Congratulations!

If you are reading this document, that means you are publishing a story with India Currents. We are excited to feature your work in our award-winning publication. 

WHAT WE NEED:

  1. Your article:
  • Share your article as a Google doc (with edit mode for IC editors) between 500-1000 words.
  • Suggest a Title and a Subhead for your piece. Subheadings should invite the readers’ curiosity. Please be aware that this may be changed by the editors.
  • Provide Hyperlinks to support claims and information (numbers, statistics, studies).
  • Include a 1-2 sentence bio at the end of the piece.  Be sure to include your social media handles.
  1. Images: Submit two images that would enhance your article. One must be landscape 1200 x 675 px to fit our website format. Please email these directly to the editor you are working with.
  1. Social Media Pitch: This must be under 240 characters. It serves as a teaser for your article and invites readers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to engage with your story. Research and find hashtags to accompany your article.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

  1. Articles can take up to eight weeks to be published. 
  2. After your article has been accepted by India Currents, it may not be submitted elsewhere.
  3. The editor may edit the title, subhead, and content for conciseness and clarity and to meet SEO requirements. 
  4. Editors do not review edits with writers before publication. All edits are final.
  5. After publication, your article may not be published elsewhere without written permission from India Currents. 

Detailed Guidelines

Here are some guidelines to help you tailor your writing so that it meets journalistic standards and the India Currents style guide.

Ledes

Don’t bury your lede. Your lede is the opening sentence or paragraph, similar to a thesis statement, and summarizes the main idea of your piece. Readers should have a sense of what your article is about within the first three sentences. 

India Currents follows the AP Stylebook. Below are some quick tips to help with common grammar and formatting questions. For further guidance, you can visit the AP stylebook here. 

Commas

At India Currents, we use the Oxford, or serial, comma. The Oxford comma is placed before the conjunction at the end of a list. In the sentence “I love sushi, pizza, and samosas”, the Oxford comma is the one that appears before “and”. Proponents of the Oxford comma argue it removes ambiguity in sentences. Please note that the AP Stylebook does not use the Oxford Comma; this is our one departure from the book. 

Formatting Dates 

  • Dates: Follow this format: Friday (day), November 13 (month + date), 2020 (year). 
  • Omit st., th., rd., and th. Ex: July 1, not July 1st.
  • Months: Abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. when writing out a specific date. Spell out the names of months (January, February, etc.) when not using them to indicate a specific date. 
  • Years: Use numerals rather than spelling them out. Example: 2018, not twenty-eighteen.

Formatting Numbers

  • Spell out numbers one through nine and use digits for numbers ten and higher.
  • Use digits to express the following values –
  • Address
  • Age
  • Dates and times
  • Money
  • Sizes/dimensions
  • Percentages
  • Speeds
  • Temperatures

Please Review 

  • Please fact-check your articles and provide hyperlinks to support claims and information (numbers, statistics, studies).
  • Please ensure that all names (people, places) are spelled correctly.
  • If you’re publishing an article about an upcoming event, be sure to double-check the start and finish times, as well as the location, with the official event information.

Resources: 

Images

  • Submit at least two images to accompany your article. Photos must be landscape oriented and sized 1200 x 675 pixels. 
  • Please ensure photos are copyright free and provide captions, including the photographer’s name. 
  • Sources: Pexel and Unsplash are good sources for free photos.

Social Media Tips 

  • Beneath your title is the subheading. This must be under 240 characters. It serves as a teaser for your article and invites readers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to engage with your story.
  • It must be SOCIAL and not academic. Rather than make statements or assertions, subheadings should invite the readers’ curiosity. Research and include hashtags to accompany your article.
  • Please include your social media handles so we can tag you when we share the articles on our platforms.
  • For more social media guidelines, please click here.