Writing for openDemocracy
openDemocracy is an independent global media organisation.
Through reporting and analysis of social and political issues, we seek to educate citizens to challenge power and encourage democratic debate across the world.
We publish written and multimedia content in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. Experienced journalists write most of it, but if you have something important to say, and can say it well, we want to hear from you.
We especially want to hear from members of groups that are ignored or under-represented in the media as a whole.
How to do it
Send us a short proposal, or 'pitch'.
Please familiarise yourself with our content. It is useful to check previous coverage of the topic you are addressing, so your proposal complements rather than duplicates it.
If we want to accept your pitch, one of our editors will email you to explain what happens next.
We regret that we cannot respond individually to all the pitches we get. If we are interested in taking your idea further, we aim to respond within three UK working days.
If you don’t hear from us, though, don’t lose heart! It doesn’t mean your pitch was bad – it may just be that we didn’t have the capacity to take it on.
Please tell us if you have published a similar article elsewhere, either on the web or in print, providing links if possible.
Do not submit anything written entirely with an AI tool. If you do use generative AI or related tools to create any portion of your submission, that must be cited like any other source.
If you are responding to an article published on our site, please consider posting your response as a comment on the article itself.
Copyright & syndication
When openDemocracy has paid for an article to be written, we own the copyright. When no money has changed hands, copyright remains with the author.
To assure our writers gain as much exposure as possible around the world, openDemocracy has adopted a Creative Commons licence for much of its content.
openDemocracy assumes the right to syndicate your writing. Any revenue generated is shared equally between openDemocracy and the author.
We further assume the right to include your work in other republication agreements, such those with academic institutions and in printed journal publications.
Requests to authors
If openDemocracy has published your work and another publication or website approaches you wishing to republish it, please ask them to send an email to [email protected] so that we can negotiate fees and handle administration.
What our authors say
“Thank you for what you are doing, as a feminist journalist who often finds journalistic spaces really intimidating and exclusionary, because of how they are dominated by patriarchal ideas and masculinity. It’s such a breath of fresh air to even hear about the idea of feminist investigative journalism.” 2018 journalism fellow
“It really means a lot especially given this is the first time I've written something like this and published it… I really appreciate being given the opportunity to hold space for my voice :)” First time (activist) writer
"Writing for openDemocracy gives me a remarkable opportunity to provide contemporary analysis on security issues for many thousands of informed people across the world.
"I find it hugely satisfying because it goes far beyond the readerships that most academics can reach. It is a demanding process and means that you really have to be on top of your subject, but the reward of being able to engage with opinion formers, journalists, teachers, students and many others more than compensates for that." Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University
“I found openDemocracy by chance, and corny as it sounds they’ve transformed my writing life. Their willingness to put in the extra work editing helps me shape my precious but convoluted articles into something readable.” Deborah Padfield (Citizens Advice Bureau adviser, Cambridge)
“The effects [of publishing my article on openDemocracy] were quite significant: I was invited to meet government ministers, including a cabinet minister, as well as the Trades Union Congress.” Carlota Perez, honorary professor at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London
"I write for openDemocracy for the same reasons I read it: its internationalism, its rigour of thought and the astonishing wealth of wisdom and debate in its pages. Writing for such a challenging audience and in the company of such excellent writers has a way of pulling your best work from you.
"As a hack, writing for openDemocracy has two juicy advantages. The first is that it is very difficult to persuade the news editor of a British tabloid to take 1,000 words on the injustices of global trade rules. Secondly (and this is not for the faint-hearted), the readers do not suffer fools gladly, if at all." Tom Burgis, journalist, now at the Financial Times
Data protection
openDemocracy never gives out email addresses or other contact details of any of the authors we publish.
Our policy when approached for author contact is to forward the request to the author.
We ask that you provide us with contact details that reflect the often very short lead-in times of online media. If you do not check your emails regularly, please provide us with a telephone number.
Final step
Email your pitch to [email protected]