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the Austin forum blog
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Read the Austin Forum on Technology & Society blog hosted on Medium.
The in-person monthly Austin Forum events remain the foundation of fostering relationships and connecting our creative tech community in Austin. To further inform and inspire you, check out the articles which cover the intersection of diverse technologies and their implications for society-- with more points of view, more insights, and more pointers on how to learn more and do more. Feel free to comment on Medium, and we (the Austin Forum staff and/or authors) will try to respond to all questions. |
Interested in writing an article for the Austin Forum?
Getting Started
You may submit an article idea (100 words or less) for consideration at any time using the subject line “Idea Submission.” Either paragraphs or a bulleted outline are fine. Please do not submit full articles in this step, as we want to come to agreement on whether it’s a good match for our audience, objectives, other expected contributions, etc. before you spend valuable time writing the final draft. We’ll let you know within two weeks whether the topic is a good match, and work with you to determine a proposed publication date.
What Makes a Good Article?
Our readers turn to the Austin Forum to learn quickly about the latest in the technologies that are shaping the way we live, work, and play – that’s the kind of content they want to read. They want to be up-to-date on current tech trends in a broad sense, and they want to understand the potential implications of different flavors of tech on society, whether practical, ethical, or social. They may be based anywhere in the world. It’s good to keep these things in mind while you’re brainstorming submission ideas.
Articles that tend to do best on our site offer practical information about new tech, written in a jargon-free or jargon-lite style. The best pieces balance information about a specific technology with a specific social context, i.e. affordable VR gear and screen addition, or AI and food production. Posts with links to additional resources to dive more deeply into issues are also popular.
Topics
These formats are popular with Austin Forum readers:
The Nuts & Bolts
Keep it short, generally no more than 800-1000 words. Tangible takeaways and bullet lists are your friends, as are a few key images and/or charts. We follow AP style guidelines. We follow AP style. If you have any other grammar/style questions, please ask us. We expect correct spelling, grammar and punctuation, so please proofread! Better yet, have a friend or colleague proof your work before you hit “send.” When you are ready, send your final piece as a Word (PC) or Pages (Mac) attachment) or Markup document in an email. Use “Article: [Your Article Title]” as the subject line. No PDFs, please.
Once the article is submitted, we will make light edits for grammar or flow to the post and find a photo to accompany it. If there are any concerns with the content, we will share them with you (and only you). Please add any tags you feel necessary to the post. The final review may include our Board of Directors, and the final approval decision for publishing the article will lie with our staff.
Your article will be posted with your name in the byline. We will also publish a one-sentence bio and one link. This link can be to your website, LinkedIn profile, or Twitter feed - choose what works best for you. Please promote and share your article with your networks. Keep an eye on your article the first week it is posted so that you may answer questions and respond to comments, if any. Our readers are a civilized sort; however, any unproductive conversations or comments featuring hate speech or personal attacks will be removed.
We understand that you all have careers and other commitments. If you feel you will not be able to submit a post for your committed day or are running late, simply email us, and we’ll work with you on scheduling.
We look forward to hearing your great ideas and to sharing your expertise and opinions with our growing audience!
Getting Started
You may submit an article idea (100 words or less) for consideration at any time using the subject line “Idea Submission.” Either paragraphs or a bulleted outline are fine. Please do not submit full articles in this step, as we want to come to agreement on whether it’s a good match for our audience, objectives, other expected contributions, etc. before you spend valuable time writing the final draft. We’ll let you know within two weeks whether the topic is a good match, and work with you to determine a proposed publication date.
What Makes a Good Article?
Our readers turn to the Austin Forum to learn quickly about the latest in the technologies that are shaping the way we live, work, and play – that’s the kind of content they want to read. They want to be up-to-date on current tech trends in a broad sense, and they want to understand the potential implications of different flavors of tech on society, whether practical, ethical, or social. They may be based anywhere in the world. It’s good to keep these things in mind while you’re brainstorming submission ideas.
Articles that tend to do best on our site offer practical information about new tech, written in a jargon-free or jargon-lite style. The best pieces balance information about a specific technology with a specific social context, i.e. affordable VR gear and screen addition, or AI and food production. Posts with links to additional resources to dive more deeply into issues are also popular.
Topics
These formats are popular with Austin Forum readers:
- Topic X "101" (blockchain, IoT, cybersecurity, wearable tech, etc.) plus how it will influence some aspect Y of society
- Pros and Cons of Topic X for society
- The 5 Things You Need to Know About Topic X
- Why Topic X Matters
- Ideas on a key tech topic you are involved with at your work (using Twitter in increase sales to millennials, or switching from a paper system to an online one)
- Interview a co-worker or a friend/colleague/former colleague about how tech has impacted them, their family, or their company
- Report on a standing Meetup or other community event where people discuss how tech relates to how we live and work with one another
- Case study or lessons learned from a recent project
- An example of what another city/company working on –why you like it & think it should be more widely adopted
- See a new trend in private sector (wearable tech, hydroponics, movies about AI) and write about how it may affect social interaction or societal standards
The Nuts & Bolts
Keep it short, generally no more than 800-1000 words. Tangible takeaways and bullet lists are your friends, as are a few key images and/or charts. We follow AP style guidelines. We follow AP style. If you have any other grammar/style questions, please ask us. We expect correct spelling, grammar and punctuation, so please proofread! Better yet, have a friend or colleague proof your work before you hit “send.” When you are ready, send your final piece as a Word (PC) or Pages (Mac) attachment) or Markup document in an email. Use “Article: [Your Article Title]” as the subject line. No PDFs, please.
Once the article is submitted, we will make light edits for grammar or flow to the post and find a photo to accompany it. If there are any concerns with the content, we will share them with you (and only you). Please add any tags you feel necessary to the post. The final review may include our Board of Directors, and the final approval decision for publishing the article will lie with our staff.
Your article will be posted with your name in the byline. We will also publish a one-sentence bio and one link. This link can be to your website, LinkedIn profile, or Twitter feed - choose what works best for you. Please promote and share your article with your networks. Keep an eye on your article the first week it is posted so that you may answer questions and respond to comments, if any. Our readers are a civilized sort; however, any unproductive conversations or comments featuring hate speech or personal attacks will be removed.
We understand that you all have careers and other commitments. If you feel you will not be able to submit a post for your committed day or are running late, simply email us, and we’ll work with you on scheduling.
We look forward to hearing your great ideas and to sharing your expertise and opinions with our growing audience!
