Dear Writers,
Here’s our latest roundup of calls for pitches directly from editors.
Please carefully study each publication before sending a pitch.
If you’re new to pitching, here are a few resources to help you get started:
- How to Write a Pitch that Gets You Paid (Based on Real-World Examples)
- How to Pitch a Listicle About Pop Culture
- Case Study: How I Broke into the Smart Mouth Newsletter and Earned $1 per Word
— Jacob Jans
Thanks to Fatima Saif for compiling this list.
High Country News is a non-profit magazine covering the Western US. They’re seeking story pitches for their special issue on climate. The issue will “highlight stories of agency + collective action in the fight to decarbonize the West and the efforts to adapt to a changing climate in equitable ways.” Their aim is for the stories to “explore new frameworks for thinking about climate futures.” They will offer a project fee based on $1 per word for reportage and $0.50 per word for reflection. If interested, email your pitches to paigeb@hcn.org or emilyb@hcn.org. To learn more, refer to their senior editor’s Twitter thread and their submission guidelines.
Deadline: June 5th, 2023
The Lead is a micro-mag about politics and culture. They have tweeted, “We’re looking for features covering police overreach, housing, immigration, racism, inequality & the environment. Terrible landlords? Send them our way. Home Office scoops? Bring them. Evidence of systemic racism by any part of the system? Haul ’em in. Untold tales of climate change? From villains to heroes, we’re interested in all…” Their main focus is the United Kingdom, but they welcome relevant global submissions. Rates begin at £180 for op-eds (800-1,200 words). Read their Twitter thread here. Learn more about them here.
The Outlaw Report is a source for cannabis news in the Mid-Atlantic. They’re accepting pitches on a rolling basis about “all things DMV Cannabis.” Rates are $100 to $300 per article (300 to 1,000 words). If interested, send your pitches to ljdawson@theoutlawreport.com. To learn more, refer to their tweet. To contact them, refer to this page.
This Magazine is a Canadian progressive magazine of politics, arts and culture. They’re accepting pitches for their Drugs issue. You can share stories about how drugs make your life more fun/livable. You can also share your thoughts about recovery, harm reduction, and decrim/policy. They publish Canadian residents only. Rate is $150-$300 for features and $60-$100 for columns. For details, refer to their tweet and this page.
Deadline: May 19th, 2023
Noema is a magazine that explores the transformations sweeping our world. They publish “essays, interviews, reportage, videos and art on the overlapping realms of philosophy, governance, geopolitics, economics, technology, and culture.” Their senior editor is accepting pitches at tami@noemamag.com. According to payment reports, they pay $1 per word. Read their senior editor’s tweet here. Learn more about them here.
Observer is a website about business, arts, and entertainment. They’re seeking “an experienced arts and/or auction writer to put together sharp bi-monthly auction roundups – what’s notable, coming soon, etc.” Pay is $150. If interested, email your clips to cterry@observer.com. To learn more, refer to their arts and culture editor’s tweet and their ‘about’ page.
whynow is an online magazine and production studio that features stories from both emerging and established people in arts, music, and entertainment. They’re seeking “great features, interviews, stories, and reviews in music, art, film and TV.” They pay £80 to £150 for the majority of pieces. Send your pitches to editors@whynow.co.uk. To learn more, read their tweet and pitching guidelines.
The Metropole is the Urban History Association’s official blog. They have tweeted, “Digital Summer School 2023, when we highlight digital humanities initiatives, is coming up in July! Selected contributors will receive $200 for a question-and-answer post about their digital project.” If interested, send your pitches to themetropole@urbanhistory.org. For details, refer to their tweet and this page.
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization that reports on education in poor communities across America. Chalkbeat Indiana’s bureau chief has tweeted that they’re always accepting pitches for first person essays (around 800 words). They want to “elevate the voices of educators, students, parents, advocates, and others on the front lines of trying to improve public education.” The bureau chief hasn’t mentioned the rates in the tweet but as per their features editor, they pay $100 per post. To learn more, refer to their bureau chief’s Twitter thread and their first person guidelines.
The Local Magazine is an independent magazine that explores Toronto’s urban health and social issues. They’re looking for writers for their Finch West LRT issue. They will publish “stories from the city’s changing Northwest, from Jane + Finch to Rexdale to Humber College, etc.” They’re seeking writers who know these communities well. Rates will start at 75 cents per word. If interested, get in touch with their senior editor at nick@thelocal.to. To read their senior editor’s Twitter thread, click here. To learn more about them, click here.
