Welcome to the flock.
Gaggle of Nouns is a language and natural history site for the curious, the pedantic, and the gleefully nerdy. We explore collective nouns, those peculiar terms like a murder of crows or a parliament of owls, alongside animal behavior, etymology, folklore, and the strange corners of the English language where logic occasionally steps aside and beauty takes over.
This page explains how to write for Gaggle of Nouns, including our editorial standards, guest writing guidelines, and collaboration policies.
We’re built for readers who love learning, teachers hunting for classroom gold, writers chasing the perfect phrase, and anyone who has ever wondered why a group of geese is a gaggle on the ground but a skein in the air. (English is chaos in a trench coat. I find that absolutely delightful.)
If you’re a writer, educator, researcher, or creative thinker with something thoughtful and original to say about language, animals, or the space where they overlap, I’d love to hear from you!
Why Write for Gaggle of Nouns?
This site exists because language is alive, animals are endlessly fascinating, and the intersection of the two is where some of the best stories live.
We welcome guest writers for educational websites who care about language, animals, and thoughtful storytelling.
Our readers come here to learn, to smile, and occasionally to settle a trivia argument. They’re educators preparing lessons, parents answering impossible questions, writers polishing manuscripts, and trivia enthusiasts who take game night very seriously.
When you write for Gaggle of Nouns, you’re contributing to a growing library of work that people actually want to read, not because it’s been optimized within an inch of its life, but because it’s good. We value contributors who care about accuracy, who can make a paragraph sing, and who understand that educational doesn’t have to mean boring.
Who This Site Is For
Gaggle of Nouns is a home for:
- Educators and students of language
- Linguists, naturalists, and researchers
- Writers with a love of precision and play
- Readers who prefer thoughtful essays to disposable content
We value depth over speed, substance over spectacle, and writing that respects both the subject and the reader.
I have a friend (no, it’s true) and she considers herself a “wordsmith”. She’d be perfect for this site. What about you?
What We’re Looking For
We publish original essays, deep dives, explainers, and thoughtful features that align with our editorial focus, including:
- Collective nouns — origins, regional variations, historical context, or modern coinages
- Animal behavior & natural history — especially where language, culture, or folklore intersect
- Etymology & linguistics — how words evolve and why English is gloriously weird
- Folklore & cultural perspectives — how animals are named and mythologized
- Language in education — classroom strategies, teaching tools, or educator insights
Personal essays are welcome when anchored in research or insight, your experience teaching collective nouns to third graders, your quest to verify whether a glaring of cats is actually a thing, or the marginal notes in a well-loved field guide.
We are not looking for:
- Recycled listicles
- Generic “Top 10” content
- Promotional writing disguised as editorial work
- Machine-generated text (we can tell)
Editorial Standards
Everything we publish is original, human-written, and fact-checked.
We edit for clarity, structure, and accuracy. We may suggest revisions, ask for additional sourcing, or push back on unsupported claims. That’s not personal, it’s editorial. Good writing gets better with good editing.
We do not publish:
- Previously published or plagiarized content
- Machine-generated or heavily automated text
- Writing created primarily to manipulate search rankings
- Work that misrepresents sources or invents facts
If it wouldn’t hold up in a classroom or a respectable magazine, it won’t run here.
Links & Citations (Important)
We believe in giving credit where it’s due.
Relevant, editorial citations are encouraged when they genuinely enhance understanding. Links should:
- Point to credible, educational, or authoritative sources
- Be contextually appropriate and naturally integrated
- Serve the reader first
We do not allow keyword-stuffed, promotional, transactional, or irrelevant links. Editors reserve the right to remove or modify any links that don’t meet our standards. This is an editorial decision, not a negotiation.
Our goal is to build a trusted resource, not a directory.
Collaborations & Guest Writing
We occasionally collaborate with educators, writers, and organizations whose work aligns with our mission. Collaboration may include co-authored pieces, shared research, or contributing writing to other platforms when it serves a shared audience.
These are editorial partnerships, not transactions. They’re built on mutual respect, complementary audiences, and a shared commitment to quality.
How to Write for Gaggle of Nouns
A strong pitch includes:
- A brief introduction
- A clear, focused topic idea
- Your angle, what makes this piece original
- Optional links to previous work
Send pitches to [email protected] with the subject line:
Submission: [Your Topic]
We review all submissions carefully. Not every pitch is a fit, but every thoughtful pitch starts a real conversation.
Please don’t send:
- Completed drafts without pitching first
- Generic “I can write about anything” messages
- Requests for guaranteed links
- Bulk pitches sent to dozens of sites
One Last Thing
Language is strange, specific, and gloriously inconsistent. A group of geese is a gaggle, but only on the ground. In flight, they’re a skein. Why? Because English refuses to behave.
We think that’s wonderful.
Gaggle of Nouns is a small site with high standards and a growing audience of people who care about words, animals, and the stories that connect them. We’re not chasing trends or gaming algorithms. We’re building something worth reading.
If that sounds like your kind of project, we should talk!