Music Means articles are intended for a mixed audience of music enthusiasts and the general public. All articles must be clearly and engagingly written, and should target a 6th–10th grade reading level. Thus, authors should:
- Avoid jargon
- Use simple, active verbs
- Avoid long or compound sentences
- Minimize the use of adverbs and adjectives
Authors should use Word or one of the many readability apps (like Readability Calculator or Hemingway) to check the readability level before submission. Following submission, the editorial team will collaborate with the author to accommodate the text to a 6th–10th grade reading level.
Music Means articles must be written in the form of narrative nonfiction––that is, as stories. The ingredients of storytelling include a plot, characters, setting, conflict, and conflict resolution, each of which help to immerse the reader in a world that makes the story’s message come to life. This differs from academic prose, which prioritizes argumentation, explanation, theorization, and often the dry presentation of facts. Music Means articles show more than tell, taking the reader on a relatable and memorable journey according to a beginning, middle, and end. For example, an author won’t so much tell the reader about the who, what, and when of the invention of the phonograph. Instead, the reader will meet Thomas Edison, the protagonist, and come to know the world he inhabited, a challenge he faced, an antagonist he conflicted with, how he overcame an obstacle, and the lesson he learned as a result. Similarly, a story about 1970s NYC punk needn’t historicize the scene in citational detail. Rather, the reader will be dropped into the Bowery and its rich sensory milieu, meeting a chosen protagonist (Patti Smith, Blondie, the Ramones, etc.) whose trials and travails bring the reader to an appreciation of early punk’s significance.
Each story should be framed by “a story question,” which will be developed in collaboration with the Music Means editorial team. A “story question” is the thing that the reader is reading to discover; the answer the reader wants to find after all is said and done. In a murder mystery, the question is “whodunnit and how.” In a love story, the question (usually) is whether the lovers find each other and how. In short, narrative nonfiction (like journalistic or research nonfiction) offers a question that “makes meaning” of something and is not simply a dry statement of fact. If you can look up the answer in an encyclopedia or dictionary, it probably isn’t a good story question. For example, “When did the world’s largest organ make its way to the Wanamaker department store?” is not a story question. “How did the world’s largest organ end up in a Philadelphia department store?” is a story question. Likewise, “How did Muhammad Ali influence hip hop?” is a so-so story question, as it invites analysis rather than storytelling. Instead, “How did Muhammad Ali become such a major influence on hip hop?” is a story question, since it lends itself to a narrative focused on the individual(s) who drew on Ali as an influence and made his presence in hip hop profound.
Music Means articles do not include footnotes, but often include links to support factual statements or illustrate concepts. Photos, videos, and audio are also encouraged, so long as they help bring the story to life.
Most Music Means articles are 500–1,000 words. When in doubt, air on the shorter side.
Additional Tips
- Keep things tight: Be clear on your story question before beginning to write and avoid digressions from it. You want your reader to come away with a clear understanding of what you are trying to convey.
- Spark interest: Write a first paragraph that grabs the reader’s interest by foregrounding a story or detail that is novel, fascinating, unusual, surprising, or poignant.
- Don’t bury your lead: Make your point early on, in the first 1–2 paragraphs. When reading online, people often don’t finish articles and so it is more important than ever not to bury the lead.
- Keep the title short: Keep the title short and direct. Aim for 6–10 words, if possible.
- Acknowledge others’ contributions: Music Means articles don’t include footnotes, but authors can and should name and/or link to other individuals and their important publications in the text.