How To Pitch: Parade

How To Pitch: Parade

This weekly seeks human-interest stories that are cross-generational and tug at heartstring

5 min read • Originally published October 12, 2015 / Updated April 19, 2021

5 min read • Originally published October 12, 2015 / Updated April 19, 2021

Circulation: 22 million
Frequency: Weekly
Special issues: What People Earn (April), What America Eats (periodic throughout the year), The Giving Issue (December)

Background: Parade is distributed weekly by more than 700 newspapers, including The Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Herald, the New York Post and hundreds more. The magazine was founded in 1941 by Chicago businessman Marshall Field III of Field Enterprises. Nearly two decades later, it was acquired by New York Herald Tribune publisher John Hay Whitney, before being purchased by Booth Newspapers in 1973 and subsequently Advance Publications. In 1982, the magazine hired none other than Julia Child as its first food editor. And in late 2014, Parade became part of the Athlon Media Group, based in New York and Nashville.

Today the magazine reaches an estimated 54 million readers, making it the most widely read magazine in the United States. The magazine celebrates its 74th birthday in May 2015. Readers, evenly split at 54 percent female and 46 percent male, are cross-generational, and turn to the mag for a weekly fix of compelling stories that span a wide range of topics.

“So many people tell us they can’t wait to shake it out of their newspaper,” said Anne Krueger, who took over as editor-in-chief in January 2015. “They remember [Parade] from when they were a kid.”

This family favorite relies heavily on freelance writers and is always looking for timely feature ideas that inspire and strike an upbeat chord. “What I love about Parade is how celebratory it is,” said Krueger. “We want to celebrate everything that’s happening in America. We’re a very patriotic magazine, very positive.”

Given its distribution model as a general-interest newspaper supplement, Krueger said there aren’t many other publications that can match its readership. “There’s nobody to compete with Parade in that way,” she said.

What to pitch: Parade seeks to connect and inspire, so readers should laugh or cry or feel better after having read a piece. Editors also want its writers to be scattered across small towns and cities in the United States that can speak to multiple generations with local hooks and national tie-ins. “We’re a weekly, so relevance matters,” said Krueger, who said pitches should pass the ‘Why this, why now?’ test.

The magazine has several departments that provide a great way for new-to-Parade writers to break in, such as:

“Why We Love” — This section features a mix of pop psychology and great writing that touches on a recent phenomenon or something readers have in common. Stories here should range from 500 to 600 words. A recent article on why we love steamy romances began with a reference to the recently released “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie, and then told a first-person account of the author’s introduction to love via romance novels.
“Sunday With” — This Q&A, which runs from 500 to 600 words, spotlights timely interviews with personalities such as Bernice King, the youngest daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., who discussed how she spends her Sundays. Another interview with “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner focused on the show’s much-anticipated final season.
“Views” — These first-person essays run about 600 words and cover life’s most interesting moments. Examples include Pulitzer-Prize-winning writer Connie Schultz giving advice about graduation and novelist Brad Meltzer on the power of gratitude.

The following two new sections currently appear in the print magazine only:

“National Treasure” — These stories run from 250 to 750 words and celebrate people, places, traditions and things that make America great. An upcoming story highlights the 450th anniversary of St. Augustine, Florida, the nation’s oldest city. Another example is the story of a conservancy group trying to preserve the historic SS United States ship.
“One-Page U” — With its reference to one-day university classes that are popular across the country, this department covers a trending topic in bite-sized segments that fit onto one page of about 750 words. Recent topics have included crowdfunding and superbugs.

What not to pitch: While Parade is topical, it doesn’t cover breaking news. Also, most celebrity stories are generated in house, as is the “Personality Parade” column. Finally, steer clear of fiction pieces and poetry.

Online opportunities: The magazine remains mostly print driven, though its online presence is evolving. “We’re looking for content bloggers who already have a significant following,” said Krueger.

What publicists should pitch: “Think cross-generational,” said Kreuger. “What talent do you have in a variety of age ranges that might be put together to make a great story?” Publicists can pitch buzz-worthy new products for the “Parade Picks” section, and new chefs and cookbooks to the “Around the Table” food section. Editors are always interested in new books and authors that are the cream of the crop.

Percentage freelance content: 90 percent
Percentage of freelance submissions accepted: 5 percent

Recent freelance stories pitched and published: Krueger pointed to the successful pitch for “Anything Is Possible,” a story that ran in the February 2015 issue on how to make your dream of helping others come true. “It just captured the spirit of what Parade is all about,” she said. “The idea that anything is possible and [it isn’t only] millionaires who go on to do amazing things to help other people. It’s just people like you and me who have an idea.”

Another upcoming essay, called “Help Save Mrs. Sherman,” is about an author who writes about a former teacher of his who needs a kidney transplant. “It made you tear up a little bit when you read the pitch,” said Krueger, who favors stories in which the reader can take action and help make a difference.

Etiquette: Email submissions are preferred; queries should be concise and no more than five paragraphs. Freelancers should include information on previous writing experience as well as clips. “We are looking for the writer’s voice to show up in his or her query — and we want to see some packaging chops: an original twist on an idea or a combination of ideas that is particularly appealing to our cross-generational audience,” said Krueger.

Lead time: Six weeks
Pay rate: $1 to $2 a word
Payment schedule: 30 days from acceptance
Kill fee: 25 percent
Rights purchased: All rights

Contact info:
Parade
2451 Atrium Way, Suite 320
Nashville TN 37214
Parade.com
Twitter handle: @ParadeMagazine | Facebook
Email format: FirstInitialLastName@athlonmediagroup.com

Direct pitches to:
For “Why We Love” and “Views,” editor-in-chief Anne Krueger: AKRUEGER at ATHLONMEDIAGROUP dot COM
For “Sunday With” and entertainment, managing editor Neil Pond: NPOND at ATHLONMEDIAGROUP dot COM
For “National Treasure” and “One-Page U” and books, senior editor M.B. Roberts: MBROBERTS at ATHLONMEDIAGROUP dot COM
For food and entertaining, editor Lisa Waddle: LWADDLE at ATHLONMEDIAGROUP dot COM
For News and Culture, editor Maggie Parker: MPARKER at ATHLONMEDIAGROUP dot COM
For online, editor Sherry Phillips: SPHILLIPS at ATHLONMEDIAGROUP dot COM

NEXT >> How To Pitch: Good Housekeeping

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.]

