What We Want to Do

And Why We Call it the Challenger Program

You can probably find better cookies and milkshake in the new dessert place that popped up somewhere in Dhanmondi, or God forbid, Mohammadpur. However, we can still wager that you will find yourself wanting for better adventures.

Writing for UpThrust isn’t just about writing English well. It’s takes more than just a good grasp of grammar and wordplay: it’s also about storytelling that captivates the audience. At UpThrust, we want to feature great writing, with storytelling that works on multiple levels.

At Bangladesh, doing that is quite the challenge. We have decent English literacy, but you don’t have to look far to encounter the numerous challenges aspiring writers encounter on a daily basis. As far as we are from producing another Tagore, we are even further off from creating a Hemingway.

Since we want to be clever with naming conventions that are also on the nose, we are calling our Contributor module the Challenger program.

The Challenger program seeks to find and groom creative cadets who aspire to not only be great writers, but genuinely believe in the fundamental power of storytelling. We want to work with and energize young minds who are inquisitive about the past and look forward to the challenges of the future.

Why Write For Us?

Because You Want To!

This is no Jedi Mind Trick. You can’t be a writer if you don’t want to write.

You have to want writing bad enough that putting your thoughts down to paper- or keyboard- becomes a need for you.

You have to want writing, like you long for and desire your significant other. And you have to do that knowing that writing isn’t as sexy as drawing, designing, singing, dancing, photography, public speaking or videography.

I am dead serious. Writing is one of the most unsexy creative pursuits out there.

Writing isn’t going to make you famous. 90% of writers don’t even get published. 304,912 titles were published in the US alone during 2013. There’s only so much room in the New York Times’ Bestseller List, or the the Amazon Kindle Top 20.

If this turns you off, I suggest you close this tab and never look back. Put some more practice into that acoustic cover, or networking with your close Boro Bhai working in that top flight multinational bank.

If this makes you strangely excited, however, then you have come to the right place.

Alright, So You Want to Write. But Why Should You Write for UpThrust?

Here are some quick bullet points to guide you:

• An online niche where you can find your voice as a writer and creator. Sharpen your existing creative skills, develop new ones and carve out an authentic audience.
• Avenues for Exploring Your Own Entrepreneurial Ideas
• Chance for Participating in Community Building
• Working with Influencers and Tastemakers to Create Meaningful Impact
• An Experience That Can be Instrumental for a Future in Marketing, Publishing or Other Creative Fields

One More Thing: 

You get to explore topics that are no-gos for you in other publications and mediums, as long as you don’t violate certain laws.

What We Are Looking For

Spartans Who Can Write and Vulcans Who Can Fight

We would love to have writers who have a feel for not only their own voices, but also their audiences. Rowling connected so well with millennials because she tapped into the fertile minds of ten and eleven year olds across the globe.

We prefer pop culture aficionados who know more than your average Rowling and Humayun fans. Those are great places to start, but you haven’t really known crazy fandoms until you have gone deep undercover in a Bioware forum and seen people post fanart of Quarians and Asaris engaging in liberal use of Rule 34.

If you are looking for more bullet points, then you are in luck. These are some of things we really appreciate in contributors:

• A Professional Work Ethic
• The Willingness to Power through Writer’s Blocks
• Openness to Working with Remote Teams

And here are what actual skills you are expected to have, or develop while working with us:

• Adept at Microsoft Office, especially Formatting
• Creativity that Can Think Outside of Old yet Shiny Boxes
• Coming Up With Ideas Consistently
• Packaging These Ideas Neatly for Pitches
• Doing Follow-Up with Editors, Writers and Other Relevant Internal Stakeholders

Contact Us

Anything Works, As Long as You Aren’t Sliding into Our DMs

If you have any previous experience, then send us up to three of your best samples to info@upthrust.co. If you have any queries, message us via our Facebook Page.

We wish we were fancy or important enough to require CVs or cover letters, so no need to send us those. If you are feeling specially eager, including links to your Facebook, Instagram and/or Linkedin accounts in the email body will do.