Guidelines

Contributors

LiisBeth welcomes queries from professional and emerging feminist writers anywhere along the gender continuum. We look for journalistic, edgy, positive, well-informed articles that offer readers’ a feminist’s perspective on entrepreneurship and innovation happenings, including policy and politics.

Yes. We pay. On average $100-$2000 per piece depending on the type of work, the original research involved and length (typically 500-2000 words). We believe in the value of premium content. And the importance of paying writers and illustrators a fair rate.

Our readers span the gender and age spectrum (25% of our online audience are male) but are primarily feminist entrepreneurs, 30-65 years old, who either self -identify as feminist, and operate enterprises that incorporate feminist values. LiisBeth readers are well-educated, informed, are concerned about the role of gender bias in our economy, rising inequality, social justice, and the environment. They are interested in making a difference in the world.

We’re interested in intellectual service articles, profiles, policy critiques, op-eds, interviews, and personal stories regarding experiences in the start-up space, including incubator/accelerator experiences.  We are also interested in promoting and disseminating new research findings. In terms of geographical focus, we aim for a content balance of 20% Canadian, 60% North American, and 20% International.

We enjoy quality writing that is highly readable and creative. We encourage writers to tackle big and even controversial ideas but do so with wit, style, balance, and respect.  We are not an “angry” platform. Profanity – in context and if required – is acceptable.

Examples of the type of stories we are interested in:

• Stories about feminist entrepreneur enterprise founders/operators;
• Analysis and critiques of government policy related to innovation and entrepreneurship
• Intersectional Feminist perspectives on venture creation and growth;
• New initiatives, organizations, meet up groups that serve women* and girl* entrepreneurs;
• The entrepreneurial eco-system: Opportunities to improve;
• Personal incubator & accelerator experiences;
• Success stories, failure/triumph stories that highlight issues of interest to feminist entrepreneurs;
• International experiences with women’s entrepreneurship;
• Entrepreneurship and ageism;
• Inter-generational entrepreneurship;
• Eco-entrepreneurship;
• First Nations/women* and girls* entrepreneurship;
• LGBTQ entrepreneurship;
• Women*/girls* of colour and entrepreneurship;
• Ableism and entrepreneurship;
• Cultural, social, gender bias and entrepreneurship;
• How media portrays entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship;
• Inequality in entrepreneurship;
• Lack of industry diversity in women’s entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial ghettos;
• The pay gap (self-pay, exit outcomes) and entrepreneurship;
• Marginalized entrepreneurs;
• Access to capital;

Things to note

• We do not accept previously published or finished works (ie: blog posts)
• We do not generally accept completed works or queries that are currently being considered by other publications.
• If you want to pitch a story, we need a query or idea summary which includes a brief summary (150-250 words) plus the opening paragraph or nutgraph, who you plan to interview, and how you plan to go about researching for the piece (if appropriate). If you are new to us, please also send a sample of previously published or your best work from your blog or website.
• If the idea is intriguing, we will want to engage with you to develop the idea further.   We’ll talk about your intended approach, length, and other relevant things. Please don’t send a whole manuscript to start.
• If we accept your query, we will send you a contract.  Once that is signed, the piece is officially commissioned.
• Send queries and pitches and questions to publisher@Liisbeth.com
• We receive a high volume of article queries and regret that we cannot guarantee a timely response in every case.

To download our contributor guidelines in full, click here CONTRIBUTOR GUIDELINES APRIL 2016