How to Submit a Post for Consideration
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Please take some time to review this entire page. It should answer any question you have about what kind of content we're looking for and how the submission process works.
Blog Submission Guidelines
Who is eligible to submit a blog:
Only members and business partners can submit blog posts.
What to include:
- At least 500 words
- Include one header image
- All post images must be at least 710px wide.
- Include images that illustrate “how to” do something or images that support data.
- If using a stock image or one that is not your own, make sure you have the creator's permission and provide proper credit.
- Attribute any quoted/paraphrased info with links to the sources.
- Your bio (about 3-4 sentences)
- Your high resolution headshot
Suggestions for additional content:
- Links to other relevant posts and materials.
NAPO creates blog themes every year to give you inspiration for content each month. However, you may submit any content at any time as long as it pertains to the organizing or productivity industry.
Blog Themes
- Jan - Get Organized (Go Month) | Client Success Stories
- Feb - Time Management
- Mar - Spring Cleaning | Decluttering
- Apr - Earth Day | Eco-Friendly
- May - Digital Organization | Photo Organization
- June - Organized Travel & Activities
- July - Productivity Hacks | Technology
- Aug - Back to School | Work
- Sept - Disaster Preparedness | Planning
- Oct - Preparing for the Holidays
- Nov - Paper Management
- Dec - Stress Reduction | Declutter Your Mind
What we will not consider:
NAPO requests orginal content, and will not republish from another blog. NAPO will not publish politically-focused pieces, anything overtly promotional, anything with bad language or poor grammar, or anything that negatively attacks anyone or any organization or includes religious opinions.
Helpful tips:
- Review other published guest blog posts for ideas on NAPO’s blog
- Write in a voice/tone that’s less formal, more approachable.
- Use short paragraphs, subheadings, and/or bullet lists to break up your blog post.
- Check your spelling and grammar.
- We are looking for content that would be of value to our clients and to NAPO members and is related to the organizing and productivity industry.
Legalese:
- NAPO reserves the right to not post all submitted blogs.
- If NAPO publishes your blog post, NAPO has full rights to the content, including but not limited to edit, mix, duplicate, use, or re-use it in whole or in part as it so chooses. Credit will always be given to the creator of the content.
How the Submission Process Works:
- To submit a blog post, access the NAPO Blog Submission Form
- At the bottom of the page, you will see places to upload your blog images and a text box to include your blog post content
- Upon review, if your blog is selected you will be notified regarding its scheduled placement. If you haven't heard from NAPO after 2 weeks from submitting your blog, it was not chosen and you may publish your submission on your own blog and/or website.
Frequently Asked Questions
But what if…I’m not a writer?
If you’re reading this, it very likely means you declutter and organize for fun (and for profit); it’s very likely your passion. And if you’re passionate about something, you can write about it.
Your enthusiastic words will influence, inspire, and educate people who CRAVE and seek out your expertise.
Know who else is eager to hear your story? This incredibly supportive professional community. We are committed to lifelong learning, being top of our game, and finding new ways to connect with and inspire our clients.
In short: a lot of people want to know what YOU have to share. Get out of your own way with the fixed mindset of “I can’t write” and trust that what you have to say matters.
What’s in it for me?
You gain:
- writing experience (and feedback to grow as a writer)
- a national stage on which to feature your perspective and expertise
- FREE and credible SEO for your website
- widespread exposure not only via the website but also through all of NAPO’s social media channels / multiple posts to increase visibility
- credibility as a professional organizer or productivity consultant
In full transparency, this is an act of service you’d be providing to NAPO; it is unpaid.
What if I already have a blog post (or tons!) I want NAPO to share?
Our preference at this time is authentic content created for the NAPO blog. Once we’ve posted your blog, you can share it on your social media channels. Adding the same exact content to your own blog could negatively impact NAPO’s SEO as well as your own because it could be flagged by Google for duplicate content.
OK, I’m feeling motivated to try to write a blog. What support is available to me?
NAPO currently has a marketing committee volunteer ready to assit you! Kim Mazewski, CPO®, began her career in 2005 as a production editor. To marry her love of writing and reading with her passion for decluttering and organizing has been a total dream, and she's committed to uplifting the diverse voices in our community to showcase our excellence and share our wealth of knowledge.
Kim can help you brainstorm a catchy title or theme, flesh out an outline, clarify your message, and ensure that your blog post is comprehensive and digestible. Kim gives kind, constructive feedback, and her edits are typically only formatting, grammar, and punctuation, with the goal of ensuring your voice shines through.
How do I know what to write about? That blinking cursor on the blank page can be daunting.
Just start writing! Set a timer for 15 minutes, remove distractions, and free write without editing as you go—what you love will come through, and you can tailor it to a time of year, the current events, the relevant themes of the season. We post two articles per month throughout the year, so don’t just think about next month’s post. Consider writing a blog on back-to-school organizing, or holidays decluttering now. We are happy to accept content for later in the year.
If you are having trouble thinking of a topic to write about, consider NAPO’s monthly themes listed above. We are seeking content that ties into these themes as well as content outside of these areas. So let your creativity flow!
Don’t limit yourself. Have an idea but want to collaborate? Find another NAPO pro to join forces with. Poll the pros via POINT. Ask for a client’s consent to share their story or a quote from them (anonymously, name changed, or initials only, of course).
What specifically are you looking for?
YES: 500+ words. Conversational and judgment-free tone. Personable and relatable (we are not looking for research articles here). Break up the text with headers, bulleted lists, short paragraphs, and original, copyright-free photography if you have it.
NO: Nothing political or religious. Nothing hateful or hurtful. Nothing overtly promotional. Avoid foul language.
I think I’m ready to submit my article. What’s the next step?
Congratulations! We read and sincerely appreciate every submission. Please visit www.napo.net/BlogSubmission and double-check that you have everything you need to successfully upload:
- a high-resolution headshot
- a short bio
- your preferred social media handles
- a photo to go at the top of your blog (not required, but helpful)
- any other information about you to share (link to purchase your book or listen to your podcast etc)
- ask an engaging question at the end of your article; there is a comments section and we’d love to keep the conversation going
What happens after I submit?
Hang tight! NAPO staff and volunteers manually review new submissions. If you have questions or haven't heard back after submitting content, reach out to napo@napo.net.
You'll receieve an email to confirm acceptance of your piece and approximately when NAPO will launch it, as well as to ask any questions for clarification.
What happens when my blog post goes live on NAPO’s site?
We release a new blog on the first and third Monday of each month. You will know in advance when yours will be posted—and we do encourage you to give it a once-over to ensure there’s not an errant typo or formatting issue. (If you find one, email me right away and I’ll have our team correct it.)
Once it’s up, let’s shout out and celebrate. Cross-post to all your social media channels, reshare, and tag your people. We’ll blast you on NAPO social media and on POINT so your colleagues can benefit from your knowledge. Be our collaborator on social media posts to really expand the reach. Follow along for any questions or comments to respond and engage.
And of course, this is also a victory on a personal level; treat yourself! It’s a really exciting WIN to see your work published on NAPO’s site.
I have a question that wasn’t addressed here. How can I get more info?
You can join the conversation on POINT or reach out to NAPO at napo@napo.net.