Topics:

One west magazine

Got knowledge of the music and fashion industry? It may be your key to a byline

By Mediabistro

The Mediabistro editorial team draws on 25 years of media industry expertise to cover jobs, careers, and trends shaping the industry.

3 min read • Originally published November 14, 2017 / Updated April 16, 2021

By Mediabistro

The Mediabistro editorial team draws on 25 years of media industry expertise to cover jobs, careers, and trends shaping the industry.

3 min read • Originally published November 14, 2017 / Updated April 16, 2021

Circulation: 25,000
Frequency: Quarterly
Special issues: None

Background: Readers who are eager to know all about what’s going on in the hip-hop and R&B music scenes have been flocking to both the print and digital editions of One West Magazine for years. But the title is now on the cusp of an editorial shift.

“We really speak to the urban audience, but we’re diversifying to a more generalized audience,” said Jeremy Bamidele, managing editor. One West has been primarily an interview-based music magazine, featuring conversations with heavyweights like Russell Simmons and Chris Brown. But the title has recently started throwing in a lot more fashion and lifestyle coverage in addition to stories about social issues.

The One West audience is about 65 percent female/35 percent male and its readers range in age from tweens to millennials. The publication also separates itself from the pack by presenting its audience with interviews that nobody else can get. The publisher and EIC have worked in music for more than 20 years, and they can get in touch with just about anyone, said Bamidele.

What to pitch:
Editors work with a host of reliable freelancers, but they’re always looking for new voices. And writers who are based in Los Angeles, New York City, or other major urban cities have an advantage over those from rural areas. That’s because editors love to receive pitches from writers who can provide exclusive coverage of events in the worlds of fashion and music (e.g. the BET Def Comedy Jam, Ebony Fashion Fair, etc…) So, if you’re going to pitch coverage of an event, then you must be able to actually attend the event. Editors are also interested in reported pieces, as well as profiles of movers and shakers in the music and fashion industry—like designer and visual arts expert Michael Edward. Just remember that the pitches must appeal to a national audience. Word count for articles is about 800-1500.

Pitches have a greater chance of actually leading to an assignment if the writer is also able to provide photos and videos. But at One West, a good pitch may also lead to a full-time gig. If you’re consistent with top-of-the-line pitches and editors enjoy working with you, there’s always the possibility that they will offer you a position as a staff writer or photographer, said Bamidele.

What not to pitch: All sections are open to freelancers.

Online opportunities: Print and digital content are kept completely separate. However, editors are still looking for digital pitches that cover events related to music and fashion. And if you’d like to pitch a video story then that’s OK as well. Just keep them to around 5-8 minutes.

What publicists should pitch—and when: Editors welcome pitches from publicists, but they’re not interested in receiving post-event pitches. Editors must have the opportunity to attend any events and get exclusive photos. And if you’re pitching a client, make sure that he or she is available for an in-person interview or a phone interview. Lead time is 1-2 weeks.

Percentage freelance content: 20%
Percentage of freelance submissions accepted: 5-10%

Etiquette: Email your pitches and keep them to around 2-3 paragraphs. Editors like to see that you have experience writing about the subjects that you’re pitching, so be sure to include a link to your portfolio. And if you have sources already lined up let the editor know.

Lead time: 1-2 weeks; as little as three days
Pay rate: $50-$80
Payment schedule: Two weeks after acceptance.
Kill fee: None
Rights purchased: All rights

Contact info:
One West Magazine
Santa Ana, Calif. (The company is in transition and a new office location has not yet been determined.)
OneWestMagazine.com
Social: @onewestmagazine | Facebook
Email Convention: FirstName@OneWestMagazine.com

Direct all pitches to:
Editor in Chief Jason Perea: Jason at ONEWESTMAGAZINE.COM

Topics:

Go Freelance, How to Pitch

How To Pitch: O, The Oprah Magazine

Focus on personal growth, fulfillment and wellness for this newsstand heavyweight

Janelle Harris Dixon is a narrative journalist, copywriter, and content strategist with more than 20 years of experience covering race, culture, equity, and social justice. Her work has appeared in Essence, Ebony, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Smithsonian, and more than 50 other publications. She holds a B.A. from Lincoln University and an M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University.

6 min read • Originally published February 17, 2015 / Updated April 16, 2021

View O, The Oprah Magazine’s masthead

Janelle Harris Dixon is a narrative journalist, copywriter, and content strategist with more than 20 years of experience covering race, culture, equity, and social justice. Her work has appeared in Essence, Ebony, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Smithsonian, and more than 50 other publications. She holds a B.A. from Lincoln University and an M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University.

6 min read • Originally published February 17, 2015 / Updated April 16, 2021

Circulation: 2.4 million
Frequency: Monthly
Special issues: None. Every issue has a theme.

Background: In the decade and a half since it launched, O, The Oprah Magazine has accumulated media accolades aplenty, including a 2014 National Magazine Award, and amassed an enviable army of devoted readers. Oprah’s brand game is strong, always has been, and that’s been demonstrated in her ability to turn a new book into a national best seller at the mention of its title or a mere human into a superstar with a single appearance on her show.

That said, O has plenty of competition for newsstand sales, including Redbook, Good Housekeeping and Real Simple, none of which are lightweights themselves. But the positive tone of its content and the focus on helping readers live an unapologetically joyful life is what editors believe sets it apart, both for the folks who read it and those who create it.

“O’s mission is to help women live their best lives. Our reader is always searching for deeper meaning and fulfillment, and for advice that will improve her world in ways both large and small,” explained executive editor Amy Maclin, who describes O devotees as open-minded, engaged and compassionate with a sense of humor. “She might come to our magazine to find a career she loves, a favorite new author or just a little bit of peace and quiet amid the chaos of an ordinary day.”

Maclin and other editors want O to be a place where each reader can drop down into herself and discover more about her unique “her-ness.” What’s important to her? What’s her purpose in life? What does she want for herself? How does she want to get better? Who’s her authentic self and what’s great about her?

To help women find answers to those core questions that drive inner peace and self-improvement, content touches on every area of life, starting with self. That’s where freelancers hoping to pitch salable stories would be well-advised to start, as well.

