card using Twitter/X card validator or Open Graph debugger.
- Add links to the new article from at least 2-3 relevant existing articles on the site.
- If the article quotes or features external experts, notify them with the live URL and encourage them to share.
- Share the live URL with the editorial team for a final spot check.
