How to get published in the Young Blood column of Inquirer


I was lucky enough to have published two articles in Philippine Daily Inquirer's Young Blood column (Lord of the Rings: Not Just Fantasy in 2004 and Faith and Reason in 2005). I'm sharing below some guidelines that I tried to follow when I submitted my articles. It may be of interest to you to know that two other articles I submitted did not get published. I guess I broke one or two of the guidelines below. Now, age has caught up with me. I think I will have to wait until I'm sixty to publish another article. By that time, it will be published in the Highblood column. 


Writing for Young Blood


Select your topic well
It is good to write about a topic you feel very passionate about. You could also write about a striking and unique experience. Current events and issues are also good sources of topics. For example, it may be a good idea to write about soccer while the World Cup is going on, or to write about your views on death as the All Souls’ Day approaches. When writing about current events and issues, it would be good to send your article 1-2 months before the event you are writing on.


Make an attractive title, first paragraph, and last paragraph
If you don’t catch the editor’s attention with your title and/or first paragraph, the editor may not even bother to look at the rest of your article.  The two paragraphs that you have to work on most are the first and the last.  These are the paragraphs that leave the greatest impression on your readers: you provoke the reader with your first paragraph and you summarize or leave your most important message with your last paragraph.


Take care of the flow of thought
The readers should be able to read through your article smoothly.  Thus, there is a need to synthesize, to relate thoughts together, to guide the reader through your article.  Don’t just dump in several esoteric but unrelated concepts in your article.


Write an article which is close to 5,000 characters
Young Blood articles should not exceed 5,000 characters. This is the article length necessary to fill up the whole column allotted to Young Blood.  It may be better to write an article that is close to this limit.  Shorter articles will require another article to fill in the rest of the column allotted to Young Blood; longer articles run the risk of being trimmed down by the editor, perhaps leaving off an important portion of it (this actually happened to me).


Establish your authority on / affinity to the subject you are writing about
It may be good to use your school or company email in sending your article; this establishes your legitimacy and adds a bit to your authority.  In Young Blood, you are supposed to write something about yourself at the end of the article – your age, education, profession, etc.  It would help to add a title or information about yourself that gives you a bit more authority to write about your subject.


Check and double check your work
Check for spelling and grammar using your word processor. Print your article and review it for spelling, grammar and flow of thought. Make a friend read your article and ask for suggestions and corrections.


Follow Inquirer’s guidelines for sending Young Blood articles
  • You should not be older than 29 
  • Contributions to Young Blood should not have been previously published
  • Email your article to youngblood@inquirer.com.ph 
    • Copy-paste your article to the email body (don’t send it as an attachment)
  • Provide the following information
    • Your address
    • Your age 
    • If a student: school, course and year you’re enrolled in
    • If employed: your company and the position you’re holding 
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Comments

  1. Hi,

    I just wanna ask, how would you know if they considered your article?Will you receive an email response or you just wait for it on the paper?Another thing, do you get paid for an accepted article?

    ReplyDelete
  2. They usually don't reply, so you'll just have to wait for your article to be published, if it's chosen. The two articles I sent got published 1-2 months after sending. Yes, you get paid for it (P900 in my case), but you have to go to Inquirer to get your payment. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! I get paid for it if I get published, really? But without any notification from them, I can just show up at their office? My article got published on the 29th I didn't know about this. Although I'm already very happy to have been published. :)

      Delete
  3. Not really. I don't think it should be this rigid. I got published too, four days after I sent my article, and the edits were minimal. Just write from the heart, and with good intentions.:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree that writing from the heart is the most important part. The suggestions I gave are meant as additional help, especially for many who may be writing for the first time. Thanks for the comment! )

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  5. I was thinking of submitting an article regarding Rizal's 150th but reading this, I'm not sure if it's still a good idea (since you don't know really if they're going to publish you or not ON TIME).

    But thanks for the tips anyway! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Kathryn. I was actually thinking of making a blog post on Rizal's 150th. :) I suggest you still submit the article. If you check one of the posts above, one of the contributors got his article published after 4 days. Besides, I guess the celebration of Rizal's 150th will not just be for 1 day. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I submitted my article last 10th of June. It was not yet published until now. I am now losing my hope

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's just about over a month, so don't lose hope yet. One of my articles took close to 2 months to get published. Even if it's not published you can try submitting another article. If you read above, I also submitted 2 articles that were not accepted. So keep trying! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm just wondering why I cant' seem to send to youngblood@inquirer.com.ph. A Failure Notice always comes back to me when I send it there.

    Is it possible they've changed it already?:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I don't really know. I just checked out today's issue of PDI and the email address they published is the same. Perhaps it is your connection which is faulty? Try sending it using another email account, or another connection (going to an internet cafe). You may also try sending it to feedback@inquirer.net. Good luck! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh great! I read this only after I sent my contribution as an attachment!! Haha, oh well.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's ok. They'll probably just ask you to resend it. I think they're just trying to avoid malware via email. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi!

