Guest Post Submission Guidelines

Write for Women Who Lead Themselves

The Sophia Vale welcomes thoughtful writers, creators, and contributors who share our commitment to depth, authenticity, and quiet power. If you have wisdom worth sharing, grounded in experience, research, or honest reflection, we want to hear from you.

We're not looking for content. We're looking for substance.

Contribute to The Sophia Vale

What We Publish

OUR FOUR CONTENT PILLARS

Mind & Wellness

Psychology, mindfulness, meditation, nervous system healing, mental health, stress management, and the science of emotional wellbeing.

Soul & Spirit

Personal Growth

Intentional Living

Intuition development, spiritual wisdom (non-dogmatic), philosophical musings, inner knowing, existential reflection, and deeper meaning.

Boundaries, self-leadership, personal transformation, people-pleasing recovery, reclaiming power, confidence, and authentic self-development.

Mindful routines, conscious decision-making, slow living, work-life balance, simplicity, and practical wisdom for everyday life.

Submission Requirements

Originality is Non-Negotiable.

• Submit only unpublished, original work

• No AI-generated content or plagiarism (we check)

• No content previously published on other platforms

• If you've presented this work elsewhere (conference, workshop, etc.), you must have clearance to publish it here

Lenght

• Articles: 800-2,000 words (main body)

• Shorter pieces considered if they're complete and valuable

• Longer pieces considered if depth requires it

CONTENT STANDARDS

Quality Over Quantity

Format

• Google Docs (shareable link with comment access)

• Editable format required (PDFs will not be accepted)

• Clear heading structure (H2, H3 for sections)

• Include meta description suggestion (150-160 characters).

Research & Resources

Visuals

• Fact-check your claims

• Cite credible sources (studies, experts, books, research)

• Include links to references

• Personal experience is valuable, but unsubstantiated claims are not.

• High-resolution images (1200px width minimum, 300 dpi)

• JPEG or PNG format

• You must own rights or have permission to use images

• No stock photos that feel generic or performative

• Charts/graphs accepted if relevant (max 3 per article)

What We're Looking For

✅ Do Submit

• Depth over surface-level advice
  We want nuance, research, lived experience, and honesty—not recycled tips from other blogs.

• Evidence-based insights
  Psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, or well-researched personal development rooted in credible sources.

• Authentic voice
  Write like a human having an honest conversation, not a content marketer trying to rank.

• Actionable wisdom
  Readers should leave with tools, frameworks, or clarity—not just inspiration.

• Inclusive language
  Write for all women (across age, race, background, identity) without tokenizing or performing inclusivity.

• Aligned tone
  Grounded, empowering, direct. No fluff. No toxic positivity. No hustle culture.

• Personal experience that serves a larger point
  Your story is valuable when it illustrates a universal truth or provides a roadmap others can follow.

❌ DON'T Submit:

• Advertorials or promotional content
  We don't publish thinly veiled product placement or brand promotion. If your article is selling something, it's not a fit.

• Trend-chasing clickbait
  We're not interested in "5 Quick Hacks" or viral content. We publish what lasts.

• Toxic positivity or oversimplification
  "Just manifest it!" and "Everything happens for a reason!" are not welcome here. Life is complex. Honor that.

• Generic listicles
  Unless the list is deeply researched and offers genuine value, don't pitch us "10 Ways to Be More Mindful."

• Unsubstantiated claims
  If you're making a claim about health, psychology, or behavior, back it up with sources.

• Content published elsewhere
  We only accept original, unpublished work. No exceptions.

• Off-brand topics
  Political rants, religious dogma, diet culture, hustle glorification, or content that doesn't fit our four pillars.

• Poorly written or unedited submissions
  We expect clean, polished writing. Typos happen, but sloppy structure and unclear thinking won't make it past review.

How to Submit

Step 1: Pitch First (Recommended)

Before writing a full article, send us a pitch:

Email: [insert contact email]
Subject Line: Submission Pitch: [Your Proposed Title]

Include:

• Proposed article title

• Which content pillar it fits (Mind & Wellness, Soul & Spirit, Personal Growth, Intentional Living)

• 3-5 sentence summary of the article

• Why it matters to The Sophia Vale audience

• Your background/credentials (brief bio, 2-3 sentences)

• Links to 2-3 published writing samples (if available)

We'll respond within 7-10 business days to let you know if we'd like to see the full piece.

Step 2: Submit Full Article (If Approved)

Email: [insert contact email]
Subject Line: Full Submission: [Article Title]

Include:

• Google Docs link (set to "Anyone with the link can comment")

• Author bio (50-75 words)

• Headshot (optional, but appreciated)

• Social media handles (optional)

• Suggested meta description (150-160 characters)

• Any relevant images/graphics with source credits

Timeline:
Articles are reviewed within 2-3 weeks. If accepted, we'll provide edits and a tentative publication date.

Editorial Process

What Happens After You Submit:

1. Review (2-3 weeks)
We evaluate submissions for alignment with brand voice, quality, originality, and value to our readers.

2. Edit (if accepted)
We may suggest structural edits, fact-checking clarifications, or tone adjustments. All edits are collaborative, we won't publish without your approval.

3. Formatting
We format articles for web readability (headings, white space, internal links).

4. Author Review
You'll receive a preview before publication to approve final edits.

5. Publication
Articles are published on our editorial calendar (typically 4-8 weeks after acceptance).

6. Promotion
Published articles are shared via our newsletter, social media, and website. We encourage contributors to share as well.

Rights & Attribution

• You retain copyright to your work

• The Sophia Vale receives non-exclusive rights to publish and promote your article on our platform and social channels

• You may republish your work elsewhere 6 months after publication on The Sophia Vale (with a link back to the original)

• Your name and bio will be credited on the article

• We reserve the right to update articles for SEO, clarity, or broken links without changing core content

Compensation

• Currently, The Sophia Vale operates as a collaborative platform.

• We do not offer financial compensation for guest contributions at this time.

  What we offer instead:

  • Attribution and bio with link to your website/social media

  • Exposure to our engaged audience of women seeking depth and growth

  • SEO benefits from backlinks to your platform

  • Portfolio-quality published work on a respected platform

  If your work requires payment, we respect that.

• We may offer paid opportunities in the future as the platform grows.

Who Should Contribute

• You're a Good Fit If:

  • You're a writer, therapist, coach, researcher, or thought leader with expertise in psychology, mindfulness, personal development, or intentional living

  • You have lived experience navigating burnout, boundaries, intuition, or self-leadership—and wisdom to share from it

  • You value depth, nuance, and intellectual honesty

  • You write for women who think critically and lead themselves

  • You respect the quiet power ethos and don't need to perform empowerment to offer it

You're Not a Fit If:

• You're primarily looking to promote a product, service, or program

• You write generic, trend-driven content without depth

• You can't cite sources or provide evidence for claims

• You don't align with The Sophia Vale's values (boundaries, rest, authenticity, quiet power)

• You're uncomfortable with editorial feedback or collaboration

Questions?

Have questions about submissions, guidelines, or whether your idea is a fit?

Sends us a message using the Contact Us Form
Subject Line: Submission Question

We respond to all genuine inquiries within 7-10 business days.

Final Note

We're selective because we respect our readers. They come here for substance, not noise. If your work meets that standard, we'd be honored to publish it.

Submit work that matters. We'll handle the rest.