Submission guidelines
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Have you got what it takes to write for Mookychick?
We are always on the lookout for strong, sassy writers who have something to say about mooky topics.
If you want ideas, take a look at our site or check out our active messageboard. Read on to find exactly what sort of stuff we'd love to see from you.
Ideally, contributions should be around the 500 word mark. Long enough to get your point across, but short enough to be read online in one sitting.
Contributions would be unpaid - we are SO sorry, but this is all about the love, not the money. The good news is that you will have something that will stay up on the net for ever, and we have a pretty good reputation, so it can count as a solid piece for your portfolio.
Oh, and we're not sexist - if your writing is mooky enough and you can dig EXACTLY where we're coming from, you're allowed to be a boy.
This is for your benefit as well as ours!
Obviously we want to read your wonderful bitchin' words. And if you write for us then we'll want to support you in return. If you want a paragraph of biography, an email link, a link to your blog / website / myspace - you got it. An author profile on everything you write will ensure the pieces count to your portfolio and give you a journalistic presence on the web. And your article will be up for ever, meaning it will be a part of your portfolio. Since we can't pay you, it's our way of saying 'thanks'. We always take care of our writers because we love them.
About our house style...
Read our mooky manifesto to get an idea of who we are.
Our writers are sweet, ballsy, sassy and damn funny. They write about cats, drugs, boys, bands, really really important science, feminist concerns, the history of absinthe, the perils of being a woman and the joys of having the world at your feet.
We love funny, as loyal readers know - it can be sharp, or it can be whimsical. We have a finely-honed sense of the ridiculous, and we know you do, too. Of course, not all articles have to be funny. There's nothing funny about bloody Ann Coulter. It's up to you.
We love information and as many helpful or fascinating details as possible in our articles.
Example Mookychick article idea:
Let's pretend you've come up with a general article idea: 'How to wear a corset'. Now, come up with as much info as possible. Some corset history with odd facts that other people may not know. As many points as you can think of for how to wear a corset, from links to cheap online corsetry shops to info on corset care, how to prevent corset itch, and even tips about how to wear it in both the evening and the daytime. Your wise words will help your fellow mookies!
Oh, but what shall I write about? (Fear not - we have examples!)
We simply can't get enough DIY Arts and Crafts articles - how to make or customise things, or articles on any aspect of arts and crafts. Everyone would like to know how to make stuff. If you can give us arts and crafts how-tos, we'll adore you. Truly - we will!
- How to make a binbag dress
- How to make a vinyl record bowl
- How to make your own craft stall
- How to make your own burlesque nipple tassles
We simply can't get enough make-up tutorials. If you know how to put some slap on, especially if your make-up style has an indie/goth/punk/electro feel, write an article on exactly how to do it, what products you used, and take photos of the various stages. We'll love you forever.
- 18th century make-up tutorial for budding aristocrats
- Electroclash make-up for eyes
- How to apply bright coloured eyeliner
We're always delighted by alternative book, DVD, comic and music reviews! If you're doing a music review, we love it if you can come up with a bit of background info about the band, as well as your critique of the album you're reviewing. A touch of advice: It's more effective to describe it, and say why other people should like it, than to only point out how much you like it. Make the album/manga/novel/film become real for the reader.
We love How-to guides. They can be ridiculous or tremendously useful. We like it all. It's one of the most popular sections on Mookychick, because it's like the best attic in the world - you never know what one might find there. How-to guides are easy to write. Just come up with a how-to topic, and come up with as many ideas as you can for how to achieve it. The more ideas the merrier, and the more informed and truly helpful, the better. And ridiculous, of course.
- How to have an 'Alice in Wonderland' tea party
- How to decorate your room for a black light party
- How to be a pirate
- How to survive art school
- How to be a punk
And last of all... We LOVE to be surprised. Having eclectic, genuinely unusual articles is important to Mookychick and we don't care if it's about art, politics or utter nonsense so long as it's done well. We need to be delighted and challenged by the intricacies of your brain, so we love eclectic articles about something mooky that happens to be your passion.
- How to catch and keep a fairy lover
- Philosophy and social comment in Alice in Wonderland
- The weird world of Frida Kahlo
- Mooky guide to the coolest dinosaurs to walk this earth
- Ann Coulter - Feminine, famous and FASCIST
- How to exercise your right not to vote
- Into street photography? Become a flaneur...
Contacting Mookychick
Please email editor@mookychick.co.uk with a paragraph or two describing what you'd like to write about and what angle you think you want take on the subject.
Again, if you have old stuff you want to show us, or a link to your space on the web that gives us and idea of what you're about - that's great.
If you think you've already written something that might be perfect for us, just email it straight off. Even if we decide that particular piece is not right for Mookychick we'll still be really grateful that you took the time to show it to us, and give you kudos and thanks for putting the effort in. Hell, just keep writing. Even if we don't take it, someone else will.
If you can, include a link to anything you've written that shows what kind of thing you like to write - this can be a blog, or a rant, or an article...
In your email please put Re: Submissions in the subject header.
Still unsure? Browse around for submissions ideas...
Flick around our Beauty, Music, Review, Style, Pagan, Interview, Feminism, Opinion, Activity/Activism and Geek sections to get an idea of what Mookychick thinks is good content.
But do browse around and see what you think - then get back to us. We're friendly and we'd like to hear from you!
Still unsure? Browse around for submissions ideas...
20 Ways to Survive... anything (just come up with a list of 10 or 20 ways to survive something... poverty, clubbing, being a student, travelling abroad... you name it!)
BODY AND BEAUTY (Alternative health and beauty tips. Indie, goth, emo, eco-makeup, cruelty-free... you know the deal)
STYLE (Alternative style. Think harajuku girls, customising tees, bondage fashion, indie/emo fashion failsafes, 10 things not to be seen dead in... you name it)
ALTERNATIVE CAREERS (If you can interview a young and sassy female friend about their [interesting] job asking them the same questions we always ask our career-girls, ie. in the house style, let us know! Dressmakers, musicians, artists, charity workers, mechanics, um, ladies of the night... it's all good.)
INTERVIEWS (We'll interview any fascinating mookychicks who are known to the world in some way. From punk rock girls who teach punk aerobics to glam singers and beyond... If you have an idea for an interview, give us a shout)
ACTIVITIES AND TRAVEL (Perhaps you have ideas for articles on alternative travel or sports/hobbies that are actually interesting. Backpacking, snowboarding, bodypopping and breaking, free-running, camping... these are just some ideas. But the activities have to be in some way mooky.)
MUSIC (Want to write an article on how to find the best unsigned bands on the internet? Or download things? Or get online radio stations? Or a guide to global festivals? We want to hear from you!)
REVIEWS (We mainly review books and dvds. If you can do this in our irreverent house style, great! We love you!)
TEK (We're also really keen to flesh out our tek section. We want gorgeous, fun articles on mobile phones and the latest technological crazes. Let's go!)
OPINION (If you really think you have what it takes, try out a few other articles first and perhaps we will adore you so much that we will beg you to become a regular columnist...)
Once we've received an email from you we'll get back to you within a week.
Buy a Mookychick T-shirt
Yes, you heard it right - buy a Mookychick t-shirt. If you can prove to us you bought a mookychick t-shirt we will so most definitely print your stuff. Ahem (The sound of us clearing our throats delicately).
