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Content guide

Everything you need to write for When Notes Fly: formatting standards, Markdown syntax, editorial requirements, and how submission works.

Submit an article Jump to checklist
  • FORMATMarkdownAll articles as .md files
  • LENGTH1,200–3,000words for most articles
  • KEYWORDS5–10relevant, hyphenated
  • REVIEW3–5 dayseditorial turnaround

01 · FORMAT

Markdown formatting

All articles are submitted as Markdown. These are the conventions our editors expect, copy any block as a starting point.

Front matter

Every article begins with YAML front matter containing its metadata.

FRONT MATTER · YAML
---title: "Your Article Title Here"subtitle: "Optional subtitle for additional context"author: "Your Full Name"date: "2026-01-06"category: "concepts" # concepts, explainers, ideas, technology, work-skills, culturekeywords: ["keyword1", "keyword2", "keyword3", "keyword4", "keyword5"]excerpt: "A compelling 2–3 sentence summary for previews and search."reading_time: 12featured_image: "/images/articles/your-image.jpg"---

Headings

Hierarchical headings give the document a clear, scannable structure.

HEADINGS
# Main title (H1): front matter only## Section heading (H2): major sections### Subsection (H3): within an H2#### Minor heading (H4): rarely needed

Text

Inline formatting, use sparingly.

TEXT
**Bold** for emphasis*Italic* for definitions or light emphasis`Inline code` for technical terms or commands[Link text](https://example.com) for references> Blockquote for important callouts or quotes

Lists

Unordered, ordered and nested lists.

LISTS
- First item- Second item - Nested item1. First step2. Second step3. Third step

Code blocks

Fenced blocks with a language for highlighting.

CODE BLOCKS
```pythondef example(): return "Triple backticks with a language identifier"```

Images

Always include alt text; an italic line underneath becomes the caption.

IMAGES
![Alt text description](/images/filename.jpg)*Figure 1: Caption explaining the image*

02 · REQUIREMENTS

Editorial requirements

Seven rules every submission is checked against.

  1. 01No AI-generated contentHUMAN-WRITTEN ONLYArticles must be primarily human-written. More than 50% AI-generated text is rejected automatically; we use detection tools. Grammar checks and outlining help are fine, ideas, arguments, analysis and synthesis must be yours. AI paraphrasing of existing content is not acceptable, and violations can mean a permanent ban.
  2. 02Keywords5–10 RELEVANT KEYWORDSSpecific, searchable terms, not "tips" or "guide". Mix broad and specific, check search volume, and format as lowercase hyphenated phrases: mental-models, cognitive-bias.
  3. 03Word count1,200–3,000 WORDSMinimum 1,200 (shorter needs editor approval); optimal 1,800–2,400; maximum 3,000 with strong justification. Every word must serve a purpose: complex topics warrant length, simple ones concision.
  4. 04Source citations15–30 CREDIBLE SOURCESPeer-reviewed papers strongly preferred, then books by recognised experts and institutional sources. Cite inline as [Smith et al., 2023](url) and end with a full References section. No blogs, social posts or unverified sources.
  5. 05StructureLEAD · 5–8 H2S · CONCLUSIONA 150–200 word lead that establishes purpose; five to eight H2 sections with H3s where needed; concrete examples or case studies; a 150–250 word conclusion; and a references section.
  6. 06Excerpt2–3 SENTENCES, ≤300 CHARACTERSIncluded in front matter as excerpt. Hook the reader with why it matters; don't repeat the title.
  7. 07Author bioNAME, CREDENTIALS, PHOTOFull name and credentials, current affiliation, 2–3 sentences of relevant expertise, notable work, a website or contact, and a photo at least 400×400px.

03 · STYLE

Writing style standards

Do this

  • Write in clear, accessible language
  • Define technical terms on first use
  • Use active voice where possible
  • Support claims with evidence
  • Give specific examples
  • Link to authoritative sources
  • Keep paragraphs to 4–5 sentences
  • Acknowledge complexity and nuance

Avoid this

  • AI-generated or AI-rewritten content
  • Jargon without explanation
  • Clickbait headlines or promises
  • Unsupported generalisations
  • Personal anecdote as primary evidence
  • Listicle formatting ("10 ways to…")
  • Promotional or sales language
  • Ideological advocacy, filler and redundancy

04 · PROCESS

Submission process

Seven steps from pitch to publication.

  1. 1Pitch your topicYOUEmail editorial@whennotesfly.com with a title, a 2–3 paragraph outline, your credentials, preliminary keywords, and expected length and timeline.
  2. 2Wait for approval2–3 DAYSA reply within 2–3 business days: approval or feedback, angle guidance, deadline and word count.
  3. 3Write & researchYOUR PACEUse the Markdown template, complete the front matter, and cite sources as you write.
  4. 4Submit for reviewYOUSend the .md file with bio and photo, after checking front matter, keyword count and word count.
  5. 5Editorial review3–5 DAYSAI detection, factual accuracy and source quality, clarity, style, Markdown and SEO structure.
  6. 6RevisionsIF NEEDEDAddress all feedback, add revision notes, and resubmit within the agreed timeline.
  7. 7PublicationLIVEScheduled with a confirmed date; we handle formatting and images; your bio is displayed and the piece is promoted.

05 · CHECKLIST

Pre-submission checklist

Tick each item as you verify it. Your progress stays in the sidebar.

Content0 / 9
Front matter0 / 8
Formatting0 / 8
Attachments0 / 8

Ready to submit your article?

Questions about the guidelines or formatting? The editorial team is here to help.

Submit an article Contact editorial