Rest of World is a global nonprofit publication that covers technology’s impact beyond the Western bubble. Their features director is looking for longform story ideas about tech in Africa, Asia, LatAm, or beyond. The majority of their feature stories are 3,000 words+. Their rates begin at $1 per word. Pitches can be sent to victoria@restofworld.org. To learn more, refer to their features director’s tweet and their pitch guide.
Bolts is “a digital magazine that covers the nuts and bolts of power and political change, from the local up.” They’re always seeking freelancers to report on stories related to voting rights and criminal justice across the US. Most of the stories they publish involve original reporting and pay $800. They do not publish personal essays or op-eds. If interested, send your pitches to pitches@boltsmag.org. For details, read their tweet and pitch guide.
The Maple is a digital news publication that covers “Canadian politics from the perspective of the many, not the few.” Their opinion editor is looking for someone interested in writing a response/rebuttal to the article, “Drug fail: The Liberal government’s ‘safer supply’ is fuelling a new opioid crisis.” They pay $325 for analysis pieces of 1,500+ words. If interested, send your pitches to opinion@readthemaple.com. For more information, refer to their opinion editor’s Twitter thread and their pitch guide.
TheBody is a resource for the HIV/AIDS community. Their senior editor is accepting pitches for Pride month. The theme is “THRIVE: Queer Joy is Resistance!” They want stories focused on queer joy and LGBTQ thriving. Rates begin at $400. If interested, email your pitches to editors@thebody.com. To read their senior editor’s tweet, click here. To visit their website, click here.
Deadline: May 20th, 2023
Feeld is a dating app. They’re seeking more freelance contributors for their blog. Rates start at $300 for A Week on Feeld pieces (max. 1,500 words); $300 for Feeld Conversations (1,200-2,000 words); $500 for Feeld Guides (800-1,500 words); and $300 for First Person pieces (1,000-1,500 words). Pitches can be sent to edit@feeld.co. To learn more, refer to their tweet and this page.
International Journalists’ Network (IJNet) offers the latest tips, training opportunities, trends, and tools for professional and emerging journalists. They’re accepting pitches for tips, tricks, and resources that will help journalists around the world. Rate is $200 per article. For details, refer to their tweet and this page.
Narratively is a media company that publishes original and untold human stories. They’re accepting pitches. Writers from marginalized groups, international writers, writers of color, and disabled writers are encouraged to pitch. Rate is $1,000 per piece. For more information, refer to this Twitter thread and this page.
The Daily Dot is a website that covers internet culture and life online. Their senior culture editor is seeking new regular freelancers as well as pitches for essays/features. Short features and essays of at least 600 words begin at $300 and reported features begin at $400. Hourly rates for regular freelancers or bloggers begin at $35. If you are extremely online and are interested in writing about internet culture, then email tkelly@dailydot.com. For details, refer to their senior culture editor’s Twitter thread and their pitch guide.
In These Times is a progressive magazine and website committed to covering and analyzing popular movements for economic, environmental, social, gender, and racial justice. They’re devoting their August issue entirely to socialism and are open for pitches that “explore socialist movements in the U.S. and abroad.” This open call includes “culture pitches, such as essays, short stories, photo essays, poetry, and graphic literature that explores and interrogates the ways race, gender, sexuality, class, disabilities, and/or climate intersects with socialism.” For short dispatches and op-eds, they pay $375. For other articles, they pay $0.50-$1.00/word. If interested, send your pitches to submissions@inthesetimes.com. For more information, refer to their Twitter thread and submissions page.
Deadline: May 21st, 2023
Maisonneuve is a Montreal-based quarterly of “arts, opinion, and ideas.” They’re seeking pitches (with some kind of Canadian connection) for their next issue. The issue is unthemed but some things their editor-in-chief would love to see in her inbox include:
– “Reporting on LGBTQIA+ issues
– Exhibition reviews
– Labour coverage, whether through a personal or reported lens
– Writing from outside of Canada’s urban centres
– Spicy cultural takes”
The editor-in-chief hasn’t mentioned the rates in her tweet, but as per this tweet by Maisonneuve, their standard rate is 15 cents per word. To learn more, refer to their editor-in-chief’s Twitter thread and this page.
