Get Paid to Write About HTML, CSS, and Sass!

Since I took over as Managing Editor of SitePoint’s HTML and CSS content, I’ve been constantly on the lookout for new authors.

In addition to my usual one-on-one contact efforts, I thought it would be helpful to spread the word by means of a post to let everyone know what we’re looking for and how you’ll benefit from writing for SitePoint.

Write About CSS

CSS is constantly a hot topic in the community, so I’ll always consider a CSS article or tutorial idea. Below are some tips for what we’re looking for in CSS content:

• Demos! We’re using SitePoint-themed CodePen embeds for our demos on the HTML and CSS channels. Articles with at least one embedded demo almost always do well.
• A good handle on the subject from a standards, browser, and compatibility standpoint. CSS is not a new subject, so it’s important that authors show a good grasp of the subject being covered.
• Coverage of a popular CSS framework, tool, or library. For example, pretty much anything with “Bootstrap” in the title will do well, but the key is to provide something fresh and new.

For reference, here are our top 5 CSS articles from this year, by traffic:

1. 12 Little-Known CSS Facts
2. Understanding Bootstrap Modals
3. Beyond Bootstrap and Foundation: Frameworks You’ve Never Heard Of
4. The Current Generation of CSS3 Selectors
5. The Power of em Units in CSS

Just to illustrate how much people enjoy articles on obscure CSS tips, the first article on that list has accumulated about as much traffic as all the other four combined!

That should give you an idea of the type of content that gets high amounts of traffic in the realm of CSS.

Write About HTML

HTML is another good topic that does well. Here are some suggestions on stuff you might write about in the HTML category:

• A new tag or set of tags that aren’t as well-known, describing how they are beneficial semantically or otherwise.
• Accessibility and how it relates to HTML tags or attributes.
• One of the HTML5 APIs. It’s true, this could also fall under the JavaScript category, but if the article is not too technical, but more of an overview, it can fall under “HTML”.

Here are our top 5 HTML articles of 2014:

1. 10 HTML Tags You May Not Be Using
2. 10 HTML5 APIs Worth Looking Into
3. HTML5 Canvas Tutorial: An Introduction
4. New HTML5 Attributes for Hyperlinks: download, media, and ping
5. Using Meta Tags in HTML: Some Basics and Best Practices

As you can see, there’s lots that you can cover from the HTML spec and from the various APIs.

Write About Sass

Sass is probably one of the fastest growing topics right now. For many developers, Sass has become the new CSS, so traffic for Sass content is constantly on the rise.

It’s true that our primary Sass author Kitty Giraudel is a tough act to follow, but our audience is at varying levels. Here are some suggestions for Sass articles:

• Write something that beginners would benefit from. For this, you don’t have to be a super-expert like Kitty!
• Pick a single feature in Sass and break it down, showing all parts of its syntax.
• List and discuss some useful Sass tools, or dissect a single tool and tell us how to use it and why it’s cool.

Here are our top 5 Sass articles of 2014 to date:

1. My Current CSS and Sass Styleguide
2. Sass: Mixin or Placeholder?
3. Architecture for a Sass Project
4. My Favorite Sass Tools
5. A Sass Component in 10 Minutes

Oh and, in case you’re wondering, they’re all written by Kitty! :)

But again, don’t be intimidated by that. I’m glad to publish simpler Sass content that’s geared more towards those just getting started with Sass or those who have never even touched it. There’s lots in the Sass docs worth writing about, so feel free to give it a shot.

What About Other Topics?

In addition to the main topics covered on SitePoint and handled by dedicated editors (PHP, Ruby, Design, Mobile, etc.), we also have a general Web category that covers topics that don’t fall under the others. Topics might include:

• Developer tools
• Git, GitHub, and open source
• Performance
• Browser stats/trends
• Task runners (Grunt, Gulp, etc.)

What About English Skills?

Admittedly, one of the challenges to recruiting regular authors is finding authors who have a strong command of the English language. We get lots of offers from people who don’t have English as a first language, and we often have to reject submissions based on poor English.

We’re not looking for perfect English skills, but we do have very high standards in this area, so if your English skills are not very strong, it’s likely we won’t be able to accept anything from you. Sorry! :(

Interested? Get in Touch!

The above should give you a good idea of what we’re looking for. For more info on writing for SitePoint, check out our writing guidelines.

And if that all sounds good, you can contact us via our Write For Us page with your topic idea.