How to Get Featured in Harvard Magazine

Understanding Harvard Magazine

Harvard Magazine describes itself as an “independent source for Harvard news.” In other places, it also refers to itself as “an alumni publication for the graduates, faculty, and staff of Harvard University.”

👉 That means that Harvard Magazine mainly accepts stories produced by those connected with Harvard University. 

However, that doesn’t mean you don’t stand a chance at getting your story published. The magazine also mentions they’re open to reviewing submissions made by outside contributors. That’s exactly what we’ll focus on in the rest of this guide.

What Type Of Stories Does Harvard Magazine Publish? 

If you want to get featured in Harvard Magazine, the first step is familiarizing yourself with the types of stories they publish. 

You can determine that by simply visiting the Harvard Magazine website and checking out the different story categories they publish.

But let us help you out. In short, Harvard Magazine publishes the following types of stories on its website:

• Obituaries – published primarily for alumni/ae of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 
• Class Notes – updates about Harvard-connected alumni/ae and graduates, including career updates, wedding and birth announcements, and more.
• Articles – In-depth features about a range of topics, including news, research breakthroughs, and things to do in and around Cambridge.

In order to access Class Notes or Obituaries online, you need to be an alumnus and have your own Harvard Magazine account. For the purposes of this guide, we’ll assume that you’re not an alumnus and want to submit an article rather than a class note or an obituary.

Types of Articles Featured In Harvard Magazine

Harvard Magazine divides articles into ten categories. You can find them on the magazine’s website by hovering over or clicking the “Articles” tab. 

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Here’s a brief explanation of the articles included in each section:

1. News – News articles, ranging from topics about Harvard College and graduate schools to online education.
2. Research – Updates on research findings connected to science, humanities, and social sciences.
3. Students – Articles about students studying at Harvard University.
4. Alumni – Stories about Harvard’s alumni/ae.
5. Harvard Squared – Articles about what to eat, experience, and explore in and around Cambridge. (✔️may be especially relevant for outside contributors)
6. Opinion – Opinion pieces about topics that could be valuable or interesting to Harvard students, alumni/ae, and staff. (✔️may be especially relevant for outside contributors)
7. Arts – Articles about different art forms, from dance and food to film and music.
8. Sports – Stories, interviews, and news articles about sports like football and soccer.
9. Harvardiana – Interesting titbits about Harvard’s history, alumni/ae, staff, and accomplishments.
10. Podcast – Transcripts of episodes from the Harvard Magazine podcast.

Some article categories also have subcategories. 

You can find them by clicking on an individual category. 

Take some time to research the (sub)categories that seem like a good fit for you. To do so successfully, read a few articles from every category you’re considering.

Knowing what types of articles Harvard Magazine accepts – and which section you want to be featured in – is key to writing a good submission, as well as deciding which topic to cover. 

Preparing Your Article And Your Submission

Harvard Magazine requires all writers to send queries before submitting an entire article. Although this may seem tedious, it’s for your own good, too. 

👉 Sending a query allows you to get early feedback on your article idea. This will help you determine whether you should put effort into writing your desired piece – or come up with a different topic instead.

Perhaps the magazine has already approved a similar article that is already in the works. In that case, they probably won’t be open to featuring another article that wouldn’t bring anything new to the table. 

So, with that in mind, remember that writing a good query is just as essential as writing a good article. The steps described below will help you with both. 

Deciding On Your Article Idea

First things first, you should decide what to write about. The key step here is checking whether the magazine has already covered a similar or identical topic in previous issues. 

Of course, this won’t tell you if another writer is currently working on a similar topic, so it won’t necessarily help you determine if your idea is unique. Still, it will give you some guidance and help you make the most informed decision you can. 

The easiest way to check this is to use the search tool on the magazine website and compare the results with your ideas. 

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You should also decide which section you want to write for in advance, so you can suggest an article idea that fits the magazine.

Structuring Your Query 

After deciding on your article idea, it’s time to write your submission. Here are a few tips that will help you write a clear and compelling query letter:

• Explain your topic and describe why it’s relevant to the magazine and its readers. 
• Write a brief outline of your desired article or interview. Describe what topics you’ll tackle or who’ll you’re planning to interview.
• Give a length estimation. Are you planning on writing a short, 500-word news piece or a long-form article? Make sure to mention that in your query.
• Give suggestions as to which category your article should be featured in. This will help show the editors that you’ve done your homework + that your article is relevant to their website.
• Send samples of similar published work. This is especially important if the magazine isn’t already familiar with your work.

Now that you’ve prepared your query, let’s see when you should send it.

Sending Your Submission On Time 

When considering when to send your proposal, you should first take into account that Harvard Magazine is a bimonthly publication. If your article is time-dependent – which is usually the case with news-related articles – you should consider when you want or need it to be published and send your submission in due time. 

According to the magazine itself, “due time” depends on the type of story you want to submit: 

• Feature articles should be submitted at least 6 months prior to planned publication.
• Shorter stories, such as articles covering current events, proceed more quickly – but the magazine doesn’t specify the exact time frame for submissions. 

In general, it’s advised you send your submission at least two months before desired publication date:

“...submissions aimed at inclusion in an issue dated a month later are always too late, as the magazine is already in advanced stages of production by then.” - Harvard Magazine

Don’t Publish Your Article Elsewhere

One thing to note is that Harvard Magazine wants unique articles that readers won’t be able to find anywhere else. So stray away from submitting articles you’ve already published, as well as submitting them to other publications before getting editors’ feedback.

Use The Right Language And Approach

Harvard Magazine requires authors to follow the three main journalistic principles: 

• Objectivity - Present the facts without personal bias or opinion. Your article should inform the reader, rather than persuade them to a particular POV.
• Fairness - Present all sides of an issue and give each perspective equal weight to allow readers to make informed decisions for themselves.
• Completeness - Provide all the information your readers may need to understand the issue. This can include background information, historical context, or examples.

Besides following these principles, you should also avoid being too personal. Instead of emphasizing your opinion, focus on presenting the facts in a clear and concise manner. 

Where To Send Your Article Submission

Once your submission is ready, all that’s left to do is send it to the magazine’s editor. You can do so in two ways:

• Send an email to john_rosenberg@harvard.edu
• Mail your submission to John Rosenberg, Editor, Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge MA 02138. 

The Post-Submission Process

Let’s imagine for a second that Harvard Magazine accepted your article. Yay, you! But what can you expect from there? 

Well, first, you can expect a rigorous editing process. Multiple members of the editorial team will likely fact-check and review your entire article. They may make some edits themselves, or return the article to you so you can make the changes yourself. You can expect the editors to re-review your article after each revision.

They may also make further changes in the future – or add notices of errata – if they determine that your article contains incorrect or outdated claims. 

Get Featured In Harvard Magazine With Our Help

Let’s get real: the easiest way to get featured in Harvard Magazine is to have an inside connection. That’s us! 

When you partner with us, we guarantee that Harvard Magazine will publish your article – or you don’t pay us a dime. 

Sounds good? Contact us today and let’s get you the links and exposure you need to achieve your goals.