Perspectives

• This is our classic "Opinion" or "Arguments" category.  

Preferred word count: minimum 700 words, maximum 1200 words.

The Archive

• This, our "History" category, is usually a bit long and expressive. Essays in this section can be anything from recounting a historic event, to a personal story that happened a good while ago. Regarding personal accounts, we prefer the story to both: a) Have an overarching message the author intends to convey, and b) Be linked to a present-day theme. For example, if the story is about your family fleeing Somalia's civil war, narrating the horrors of the journey aside, the author should, say, denote how they are noticing patterns similar to those that led to the civil war, emerging in today's Somalia.

Preferred word count: minimum 1500 words, maximum 3000 words.

Literature

• This is where reviews of Books, Poetry and Cinema (films and series'), and commentaries on the themes explored in Books, Poetry and Cinema, go.

Preferred word count: minimum 1000 words, maximum 2000 words.

Profiles

• This is our autobiographies section, where historical figures' life stories are profiled and told. This category's contributors are expected to do the solid amount of research it demands, and fact-check their account of said figure before submitting the piece.

The piece should be holistic, and whenever necessary, be critical of said figure, presenting the naturally nuanced facets any human's life entails. We wish to publish neither a hagiography nor a hit-piece on any figure, particularly when that figure is known for their checkered past.

Preferred word count: minimum 3000 words, maximum 4000 words.

Interviews

• In written format, our interviews category is where Somalis of note, be they intellectuals, politicians, and artists, or even at times, controversial figures who might divide opinion, are interviewed. Our interviews are lengthy, requiring solid research, and for that reason, this category is produced less frequently than the remaining categories. Please note that this section is exclusively operated by the 1943 crew. We are, however, open to suggestions from our readers on who they think we should interview, plus their contact details if they have access to them. Our team will take a good look at suggested names, and decide whether to proceed with interviewing them or not.