Submissions
Write for Hot Literati.
Membership unlocks the blog -- four editorial columns, a real editor reading every pitch, and your byline on Hot Literati’s own publication. This page lays out exactly how it works, end to end.
Everything below happens at hotliterati.com/write. If your question isn’t answered here, the full FAQ is at hotliterati.com/faq, or email hello@hotliterati.com.
Become a member, write for the blog
Pitch one of four columns and get a real editor’s eyes on your work -- publishing under the Hot Literati byline is a Pro membership perk. Every member also gets a free World to publish to instantly; more on that below.
Pro perk · editorial review
The blog
Pitch one of four columns. A real editor reads every submission before anything publishes under the Hot Literati name -- this is the one with a bar to clear.
Best value is annual -- $99.99/yr ($8.33/mo), or $12.99/mo month to month.
Become a member →Free · every member
Your World
Publish writing, art, or audio straight to your own page any time -- no review, no membership needed. A lighter-weight option if you’d rather test the waters first.
Add to your World →The four blog columns
Every pitch goes into one of these. Pick the one your piece actually fits -- an editor reads it either way.
By Hot Literati
Your first post to the community -- who you are, what you love, what you hate, and why you're here. Every member writes exactly one of these.
“Introduce yourself: who you are, what you love, what you hate, and why you're here.”
Hotter Literati
Tips to feel hotter, smarter, more in love with your life -- a small, concrete change, not a life philosophy.
“Walk us through something you've changed about your daily life this year, big or small. What made it stick?”
The City According to...
Real recommendations for real places. Name names -- accepted pieces get pinned to the Hot Literati map.
“You just found out about a new spot opening in your city. What is it, where, and why are you already planning to go?”
The Hottest Literati
An artist worth knowing about -- living or dead. Make the case for someone whose work deserves the spotlight.
“Name an artist whose earlier or lesser-known work changed how you see things. What did you find, and why does it still hold up?”
How submitting actually works
Five steps, start to finish.
- 1
Sign in or create a free account
A Hot Literati account is free. You need one to write, whether or not you ever submit to the blog.
- 2
Become a Pro member
Submitting to any of the four columns is a Pro benefit -- annual is the best value at $99.99/yr ($8.33/mo), or go monthly at $12.99/mo.
- 3
Go to Write and pick a column
hotliterati.com/write lists all four with today's prompt for each -- use the prompt, or write your own piece for that column instead.
- 4
Draft it
Plain text is fine -- the editorial team formats it before publishing. A cover image is optional. Drafts autosave, so you can leave and come back.
- 5
Submit, then wait for a real read
An editor reads every submission and responds either way -- published under your byline, or sent back with notes and a chance to revise. Status and any editor notes show up right on your Write page.
Questions writers actually ask
Do I have to be a Pro member to submit?
To pitch one of the four blog columns, yes -- submitting to the blog is a Pro membership benefit. It's not the only way to put writing out into the world on Hot Literati: every member, free or Pro, can publish writing, art, or audio to their own World immediately, with no editorial review and no membership required.
What's the difference between my World and the blog?
Your World is yours -- anything you publish there goes live immediately, with no review, and you can price it whenever you want. The blog is Hot Literati's own editorial publication -- a small number of columns, an editor reading every pitch, and a real bar for what gets published under the Hot Literati name.
How long should a submission be?
There's no strict word count. Write it the length it needs to be to say the real thing -- most accepted pieces land somewhere between a long text to a friend and a short essay. If it feels padded to hit a number, it's too long.
What happens after I submit?
The editorial team reads every piece and gets back to you either way. An accepted piece gets formatted and published under your byline. If it's not quite there yet, you'll get editor notes and a chance to revise and resubmit -- a submission that needs work is not a rejection.
Can I submit plain text, or does it need to be formatted?
Plain text is fine. Write your full draft in the submission form and the editorial team formats it for publishing. A cover image is optional -- add one if you have the right photo, skip it if you don't.
Can I pitch more than one column, or submit more than once?
Yes. Each column is its own pitch, and there's no cap on how many pieces you submit over time. Drafts and past submissions -- including any editor notes -- are saved on your Write page so you can pick a thread back up.
What if my piece doesn't fit any of the four columns?
By Hot Literati is the open column for anything else -- good writing and interesting ideas without a single required lens, once you've already written your intro post.
Is there another way to write for Hot Literati?
Chapter ambassadors also write for the blog as part of representing their city or campus -- a smaller, separately-reviewed role. See the ambassador section of the FAQ if that's the fit you're looking for.
Ready to become a member?
Join for $99.99/yr (best value) or $12.99/mo and start pitching the blog today.