    I know this might have been answered in the comments thread, but still wondering if how do you know when your submission has been published? Do they not send out any email replies at all? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  14. In my case : I got to know from friends who have seen my articles published! Just like what I've said, they don't give confirmations on whether or when your article will be published. But when in does get published, surely one of the people who know you will get to know about it...unless you used a pseudonym. :)

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  15. thank you so much for this :) I just sent my article, I hope it will be published ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I wonder how long it takes to get articles published (if ever they do). Anyone with experience? :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. One to two months in my case. See also the previous comments. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. If they don't reply or notify you at all, how were you informed of the payment?

    And sorry for this unwitting question but are Youngblood articles published during weekends only?

    Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I knew about it from a friend who worked for Inquirer. :) Actually the payment was really just a bonus, to have been published in a national daily is a great reward in itself already. Young Blood publishes during weekdays also.

      Delete
  19. Hi,

    Thanks for the info. I followed your guidelines here and I got published under a pseudonym. Hehe. Check out my Youngblood article, "Life Has Just Begun":

    http://opinion.inquirer.net/19141/life_has_just_begun

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great to hear that. Keep up the prayer and optimism! :)

      Delete
  20. Thank you for the heads up re word count. I cut down a lot before submitting. Check out my Youngblood article, "We the restless." :)

    http://opinion.inquirer.net/22239/we-the-restless

    ReplyDelete
  21. thanks for the helpful post! i got published last july 2010. i sent in another piece after that (about a year after) but it didn't get published. i thought that maybe once you got published, they wouldn't run another one your contributions again. Good thing I stumbled by your blog, I just wrote a little something I might send in again. Hope my 3rd contribution would get published :) and btw congrats on getting published twice, that's so awesome!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome! Good luck on your next submission. Btw, I have a friend you got published 4 times in Young Blood. :)

      Delete
  22. Thanks. This was helpful. I actually got published already but I accidentally deleted my contacts on my email account so I needed the email address again. :-)

    I didn't know about the payment though. I didn't get any for the last one.

    By the way, here's my article if you want to read..

    http://opinion.inquirer.net/18583/stale-%E2%80%98pandesal%E2%80%99

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congrats! You have to go to Inquirer to claim the payment. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. how about high blood? what's the email address? what are the guidelines? where can i find them? my Mamang wants to send an article. please help us. T_T

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, I'm not so familiar with High Blood articles. I have only seen a handful of them, but would always fail to take note of the email address. If you wish you can try sending to feedback@inquirer.net in the hope that they forward it to the necessary address. No guarantee though. The best thing would be to check out previous printed copies of Inquirer with a published High Blood article and get the details from there.

      Delete
  25. great tips!i want to write for youngblood also before my time is up.

    www.sky-clad.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. This article and comments are inspiring... :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. How did you claim your payment? I also got published....
    Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congrats! You have to go to Inquirer to claim the payment. :)

      Delete
  28. thank you so much for the instruction.. i just send my article... hope they will consider :) thanks by the way !!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi there! Thank you for the ques. I got published last May 11, 2013. :) Here is the link:

    http://opinion.inquirer.net/52461/single-mama

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thanks for this blog :) I had sent two articles just this summer and they're all about the elections this year and I've sent them as attachments. I guess those aren't counted anymore so I tried my luck again. Wish me luck :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. I love your posts, they're worth-reading

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi! Just wanted to thank you for this blog post. My Young Blood contribution was published yesterday, and this post helped make that happen. :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi! Good evening. I just want to ask, how can I know if my article was chosen and published? Will they inform me through e-mail? Thank you very much. Hoping for your reply! God bless!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reposting a reply to a similar query above : In my case : I got to know from friends who have seen my articles published! Just like what I've said, they don't give confirmations on whether or when your article will be published. But when in does get published, surely one of the people who know you will get to know about it...unless you used a pseudonym. :)

      Delete
  34. Hi! This is written with clarity, thank you! Btw, how would you know if the write-up will be published? Will they notify through email, after how many days after submission? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello. Pls see my reply to the previous comment. :)

      Delete
  35. Hey there! I know thhis is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where
    I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I'm using the same blog platform as yours and I'm having poblems finding one?
    Thanks a lot!

    My page: Edgard Romero Lazo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry I don't use captcha, I just set the option that comments should be moderated. Thanks.

      Delete
  36. just got published after 20 days of waiting. thanks for the valuable tips. here's the link to my article: http://opinion.inquirer.net/70429/blessing-in-disguise

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hi. My essay was published just last week! Thanks for the tips here in your blog! :)
    I just would like to ask if you have a contact # in PDI where I can claim the payment?

    ReplyDelete
  38. I just got published yesterday! Yay! But I had no idea that I would get paid for it. I just read about it here. Haha. So how would that happen? Will they call you or e-mail you?

