Do you wanna write for the IGDN Blog?
Hey you, do you have things about tabletop roleplaying games that you want to say? Then I invite you to come write for the IGDN Blog. We are taking on guest writers from outside of IGDN for 2025!
We are looking for articles about tabletop roleplaying games, be it the worldbuilding that makes up a rpg setting, the experiences you had at a table or convention, or a discussion about how your homebrew captures something missing from your favorite system.
If you are interested, please check out our Style guide, which you will find at the end of this article, and then send the article to resources@igdnonline.com. Note, if you had previously sent an article to marketing@igdnonline.com and did not hear anything back, we are sorry, please send it again to our resources email as we are having trouble with the marketing address at this time.
Once we receive your article, we will check to see if it fits the IGDN Blog and let you know.
I look forward to seeing your contributions.
Style Guide
1. FORMATTING
To streamline the editorial process, please adopt the following format for your article copy:
<HED> Headline.
<DEK> Short blurb about your text, which is important for SEO.
<BY LINE> The name you want to appear on the article, which is important to specify especially if you have a professional moniker you’d prefer used.
<IMAGE> File name of the image. For example: “DiceRolls_87d6.jpg”. That way there’s less risk of the two files (image and text) being dissociated.
<BODY> The article itself.
For example:
<HED> Why TTRPGs Are Better Than They’ve Ever Been
<DEK> For an industry that’s been doomed since it started, TTRPGs are doing quite well
<IMAGE> JohnHarperSwingingSword.jpg
<BODY> Every few years someone decries that the ttrpg industry is dying. The truth is, however...
If you need to include a note to the editor, include it before the body begins under a <NOTE> field.
Formatting Notes
Do not embed images in the document. They should be separate.
Do not use double-spaces after periods, or for any other reason in the article.
Do not indent new paragraphs. The editor would just have to take these things out.
You may italicise, bold, or underline text, but any further formatting (such as changing font size or colour) will be stripped out when copying the text into Wordpress for it to be posted, so please keep it plain.
Standard Stuff
Each article on the IGDN blog will open the same way:
This article is part of the Indie Game Developer Network's blog series. The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the IGDN or its members.
And each article on the IGDN blog will end the same way, or in some variation of the following:
This IGDN blog article is brought to you by XXX of XXXX. If you want to get in touch with the contributor they can be reached at XXX or visit their website at XXXXX.
Please include this at the end of your article, with your information. It will be presented in italics to denote that it is IGDN’s own contribution, for continuity, and to reinforce the idea that these are guest blog posts. It also closes the marketing loop on your contribution, and hopefully generates traffic for you and your products.
2. CONTENT
Members of the IGDN come from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets. As a result, we have a wide variety of content that we want to highlight in our blog while also making sure everyone can contribute in their own way. That being said, we owe it to our readers to maintain a level of consistency throughout the content of the blog and to adhere to the mission of the IGDN. The IGDN blog focuses on what ties IGDN members together: being game developers. This means that the reader needs to be able recognize how each piece of content relates to game development.
If your content instead concerns some adjacent aspects of our industry (i.e pure fiction, visual art, etc) please email resources@igdnonline.com to talk about submission to our Gallery section.
3. STYLE & TONE
We do not expect a stuffy journalistic writing standard. We want to hear your voice in your article. You could use a formal CP style, or “blog speak”, or anywhere in-between. Beyond just the necessary formatting requirements to make it a uniform digital publication, your voice will be preserved.
The aim of the submitting writers is assumed to be the promotion of their work, their own blog, and their publishing efforts. Your personal brand is important.
The aim of the IGDN with this blog is to give a platform for the diverse voices of the membership, show off all the activity happening within the membership, and encourage participation from a wide array of contributors.
4. SUBMISSION PROCESS
Maximum Article Length: 700-1,250 words.
Image Requirements
Please provide one lead image to compliment your article.
Image files should be separate from their documents. If they are embedded they can get tricky to pull out with fidelity.
The image should be a jpg, RBG formatted, 300 dpi at least, and measure 1500 x 2500 pixels. If you don’t know what this means, your editor can help you.
The image must be original, or—more likely—royalty free. Google has search settings for this—don’t trust them. Your image must be vetted with reasonable research to ensure the IGDN is not in violation of copyright law.
If necessary, contextualize the image with a short caption of 25 words.
If the content of your article dictates that you need more than one image, please talk with your editor. They will have you place the images throughout the article by interrupting the <BODY> section with triangle brackets denoting <Image1.jpg> and <Image2.jpg> and so on.
Citation Requirements and Format
While contributors are not held to a journalistic standard, readers often misinterpret written opinion. In the event of complaints we want reasonable sources for any bold or controversial claims contained in your article. The editor may ask for citation or further explanation of some points contained within your article submitted to ensure that the IGDN will not run afoul of liability concerns.
File Format
Submissions can be emailed as a .rtf, .doc, or .docx document to marketing@igdnonline.com before the deadline specified by your editor, or be shared via a download link such as Google Drive or Dropbox within the body of the email. Alternatively, you can post it on the IGDN Basecamp. Please do not submit pdfs, .indds, or other publishing format documents.
File Name: Please name your file: “2023XXBlog_Article Name - Author Name”. For example, 202306Blog_How to Roll Dice - James Kerr”. That way we can keep the files straight.
End Marker: At the end of the article, everyone should put in "-30-". (Or some approximation of it.) It tells the editor when the article absolutely certainly ends, and there's nothing else later.