Contributoria writing platform launches in beta

Writers and journalists are invited to join a new member-supported writing platform that launches today. The beta release of Contributoria (http://www.contributoria.com) is the first public unveiling of the innovative new tool developed by Guardian Media Group.

Initially funded as a winner of the News Innovation Contest from the International Press Institute and sponsored by Google, Contributoria was designed to operate like a cooperative and inspire professional and semi-professional writers and journalists to support each other.

Contributoria enables writers to collaborate on all aspects of the writing process including commissioning, editing and publication. Paying members of the community can support story proposals, and winning writers will get paid for their work. During the beta phase, however, membership will be free to enable the community to grow and offer the chance for feedback before paid membership kicks in.

Editor and Co-founder Sarah Hartley said: “Contributoria is designed to operate like a cooperative and inspire professional writers and journalists to support each other. Finding new ways to fund quality journalism for freelance writers will help keep a diversity of published voices online. I encourage all journalists and writers to join up and help shape what could be the future of writing.”

GMG’s General Manager of New Digital Businesses Matt McAlister said, “Contributoria will be a great way to apply some of our innovative thinking about open journalism, and to create new opportunities for writers around the world.”

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Further information:

Sarah Hartley

sarah@contributoria.com

About GMG

Guardian Media Group is wholly owned by The Scott Trust Ltd, which exists to secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity. GMG’s core business is Guardian News & Media, publisher of theguardian.com, the third largest English-speaking newspaper website in the world; and the Guardian and The Observer newspapers in the UK.