What to pitch: There are topics that always find a home on the pages of O: transformation, makeovers, decluttering, giving and wellness. “We have certain things we’re always coming back to,” said Maclin, “but we also add new things to the mix.” The features well, the soul of the mag, is packaged into monthly themes that focus heavily on service in a sharp, timely way.

Develop a story idea that will deliver life-improving value to the O reader and use the editorial calendar (registration required) to your advantage. Themes for each issue are listed there. But, even if your timing isn’t optimal, a potentially good story will still be considered. “Just because a pitch isn’t right right now doesn’t mean it won’t be right months from now, if it’s an interesting idea,” said Maclin. “It’s not unusual for something to seem really interesting or fun or fresh and for one of us to say, ‘You know what? I like this idea. Can I keep it for another issue if you don’t place it before then?'” Overall, editors place a high premium on excellent writing that tells great narratives and appeals to multigenerational readers.

Another pitchable part of the mag, the “Feeling Good” section, houses far-reaching health content, covering everything from fitness and nutrition to mental health. “One of the great things about the health section in O is that we’re not really following a rubric,” said health editor Jihan Thompson. “There’s really a lot of room to pitch whatever you find out there that is interesting, timely, newsy and that would matter from a women’s health angle.”

Stories range from 450 to 1,200 words and can be Q&As, profiles, reported pieces or anything else freelancers can conjure. Thompson is especially looking for writers who can interpret medical studies and distill the results into easy-to-understand bits for readers.

“It’s really important that when people do send pitches, they really give me an idea of what the science is, what’s happening out there right now to make this a piece we should run,” she said. “Don’t just say there’s a new medical trend; really show me the science to back it up.”

Something else to keep in mind as you’re developing your pitch: make it stand out by packaging your story in an exceptional way. Editors like clever twists on evergreen topics, so thinking creatively—like a list or an unexpected comparative—goes a long way.

What not to pitch: Books, fashion and beauty are now all written in house and the “May We Help You” section is expertly—and exclusively—written by Dr. Oz, Suze Orman and Dr. Phil.

Online opportunities: None

What publicists should pitch: The cardinal rule of pitching O—and any other mag, for that matter—is simply “know the content.” A scattershot approach turns into white noise and doesn’t bode well for the publicist doing it or the others coming after, who may perhaps have good ideas but be lumped into the ignore section, Maclin said. “I get a lot of pitches for things we just don’t cover, like hard liquor or indelicate products. I want to feel that someone has read our magazine and really thought about what our reader wants.” Also: be mindful of which editor should be receiving your pitch. “I’m looking at my inbox right now and I’ve got a pitch for eco-friendly tote bags, but I don’t cover that. Target your pitches to the editor who covers that department,” Maclin added.

Percentage of freelance content published: 40 percent
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: The percentage is small, but editors are always open to great pitches.

Recent freelance stories pitched and published: Writer Laura Beil pitched a health story, “Should You Say No to a Mammo?,” that ran in the February 2015 issue. Personal essays from the August 2014 “How to Spark a Breakthrough” package included two standout pitched pieces: “They Can be Sparked by the Smallest, Silliest Stuff,” by Sue Fliess and “They Don’t Always Look Like Breakthroughs,” by Beth Levine.

Etiquette: Follow up in two weeks if you haven’t heard back, but there’s really no need to do so more than once. And no phone calls, please.

Lead time: Four to five months
Pay rate: $2 a word
Payment schedule: On acceptance
Kill fee: 25 percent
Rights purchased: First North American

Contact info:
O, The Oprah Magazine
300 West 57th Street, 36th Floor
New York, NY 10019
(212) 903-5366
oprah.com/app/o-magazine.html
Twitter |Facebook
Email format: FirstInitialLastName@hearst.com or FirstName.Lastname@hearst.com

Direct pitches to the appropriate editor:
Associate Editor Zoe Donaldson: ZDONALDSON at HEARST dot COM

Deputy Editor Brie Schwartz; BSCHWARTZ at HEARST dot COM

Contributing Lifestyle Editor Holly Carter: HOLLY dot CARTER at HEARST dot COM

Senior Fashion and Accessories Editor Paula Lee: PAULA dot LEE at HEARST dot COM

Culture Editor Elena Nicolaou : ELENA dot NICOLAOU at HEARST dot COM

EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.

Topics:

Pitch new york

Pitch editors something scintillating about the city that never sleeps

Janelle Harris Dixon is a narrative journalist, copywriter, and content strategist with more than 20 years of experience covering race, culture, equity, and social justice. Her work has appeared in Essence, Ebony, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Smithsonian, and more than 50 other publications. She holds a B.A. from Lincoln University and an M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University.

7 min read • Originally published September 6, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

Janelle Harris Dixon is a narrative journalist, copywriter, and content strategist with more than 20 years of experience covering race, culture, equity, and social justice. Her work has appeared in Essence, Ebony, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Smithsonian, and more than 50 other publications. She holds a B.A. from Lincoln University and an M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University.

7 min read • Originally published September 6, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

Circulation: 400,000; readership is closer to 1.8 million, including the tablet edition
Frequency: Biweekly
Special issues involve a rotating list of topics, which can include Tech and Design (fall), Reasons to Love New York (end of year) and two biannual fashion issues (fall and spring)

Background: Five boroughs, 8 million people and the distinction of being the “Crossroads of the World” make New York City sheer editorial inspiration. For nearly 45 years, its idiosyncrasies have danced like lights across the Great White Way on the pages of New York magazine. And like NYC itself, the eponymous mag is hip, trendy and always looking for the next big thing.

Born in 1968 after splintering from the New York Herald-Tribune, where it started as an insert, the mag quickly made a place for itself as the trusted print confidante of the city’s most knowing readers. Its original mission was—and will always be—to mirror NYC’s unique energy, while celebrating the stories, culture and style that make New York, New York.

Under the tutelage of current print editor Jared Hohlt, however, the boundaries of editorial content are pressing beyond the five boroughs into national, even international, interests.

“When freelancers are thinking about the types of stories to pitch to us, don’t assume that because it does not take place in the Tri-state area that it’s not right for us,” he explains. “If it’s an interesting story that can be told with a New York viewpoint—and by that, I mean kind of a curious, smart, sometimes skeptical but not default-cynical take on life, politics, culture, whatever— then great. We’re all for it.” In short, think perspective, not necessarily location.

