Submission Guidelines

We welcome thoughtful contributions that examine technology's impact on everyday people. LLM use is permitted - read our policy.

Editorial Vision

Refactor seeks to publish approachable pieces about technology, by and for technologists. We welcome first-time writers and are happy to work with you on your piece.

We strive to provide helpful, actionable feedback on all pieces, even those we do not accept.

What We Publish

We keep an ongoing, updated list of pieces we'd like to see. If you'd like to write for us but aren't sure what about, check there first.

1500-4,000 words

Essays

Nonfiction pieces about a particular topic of interest. Surprise us! What story do you have the particular expertise, connections, or knowledge to tell?

300-600 words

Perspectives

Shorter pieces about a particular topic of interest.

Flexible word count

Interactive Pieces

For some pieces, having a supporting interactive web app, data visualization, or graphic alongside written text may tell the story most effectively.

1,500-3,000 words

Speculative Fiction

Science fiction or speculative fiction. Please only submit full story drafts. We cannot accept or reject pieces based on a premise alone.

1,200-2,500 words

Reviews and Letters of Recommendation

We want to hear about what you're reading. It doesn't have to be new to be noteworthy and relevant.

Editorial Process

We do not assign stories. Come to us with the stories you think need to be told.

Timeline

The editoral team aims to respond to all pitches within 1 week.

You can expect to go through the following process:

  1. Pitch 2-3 paragraphs about your story and why you're a good fit to cover it
  2. Outline 1 page of bullet points showing the arc of the piece
  3. Draft Full word count of the piece
  4. Final edit Feedback and revision requests
  5. Publication On this website and on our Substack

For short stories, only full drafts will be accepted. We cannot accept or reject a piece based on the concept alone - execution is key.

Payment

We pay competitive rates for all published work:

Rights & Attribution

We typically acquire first publication rights with a 90-day exclusivity period. After publication, rights revert to the author with the understanding that Refactor retains the right to republish the piece.