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi! Thanks for the very helpful article. Got two questions though:
    1) Is the 5,000 characters with or without spaces?
    2) Contributions to Young Blood should not have been previously published. Hmmm, may I submit something that I have already posted in my blog? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With spaces. I'm not really sure if they consider a blog post as a publication. Perhaps the best way to find out is to submit anyway. :)

      Delete
  40. Hi, can i send an article but opt to be anonymous if it gets published?

    ReplyDelete
  41. Yes. What you can do is to provide a pseudonym (or code name).
    Good luck! :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. This has been very helpful!!!!! THANK YOU!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. Our prof in Eng2 is challenging us. Help me! XD :D

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hey. I just want to ask if Young blood is still active. How can I send my article to them? Can you help me? ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kindly try the email indicated in the post. The tips here may help, as some readers have already been published after following them. Good luck.

      Delete
  45. how will i know if it my article will be published?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reposting a reply to a similar query above : In my case : I got to know from friends who have seen my articles published! Just like what I've said, they don't give confirmations on whether or when your article will be published. But when in does get published, surely one of the people who know you will get to know about it...unless you used a pseudonym. :)

      Delete
  46. help me to my article. i want to know how will i know if they will published my article.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reposting a reply to a similar query above : In my case : I got to know from friends who have seen my articles published! Just like what I've said, they don't give confirmations on whether or when your article will be published. But when in does get published, surely one of the people who know you will get to know about it...unless you used a pseudonym. :)

      Delete
  47. Can I please have the email address you sent your article to? I'm writing this concept paper about a social issue and the prof said we'll have more chances to get a flat 1 if we get them published in the school newspaper. So I'm trying to get it published in a national newspaper!

    ReplyDelete
  48. I sent it to youngblood [at] inquirer [dot] com [dot] ph. Haven't checked lately if it's still active though.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hi newind. Do you also have the guidelines and email address of inquirer.net? I am wanting to send them a story on the farmers of Mallig, Isabela who are coping with climate change and other problems through a social enterprise. I already have the email address of the print but then I do not know if it would be directed to the web version of inquirer once I sent the article. Thanks so much and looking forward to your response.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Sorry I don't know about inquirer.net. From what I've seen before, articles which were published in print also came out in the web.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Hi! Was wondering if inquirer would accept 14-17 year olds? And so they accept people who comes from a not so famous school. Cause mostly the people I see writing for youngblood would come from La Salle or Ateneo. Please reply. :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I think they will. It's not about where you're from but your story.

      Delete
  52. << Would accept 14-17 year olds? >> Yes, I think so.
    << Would they accept people who comes from a not so famous school >>Definitely. The article itself must be good - how interesting, amusing, unique, timely, cohesive it is (among other qualities).
    The school the writer comes from is not as important as the article itself.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Is 5,000 characters with spaces or no spaces?

    ReplyDelete
  54. Hello there! My piece was published 2 days ago. You can get the payment after a month. You gotta phone them to make things certain for you, though.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Hi! My article has been published recently. Dec. 18, 2016. It's all about my Christmas wishes.thank you for your guidelines.

    ReplyDelete
  56. I submitted my article on December 30 and it got published prior to January 1. So it is not really impossible for anyone to get published within two days. Thank you for the guidelines!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Is this the right email to send it? I mean this youngblood@inquirer.com.ph?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, I haven't had the chance to re-confirm this email.

      Delete
  58. Can I write about anything? Or are they looking for articles based on specific topics?

    ReplyDelete
  59. Hello..

    I currently writing an article regarding social issues. Can i have some tips?

    Do they usually edit some word and grammars, etc. in your articles before they publish it?

    If ever your article was published this year, is it possible that another article of yours will be published within the same year?

    I am looking forward to see my articles not only in the newspaper but also in the Youngblood Book :)

    Thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  60. Yes, I think you can publish more than one article, even in the same year. For social issues, it may be better to write about current and relevant social issues. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Would I be notified if my article's published rather than seeing it in newspapers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reposting a reply to a similar query above : In my case : I got to know from friends who have seen my articles published! Just like what I've said, they don't give confirmations on whether or when your article will be published. But when in does get published, surely one of the people who know you will get to know about it...unless you used a pseudonym. :)

      Delete
    2. Sometimes they do notify you!

      Delete
  62. Thanks for sharing such interesting and informative article. I really appreciate your work, Keep it up and you will be very successful in future.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Hi! Is it okay to always submit to Young Blood although you haven't got any notification yet? Because a thought came to me that submitting a lot without notif might mean you were put in the slammed or blocked or ignored? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  64. Also, to help get notified if no one informed you, would your article be posted online like inquirer.net? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  65. can I get my article published under a pen name? as a pseudonym? yeah, I will submit my articles under my name but I desire my readers to not know me. thank you, article is helpful

    ReplyDelete
  66. hello po..just wanna ask if where to submit articles for Youngblood..hope I could get reply..Thanks a lot.

    ReplyDelete

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