Editorial Policy and Guidelines

Introduction

All guidelines afore-mentioned are applicable to content published as and on behalf of the Lighthouse. The goals and guidelines provided in this document are applicable to any and all content concerning Lighthouse, our stories, campaigns, and projects.

Content Goal

Lighthouse evolved from a small, intercultural learning experiment into a global network devoted to storytelling for impact and change, and to serve as a community for passionate storytellers. Through an open platform for stories, Lighthouse promotes and enables storytelling as a way for individuals and organizations to work together across boundaries of place and identity to address the challenges in an interconnected world. Keeping our core mission in mind, all content produced under the Lighthouse banner and name, including but not limited to the website, social media, email campaigns, newsletters, blog posts, and messages is written using reliable sources of reputable information and aims to add to the readers’ personal and professional development.

Each content and communications piece we produce should ideally provide information and/or resources, coupled with calls to action, as well as engage the reader by providing thought-provoking ideas, stories, and narratives.

Voice, Style, and Tone

The voice of our writing aims to be open, empathetic, honest, and straightforward in conveying the intent of the writing. We follow a neutral, easy-to-understand, engaging voice while prioritizing clarity and entertainment in the writing. Our tone and voice aim for compelling narratives that should inspire the reader to become curious or learn more about the subject and the nature of our work and implement our calls to action in their daily lives.

Active Voice
Neutral tone
Positive writing and sentence framing
Aim  for global comprehensibility of the writing

References to age, disability, or gender need to be completely unbiased and presented in a respectful manner

Plainspoken English
Spelling and Grammar

 We want to present ideas in a clear, concise, and inclusive manner that is comprehensible to global audiences. Authors should aim for complete ethical compliance, provide citations and references, and report critical details leaving room for the readers to evaluate the overarching message of the writing. Some aspects to be mindful of in spelling, grammar, and vocabulary:

Concise, consistent, and specific writing in an active voice.
Spell out abbreviations and acronyms in the first mention.
Use American English where applicable (guidelines and used as per the New Oxford American Dictionary)
Use sentence case capitalization and capitalize proper nouns, keywords appropriately.
Run a basic spelling and grammar check using tools such as Grammarly, etc.

Editorial Disclaimer

The information provided in or through the Lighthouse Website and other digital media channels is for entertainment, educational and informational purposes only. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information we share, the information may inadvertently contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. Readers are requested to bring any such inaccuracies to our attention here, and we will attempt to rectify the same if it is deemed right to do so according to our editorial policy.

Lighthouse may promote, affiliate with, or partner with other individuals or organizations whose programs, products, and services align with our mission and vision. In the spirit of transparency, we want our readers to be aware that there may be instances when we promote these partners and organizations on our website and social media in exchange for collaborations and partnerships. Please note that we are highly selective and only promote the partners whose programs, products, and/or services we verify and respect. At the same time, you, as a reader, agree that any such promotion or marketing does not serve as any form of endorsement whatsoever. The reader is still required to use their own judgment to determine that any such program, product, or service is appropriate for them. Our website and posts may also periodically provide links to third-party websites including websites of entities that are affiliated with Lighthouse. We are not responsible for the content of any third-party website, nor do we make any warranties or representations, express or implied, regarding the content (or the accuracy, completeness, or correctness of such content) on any third-party website.

Lighthouse takes responsibility to produce and publish content that is aimed towards creating a more socially responsible, aware, and actionable society. Some contents may be perceived as controversial or emotionally unsettling, as they unpack power dynamics, global contexts, or not-often heard viewpoints. The objective, however, is to increase awareness, responsibility, and action of readers to strive for a more equitable and sustainable world, and certainly not to hurt any sentiments or be biased in favor of or against any particular person, society, gender, creed, nation or religion.