The Texas Orator is seeking writers, general artists, cartoonists, and photojournalists.
Apply to be a writer here. Note that we have two types of writers: staff writers and contributing writers. Staff writers write 4-5 articles per semester and are required to come to meetings. Guest writers write for us once or more per semester and are not required at meetings.
Apply for one of our creative positions (illustrator, graphic design, cartoonist, strategist, etc.) here.
Apply to be a copywriter here. Copy editors stringently edit articles for grammar and factual sources. They are absolutely necessary to the seamless functioning of the Orator.
We have a few other roles available, such as culture, marketing, webmaster, publicity, and/or publication chairs, that you can demonstrate interest in when you apply for another position. These roles have <1 hour/week commitment but are another great way to get involved.
If you wish to submit articles for publication on the Orator’s website or our annual journal without joining the team as a staff/contributing writer, submit a PDF of your article to thetexasorator@gmail.com with the Subject Line “Book/Article Submission.” Make sure to include your EID and a blurb for the article in the email.
The Texas Orator reserves the right to reject any article that fails to meet our editorial standards. The Orator publishes well-researched pieces of political and social commentary. Our editorial process is politically impartial but we seek to provide coverage that is fair and accurate, protecting vulnerable groups when possible. Submissions containing racist language, violating an individual’s privacy, causing unjustifiable offense, or lacking a professional style will be rejected.
Editorial Standards:
Accuracy: All TXO content must be well-sourced and corroborated by sound evidence. Articles must not distort known facts and must represent them as accurately as possible.
Originality: TXO does not publish plagiarized content or content that has been published elsewhere.
Clarity: The Texas Orator uses a multistep, peer-review editorial process with the goal of producing strong, clear content for publication.
Harm and Offense: We ask our writers to approach sensitive issues with due care. Slurs, stereotypes, derogatory language targeting an individual based on gender, sexuality or race, and privacy violations are harmful and will not be published.
Multi -Partisanship: Articles across the spectrum of policy positions will be considered for publication, provided they are well researched and contain well written arguments. In keeping with The Orator’s commitment to free speech and publishing a wide range of voices and perspectives, coverage is not impartial.
Satire: The Orator frequently publishes satirical responses to current events. These articles are marked as satire and in the interest of comedy may contain exaggerated or false statements. Articles in other categories may contain irony but its intent must be clear in context.
Tone: The tone we seek is thoughtful and civil. Writing should reflect standard practices among educated English speakers. Expletives should be used sparingly and only for emphasis in situations in which other words do not suffice. Any use of an expletive should not interfere with The Orator’s dedication to civility.
Style: Stylistic elements such as bold type, italics, etc. should be used sparingly throughout a piece. These tools are meant for well-thought emphasis and can detract from the overall piece if used in excess.
