Contributor/Guest Blogging Guide
About the Blog
Haute People was launched in September 2011 as a Fashion and Entertainment Blog and has grown into a Lifestyle Blog. The Term “Haute” can be defined as “Fashionably Elegant” or of High Quality.
This blog looks at topics from Beauty, Fashion, Hair Trends, Nail Trends as well as exciting new features every month. A favorite among our readers is “Behind The Seams” where influential people from the Creative Industry are featured.
Haute People are Smart, Bold, Creative and Individualistic. If you have an innate passion for Fashion and all things current, you are HAUTE.
Your Role as Contributor
Contributors are not paid
- Contributors will write at least two posts per month, typically in line with a pre-selected “topic” or series of preferred topics that fall under our coverage umbrella or their specialized category.
- Posts should be submitted the Sunday before it’s post day via email to hautepeople@yahoo.com
- Contributors will share their pieces on social media when possible.
Editorial Disclaimers, Guidelines, and Tips
- Pieces on the blog typically run between 300 and 650 words. That range is flexible, especially for personal essays and in-depth reporting.
- We are always looking to not only report on issues, but connect our readers with pathways to action. Our blog is also where our community lives. We encourage bloggers to comment on each other’s work and reply to comments on their pieces.
- All blog posts are edited lightly for style before they are published. Major edits will be shown to the author before publishing. We reserve the right to withdraw our acceptance of a submission at any time. We reserve the right to un-publish a post at any time.
- All posts on Haute People are written on a volunteer basis. As such, bloggers retain full rights to their work with no delay upon publishing. You may seek out the republishing of your piece with other publications or republish it on a personal website as long as Haute People is credited for being the original source.
Types of Pieces We Publish
- Categories we cover: Fashion, Beauty, Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Pop-Culture, Campus Life, Culture, Events
- Thoughtful reviews of music, television shows and films, theater productions, books, and other art and media
- Interviews with “creative” movers / shakers, either as Q&As or features
- Lists
- Occasionally, we will accept and publish creative work that falls outside of the bounds of these listed styles such as poetry, book excerpts, etc. Beats / Topics We Cover
- Media & Arts / Pop Culture
- Contributors are writing as representatives of Haute People so should avoid unnecessarily crude language.
Smart and articulate: Concise and intelligent arguments. Always use facts, statistics, and accurate historical review to back up your points. Don’t assume anything of your audience, and don’t take for granted that they know jargon or the basics of a topic. Do all you can to flesh out a topic and present it to them in accessible language. Witty, thoughtful, not too snarky. Ease the blow of the serious, the heavy-handed, or the devastating with humor, sincerity, or attitude, as the situation dictates. • Appeal to readers’ sense of humor or tenderly channel their disdain in a way that compels them to action rather than resignation.
What Makes a Post Popular
“WTF” Aspect: Something super awesome or super frustrating will get readers engaged, and fast. Posing a Question: Opportunities for readers to share stories, add their opinion, or even debate with you or one another are very popular.
Having an Original Angle: It can be hard not to rehash someone else’s concept in the age of the 24/7 news cycle and a web landscape bursting at the seams with varying perspectives. We strive to say something new in every piece—and focusing on writing pieces where you have something original to say or add to a conversation will ensure that your piece performs better, too.
Call to Action: Always end with getting the readers involved in your Blog post. Ask them to like, share , comment, follow or click on particular links.
Citations / Sourcing
Always link in the text of your post to any and all sources. Sources that cannot be hyperlinked should be referenced in the text. If you are using quotes or information from an interview you conducted, be sure to reference the context or timing of the interview in the blog post. If you are using another Photographer’s photos (other than stock images) be sure to give photo credits.
You will enjoy writing for Haute People as we a fun brand who believes in people and their unique abilities!
All accepted contributors will be sent a Confidentiality + Contributor contract.