Deadline: May 23rd, 2023
British GQ is a magazine that offers the latest tips for men on fashion, style, grooming, fitness, travel destinations, and more. They’re seeking freelancers who write about interiors/home/kitchen/sleep. They’re also always seeking pitches related to these topics for their shopping guides. According to their associate editor, they pay 30p/word for a digital story. If interested, email daphne.bugler@condenast.co.uk. To learn more, refer to this Twitter thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
It’s Freezing in LA! (IFLA!) is an independent magazine about climate change. They’re accepting pitches for their 10th issue: PLANTS. They want ideas for “unique essays, interviews, short stories, and features on the theme of plants and ecosystems.” They accept pitches from writers based anywhere in the world. They can work with translators for contributors whose first language is not English. Pay is £150 for 1,000-word essays. Send your pitches to editor@itsfreezinginla.com. To learn more, refer to their Twitter thread and pitching guide.
Deadline: May 31st, 2023
GenderIT.org is a website that offers feminist reflections on sexuality, gender, and internet rights. They’re commissioning articles from the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region for their upcoming edition under the theme “Algorithmic Futures and Feminist Anxieties”. They will pay between $300 and $500 USD. To learn more, refer to their tweet and call for pitches.
Deadline: May 14th, 2023
Inverse is an online magazine that covers technology, science, culture, entertainment, and gaming for a millennial audience. Their entertainment editor has tweeted, “Summer is around the corner, which means @inversedotcom is looking for pitches for features/essays/interviews about the ~Blockbuster.~ Is MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE our last great blockbuster franchise? Can INDIANA JONES exist today? Pitch me!” “We’re looking for any relevant blockbusters coming up: from MI, INDY, SPIDER-VERSE, to STAR WARS TV.” Rate will be at least $150 for essays. If interested, send your pitches to hoaitran.bui@inverse.com. To read their entertainment editor’s Twitter thread, click here. To visit their website, click here.
Viator, a Tripadvisor company, is a marketplace for travel experiences. Their editor is seeking a personal essay (with a travel hook) about Juneteenth. They’re also seeking a Hmong writer for an assignment (a local’s guide). Rate is $250. Details here and here. Learn more about Viator here.
Opportunity to Write about New Jersey: “Seeking investigative, accountability and explanatory journalism freelance stories about NJ. Pay per story $500-2,500+ depending on the story.” If interested, send your clips and pitches (they also have assignments) to jerseyvindicator@gmail.com. To learn more, read this Twitter thread.
whynow Gaming is a video games website. They’re looking for imaginative/niche video game pitches. They pay £120 per piece. Pitches can be sent to contact@whynowgaming.com. For more information, refer to their editor’s tweet and this page.
Nat Geo Travel’s editor is seeking “a couple of travel writers with a hyper focus on Japan for a project.” Rate is between $1,000 and $1,200. If interested, email starlight.williams@natgeo.com by around May 30. To read their editor’s tweet, click here. To visit their website, click here.
Deadline: May 30th, 2023
The Hechinger Report is an independent, nonprofit news organization that focuses on inequality and innovation in education. They’re looking for freelance reporters and photographers. Their stories are typically 1,000-2,000 words. They pay $1.50/word and also cover travel expenses. For details, refer to this tweet and this form.
Studio Magazine is a national publication about contemporary craft and design in Canada. They publish twice a year and have an ongoing web presence. They’re looking for submissions for their Spring/Summer 2024 issue: DEFINITION. The issue will re-visit “the question of what it is that defines craft.” While they’re interested in the shifts brought about by tech, they’re “also looking to explore themes including, but not limited to, authenticity, classification, heritage, history, and cultural shifts.” Pay is .30 cents/word. To learn more, refer to their tweet and this page.
Deadline: September 30th, 2023
Also, here are some upcoming deadlines to apply for traditional jobs and fe3llowships:
Wisconsin Public Radio is looking for a Senior Digital Editor (partial remote, staff-full time). The selected candidate will be responsible for reviewing, editing, producing, and troubleshooting content for their websites, blogs, and other platforms. Salary: minimum $70,000. For details, refer to this tweet and this page.
Deadline: May 18th, 2023
Bay Nature is a print and digital magazine that covers the nature, wildlife, and environment of the San Francisco Bay Area. They’re hiring a journalism fellow from a historically underrepresented background. They will help you develop your reporting, writing, and magazine fact-checking skills. This is a full-time, one-year fellowship that requires 2 days a week in their office in West Berkeley. Pay is $50,000/year. For details, read this tweet.
Deadline: May 22nd, 2023
BOMB is a quarterly arts and culture magazine. They’re looking for a Managing Editor with a strong visual arts background and 5 years’ editorial experience. The editor should have “a passion for recognizing and amplifying important new and historically underrepresented voices.” The job is full-time and based in New York City (hybrid schedule is permitted). Salary: up to $70,000. To learn more, refer to their tweet and this page.
Deadline: May 26th, 2023
