Write for Finance For Youth: The Blog

Ever thought that you would want to write for Finance for youth: The blog? Maybe you are a writer who wants to reach a few more readers. Maybe you are a money person who has something to add to the discussion. Maybe you are a young person who wants to share your point of view or the point of view of youth in general. Hell, maybe you are some crank who wants to prove to the world how stupid I am and how much smarter you are than me!

Who knows what your motivation is, but you are feeling the urge to jump on your computer or grab a notebook and a pen and start writing. Writing can be a lot of work, but it can also be very rewarding, especially if you get the chance to write about something as universally important as personal finance. So if you think you’ve got a great article in you that you are dying to get out there, I have only two words for you.

 

Do it!

 

Send me your best article about youth issues, finance, education, or fun! If it’s good enough, I’ll put it up, along with a link to your site as my post of the week. You’ll get full credit; I’ll get to read some awesome new writers’ works. Everybody wins!
Of course, to keep this all honest, there are a few things I need to make clear:

1. Since I don’t charge for people to read the blog, I don’t pay people to write for it. If I use your piece, you are getting exactly what I get out of it. You get exposure for your work and the means to reach and potentially influence my audience. As I said, I’m more than willing to put up a link to your other work on another site.
   
2. I am a lot of things. I am a writer, a teacher, and a financial advice provider. Notice that I didn’t list “editor” as one of the things that I am. I’m not in the business of editing your submissions. If I have time to spare and an interest in seeing your particular submission on F4Y:TB, I might engage in a dialog with you where I present suggestions that I think will make your article better, but chances are better that I won’t. Generally, I will either use it as it is presented to me, or I will reject it. Either way, I won’t leave you hanging. You’ll know ASAP whether or not I’ll be using your article.
   
3. I’m not the language police, but I don’t like gratuitous profanity or vulgarity. Nothing pisses me off more than having to sift through a bunch of s–T to get to a decent f—ing article. Got it? If absolutely integral to the article, I can see looking the other way, but I’ll make that decision when it comes up.
   
4. I’m only one guy with a blog. I’m more than happy to share whatever resources I have to get your article seen by as many people as possible, but you have to do your part as well. I expect that contributors will do some sort of advertising on their own. Post announcements on your other sites, tell your friends, stand outside the Starbucks with a sandwich board; whatever it takes to let people know to read your article.
   
5. Do yourself a favor and read F4Y:TB before you get all type-happy. You’ll start to get a feel for what I stand for and what Finance For Youth is all about. I’m not going to post an article that goes against what I stand for or what my brand represents. In other words, if you are advocating something that goes against my Qualities of Success, chances are good that you get a quick TNT e-mail.
   
6. I will only entertain original work. Don’t try to pass of “recycled” posts from other writers or link farms.
   

So those are my rules. But what does it take to get your article read and posted? Well, there are no hard, fast rules here, but the basic things I’m looking for are accuracy, personality, and relevance. That being said, there are some suggestions that will help you get your work read, whether here or elsewhere. These are some things I like to see:

1. While brevity is the essence of good communication, don’t sacrifice quality or completeness for a shorter post. Give the reader the whole idea.
   
2. My best posts, and the best posts I have read always tell the reader a little about the writer. Let’s face it, there isn’t much new about personal finance. The only thing that separates a factually accurate post that is dreadfully dull and one that is good is personality. I want to be able to see yours.
   
3. Give your post a hook. You want to tell me about your journey from bankruptcy to financial independence? Great! Make it sound like an epic like The Iliad! Want to give the readers rules for being financially smarter than the average young person, write a limerick that is easy to learn and remember.
   
4. Pictures might not hurt. Especially if they are funny and add/or to the story.
   
5. I’m big on humor! I’m just saying.
   
6. Be as entertaining as possible. Give me a reason to want to read what you write.
   
7. Hot chicks always get their stuff read faster! Of course I am kidding, and do not use physical beauty or gender as criteria for submissions. See number 5 above!
   

If, after reading this, you still think you’ve got something to say that my readers want to hear, send me your article, any pictures you want included, a paragraph or two about yourself, and if possible, a picture of yourself to include with the article to wil@finance4youth.com. I will read any submissions received in the order I receive them and will communicate with the author to let them know whether or not I will use their article ASAP!