Submissions
Share Your Story
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Caves & Bears is growing into Australia's go-to space for neurodivergent voices — where real stories get heard, ND news gets amplified, and unique minds find real connection.
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We believe stories don't just explain difference — they turn it into belonging. Difference isn't isolation; it's the thread that weaves our community together.
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We're currently on the lookout for authentic, lived-experience writing from neurodivergent adults who feel that same spark of curiosity about minds, senses, sensory worlds, communication, regulation, identity, and the stories that tie them all together.
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If you're an ND adult with something honest to say — whether it's raw, reflective, funny, poetic, or quietly fierce — we'd genuinely love to hear from you.
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What We Publish
We’re interested in engaging personal essays, reflective and informational articles, short think pieces, news stories, and creative nonfiction pieces that explore:
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Neurodivergent topics, experience, identity, and self-discovery
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Communication, sensory life, and regulation
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Creativity, language, and storytelling
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Accessibility, advocacy, and culture
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Community, care, and connection.
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Contributing authors must be 16 years or over, have an email address, and be professionally diagnosed with a neurodivergent condition. In the case of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder, being self-identified is perfectly valid.
How to Submit
​First steps: We encourage you to read this article, WTF is Neurodivergent Media, and a few other articles on Caves & Bears to get a feel for our tone and values. Pieces that centre lived experience, empathy, and connection tend to resonate most. Please ensure you read the Submission Guidelines (listed below) carefully, so you are prepared to submit a full version if/when requested.
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Prepare a pitch: Include a compelling title, the first 1–2 paragraphs of the draft article, and a brief synopsis (approx. 50–150 words) describing the topic and/or themes. Please suggest which Caves & Bears category would best suit your article from the list below, or suggest a new category if you don't believe that any of the current options are suitable. Email us — cavesnbears@gmail.com — and include the subject line: Submission Pitch: [Your Title or Topic]​.. ​
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Caves & Bears article categories
Advocacy | Care & Community | Film & TV | Health & Wellness | Identity & Culture | ND Insights | News
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Response time: We aim to reply to pitch emails within 2 weeks. If we'd like to publish your work, then we will ask you for the full version (ideally) within a month from acceptance. We may also suggest light edits for clarity or accessibility — but we’ll always check with you before publishing.
Submission Guidelines
Word count: 600–1,500 words is ideal, but more is certainly welcome if you have a lot to say!
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Tone: Neuro-affirming, respectful, and empathetic language. First-person lived experience is strongly encouraged where appropriate. Humour is encouraged! You can also be poetic, raw, serious, or analytical. Teach us something new. Make us feel something. Give us a fresh perspective. The most important thing is: just be honest, real and authentically YOU.​
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Our Style & Formatting Preferences: ​
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Australian English Standard spelling
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Single quotation marks for quotes/direct speech
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Use a clean, readable font, such as Times New Roman, Arial, or similar (12 pt preferred)
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1.5 pt line spacing
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Single space after periods
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Use headings/subheadings sparingly but helpfully if the piece has clear sections
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Italics for emphasis (avoid ALL CAPS or underlining for emphasis).
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Important Note: These are preferences, not strict rules — your authentic voice matters most. If something here feels inaccessible to you, just let us know in your pitch.
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Format: Submit as a Word document attached to an email. Ensure that any hyperlinks to external websites included in your article are working. No tracked changes or comments should be in the submitted file.
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Author Details & Bio: In the same Word document, please include your full name as you wish it to be published, your neurotype/s, a short biographical note (45–60 words), and your main social media handle (optional).
Images: Please attach a clear, decent resolution head-shot author image in JPG or PNG format. NB: If you'd prefer to be anonymous, just let us know. You can also suggest or provide a feature image (or images) if you have any and have the rights to use them; ensure to include brief image description and source or photographer name for credit.
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Originality: Your work must be your own and unpublished elsewhere. AI assistance is permitted for editing and clarity improvements.​​​​
Payment
​​​​​At this stage, as Caves & Bears does not turn a profit, all contributors and administrators are unpaid volunteers. Our aim is to pay staff and authors in future as the website grows and if revenue is generated — but right now, this is purely a passion project.​