Want to Submit an Article?

FTGN publishes a wide variety of pieces, from a diverse array of leaders. We believe that writing for an audience grows us personally and professionally. And we believe that our finished articles help our readers lead with the best version of themselves. In 2024, we are on track to publish 150 pieces. Our goal is to publish 100 first-time authors.

Below are some guidelines and pointers for contributing authors. Please read before submitting to editor@fromthegreennotebook.com.

FTGN’s Mission and Audience

From the Green Notebook is a digital forum for practitioners’ reflections on leadership. Our articles are crowd-sourced; our publication would not exist without you. Article concepts include personal reflections, book reviews, lessons learned, opinion pieces, how-to guides, and others. We are focused on self-development through reflecting, reading, and writing. We publish all sorts of pieces that help military and civilian leaders improve as professionals in their day-to-day jobs and grow as lifelong learners.

Our readership includes:

• Military officers of all service branches, backgrounds, and ranks, from new lieutenants to senior 4-star flag officers. Our median reader is an Army major in a combat arms or combat support branch.
• Senior non-commissioned officers of all military service branches.
• International military officers and non-commissioned officers.
• Veterans working in Fortune 500 companies.
• Civil servants in other government agencies, such as Department of State.
• Private sector professionals, management experts, and academics.

Share your submission or pitch to editor@fromthegreennotebook.com as a Google Doc (preferred) or Microsoft Word doc. Expect an iterative, incisive editing process, well beyond just spell-checking. We have no set length rules, but most published pieces are between 750-1500 words.

• Format and Cite. Here is our formatting guide. Cite factual statements, other thinkers’ arguments, and broad claims with hyperlinks. Do not use footnotes, endnotes, or in-line URLs. 
• Include a brief author bio. At the bottom of your submission, write 2-3 sentences about yourself. See examples at the bottom of other published pieces.
• Minimize embedded graphics. They often cause more problems than they solve.
• Submit from your personal email. Or include your personal email address with your submission. 
• Expect your title to change. The FTGN team will choose the final title with you.
• No need to send a title image. But you’re welcome to send one for consideration.

The journey from submission to publication usually takes a couple weeks. We respond to your first email within 72 hours. Articles average three to four iterations of editing. If you don’t hear from us for a full week, at any stage, please ping us again. Our team is entirely comprised of volunteers and we occasionally miss things.

Final Tips and Resources:

• Give Your First-Person Perspective: The essence of this forum is leaders’ reflections on the human dimension. 
• Minimize Jargon: We have a strong and growing civilian readership. Be mindful of technical language and introduce all acronyms. 
• Read On Your Topic: Before submitting, we highly recommend searching FTGN articles (on our site or on Google) for other pieces related to your topic.
• Say Something Interesting: Not every article or argument must be breath-takingly original. However, make even the most familiar arguments interesting by refracting them through the prism of your personal knowledge and experience.
• New writer? Phone a Friend: If you have an article idea you want to share and would like help with the writing process, reach out to Rebecca [rsftgn@gmail.com] and Jack [jack@fromthegreennotebook.com]. Please share at least several sentences on your idea and any relevant context on your writing journey (e.g. goals, challenges, etc.). We are we here to help you improve your writing and get your ideas published.
• Senior leader? Our editors can be your writing partner. On a case-by-case basis, our editors can help time-strapped senior leaders flesh out their ideas into meaningful articles. Our editors will be usually be credited as co-authors on the piece. Reach out to jack@fromthegreennotebook.com for more information.