Editorial for the now-biweekly is largely generated in house. The people who make up the masthead are so intimately familiar with New York style and subject matter, it’s easier to roll out content themselves. That doesn’t mean Hohlt and his fellow eds aren’t looking for poignant ideas.

“It’s true that the majority of our stories are written by staff and contract writers. For that reason,” he said, “a freelance pitch that provides unusual insight and access into a slightly more hidden world or scene has a better chance of becoming a story here.”

What to pitch: As with any other mag, some sections are riper for the freelance picking. “Culture” is one of them. The key to getting in there, again, is to create an interesting angle that hasn’t been explored by the staff.

“I think we’re particularly interested in more pitches that have to do with the business of culture, like a reported story about a dispute on a cultural board somewhere or some revealing details about how a cultural product like a movie, play or book got made,” says Hohlt.

Since it’s their business to stay on top of new releases, New York staffers are fiercely savvy about what’s coming down the entertainment pipeline.

There are other beats, however, that staffers aren’t as attuned to and those are the cultural scenes and resulting highlights that excite both editors and readers. Here’s another little nugget to perk you up: Not all of them need a hard news peg.

“This section is not just about covering a movie a week or two before it comes out. One freelance pitch that we ended up publishing as a story was about whether Dorothy Parker, um, ‘borrowed’ a story idea from Nabokov,” Hohlt recalls.

Another front-of-book section, “Intelligencer,” includes the “Minutes With” feature, also prime freelance territory. Detail an encounter with somebody in just about any world—entertainment, politics, business, sports, technology, etc.—and make a narrative out of the moments you spent in his or her company.

“In the best-case scenario, you’re watching that person do something that she or he would have been doing anyway, whether a writer was there or not: conducting business or teaching a dog to play the piano,” Hohlt says. “It’s meant to be an activity with that person, ideally not your run-of-the-mill lunch, that sheds some interesting light on what he or she does professionally and also just likes to do for fun.”

Visual articles for front-of-book are also pitchable, though opportunities for them are scantier and require a stronger hook. The occasional feature “Life In Pictures,” for example, is essentially the visual equivalent of “Minutes With” and photographically outlines a day spent with a noteworthy person.

“That said,” Hohlt adds, “we are always open to interesting, innovative and even totally off-the-wall pitches for other sorts of visual articles.

Do you remember that kid who got lost and rode the subway for a few days by himself a number of months ago? In the wake of his being found and reunited with his parents—thank goodness—we asked an illustrator and a reporter to team up and tell the story of what this boy saw and ran it in a kind of comic-book form.” Get creative with storytelling methods and get editors’ attention.

What not to pitch: The columns in “Intelligencer” are regularly executed by hand-selected writers, so freelancers need not inquire or pitch. Also, don’t bother trying to sell stories on major political figures, athletes, bankers, movie stars or celebrities in the news unless you wield some special relationship with or link to them.

Don’t take it personally if New York eds run a piece on a subject that you pitched and please, oh please, says Hohlt, don’t think staffers stole your story idea. That just means they were already on it before you clicked “send” on your email. Happens to all of us. Better luck next time.

“Chances are, if we are interested in that person, we’ve been interested in that person already, a staff member has a connection to them or we’ve written about them before,” says Hohlt, who added that there are no other hard and fast rules against pitching to any section of the magazine.

Percent of freelance content published: 15-20 percent
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: Without doing an analysis, Hohlt says it would be tough to say, but not a lot.

Online opportunities: Yes, particularly for timelier stuff. “I think it’s safe to say that the balance of opportunity for freelancers looking to quickly capitalize on breaking news, some fantastic find or reporting tidbit has shifted toward the digital side. There is just more opportunity there,” says Hohlt.

Freelance stories pitched and published: “Meet the 4 Most Desired People in New York (According to OKCupid)” was written by freelance writer and former New York staffer Logan Hill. The piece ran both in the print mag and online, so it lives on in editorial perpetuity. “The Day I Started Lying to Ruth,” by Peter B. Bach, is also another shining example of a pitch gone right.

What publicists should pitch: Along with the move to biweekly frequency, the masterminds behind New York are publishing three special issues, each devoted to a single topic. They promise to be fertile ground for publicists: June is a special health issue, coinciding with the annual Best Doctors list; November boasts a bonus food and drink/holiday entertaining issue; and of course there’s the ultimate holiday gift guide, which will probably include “shoppable” content.

Etiquette: Email pitches along with a few sample clips, and feel free to follow up via email if you haven’t heard back within a week. Pitch one editor at a time—or, at most, two, if they both work on the same section. Sending a blanket email to the entire masthead is a definite no-no.

Lead time: Now that New York is biweekly, print issues are closing every other week, which means turnaround needs to be relatively fast on any story. Hohlt advises that particularly newsy pieces are better off being pitched for online.

Pay rate: Negotiable; starts at $1.50 a word
Payment schedule: On publication
Kill fee: 25 percent
Rights purchased: First world rights for 30 days

Contact info:
New York
75 Varick Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 508-0700
nymag.com
Twitter | Facebook
Email format: FirstName.LastName@nymag.com

Direct pitches to the appropriate editor:
For “Intelligencer,” senior editor :  NOREEN dot MALONE at NYMAG dot COM (she oversees the Minutes With column);
or Editor in Chief David Haskell: DAVID dot HASKELL at NYMAG dot COM

For “Strategist,” Deputy Editor Alexis Swerdloff or  senior editor Jessica Silvester:  ALEXIS dot SWERDLOFF at NYMAG dot COM; JESSICA dot SILVESTER at NYMAG dot COM

For features:
Editor in Chief David Haskell: DAVID dot HASKELL at NYMAG dot COM;
or  Editor at Large David Wallace-Wells:  DAVID dot WALLACE-WELLS at NYMAG dot COM;
or Features Editor Genevieve Smith: GENEVIEVE dot SMITH at NYMAG dot COM

For “Daily Intel” and Web, NYmag.com Deputy Editor Jebediah Reed:  JEBEDIAH dot REED at NYMAG dot COM

Hohlt says it’s also important for freelancers to direct content to Vulture and the Cut; mention it in the subject line.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.

