Blog Guidelines

We’re really happy that you’d like to contribute to the Medito blog! Here are a few guidelines to help.

Original content

The blog post must be completely original - it must not have been published anywhere else.

Topics

We’re interested in blog posts around:

• General mindfulness / meditation / mental health
• Personal experiences of meditation
• Mindful living linked to current events
• The science of meditation and mindfulness

Structure

• Keep sentence structure simple
• Keep paragraphs short
• Consider adding sub-headings throughout to break up the text and make it easier to scan
• Length: 1,000–2,000 words
• We use American English as standard

Consider George Orwell’s Six Rules:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
7. Be friendly and inclusive - Use a polite, respectful and kind tone. Include the reader by talking about ‘us’ and ‘we’. We are all a part of the Medito Community.

Use simple and straightforward language - Try to avoid jargon and use the language of everyday speech, not that of spokesmen, lawyers or bureaucrats (so, for example, prefer let to permit, people to persons, buy to purchase, colleague to peer, show to demonstrate).

Try not to be hectoring - Those who disagree with you are not necessarily stupid or insane. When you express opinions, do not simply make assertions. The aim is not just to tell readers what you think, but to persuade them; if you use arguments, reasoning and evidence, you may succeed. Go easy on the oughts and shoulds.

Do your best to be lucid - Simple sentences help. Keep complicated constructions and gimmicks to a minimum, if necessary by remembering the New Yorker’s comment: “Backward ran sentences until reeled the mind.”

Referencing

If you mention scientific research, always provide a link to what you are talking about.

If you don’t mention research, but you are talking about something that would need to be backed up, e.g. the health benefits of mindfulness and meditation, provide a link.

Linking to your own website / social channels

Please do not link to your own website in the body of the blog post (it shouldn't be an advert for your own content). You can however link to your website in your bio, which can be displayed at the end of the blog post.

What to do next

Please email [email protected] to enquire about joining our team of volunteer blog writers.

We look forward to reading your blog post. Thank you!