Be considered for a byline.

The blog started as one person writing the kind of neuroscience he wished existed when he was learning the field. It's grown, and it's now opening to outside writers. We bring them in carefully, because the whole promise of the site is that a reader can trust every piece on it. Being published here is meant to mean something.

So this isn't an open call. It's closer to a submission. You pitch an idea, we weigh it against the same bar we hold our own work to, and if it clears, we work with you to publish it. Plenty of good pitches don't make it, and that's the point.

Who we consider

Neuroscience postdocs, researchers, faculty, and science communicators who can take a real finding and make it land for a smart general reader. You don't need a journalism degree. You do need a clear voice, a firm command of the science, and the habit of citing your sources. If you're a student, undergrad or grad, the full essays aren't the place to start, but The Commons is open to you, and there's more on that below.

What we publish, and what we don't

We publish deep dives and paper breakdowns on peer-reviewed neuroscience, written for a curious non-specialist, usually 800 to 1,400 words. First-principles pieces that build a concept from scratch are welcome too.

We don't publish press-release rewrites, opinion without evidence, listicles, anything promotional or sponsored, or text generated or edited by AI. A reader has to be able to trust the site, so the writing has to be yours and the science has to be right.

What it takes to get in

• Plain, warm prose with one clear takeaway.
• At least three peer-reviewed primary sources, cited, with claims linked to the actual papers.
• Jargon defined the first time you use it.
• Animal studies labeled as animal studies. Correlation never dressed up as causation.
• Your own writing, start to finish. No AI-generated text.

How submission works

Step 1. You pitch. Email a one-paragraph pitch. Tell us your angle, why it matters, the key paper or papers you'd cite, and one line about who you are.

Step 2. We review. We read every submission and reply within about a week. Not every pitch is accepted. If yours is, we'll tell you what we're looking for and you write the full draft as a Google Doc or a Markdown file. You never touch code.

Step 3. We edit and publish. One or two rounds of editing with us, then we format it, give it a figure, and run it on a Wednesday with your byline.

What you get

A real byline on a site built around accuracy, distribution to our Wednesday email, and hands-on editing that turns your draft into a polished, portfolio-ready clip you can point to for SciComm applications or your own writing. You keep full credit and get your own author page. To be upfront, contributors are unpaid for now, because the site is free and new. If it ever starts earning, contributors share in it. What we can offer today is publication in The Neuroscience Review, which goes out every Wednesday, one or two rounds of hands-on editing, and a published piece that had to earn its place.

A lighter way in

If a full essay feels like too much to take on, or you're a student, start with The Commons. It's a space for short notes from people in and around neuroscience, a talk that stuck with you, a method you love, a finding you're still chewing on. You send a paragraph, we read every one, and if it's a fit it goes up with your name on it. It's the simplest way to take part. See The Commons and how to take part.

Rights and credit

You keep the copyright to your work. You grant us the right to publish it first, keep it up, and send it to subscribers. You're free to republish it elsewhere later, just link back to the version here.

Submit a pitch

Send your one-paragraph pitch to theneuroreview@gmail.com with the subject line "Pitch." We read all of them, and we're honest when something isn't the right fit. If you think your idea clears the bar, we want to see it.

By sending a pitch or draft you agree to our submission terms.