Topics:

View the National Geographic Traveler masthead

How To Pitch: National Geographic Traveler

A timely pitch and strong narrative voice is in demand at this travel mag for global explorers

By Amanda Layman Low

@AmandaLaymanLow

Amanda Layman is a B2B tech content writer and strategist with over 15 years of experience creating content for startups and enterprise brands. She founded Tigris, a content agency serving leading tech companies, and authored The New Freelance: A Book for Writers.

5 min read • Originally published April 18, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

By Amanda Layman Low

@AmandaLaymanLow

Amanda Layman is a B2B tech content writer and strategist with over 15 years of experience creating content for startups and enterprise brands. She founded Tigris, a content agency serving leading tech companies, and authored The New Freelance: A Book for Writers.

5 min read • Originally published April 18, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

Circulation: 615,000
Frequency: Six issues a year
Special issues: Best of the World (December)

Background: A perennial favorite among starry-eyed globetrotters, National Geographic Traveler is more than just a magazine. According to features editor Amy Alipio, the colorful, photography-dense publication is the “world’s most trusted source for travel inspiration, planning and experience, whether in print or on digital platforms.”

Launched in 1984, Traveler emphasizes travel over tourism, with stories that focus on local life as well as major hot spots. And as a magazine that distributes content in 16 local languages, Traveler appeals to an international audience.

“Our mission is to provide travel stories that are immediate, immersive, surprising, daring, experiential, authoritative and fun,” says Alipio. “We believe that travel transforms lives and that everyone is an explorer. Travel is not an occasional activity but an ongoing engagement with the world.” The magazine offers its readers global expertise with resources that range from inspiring, action-packed essays to service pieces.

For instance, an August/September 2015 essay, “River Dance,” used sensory-rich imagery and dialogue to take the reader along on a two-week boat trip down the Grand Canyon, offering tidbits of history told through local voices. By contrast, a short October 2015 food-and-drink article highlighted a rising trend in cider-only bars across the United States. And another short piece in that issue, “Maximum Milan,” offered a snappy, 1,000-word tour through a city often overlooked by its grander Italian counterparts.

What to pitch: Alipio says, “We are always open to receiving new pitches from outstanding writers with a distinct voice and compelling story idea.” With that in mind, she states that the front of book is the best place for freelancers to break in. Want to stand out? Craft a pitch that’s timely, and pay extra attention to your craft. Language should be succinct and written “with pizzazz.”

For FOB, Traveler publishes newsy stories that reveal a strong sense of place. The section names differ from issue to issue, but many of these stories are short roundups, language-rich vignettes about an unusual or hard-to-reach location, or brief profiles of famous people with a travel spin.

What’s essential is that the piece is entertaining and has a strong visual element. Story subjects can include art, food, adventure, pop culture, wildlife, hotels and more—the key is to maintain a strong narrative voice.

“Got an obsession or a passion you travel the world for? Found a new angle on an old place, or an old angle on a new place? Do you have some exclusive insight into a destination or travel experience? We’re all ears,” says Alipio. “We’re happy to get pitches on well-known cities and interesting road trips, as much as obscure, hard-to-reach places.”

What not to pitch: The only sections off-limits to freelancers are “Your Shot,” a short profile on a travel photographer, and the back page, which shows a visual and verbal snapshot of a particular place. And, like most renowned travel publications, don’t send a query asking, “Are you interested in a piece on X destination?” These will invariably be answered with, “It depends on the angle.”

Develop your story around a distinct, fresh arc—and make yourself aware of what the magazine has published recently, so as not to tread on material that’s already been covered.

Online opportunities: The same rules apply as for print. Alipio says all pitches should be “well-written, timely, authentic and compelling.” For online, send your queries to TRAVELPITCHES at NATGEO dot COM.

What publicists should pitch? Smart, timely stories that fit Nat Geo Travel’s interest in sense of place.

Percentage of freelance content published: 95 percent
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: 2 percent for features; 20 percent to 40 percent for departments

Recent freelance story pitched and published: “A Toast to Georgia,” by Tara Isabella Burton, which ran in the June/July 2014, detailed a location that Traveler doesn’t typically cover, but the editors were intrigued because of its authenticity and variety.

“It was packed with travel experiences, from culture to food to adventure, and she had a personal connection to the place, having grown up there,” says Alipio.

The other aspect that caught their eye was that her take was very specific. “The piece was about how Georgian tradition remains strong despite contemporary pressures. She had a young and fresh voice. The piece was full of dialogue, ‘you-are-there’ scenes and nuanced insight.” It was her first piece to appear in Traveler.

Etiquette: Traveler prefers pitches by email. The subject line should begin with “QUERY” in all caps and include a catchy topic described there as well. Direct pitches to the appropriate editor. Include clips in PDF format or as links if it is your first time pitching. A follow-up email after a month is fine, but editors request you don’t follow up by phone.

Lead time: At least three months, but up to a year or more
Pay rate: $1 to $2 a word, possibly more for features
Payment schedule: Pay on acceptance
Kill fee: 25 percent
Rights purchased: All rights purchased. Copyright is returned 90 days after publication.

Contact Info:
National Geographic Traveler
1145 17th St. NW
Washington, DC 20036
travel.nationalgeographic.com
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest
Email format: FirstInitialLastName@NatGeo.com or FirstName.LastName@NatGeo.com

Direct pitches to:
Senior Editor Amy Alipio: AMY dot ALIPIO at NATGEO dot COM

Editor In Chief, Executive Editor George W. Stone: GEORGE dot STONE at NATGEO dot COM

Associate Editor Rachel Brown: RACHEL dot BROWN at NATGEO dot COM

Associate Editor Brooke Sabin: BROOK dot SABIN at NATGEO dot COM

EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.

Topics:

Go Freelance, How to Pitch

How To Pitch: Ms.

This historic publication is looking for pitches that focus on feminism and equality

By Dana Robinson

Dana Robinson is a freelance health, beauty, and culture writer with 20 years of experience creating content for publications including Shape, WeightWatchers, Wine Enthusiast, AARP, and Southwest: The Magazine. She holds a master's degree in mass communication from California State University-Northridge.

