The following are some general considerations concerning writers and texts.

1. There are no "members" of HNS, only "writers" for it. Any historians who wish to write under its auspices may do so, providing that they agree to be governed by the considerations below. HNS offers its writers professional and scholarly review of, and advice concerning, proposed op-ed and similar pieces, access to ideas concerning the subjects of pieces, editing of those pieces, relations with print and other media, and distribution of texts.

2. Since HNS is a syndicate provided by professional historians, those who submit articles must be able to substantiate their professional training or employment as historians. For HNS purposes, that term is defined liberally. The criteria for determining whether HNS will edit, distribute, and extend HNS attribution to a work are solely those contained in item 3 below.

3. Each text handled by HNS must explore the historical background or context of a current event, situation, or issue or concern an issue on which historians, because of the strength and vitality of their understanding and professional experience, can knowledgeably reflect. HNS does not handle texts that are purely historical (that is, that explore a historical event or issue without relevance to a current circumstance); that use history to advance a particular partisan or ideological position (for example, that take a position for or against a candidate); or that, though written by historians, are opinion pieces about subjects that do not concern history (that, for instance, deal with an issue in which the historian-writer has an interest but which does not bring to bear historical or professional knowledge). While none of these categories are hard and fast, HNS uses them to determine the texts that it will edit and distribute under its name.

4. HNS carries on its work only by email. All texts should be submitted in email messages, not as attachments, "hard copy," or via fax. A copy of each submitted text should be sent simultaneously to HNS's co-directors, Joyce Appleby (appleby@history.ucla.edu) and James Banner (jbanner@aya.yale.edu).

5. Prospective HNS authors are encouraged to inquire of the co-directors about the proposed subjects of their articles before writing and submitting them. To be accepted as a piece written and distributed under the auspices of HNS, the piece must first be approved as suitable for editing by HNS's co-directors. The criteria they use in making that decision includes its accordance with HNS guidelines (see Op-Ed Style Guidelines), use of historical knowledge, quality of writing, and strength of argument. The editors may request substantive changes in a text before they accept it, and they reserve the right to halt distribution of a piece (with a full explanation why) that has already been accepted in principle. From time to time people submit very fine texts that deal with a subject that goes in and out of the news. In those cases, the editors may ask authors to prepare such pieces for distribution and then hold them for distribution when their subjects return to the news.
    HNS welcomes all points of view. Once a piece is approved and has been edited by an HNS editor, its author may identify himself/herself as "a writer for the History News Service." Those who write under the identity of HNS are of course also free to identify themselves by their other professional positions or achievements.

6. HNS accepts submissions only directly from authors, not through third parties. All correspondence regarding submitted pieces takes place directly between writers and editors.

7. While writers for HNS give HNS authority to make the initial distribution of their articles, they retain copyright in their work and are completely at liberty to accept for themselves all credit and any honoraria that may be offered to them for their work. However, HNS asks that it be credited as the syndicated news service in which the article first appeared.

8. Copies of writers' articles are distributed directly to roughly 300 metropolitan daily newspapers in North America, as well as to some wire services and other outlets. A current list of recipients of HNS articles can be found at Subscribers/Distribution. HNS writers receive electronic copies of their distributed texts shortly after HNS distributes them to the press.

Pictured at top (left to right): The Goths sack Rome, Joan of Arc, Benjamin Franklin, slave revolt on "La Amistad," Winston S. Churchill, Richard Nixon's farewell.