PLEASE NOTE.
These guidelines are for approved Diplomatic Courier contributors who have received a specific invitation to contribute by our editors. We any unsolicited pitches or submissions at this time.
Read the Submissions Agreement.
Make sure you read and agree to our Submissions Agreement (at the bottom of this page). By submitting a piece to us, you indicate your agreement.
bE HUMAN.
Rely on AI for structure, writing, or proofreading. While AI is a great tool for brainstorming, it does not understand your topic analytically.
Don't pitch your company or organization.
Is your piece about a product or service that you are paid to promote? Diplomatic Courier will not accept any content designed to advertise your employer, client, or organization. You are, of course, free to mention your work as a disclosure on your bio, but it should not distract from the content you submit for publication.
We do not accept requests for inserting links on our articles and we do not publish SEO links or blogs on our website under any circumstances (paid or otherwise)..
Tell Us Who You Are.
Give us a short bio that tells us who you are, and about your interests and credentials. If possible, include a personal webpage, LinkedIn profile, or list of publications.
fOLLOW THE PARTICULARS.
All submissions should be a Word document attachment or a Google doc with open permissions, never a PDF or in the body of an email. Any accompanying graphics, photos, graphs, or tables should be submitted as separate attachments. We do not accept and will not return any material, so do not mail us documents.
Ensure your submission adheres to the particulars below.
The first and most important rule is to familiarize yourself with existing content on the website to get a feel for our style and tone expectations. This style guide will address common issues. For a more complete discussion of writing style, refer to New Hart’s Rules or the Economist Style Guide for internationally recognized standards.
General Rules (Dos and Don’ts)
DO:
- Use American English, except when a different spelling is part of a title or institution’s name.
- Use the Oxford Comma.
- Use symbols, ie: “%” instead of “percent.”
- Spell out acronyms. Always spell out an acronym the first time it is used except where the acronym is commonly known across a broad, general audience. Acronyms should be without punctuation, except the U.S. IE: The U.S. is part of NATO.
- Use active voice when possible.
- Be concise. Simplify sentences, avoid excessive commas or double negatives. Avoid complex words when a simple one does as well.
- Be clear. Tell us clearly what your argument is and make sure everything else you write serves that argument.
- Prioritize depth and specificity over abstract claims or sweeping statements that appear deep but lack substance.
DO NOT:
- Do Not use punctuation in acronyms. This is especially true for acronyms that shorten the names of states and institutions. The only exceptions for this are “U.S.” and for organizational acronyms that intentionally use punctuation as part of the org name.
- Do Not use biased sources, when in doubt we recommend consulting a reliable third-party site such as AllSides.
- Do Not use straw man arguments. Being fair with counter-arguments strengthens your ideas as well.
- Do Not use specialist, wonky language. We cater to a global audience with varied interests and expertises, make sure your communication matches.
- Do Not use morally charged, arrogant, or overly chatty/informal language.
- Do Not rely overly on AI, or use common AI rhetorical constructions in your writing. This means avoiding the overuse of tricolon lists (rule of three) and “not this, but that” constructions.
Content Guidelines
Failure to follow these guidelines could result in your submission being denied without review.
Submissions:
- Make special note of our word count guidelines. Submissions significantly over word count will be sent back to you without review.
Expert Commentaries: 400 words Op-eds: 600 words Features & Analysis: 1,200 words - Expert Commentaries: 400 words
Op-eds: 600 words Features & Analysis: 1,200 words. - Use hyperlinks to valid sources, linking to data or substantiating claims which are not widely known. Links to Wikipedia, blogs, or clearly biased or controversial sites are not permitted.
- Make special note of our word count guidelines. Submissions significantly over word count will be sent back to you without being reviewed, with a note asking you to adjust for word count.
- Bias. While Diplomatic Courier publishes op-eds which argue for particular viewpoints, your viewpoint should never override logic in your argument. Recognize your bias, keep it in check, and treat opposing viewpoints fairly.