Editorial Guidelines
Content Mission Statement
Associations Now exists to empower association professionals with the insights, tools, and community they need to lead their organizations with confidence and purpose. Through strategic guidance, trend analysis, and practical resources, we foster a sense of belonging and equip our readers to navigate the evolving landscape of the association industry. Our content is designed to be both aspirational and actionable, helping association leaders stay ahead of emerging challenges while building strong, resilient organizations.
Content Guidelines
Posts on Associations Now are informative, actionable, and relevant to the needs of association professionals. Whether writing for senior leaders, mid-level managers, or new professionals, the content should be clear, accessible, and focused on delivering value that advances association work.
We seek articles that support the following content needs:
- Strategic Guidance: Content that empowers association leaders to make informed, strategic decisions that drive their organizations forward.
- Community Building: Content that explores the strategies and practices to build and sustain a strong, inclusive, and engaged community of members, partners, and other stakeholders. Stories that highlight the creation of pathways and infrastructure to support access for all stakeholders are encouraged.
- Foresight and Trend Analysis: Content that focuses on analyzing emerging drivers of change and identifying implications for associations. Where relevant, we encourage writers to reference resources from ASAE ForesightWorks to make connections to the ASAE Research Foundation’s research into drivers of change shaping the future of associations.
- Case Stories: Content that highlights how an organization or organizations solved real-world problems.
If you have any questions about these guidelines or any of the submission policies, or if you would like to talk to an editor for guidance on how to turn your idea into an ASAE-appropriate article, please contact editorial@asaecenter.org.
AI Policy
ASAE believes that the value of our member-contributed content comes from the knowledge and experience of our members. At a time when anyone can use artificial intelligence platforms to generate content of variable accuracy and value on almost any topic, including association management, ASAE offers association management insights and guidance grounded in our members’ research and experience.
To maintain our unique value, it is ASAE’s policy at this time that use of AI to generate or revise the text submitted for publication is prohibited. Contributors may use AI to brainstorm, research topics, or even put together an outline, but the submitted text must be written by the bylined author(s). ASAE uses human editors to polish pieces for publication, and those editors are happy to work with submitting authors to develop the final text.
To ensure the integrity and authenticity of applications, we may use various methods to detect the use of AI tools, such as plagiarism checkers, linguistic analysis, and human review and require applicants to sign a declaration stating that they have not used any AI tools in their applications and that they are solely responsible for the content and quality.
By submitting an article, you agree to abide by this policy and to submit only your own original work. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please contact the editorial team at editorial@asaecenter.org.
Submission Requirements
Word count:
- Sweet spot: 650-700 words
- Minimum: 500 words
- Maximum: 900 words
Format for sharing:
- Word doc
- Please ensure the document is editable and includes any necessary permissions.
Use of sources:
- Always cite sources when quoting a statistic or referencing research or other content.
- We ask that authors cite and link to relevant content, data sources, and referenced publications whenever possible. If the content must be purchased or downloaded, please include links to appropriate page. Internal links to Associations Now or ASAE resources are encouraged.
- You may include your title and company or relevant work in the author bio but avoid excessive self-promotion within the article.
Paragraph length and spacing:
- Keep paragraphs concise—aim for no longer than 100 words per paragraph.
- Use one space after periods.
Formatting:
- Use headers and subheaders to organize content and improve scanning of the text.
- Avoid large blocks of text.
- Write specific, benefit-driven headlines and subheads.
- Use bulleted or numbered lists where appropriate.
- Conclude with a call to action or question that encourages reader engagement.
Author bio:
- Author bio should be 50 words max.
- You may include your title and company name and professional social media profiles
- Include Email if you are open to allowing readers contact you
Once your article meets the above requirements, please email it to editorial@asaecenter.org.
Editing
Our editorial team reviews every submission for clarity, grammar, and style consistency. Significant edits will be sent back to the author for approval before publication. A preview of the final article will be shared with you prior to publishing.
Exclusivity
We ask that your article is original and not published elsewhere. If you wish to republish a guest post that appeared on Associations Now, please contact editorial@asaecenter.org.
Deadline
Deadlines will be agreed upon in advance, with drafts typically required two weeks prior to the publication date. Associations Now publishes content on a regular schedule, so timely submission is crucial.
Promoting Your Work
Articles may be promoted in ASAE newsletters and on our social media channels. We encourage you to promote your published article through your social networks. This will extend the reach and impact of your content within the association community.