Writing for the Debrief
How can you contribute to the Debrief?
There are many ways to contribute to the Debrief. You can comment on articles or write to us with your reactions. This is a reader-supported publication.
The Debrief has a mailbag to share reader views and reactions. There are regular mailbag editions that feature responses and comments. The Debrief publishes on a wide range of themes, so there's a lot to react to.
Keep a look-out for open calls for writing. The Debrief has started to offer open calls inviting writing on a specific theme. See previously: broken then blooming.
Please share your work! Contact me (Peter) to share your recent articles or work published elsewhere. I can't share it with others if I don't see it.
Writing an article for the Debrief. The Debrief pays its writers, and publishing on the Debrief reaches a highly-engaged and specialist audience. Writing an article is a demanding process and comes out of a good fit of topic, writer, and working relationship with me as editor.
Here's what it involves:
Contents
- How we start
- What we're looking for
- Things to know
- Process, from pitch to publication
- Policy on using AI
- Payment for articles
- What our writers say
Page last updated April 2026.
How we start
We start with conversation! You can reply or comment on an article, or contact me.
The Debrief does not have capacity to take unsolicited pitches. Start the conversation by sharing your ideas and perspectives, rather than a totally formulated pitch.
But we do love hearing new perspectives, and articles often come out of those. Articles often come out of conversations with readers. They are based on a relationship, not just the ideas. Depending how a conversation develops I will then invite a pitch.
The Debrief can't work on every good idea. My bandwidth as editor is limited, so I often have to say “no” to good ideas. Please don't be discouraged: keep up your important work, and when you publish elsewhere, share the link with me so I can share with readers.
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What we're looking for
The Debrief publishes writers from all over the world. Over the past year, we published sixteen articles by contributors coming from thirteen different countries.
We're looking to publish stories you wouldn't read elsewhere. One of our guiding philosophies is that if something already exists, we link to it rather than reproduce it. We want to tell disability stories in a new way, and throw light on subjects that aren't being covered elsewhere.
We're not looking for straight advocacy. If you're writing an advocacy article, that might be better on another platform. If it could be published on an NGO website, publish it there and we'll link to it. If you're getting into reflections, nuance or challenging complications, that's up our street.
We’re particularly looking for contributors with disabilities from the Global South. Whether you're a writer, illustrator, photographer, we want to hear from you. We don't hear enough from disabled people in low- and middle-income countries – let's work together to fix this!
We are looking for authentic and original voices. We value diversity of opinion and voices. Some contributors already write professionally, or are established journalists. Others are writing for the first time. We will work with you to make it happen. We value stories told by humans, not by AI.
A good way to know what makes a Debrief article is to read some examples from previous contributors:
Lea Labaki
Alberto Vásquez Encalada
Áine Kelly-Costello
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Things to know
Writing an article is hard. Articles often involve research or reporting. Even where they're based on what you've lived and know already, that isn't always easy to put into words.
The Debrief has its own style. Read more about the disability lens on world news. The Debrief style is grounded in lived experience, but combined with analysis, reflection and reporting.
The Debrief has a particular format:
- Articles are written for the disability community and disability curious.
- Debrief articles are sent as emails and written as a conversation. They begin with a greeting and end with a sign-off. They are more friendly than formal.
- Length is typically between 1,500 and 2,500 words.
- Articles close with an acknowledgements section.
There are different types of Debrief article. So far, they have included:
- Feature pieces exploring specific topics. For example, Anna Maria on disabled people providing care.
- Exploration of lived experience. For example, forgotten by Rachel Litchman.
- Reporting on international cooperation and the disability sector. For example, what went wrong or stop work.
- Curated news. For example, discuss, curse and flirt.
- Interviews. For example, song to freedom.
- Fiction. For example, broken then blooming.
Many people start with a feature. A feature allows you to explore a specific topic, using your own perspective and lived experience. But if it's more up your street to gather news highlights from your country or region, you can explore the curated news approach instead.
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Process, from pitch to publication
After initial brainstorming, and being invited to pitch...
Pitching an article. A pitch is roughly a one-pager that contains:
- Notes on what an article will cover, including proposed structure.
- Notes on the sources of information for the article. For example, this might include: lived experience, interviews, desk review, or other sources.
From pitch to publication, the process is:
- Pitch from author proposing topic
- Discussion of pitch and agreement to work on it.
- Draft from author, feedback from me. Normally two rounds of this.
- Edits from my side, revision from author.
- Proof-reads and final edits
- Publishing.
- And then we can work on another article!
I am an active editor. This is both a promise and a threat. It's a promise, because I will work with you to develop your writing and help you to make your article better. It's a threat because I will make changes and edits to your text.
Writing takes the time it takes. Debrief articles nearly always take at least a few months from initial idea to publication, and often considerably more. I try to work without deadlines for writing (unless the writer prefers having them). At the stage of proof-reads and final edits, then there are deadlines in the days before publication.
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Policy on using AI
We are transparent about how we use AI. I will ask how you use AI in writing, or plan to use it in the Debrief piece.
The Debrief does not use AI to write articles or illustrations. As a general rule, we don't use AI to generate text. We do use AI at some other points in the process. As an editor I also prefer that you use grammar and structuring corrections to me, as that is my job.
AI can be an assistive tool. If you have some new way of using AI, or it is a form of accessibility for you, we can discuss the possibility of using it.
For a full description of our approach, and the reasons for it, see the piece Made by Humans, for Humans.
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Payment for articles
In the case of work directly commissioned by the Debrief, the rate for published articles starts at £500. A small extra budget can be considered for expenses, on discussion.
In some cases Debrief collaborates with other organisations to make an article. In that case the contributor's time is often covered by their organisation.
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What our writers say
Here's what Anna Maria said about being edited by me:
“I've never had so much conversation with an editor while working together. It's been really helpful and collaborative.”
And Celestine Fraser:
“I've been feeling really grateful for all your thorough edits, and for pushing me to squeeze the best out of my ideas. Usually the editors I work with give only minimal edits, so it's felt like a privilege to have so much feedback from you, and to have worked closely together on this over a longer period. I'm sure I'll carry some of your editing eye into whatever I write next.”
And John Loeppky:
“Getting to write for the Disability Debrief is always fun and to have editorial meetings with Peter is a wonderful experience.”
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