4 min read • Originally published December 14, 2018 / Updated April 13, 2021

By Dana Robinson

Dana Robinson is a freelance health, beauty, and culture writer with 20 years of experience creating content for publications including Shape, WeightWatchers, Wine Enthusiast, AARP, and Southwest: The Magazine. She holds a master's degree in mass communication from California State University-Northridge.

4 min read • Originally published December 14, 2018 / Updated April 13, 2021

Circulation: 65,000
Frequency: Quarterly

Background: Ms. magazine launched in the early 1970s and became a booming voice of the Women’s Movement—shining a light on women’s issues that went beyond fashion and beauty and into the world of civil rights, politics and equality. And although nearly 50 years have passed since its inception its mission remains the same. “We define ourselves as the essential information partner to the contemporary feminist movement,” says Katherine Spillar, executive editor. The publication’s pages are filled with in-depth investigative reporting, feminist analysis, opinion pieces about current events, and a general focus on solutions journalism.

Ms. is targeted toward a feminist audience and its readership is about 15% male. But what sets it apart from other publications that cover women’s issues is its appeal to a wide age range. “We get letters-to-the-editor from 9-year-olds, all the way up to women in their 90s who tell us that they have every single issue of the magazine ever published,” says Spillar. “[Feminists of any age] will find something of interest in the magazine.”

What to pitch: Ms. editors mostly generate ideas internally and farm assignments out to trusted freelance writers, but they are open to accepting cold pitches from new writers. They’re mostly looking for freelancers who understand the publication’s mission, and the best places to send a pitch are to the following sections:

National and Global News: Ms. has a worldwide reach, therefore editors are looking for reported news stories that go beyond the 50 states. Freelancers should pitch news items that relate to the status of women and girls across the globe and showcases the work that’s being done around a particular feminist issue. “We don’t just report what’s happening, we want to [know] what’s being done about it,” says Spillar. Word count: 500-1000.

Features: Reported pieces that are filtered through a feminist lens are more likely to get an editor’s attention. Pitches should showcase the work that’s being done to solve problems and to advance the causes of equality and social justice. Word count: 1000-3000.

Ms. magazine has a number of departments: Health, Money, Women’s Studies, and Media. Health articles should focus on the politics of women’s health (e.g. underfunded research into diseases that impact women; how the medical establishment ignores women’s health issues). Money articles investigate how the economy and the federal budget impacts women. Women’s Studies looks at research that’s being produced in various areas of academic women’s studies programs. Media Analysis critiques how the media and entertainment industry handle women’s issues. Word count: 500-1000.

What not to pitch: The “Keeping Score” FOB section is handled in house.

Online opportunities: Since Ms. only publishes quarterly, writers have a much better chance of getting their story ideas posted on the publication’s website. Editors are looking for stories that correlate with national and global news reporting. Freelancers can pitch reported pieces as well as opinion, analysis, and first-person stories. Word count: 500-700. Ms. does not pay for online content.

What publicists should pitch and when: Publicists representing experts who can provide comment on a hot button women’s issue should feel free to reach out to Ms. editors. Lead time is 24 hrs.-3 months.

Percentage of freelance-written content: Print: 90%; Online: 80%
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: Print: 25%; Online: 50%

Recent freelance stories pitched and published: #MeTooMcDonalds: Fast-Food Workers Just Made History with a Nationwide Strike Against Sexual Harassment was pitched by a freelancer. The writer quoted actual fast-food workers who took to the streets, and his on-the-ground reporting allowed Ms. to shine a light on the movement, says digital editor, Carmen Rios. A Brazil-based freelancer also penned Ele Não: Women Stand United Against the “Brazilian Trump”. She has been following Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump-like Brazilian military leader, and provided unique, first-hand reporting on this critical situation for women, says Rios.

Etiquette: Pitches should be about 2-3 paragraphs and should mention two crucial factors: why you are uniquely qualified to write this piece, and why the piece is right for Ms.

Lead time: 24 hrs.-3 months
Pay rate: .50-$2/word.

Payment schedule: 30 days after publication

Kill fee: 50%
Rights purchased: All rights, but may vary

Contact info:
Ms.
433 S. Beverly Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
MsMagazine.com
Twitter handle: @MsMagazine | Facebook
Email: FirstInitialLastName@MsMagazine.com

Direct all pitches to:
Managing Editor Michel Circero: MCICERO at MSMAGAZINE dot COM

Executive Editor Katherine Spillar: KSPILLAR at MSMAGAZINE dot COM

Associate Editor Roxy Szal: RSZAL at MSMAGAZINE dot COM

Topics:

Pitch mental floss

This mag for the knowledge junkie seeks writers skilled in artful storytelling

By Andrea Williams

@AndreaWillWrite

Andrea Williams is an author, journalist, and columnist for The Tennessean with over 16 years of experience in journalism and 20 years in copywriting and communications strategy. Her work spans national outlets and high-traffic digital brands.

7 min read • Originally published September 12, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

By Andrea Williams

@AndreaWillWrite

Andrea Williams is an author, journalist, and columnist for The Tennessean with over 16 years of experience in journalism and 20 years in copywriting and communications strategy. Her work spans national outlets and high-traffic digital brands.

7 min read • Originally published September 12, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

Circulation: 150,000
Frequency: Six issues a year
Special issues: the Biggest Questions Issue; the Genius Issue

Background: There’s typically one at every office party or industry networking event: The guy who walks around doling out bits of useless trivia to innocent bystanders, covering topics as wide-ranging as the mating patterns of red-throated parrot finches and the middle names of all attendees at the Constitutional Convention.

And while you may have attributed his genius antics to a genetic predisposition for retaining interesting factoids, there may be a more likely explanation—Mental Floss magazine.

According to editor in chief Jessanne Collins, Mental Floss is the magazine for people who are “interested in learning things they didn’t even know they were interested in learning.”

She adds: “Super broadly, I’d say that we’re for knowledge junkies and, in general, I think of our reader as being the type of person who would spend hours on Wikipedia if they could, just learning all kinds of different things and going down all different kinds of rabbit holes.”

There’s no set formula for coverage, as the magazine’s subject matter is broad and touches on just about everything (including, perhaps, those darn parrot finches). As such, readers looking for a copy of Mental Floss at their local Barnes & Noble may find it shelved with National Geographic, or Wired or somewhere in between, depending on its featured stories that month.

