Writing a popular article is different than writing an expository essay.

First of all, it’s short. A maximum of 1200 words, and shorter is better. Aim for 1000 words.

While this is a medium that offers you lots of room for creativity, there is a general format: A popular article generally introduces something your readers think they know and tells them that, in fact, there is something more to add which will change what they think either by introducing a contrary fact or by telling them more about it.

The body of the piece explains the new material you’re introducing.

The conclusion of the article lays out why the new material changes previous understandings and suggest why that change is significant.

It’s linear in a way an expository essay, which repeatedly circles back to its thesis, is not.

The new material you’re introducing does not have to be archival, although it certainly can be. It might be something that illuminates an issue in the news, or just be something cool you teach, or a new map, or even just something you’re thinking about. Remember, exceedingly few people in the world know the same stuff you do, and many are eager to hear history in digestible bites. This absolutely does not mean you are “dumbing” anything down. Rather, you are smartening it up to make it accessible. Generally, links in the article are good, especially colorful ones that are easy to read.

Recognize that your readers tend to be moving quickly through material and don’t have a lot of time to struggle through dense prose. So keep your sentences simple and your argument concrete. With luck, your ideas will attract non-specialists, so always explain references.

Submissions can deal with virtually any aspect of American history, although we focus on 5 categories:

Behind the News (which may include history of other countries)
On This Day
Culture (including religion, technology, sports, and so on)
Military & Maritime (including naval)
Politics & Economics

Our process:

Once we have received a submission, the magazine’s official Dogsbody reviews it and circulates it to the appropriate editor. Comments will go back to the author. After revisions, the piece will go to another editor for line editing, then back again to the author. Then, finally, the piece will be copyedited and published. Once up on the site, we will tweet it out and put it up on our Facebook page. We encourage you to do the same, and to retweet your story with our handle in it whenever it seems to speak to something in the news (our stories often have second lives). Our Twitter handle is @werehist.

We look forward to reviewing your submissions, and are eager to work with you to develop this project.