FAQ — Writing for The Cultural Me

What is The Cultural Me? The Cultural Me is an organisation on a mission to unearth foundational truths from within the scholarly humanities to address modern challenges — challenges including mental wellbeing, self-improvement, and cultural discovery. The website was founded in 2017 and was launched to the public on World Peace Day 2019 (21 September). You can read more on our About Us Page.

Where are you based? We are based in Shoreditch, London. We welcome writers from all over the world, but our standards and style are distinctly British.

Is The Cultural Me a website or an app? It is both. The Cultural Me is a Progressive Web App (PWA). A PWA is new technology that allows people to share an app using a URL, thereby bypassing the need to download via App Store or Google Play. Simply navigate to http://theCultural.me and add it to your mobile home screen. The app will install itself. 

What does the £5 onboarding fee give me? The onboarding fee is a one-off, and gives you the opportunity to pitch articles or submit stories. It guarantees that your pitch or draft will be carefully reviewed by our editorial team, and you will receive a detailed evaluation and where possible guidance on how to develop your piece. Please note that completion of an article or story depends on your effort and ability, but our editors are here to support you every step of the way.

Why is there an onboarding fee? We receive a large number of applications to join The Cultural Me's volunteer writing programme. While we’re thrilled by the interest, each application requires dedicated evaluation, pitching guidance, and ongoing communication. The fee allows us to offer every serious applicant the opportunity to pitch and receive editorial feedback — including multiple times if needed.

What are the two pathways? You can select to follow either the Analytical or Creative pathways.

• Analytical Pathway: Scholarly yet accessible articles in the humanities (~750 words).

• Creative Pathway:

  • Stories – True or fictional experiences written in the style of Literary Fiction (up to 500 words).

  • Influential Artwork – A reflection on an influential book, film, or other artwork (up to 500 words).

  • Poetry – Any style with literary merit.

Can I switch between the analytical and creative pathways? Absolutely. If one pathway does not suit you, or if you’ve completed a piece and want to try the other, you are very welcome to do so. You will be supported either way.

How easy is it to complete a piece for The Cultural Me? Writing for the public is certainly a step up from university: it is distinctly more challenging — but that is exactly the skill we want to help you build. Our process is structured and supportive every step of the way. 

• For articles, you will begin with two short pitches. If one is approved, you will move on to an outline, then a full draft — with editorial guidance at each step. 

• For creative pieces, you will start with a 500-word draft. You will then expand it to around 750 words before refining it down with our help. Writers often tell us the process is both manageable and rewarding.

How many people write for The Cultural Me? As of year-end 2024, there is a community of 250 writers selected from the large number of applications that we receive. About 15% of them are active contributors, with writers departing or returning as circumstances change. We are happy for you to do that. All writers past and present are members of a common chatspace.

What sort of audience will I have? Your articles are publicly available via a permanent URL. These URLs are submitted to search engines and therefore are available to a global readership. We do not disclose the exact number, but the number of unique visitors per month runs into the thousands.

Who reads The Cultural Me? The material we publish are written for a mainstream audience, similar to readers of culture sections in newspapers like The Times or The Guardian. As they are well-researched and academically sound, they also attract university students and researchers. Our readership is truly global, with visitors from every country.

How will I be identified? Your published work will display your real name, profile picture, city, and a brief author’s note. We require your real name and an accurate profile picture to support transparency and authenticity. In a time when AI-generated content is everywhere, authenticity is more important than ever. Readers value knowing who you are — and so do we.

Do you impose deadlines? We ask that you return drafts within 10 calendar days to keep our editorial process running smoothly. That said, we understand life happens — personal matters, unexpected delays, and creative blocks are all part of the process. If you need more time, just let us know. We're flexible and always happy to work with you.

Will there be specific categories to write on? We do not require you to write on specific subjects. We believe that the best writing comes when written from a position of knowledge or passion. We will check your pitches for suitability and help you to refine them. 

Will the articles or stories form a series? Not in general. Each piece should be independently viable. In other words, authors are free to write multiple pieces on a particular subject, but each piece should be independent, rather than form a series (for example, through cross referencing). 

Do you provide guidelines? Yes. There are detailed guidelines for every genre and every stage.

Will I receive feedback on my work? Yes, you should receive detailed editorial feedback, normally within a day or two of submitting a piece. 

How should I submit my work? Article pitches are submitted via a link that we provide. Creative pieces should be emailed as a word document to your point of contact. We will upload the document to the community Google Drive where you will have your own folder. There is additional information on the editorial process that will be sent to you in due course.

Do you provide references? Yes, we will provide references personalised to each individual based on their contributions and communications. We will also provide you with a link to your portfolio (all your contributions), which you can share as required.