“Some of our readers also read smart, future-looking magazines like Wired or The New Yorker, but no one out there is really doing what we’re doing,” says Collins. “I think it distills down to our mission to inform as well as entertain, to sort of broach the line between having fun and bettering your understanding of something, and to embrace and celebrate curious minds.”

What to pitch: For veteran freelancers, or those who’ve read more than a few of our “How To Pitch” articles, the typical strategy for breaking into a magazine is to start with the front-of-book, where the number of potential assignments runs high and the editorial risk of taking a chance on a new writer is relatively low. Not so with Mental Floss.

The best place for freelancers to snag their first Mental Floss byline is definitely in “Left Brain, Right Brain,” a section that is almost entirely freelancer written, with stories that range from 650 to 1,800 words.

Stories tend to touch on one subject area (economics, literature, history, biology, etc.), but no matter the focus, there is one common thread: artful storytelling.

“I think the crux of what we do is telling a really crazy, interesting narrative story,” Collins explains. “There are usually interesting characters and dramatic tension—things that make for a compelling story. And then there’s a second part to it, which is some kind of academic takeaway. You’re getting a taste of what is going on in that field of research (or science or history) at the same time that you’re being compelled to read on in the story.”

Specifically, editors love origin stories. A piece on the history of Choose Your Own Adventure books—telling the story of the editor who discovered them and how the books became a marketing phenomenon—was published, as was one on the history of the Rubix cube.

Editors also like science stories that report on people doing interesting things out in the field. Finally, “101 Masterpieces” is a pitchable section that counts down 101 great works of art, literature, TV and film throughout history.

“Some of it’s very modern, some of it’s more historical, and that’s a good area for a freelancer to pitch because there’s a pretty clear formula to it,” says Collins. “Again, we’re looking for that really interesting story about how this work of art was created, whether or not it’s very well known, and we’re making a case for how this thing changed culture in some way.”

But whether you’re pitching a “Left Brain, Right Brain” piece or a standalone feature, there’s one thing that’s sure to make your queries sing. “We love to have memorable facts—the kind of thing you can’t wait to tell friends or love to pull out of your back pocket while making small talk,” says Collins. Include a couple of those in your pitch, and you’ll be that much closer to an assignment.

What not to pitch: Sections that are conceived in house and are, thus, very hard to pitch include “Scatterbrain” in the mag’s FOB, as well as any themed well packages. They’re not completely closed to freelancers, though, because once Collins and her staff have agreed on a direction for the stories, they typically turn to freelancers they’ve worked with in the past to execute them.

Online opportunities: “For Mentalfloss.com, our editors will consider pitches on evergreen stories, or stories tied to events or dates at least three weeks away,” says Erin McCarthy, digital executive editor. “We’re mostly looking for ideas around history, science and language, but we also write about pop culture and literature and sports and random things Bill Murray does.”

To pitch, send a sample headline and a one-paragraph summary, and, adds McCarthy, “Please spend a few minutes on Mentalfloss.com to better understand our tone and help bump up our traffic stats.”

What publicists should pitch: The good news for PR pros is that Collins and crew work with publicists a lot—especially in the fields of travel, books and spirits and liquor. The not-so-good news is that, unless you’ve taken the time to get a feel for the magazine and the types of products that generally run, the odds of getting a placement are virtually nonexistent.

“There has to be some sort of smart, weird or quirky hook to any hotel or restaurant pitch, and similar with spirits; it’s not just about making a drink, it’s about learning about the history of the spirit and some of the interesting facts and context,” says Collins.

“For books, there’s kind of a quirky, off-beat, primarily nonfiction type of aesthetic we’re looking for. It’s really about just being familiar with what we do and the types of things we cover, as well as the angles we cover things from.”

Percentage of freelance content published: 50 percent
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: About 25 percent, though that percentage doesn’t reflect the number of freelancers who score assignments unrelated to their initial pitch.

Recent freelance stories pitched and published: In keeping with the mag’s love of backstory, freelancers have pitched and published pieces on the history of the ice cream truck and Choose Your Own Adventure books. “Welcome to the Body Farm,” a feature on a unique forensic science lab at the University of Tennessee, also got a green light.

Etiquette: Shorter is better, says Collins, but that doesn’t mean you can get by with a haphazard, flimsy pitch: “I really want to see a sense of what the story is, who the characters are and the journey I’m going to go on reading this story.”

“Like everything, there’s something very obvious about someone who’s done their research and aimed their pitch in a direction that makes sense for us, versus someone who’s just casting seeds to the wind,” adds Collins. “In those cases, I tend to pay more attention. Even if it’s not a pitch that I’m ultimately interested in, it shows me that someone has invested the time and is actually interested in the publication, and could be an asset in some other way for something I am interested in.”

Clips are important, too, but only if they reflect the kind of writing that Mental Floss is known for publishing. Add Collins, “I’m not interested in seeing clips that are ‘5 Things About X’; that’s not really what we do.”

Lead time: Four to five months
Pay rate: $1 a word for print; Web rates vary
Payment schedule: On publication
Kill fee: 20 percent
Rights purchased: All rights

Contact info:
Mental Floss magazine
55 West 39th Street
New York, NY 10018
Mentalfloss.com
Twitter | Facebook
Email format: FirstName@minutemedia.com

Direct pitches to:

Editor in Chief Erin McCarthy: ERIN at MINUTEMEDIA dot COM

Special Projects Editor Jason Serafino: JASON at MINUTEMEDIA dot COM

Science Editor Kat Long: KAT at MINUTEMEDIA dot COM

Senior Editor Kirstin Hunt: KIRSTIN at MINUTEMEDIA dot COM

Managing Editor Jennifer Wood: JENNIFER at MINUTEMEDIA dot COM

EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.

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How To Pitch: JSTOR Daily

This digital pub seeks feature writers who can tie current events to its scholarly archives

5 min read • Originally published March 16, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

5 min read • Originally published March 16, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

Monthly unique visitors: 50,000
Frequency: Daily

Background: JSTOR Daily launched in October 2014 as a way to showcase JSTOR, a massive digital library of academic journals, books and primary sources available by subscription to public libraries, research institutions, museums and schools.

