Contributor Resources

Contributor Guidelines

Thanks for your interest in SEED, a place where quality content can flourish and fertile minds are welcome.

What is SEED?
What is SEED not?
Sowing SEED: How to Grow
Sowing SEED: How to Wither

What is SEED?

SEED is the next phase of content creation. SEED assigns, pays for and distributes quality content for all of AOL's premium properties: over 80 of the web's most highly trafficked and respected websites. It offers an unrivaled opportunity for creative, passionate and qualified people who have a voice and opinion to be seen, heard, and read. And, to earn income for it. How? By answering an assignment and being accepted by one of our professional editors about topics posted here, or publishing an original work through SEED’s open submission process.

What is SEED not?

SEED is not a group diary or blogging platform; sorry, and we're not interested in what everyone ate for lunch today or what you're doing this weekend. SEED also isn't a topical blog -- there's no theme running through SEED’s pages (so, please don’t reference other SEED articles). Again, SEED is about letting qualified contributors everywhere share knowledge and connect their work with a large interested audience.

If you think you may be interested helping SEED grow, please read the Contributor Guidelines below.

Sowing SEED: How to Grow

Contributions to SEED must be:

Written in English: Your articles must follow the rules of English grammar, punctuation, and expression.
2. 100% your own, original, accurate work: Please don't copy text from books, magazines, newspapers, or from elsewhere on the Internet -- including from SEED itself. Everything you submit should be wholly original, wholly yours, and wholly accurate. Please don't simply echo what you heard or read elsewhere. Rather, give the piece your own voice and your own thoughts. We want to know what you, as the expert, have to say about the topic, not what you overheard someone else say about it.
Free from inappropriate, scandalous, libelous or unlawful material: Contributions to SEED must not harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals. Simply: be respectful of others.
4. Free from personal information: You’re free to use anecdotal evidence to support and enhance your argument, but contributions to SEED should not be about you; they should be about the topic at hand. Please keep in mind you’re contributing to a large community; take care about the personal information you share.
Free from advertisements, promotions, or commercial messages: Don't try to sell any readers on anything in your contributions; just teach them. Remember: contributions should only discuss the topic at hand.
As professional as possible: Please be sure to spell-check your work before you submit it. Please do not use Internet shorthand (OMG, LOL, etc.) in your submissions, unless they directly relate to the topic. Please do not make up information about which you are uncertain. Finally, please be sure to read your work carefully for clarity, flow and -- most importantly -- substance before you submit it. We think of and refer to our writers as experts, so please help us maintain our high opinion of them.

Sowing SEED: How to Wither

Contributions to SEED must not contain:

Plagiarism: Contributions to SEED must be 100% your own, original work. Please don't copy content from books, magazines, newspapers, or from elsewhere on the Internet -- including from SEED itself. Everything in these pages should be wholly original and wholly yours. Copying from other sources is a fast-track to having your SEED account terminated. An occasional quotation from a third party source can be used in your contribution, if it is short and you provide proper source attribution.
Duplicate content: Each contribution to SEED must be unique. You may find similar assignments in SEED’s content request list, but please do not submit the same contribution for multiple assignments. Each contribution you submit should directly relate to the assignment you are addressing.
Inappropriate content: Contributions to SEED must be free from profanity or pornography as well as from scandalous, libelous or unlawful material. Similarly, do not use SEED to harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals. Opinions are fine; hate speech will not be tolerated.
Self-promotion: Contributions to SEED must be free from personal information. You may write in the first person, and you may include a personal anecdote to support your point, but contributions should primarily discuss the topic at hand.
Advertisements: Contributions to SEED must be free from advertisements, promotions, or commercial messages. Again, contributions should only discuss the topic at hand and should be educational or instructional; in no way should they be "advertorial."
Inaccurate material: Please don't make up claims or information simply to be published on SEED. Please make sure the content you submit to SEED is as accurate as possible.
Spamming: Contributions to the SEEDs list – or open content submissions that appear to be spam, self-promotional, or advertising -- that do not directly address the topic at hand will be removed.
ALL CAPS: Contributions to Seed should follow the rules of English grammar, and no English grammar rules state that writing in ALL CAPS is acceptable.
Multiple or canceled accounts: Writers can only register with one account. If SEED cancels a writer’s account, the writer may not open another account.
Works of fiction: We love short stories and poetry just as much as the next person, but SEED is not the forum for displaying your fictional works. Any submitted fictional work will not be considered for SEED.