Writing and Reflexivity Guidelines for Authors

Article types & format

Lived Experience Narratives (First-Person Voice)

Length: 2000–3,000 words
Purpose: To centre the voice and reflection of people living with chronic illness
Possible Styles:

  • Autoethnographic or testimonial writing
  • Creative nonfiction or personal essays
  • Reflections on care, survival, healing, or system navigation
    Peer-reviewed or editorially reviewed ✅ (light-touch, respectful of voice)

Commentaries / Viewpoints

Length: 1,000–3,000 words
Purpose: To provide opinionated, provocative, or reflective pieces on current issues in health, policy, or culture from a lived experience lens
Peer-reviewed or editorially reviewed ✅

 

Dialogues / Roundtables

Length: 3,000–4,000 words
Purpose: To publish edited conversations or co-authored reflections among 3-5 people with lived experience, researchers, and practitioners
Possible Formats:

  • Thematic discussions
  • Intergenerational dialogues
  • Patient–clinician co-writing pieces; multi-stakeholder dialogue or debates
    Peer-reviewed for clarity and ethics ✅

 

Book / Media Reviews

Length: 750–1,500 words
Purpose: To review books, podcasts, films, or exhibitions related to chronic illness, disability, care, or narrative medicine
Voice: Critical, reflective, first-person encouraged
Editorial review ✅

 

Policy or Information Briefs/ Explainers for Social Media Sharing

Length: 1,000–2,000 words
Purpose: To translate research and lived experience insights into actionable recommendations for systems, communities, and governments to disseminate on LinkedIn and Instagram
Good for: Health system leaders, NGOs, disabled people’s organizations
Format: Clear, structured briefs with visuals or infographics
Editorial review ✅

 

Accessibility Tips for All Formats

  • Provide plain language summaries (200–300 words)
  • Encourage content or trigger warnings, image/audio descriptions
  • We welcome non-English articles, and request authors to suggest external links to free translation capabilities that they have tested for translation accuracy.
  • AI refined writing is welcome, but the versions shared must accurately reflect your truth, and be backed up by accurate evidence, and substance.
  • We offer possible mentorship or editorial support for first-time lived-experience authors