Watch this space for thoughtful consideration of what’s going on in psychology, mental health and the dear old NHS.

I’m guessing there is plenty to say. 

Submission Guidelines

Most of the articles appearing on Discursive of Tunbridge Wells are solicited. We don’t have the time or resources to read unsolicited articles. However, if you have an idea for a piece you’d like to write you can pitch it to us by emailing cccuappliedpsychology@gmail.com. The rules are as follows:

• Put the word ‘Pitch’ in the subject line.
• Outline your proposed article in 100 words or less.
• Give us some brief information about yourself (again a maximum of 100 words).

A few other things to note:

• We may not be able get back to everyone but we will try. It will either be a yes, no or sometimes a suggestion for a change of emphasis.
• Asking for a completed piece doesn’t mean we guarantee to post it.
• Content on DOTW is mainly focused on issues in mental health, the NHS, and the health sector more generally. We will also consider articles on topical issues provided they can be informed by applied psychological research.
• We don’t have a budget to pay contributors. What we can offer is a chance to write for a wide audience (DOTW usually attracts between 5,000 and 10,000 views per month depending on the number of pieces posted), and to draw attention to the issue you are writing about. It is also a good way to publicise academic papers and increase their impact factor.
• We aim to publish pieces of good journalistic, as well as academic, quality. This means articles that are original, well-structured, written in accessible language, and make a central point engagingly and clearly.
• Remember that articles have to stand on their own as engaging pieces of writing. Please resist the temptation to simply tell us about your research or your experience. In most cases this is not going to be interesting enough to sustain a journalistic article. Far better to think of the story you wish to tell  then think how your research or experience may illustrate your points. Show your topic is interesting rather than simply telling us it’s interesting.
• We do sometimes post articles that have previously appeared elsewhere, though only if there are no copyright issues. If an article is reproduced from another blog or website we can link back to the original site.
• Finished articles can be anywhere between 300 and 1,000 words long.
• While all completed pieces are edited for clarity and structure, we are happy to publish a range of opinions. We seek to encourage diverse voices and open debate.

By John McGowan