The Columnist handbook
How to write, and where to publish it
Thirty-three practical guides: the craft of a column, the way into print, the questions writers ask about this desk. Written for people who publish their own work.
1The craft: how a piece is written
- 1 How to write an op-ed A practical op-ed structure: thesis, arguments, experience and a strong ending, with an example, genre table and pre-publication checklist. 11 min
- 2 How to write a letter to the editor How to write a letter to the editor: occasion, thesis, one argument and signature, with three examples and a practical checklist before sending. 11 min
- 3 How to write an article for a newspaper How to write a newspaper article using the inverted pyramid, with a 2,500-character template, sample lead and checklist before submission. 11 min
- 4 How journalistic genres differ News, reporting, commentary, columns and editorials applied to the same event. A comparison table, five mini-examples and guidance on choosing the right form. 7 min
- 5 How to write a headline and first paragraph Six headline models, four types of lead and five weak examples rewritten. A simple test shows whether the opening works without the rest of the article. 7 min
- 6 How to fact-check an article and attribute sources Three source levels, checking numbers, dates, titles and quotes, and handling a single source. Includes a checklist and attribution examples without links. 7 min
- 7 How to write an expert column about your profession Turn professional experience into a useful expert column through cases, numbers, details, clear explanation and a firm boundary between expertise and advertising. 7 min
2Getting into print
- 8 Where to publish your article Social media, blogs, writing platforms and newspapers: where to publish an article, how long it takes and what each option gives you. Includes a comparison table. 7 min
- 9 How to submit an article to an editor A ready structure for an editor email: subject line, three-sentence pitch, attachments, follow-up and exclusivity. Includes a template and checklist. 7 min
- 10 Write for us: publication rules Rules for publishing an author column: accepted topics, minimum length, cover-image rights, approval, restrictions, byline and author page. 4 min
- 11 Guest publication: what it is and what to expect How guest publishing differs from advertising and link buying, what an author still gains without an external link, and how to evaluate a publication before submitting. 7 min
- 12 How to get a regular column and become a columnist How to choose a sustainable subject, publish regularly and build a recognisable column. Includes five first-month topics and a practical launch plan. 7 min
- 13 Author page and portfolio How to build your first five publications, present your byline, bio and photo, and turn scattered work into a clear author page and practical portfolio. 7 min
3The trade and the money
- 14 How to become a journalist, including without a degree Three routes into journalism: education, freelance work and a local newsroom. What editors look for, how to build a portfolio and which rules depend on country. 10 min
- 15 How to become a blogger and how a blog differs from a column Two ways to start: your own platform or a column in a publication. How to choose first topics, judge audience growth and combine blogging with author publications. 7 min
- 16 How to earn money from writing without chasing vacancies A writer income model: find an expert or organisation, interview them, write a column in their voice and charge for the work, not for placement. 10 min
- 17 How editors select texts and why they do not reply What happens after a pitch is sent, what editors see in the first 30 seconds, and when silence means overload rather than a hidden rejection. 7 min
- 18 What you cannot publish: law, defamation and other people's photos A practical boundary for writers: false factual claims, personal data, children, health, accusations, third-party photos and quotations, with local notes. 6 min
- 25 How to pitch editorial coverage to a company How to offer an expert or company useful columns rather than advertising: find a reader-relevant angle, interview well, price your work and handle objections. 7 min
4Research and academic publishing
- 19 How to publish a scientific article Journal selection, IMRaD, cover letter, submission, reviewer responses, revise and resubmit, timelines and APCs, with a practical pre-submission checklist. 11 min
- 20 Predatory journals: how to recognise them How to recognise predatory journals by invitations, timelines, editorial boards, indexing and fees. A practical verification routine before submission. 7 min
- 21 Peer review: how it works Who reviewers are, single blind, double blind and open review, how long review takes, how to respond and how students can verify peer-reviewed articles. 10 min
- 22 Open access: gold, green and diamond Gold, green and diamond open access explained simply: who pays APCs, what repositories and preprints are, how Creative Commons licences differ and where free routes exist. 7 min
- 23 How to write an abstract for a scientific article Build an abstract from four core parts, choose the right length and remove citations, unnecessary abbreviations and new data, with two worked examples. 11 min
- 24 How to choose a journal for publication Scope, audience, indexing, review speed, cost and red flags, with a journal–preprint–popular-science comparison and a practical selection sequence. 7 min
5How this desk works
- 26 How to publish a column in a Mosaic publication Registration, email confirmation, profile, approval, language and publication choice, section, cover, editor and publication: the full author journey. 5 min
- 27 Who can become a columnist and what to write about No journalism degree or previous publication record is required. What matters is a subject you genuinely know, enough range for ten columns, and no advertising. 5 min
- 28 Why Columnist has no editor There is no editor in the publication chain: eight automatic checks replace preselection, while responsibility for facts, style and opinion remains with the author. 5 min
- 29 Mosaic publications: how to choose the right one Mosaic includes 61 publications in 11 languages across 14 countries. Learn how to choose by language, topic, country and audience, and why one text goes to one publication. 5 min
- 30 Why a column may be rejected The exact automatic rejection reasons: length, cover, section, limit, addresses, duplicate text, language and advertising. What to fix in each case, with practical steps and examples. 6 min
- 31 Cover images and photos in a column Where to get images, what declaring rights means, why search-result images are not automatically reusable, and how to caption photos inside a column. 5 min
- 32 How to edit or remove a column after publication A published column can be reopened in the editor, corrected and saved, or removed in one click. What happens to the page, author archive, and serious factual errors. 5 min
- 33 Questions and answers about Columnist Short answers about free publication, rights, pseudonyms, languages, approval, advertising, statistics, editing, and account deletion. 11 min
Reading is half of it. The other half is a column with your name on it, in a real publication.
Start writing