NAMI is always reviewing submissions for the NAMI Blog.
The NAMI Blog was founded with the goal of reminding readers that they are not alone in their mental health journeys. The generous contributions from our writers share the lived experience of people with mental illness and their families, shed light on perspectives from mental health care practitioners and offer advice to anyone who may be struggling with their mental health. We aim to share diverse perspectives, to address the challenges of mental illness and navigating the mental health care system and to find the beauty in our stories. The NAMI Blog is by our audience, for our audience. Everyone has a story to tell and wisdom to share — and we want to help them do so.
Unfortunately, we can accept only a small amount of the submissions received, so the best way to ensure publication is to follow these guidelines. Here’s what we’re looking for:
- Length: Max 1,000 words
- Style: Plain language, or, write how you talk
- Tone: Friendly, informative, empathetic and reliable
- Structure: Try to use headings and bullet points, if possible
- Topic: Strategies for living well, fresh insights, practical tips, ways to end stigma, your experience with mental illness (as a family member, caregiver, individual, friend, advocate, etc.), or whatever else you’d like!
- Timing: If you are submitting a blog for a specific theme, it's best to submit before that theme starts because our calendar gets filled in advancce.
Read the NAMI Editorial Guide for more information about writing for NAMI.
If you’re battling a case of writer’s block, check out a few pieces that have been published for a bit of inspiration:
How to Submit
- Attach a Word doc to your email. We'd prefer your wonderful writing to come to us (submissions@nami.org) as a fully-formed draft in a Word document.
- Make sure you have citations/linking. We like our content to be backed by research, which means you should link to any statistic or health claim you reference.
- Don't forget a brief author’s biography. All authors may have a 50-word bio at the bottom of their piece; you are permitted to reference your personal/company website or blog.
Submit Now!
Note: All submissions we accept go through an editorial process to fit NAMI's voice and style.
The NAMI Blog is now accepting submissions for 2023! Here are the themes* for the year:
- January- How I Cope with Mental Illness
- February- Aspects of Mental Health We Don't Talk About
- March- Navigating Discrimination
- April-Lived Experience as Expertise: Lessons Learned
- May-Early Intervention
- June-Advocacy
- July-How Culture and Identity Intersect with Mental Health
- August-Understanding Serious Mental Illness
- September-The Impact of Suicide & The Power of Peers
- October-Why Treatment is Lifesaving
- November-Caregiving
- December-No Theme
*These themes are subject to change
Submissions are subject to NAMI's Terms of Use.