Sheffield Gothic Blog Submission Guidelines
One of the aims of this website is to develop it as a hub for Gothic research, interest, and exploration within the Gothic community at the University of Sheffield and beyond. Sheffield Gothic is always on the lookout for new and interesting posts from academic at all levels of study and from any country or institution, as well as those outside the academic community: the only requirement is that you share our interest in the Gothic and want to write about it! Our blog posts are fairly informal and don’t have to be particularly long or laboriously researched (although they can be): we are much more interested in hearing what you think and what interests you about the Gothic.
Before sending us your post, please make sure that your blog meets the following criteria:
- It focuses on the Gothic and/or Horror: we interpret the Gothic and Horror very broadly so if you think something is Gothic then we are happy to consider your post.
- We recommend that posts are between 500-1500 words: we can be flexible with word lengths, but if your post is considerably longer than 1500 we may ask you to shorten it, or to consider posting it in two (or more) parts.
- Along with your post please make sure you have included a title and author bio: your bio can include any details you like, from your university affiliation, links to your own websites, your research interest etc. We also like to make our bios fun and lighthearted and encourage the submission of fun bios (for examples, please browse our existing blog posts).
- Please send at least one image to accompany your post: you are of course welcome to send more. Please send all images separately titled as ‘Pic One’, ‘Pic Two’ etc. and indicate where you would like them to appear in your post.
Suggested Blog Posts:
- A post exploring a text discussed in Sheffield Gothic’s Gothic Reading Group. We are always seeking blogs discussing the texts from our reading group. Have a look at our current schedule, and see if there’s a text you would like to write about. We are happy to post blogs before our sessions offering some initial thoughts on the text to be discussed, providing some contextual information, or just sharing some interesting discoveries. Alternatively, if you attended the session we always welcome posts highlights some of the discussion that took place or even offering some personal reflection. You do not have to attend to submit a post on these texts.
- A post to be included in one of our open blog series: please check out our blog series page to find details on our existing blog series.
- A post providing a book review: Be it fictional or academic, something you read for fun or a piece of new Gothic criticism, if you would like to review a new publication then get in touch!
- A post providing reviews of current film and TV series: Is there a new Gothic/Horor film release that’s got you thinking, or perhaps a new TV show that you’ve binge watched and need to air your personal thoughts and feelings? Tell us what you think about it, why you think it’s a good or bad example of the Gothic, or even why you think it deserves to be considered as Gothic at all (#ButIsItGothic). We are happy to post explorations and reviews, and love having new Gothic recommendations to watch! You never know, it might just find its way onto our Gothic Reading Group Schedule…
- A post reviewing a film festival, theatre production, or other Gothic event: Have you been to a Gothic film festival, or seen a theatre production that you want to write about or review? Or may you have attended or helped to organise your own Gothic conference and want to review the event. Then get in touch and share your thoughts.
- A post offering an exploration of anything Gothic related that interests you: Here at Sheffield Gothic, we like to think that everything is Gothic, and therefore topics for our posts are extremely open. Whether you want to discuss or review the Gothic in comics, video games, poetry, prose, fashion, music etc. we want to hear from you!
As always, these are simply our suggestions and we are happy to consider blog posts on practically anything Gothic related. And remember, blogging is also a great way to hone your writing skills and share your ideas in a more informal context. Preference will be given to postgraduates at the University of Sheffield and other Gothic postgrads, but we welcome and encourage posts from individuals of any level of study, and those outside of Gothic studies and also outside of academia.
So if you would like to submit a blog, or want to discuss a potential post, email with us at sheffieldgothic@gmail.com with the subject line ‘Blog Post Enquiry’.
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