These are the entries in our The Write Factor competition for new columnists. If you like what you read, please leave a comment at the end of an article. The contestants are being judged in part on how many comments they generate. The competition closes on December 6.
The Write Factor: It's infuriating, aggravating. time-wasting, annoying but actually all you have to do to defeat the snake-oil salesmen who pursue us...
The Write Factor: with a Belgian as the first president of the EU, David Coyle urges Scotland to get to grips with modern European identity
The Write Factor: news that major nations are gearing themselves up to go to war in cyberpsace has Teddy Craig worried for our foremost saviour in...
The Write Factor: Hey! We cast our votes every weekend, says Sara Firth. So what's this deadlock deal with the judges all the time?
The Write Factor: Bruce Fummey is inspired by the example of Aminatou Haidar and her campaign for independence for Western Sahara, and says it makes...
The Write Factor: Ed Hart wonders why some people worry more about 'sexist' adverts than the fact that women can still get paid less for doing the...
The Write Factor: The extent of the brainlessness of his fellow man has Mark Howarth hanging his head.
The Write Factor: Laura Marks says the condemnation of a private nursery in Musselburgh should give parents with enough money to afford it pause for...
The Write Factor: Lindsey Mason is suffering from pre-Christmas recurring nightmares and has decided that enough is enough - but despite that, fears...
The Write Factor: Marty McMahon questions whether there really is so little body fat in the world that people are being killed for it