Writer Information

Welcome to Castle & Cloister's information directory. On this page, you'll be able to find all the information you need as one of our contributors, including sending in articles. Thank you for getting involved.

"I want to write an article."

Great to see you're interested in writing an article. It's highly important to join our groupchat, send a DM to @castleandcloister on Instagram and we'll add you. There's three methods to writing an article for Castle & Cloister: 1) Press Lists, 2) Pitching, 3) Opportunities.

Press lists

The most common method to write an article for Castle & Cloister is via our press lists. Every month, our editors share 3 topics in their department for our contributors to claim. These are shared exclusively through our groupchat on Instagram, anyone can claim as it's on a "first come, first served" basis.

To claim an article, simply share a message to the groupchat on which article you would like to claim. If available, your message will be liked by Castle & Cloister's Instagram account; it's highly uncommon for your claim to be refused, only if it's already been taken or you have attempted to claim too many articles.

Pitching

To pitch an article, please send Editor-in-Chief Daniel an email at info@castleandcloister.co.uk or DM the Instagram with information on the article you would like to write. It's highly advised for your pitch to be detailed: a draft headline, the editorial angle you would take, any interviews you plan to make and which area of Castle & Cloister it would fit in. If you have already written an article, you're allowed to share it to Castle & Cloister given we'll have the exclusive rights to publish your piece. Though, it's not recommended to write your piece before receiving confirmation that your pitch has been successful.

The pitching process begins when you email Daniel with your article. If deemed suitable, it'll be forwarded to the editor(s) of the relevant department who will confirm whether it fits. Once approved by the relevant editor(s), our industry coordinator(s) will be happy to send emails and utilise our network on your behalf to secure interviews, press kits and other information you might request.

Opportunities

At Castle & Cloister, we're always searching for new opportunities for our writers. For example, if an interview comes up, it'll be shared to the groupchat where writers can signal their interest and write a short pitch explaining why they're the right choice. Recent opportunities have included chances to speak with a journalist from The Times and a founder from an independent fashion company. In exceptional circumstances, writers might be approached privately with opportunities which are directed solely to them.

"What's the article format?"

All our editors at Castle & Cloister follow a style guide to ensure all your articles are suitable for the magazine's editorial style. Though, there's a few requirements to follow to help make this process as easy as possible.

Word count

All articles should be roughly 700 words, a minimum of 600 words and maximum of 800 words. If the word count is too tight, please send us a message and we'll review whether a word count increase is necessary. If this occurs, it's often reserved for feature articles which go in-depth about a particular topic and involve an interview. Editors are happy to cut the word count down for you if it's over the limit.

Images/Media

It's encouraged to include images within your article. However, there's strict requirements that the magazine must follow. This means not every image you include is guaranteed to be published due to copyright laws. If you do decide to include an image, please cite the link where you found it.

Platform

We advise you to write on either Google Docs or Microsoft Word. This ensures compatibility when editors transfer your article to our website. You can share your final draft as .docx, .pdf or a Google Docs link. Any questions, feel free to reach out.

Citations

When writing an article, we highly encourage making citations where possible to make editing easier for the team. If you refer to an article or present information as facts, it's mandatory that the information is cited in-line. For example, if you cite a statistic you might format it as "According to 2024 survey by News Corporation, The Sun on Sunday is read more than The Sunday Times." If you reference someone's article, you might phrase it as "In Mahira Gangwani's The Language of South Asian Accessories, she recalls how a small change in jewellery can drastically change how individuals might interpret the occasion."

"I want to send in an article"

To send in your article, please send an email to the respective editor. If you are unsure, DM our Instagram or send an email to info@castleandcloister.co.uk. You can find the editors' contact information below. For the full list of our editorial team, visiting our About Us page

To stay up-to-date, you can subscribe to Castle & Cloister for free and follow our pages on Instagram and LinkedIn.