OUR MISSION 

Germ’s goal is to provide young people—high school age and beyond—an inclusive space to share their experiences on a wide variety of topics: love, life, health, home, the world, school, career, the future, all things safety, the lighter issues—and the harder ones. 

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Please write us at [email protected] if you’d like to:

  • Say hi, propose a topic, or ask a question.
  • Submit your writing. See our Literary Submission Guidelines for all the details.
  • Submit your own works (music albums, books) to be considered for review.
  • Pitch us a piece for one of our categories, including the Daily Germ, which can be an inspiring/funny/memorable quote or word of the day.
  • Add some of your Bucket List items to our Before I Die page. Please send no more than five (5) items.
  • Send a suggestion for our How To…, Be Lovely, or Truth About… categories.

Other submission options:

Whether you’re wandering in your hometown or traveling, if the place is big or small, we want to see it. You can record your journey via video, pictures, drawings, or words.  Please use Google Drive and share your file(s) with [email protected].

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 

While we value your work very highly, we are unable to offer payment except publication at this time.

Although you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram, please do not pitch us ideas or send submissions there. Contact [email protected].

If you are pitching ideas, please know that we’ll respond as soon as we’re able. Unless it bounces back to you, we’ve gotten your email and will be in touch. 

What to include in your email:

    • Your name
    • Your hometown
    • Your preferred pronouns
    • A short (fewer than 100 words) description of your pitch/idea 
    • The name of the category/subcategory/column where you think your piece belongs

We do not accept attachments. Please cut and paste your written work into the body of the email, directly following your short description of the work.

Word Count

    • Love, Life, and Daily Germs category submissions: 10–250 words.
    • Other article submissions: between 500–800 words.

We can’t wait to hear from you! ♥

Love,

The Germ Staff

***We will never promote bullying, racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, or transphobia, and we reserve the right to block users’ comments or submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines. We will not promote or produce mindlessly graphic or explicit content (violent, sexual, or otherwise), but we will be real when it comes to sex, relationships, and sexuality.***