How to Send Your Articles and Photographs to SHOUT, The Daily Star

SHOUT, The Daily Star publishes reader submissions if they are up to the mark. Refer to the following points to know how you can submit your work (articles, photographs) to SHOUT, The Daily Star.

Instructions

1. Non-fiction pieces should be between 500-600 words. Send them to [email protected]

2. Fiction or stories can be either in the 500-600 or 800-1100 word range. Poems should be no longer than 30 lines. Send them to [email protected]

3. All articles should be sent as a MS Word file attachment.

4. All articles must contain the following information –

• A title
• Name of the author underneath the title, called the byline
• A short description of the writer's educational or professional background (No more than 20 words). For example, "The writer is a class 10 student of XYZ School and College."

5. Your email subject line should be formatted as follows –
Subject: Reader Submission - Article Title - Your Name

6. Attach the article, and send it to the email address as specified in points 1 and 2.

7. For photographs (to be featured in SHOUT's Kaleidoscope section), you have to send at least 10 pictures, from which we will select 7 or 8. Your photographs should have a specific theme, and a title to go along with the photos.

What happens after you send your article or photographs?

We will either shortlist your article for publication, or will reject it. Either way, we will send you a reply.

SHOUT receives an overwhelming number of reader submissions every week, from where we can only pick the ones with certain key qualities. After you email us, expect a reply within TWO WEEKS. You may decide to publish your article elsewhere if you do not hear back from us within that time.

Also, note that shortlisting a write-up does not necessarily mean that we will be publishing it anytime soon. However, we'll be keeping it with us, and will let you know when we decide to publish it.

What are we looking for in the articles?

• Submissions must not be plagiarised in any way. We have a zero tolerance policy regarding plagiarism.
• Articles must not have too many grammatical errors. We can excuse grammatical errors and typos up to a certain extent. Too many of these errors might get your article rejected. 
• We are always looking for unique and interesting articles.
• We also appreciate well thought-out and researched opinion pieces.
• Avoid generic topics. Talk about specific niches or share your opinion regarding the topic you have selected.
• Be sure to write in the Bangladeshi context. Use local examples over international ones.
• Avoid writing about your musings or inner thoughts directly. You can fictionalise those thoughts and send us a fiction instead.  
• You can also send in reviews and analyses (movies, TV series, anime, music, books, etc.). In the case of TV series, movies or anime, avoid simply describing the plot. Instead, talk about what makes it interesting or boring, what you liked or did not like about it, why it stands out, what the characters are like, and so on. For music review, we prefer you profile an artist or review an entire album. Try to avoid reviewing a single song unless you think it is highly influential.
• You can also share your travel stories with us. In that case, try to send us pictures of your travels as well.

Kindly check the FAQ section if you have any questions. In case you cannot find an answer to the question you are looking for, you can write to us at [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Do you pay for reader submissions?

A. No. We do not pay for reader submissions.

Q. Can I submit articles or photographs that have been published elsewhere?

A. No. We do not publish anything that has already been published elsewhere. Note that we will reject your current and future submissions if we find any sort of plagiarism.

Q. Does my article need to have quotes from other people?

A. Not necessarily. However, if you think quotes will improve the article, go ahead.