Aesthetics for Birds

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art for Everyone

Submit to AFB

Do you have something that you think our readers would be interested in? We’d love to hear from you! We welcome submissions on topics in aesthetics and the philosophy of art, broadly construed.

Guidelines

Because Aesthetics for Birds aims to be accessible to the general public as well as to artists and professionals working in a wide variety of areas, we have somewhat specific requirements in terms of both tone and style of writing.

The ideal post will be something along the lines of what you might find in Aeon, Hyperallergic, or the New York Times. It will fall somewhere between 1000 and 2500 words. Most importantly, it will communicate a central view, argument, analysis, or perspective on something. It will not just be a statement of opinion.

A word for academics: We encourage you to view this as an opportunity to be a little freer and less technical with your prose.

Style guidelines: Freed from the traditional print format, posts often include links, images, and audio or video clips. Any images used should have the appropriate permissions (for example: public domain, creative commons, or permission from creators). Please avoid footnotes and use links for any references.

For examples of what we are looking for, see “What’s Missing from Cookbook Reviews,” “Beeple and Nothingness: Philosophy and NFTs,” or “On the Record: An Audio Professional’s Take on Vinyl.”

Finally: We do not accept posts with advertising or paid posts.

The Submission and Editorial Process

We accept both pitches and full posts. Submit these to aestheticsforbirds@gmail.com.

  • Pitches should be short, but include both the topic and a rough map of what you plan to say about it.
  • Full posts should meet the above guidelines.

One of our editors will review your submission and make a decision about how to proceed. Please note that we do not publish all submissions.

Because of the nature and aim of the blog, we aim for posts in a particular style: accessible, colloquial, friendly, and (hopefully) fun! Most authors should expect plenty of suggested revisions, as we work together towards building an accessible and engaging piece, in tune with AFB’s chosen voice. Some authors used to academic publishing may find the comments a bit intrusive. Our editors work more like editors in magazine and newspaper publishing, collaborating substantially with our authors to build the best piece that fits with AFB’s tone, style, and purpose.

Once the author and editors settle on a final version, the author will receive a preview of the post to give their final approval. The published post will have a permanent link at Aesthetics for Birds and will be shared via our social media accounts.


Thank you for your interest in submitting. Your submissions help Aesthetics for Birds be a welcoming and engaging environment for everyone who is interested in aesthetics and the philosophy of art.