JSTOR stands for journal storage and is a nonprofit founded in 1995 to help store digital copies of journals that just didn’t fit on bookshelves. Today JSTOR provides full-text searches of more than five million journal articles.

JSTOR’s online publication, JSTOR Daily, was created as a platform for thought-provoking stories that contextualize the world and provide insight by tapping into the content available via JSTOR. In fact, every article links to supporting material on JSTOR.

“We are looking at current news stories and giving you the scholarly backstory,” says editor Catherine Halley, who relies almost entirely on freelance contributors. “We’re writing stories that link to and provide context for the scholarship that’s housed on JSTOR. It’s as if we were going to the shelves of a library and saying [to researchers], ‘Look at this book,’ ‘Look at this article,’ but we’re doing that in a digital way.”

Halley says JSTOR Daily appeals to a curious audience. She considers The Conversation US, Smithsonian’s SmartNews blog, and the Los Angeles Review of Books among its top competitors.

“Our readers want to read stories that make them a little bit smarter,” says Halley. And no topic is off limits. Take Fifty Shades of Grey, for instance. The movie, adapted from E.L. James’ book, set a record as the highest-grossing Presidents Day opener in history. JSTOR Daily ran a story that compared the titillating series to a book by Elinor Glyn called It.

While tame today, It was racy and highly controversial when it published during the Prohibition era. The article looked at how people thought about and talked about sex, providing the story behind the news story in a historical context.

What to pitch: JSTOR Daily is especially in need of features on technology, history, business and economics for its “Long Reads” section. These stories are published once a week on Wednesdays and run from 1,800 to 2,000 words. Ideally, the feature will have a hook that’s tied to a newsworthy event or an upcoming anniversary.

Halley advises that you think of these as a new way to explore a current topic. “It’s slow news,” she says, adding that features should identify patterns between current events and scholarly work, provide the backstory for new studies, and keep a conversational, approachable tone. The idea is to reference journals, not to sound like them.

One example is a feature on FDA regulations on calorie disclosures at fast-food restaurants. “Can Information Fight Fat?” used statistics from journal studies to discuss the debate on the link between calorie disclosure and its impact on a person’s weight. “It’s not just scientific,” says Halley of the article sources. “Much of the content we’re surfacing is archival. We’re trying to create thought-provoking stories that appeal to a general reader, but draw on scholarly research.”

While features are the biggest need, if you’re interested in writing a column or blog, Halley encourages these queries as well. Columns range from 750 to 1,000 words, and blog posts run from 350 to 500 words.

Columns are typically op-ed pieces written by a freelance academic writer. For instance, “(Un)Catalogued: Finding Your Place By Looking at Maps” was written by a historian who was inspired while conducting research for a book on the Civil War and the American Southwest.

Halley encourages prospective freelancers to create a free Register and Read account on JSTOR and do some preliminary research to spur ideas. For additional details, writers should read the submission guidelines.

What not to pitch: No section is closed to freelancers. However, you should avoid pitching one-dimensional stories on what’s happening now. Use the wealth of content in the JSTOR digital library to your advantage.

What publicists should pitch: Publicists should send information on current trends, particularly if they can be traced to a historical trend or past behavior that could send a writer digging through the database. Pitches related to upcoming milestones and cultural anniversaries are also of interest.

Percentage of freelance content publishe: 90 percent
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: 10 percent

Recent freelance stories pitched and published: The site ran a “Long Reads” story on the blockbuster film The Birth of a Nation, which discussed its 100-year anniversary with links to both JSTOR content and outside sources. Halley says she liked how the story helped a reader understand a cultural moment in a way that wouldn’t be possible without the academic perspective.

Also, a blog post (So You Want to Move to Mars?) analyzed the one-way trip to Mars that’s being organized by Mars One. “It’s taking this thing everybody is talking about giving it context by looking at the science behind it,” explains Halley.

Etiquette: Email your pitch and include links to clips or attach one or two samples. In your subject line, reference the query type as “feature pitch,” “column pitch” or “blog pitch.” Your final piece must link to content that’s available on JSTOR, so your pitch should reference some initial research from the nonprofit’s archives.

Note that Halley is the only one presently reading pitches, so she urges writers to be patient if she doesn’t respond right away.

Lead time: Two months
Pay rate: Varies from about $50 to $500
Payment schedule: Net 30 days; writers must invoice
Kill fee: Not yet established
Rights purchased: All rights

Contact info:
JSTOR Daily
2 Rector Street, 18th floor
New York, NY 10006
daily.jstor.org
Twitter | Facebook

Direct all pitches to: JSTORDAILY_SUBMISSIONS at JSTOR dot ORG

Editor n Chief Catherine Halley: CATHERINE dot HALLEY at JSTOR dot ORG

EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.

Topics:

How To Pitch: Jezebel

Celebrate the unfiltered realness of womanhood on this feminist-centric blog

Janelle Harris Dixon is a narrative journalist, copywriter, and content strategist with more than 20 years of experience covering race, culture, equity, and social justice. Her work has appeared in Essence, Ebony, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Smithsonian, and more than 50 other publications. She holds a B.A. from Lincoln University and an M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University.

5 min read • Originally published April 12, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

Janelle Harris Dixon is a narrative journalist, copywriter, and content strategist with more than 20 years of experience covering race, culture, equity, and social justice. Her work has appeared in Essence, Ebony, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Smithsonian, and more than 50 other publications. She holds a B.A. from Lincoln University and an M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University.

5 min read • Originally published April 12, 2016 / Updated April 13, 2021

Monthly unique visitors: 11.8 million in the US; 15 million globally
Updated: Daily
Special packages: None, but pegs around holidays are always welcome

Background: Jezebel was a pioneer in the pantheon of cool, snarky, flame-throwing opinion blogs and websites sharing the interests of women. When it launched in 2007, its founder, Anna Holmes, was pretty candid about her distaste for the messaging conveyed by traditional women’s magazines and how the site was a reaction to their failure to represent real, unairbrushed womanhood. Much of the content posted on Jezebel was in direct response to the articles print outlets and their online iterations were and weren’t publishing.

The industry has changed in the nine years since Jezebel hit the Web, and a lot of blogs and magazines that weren’t even targeting women have become more inclusive of topics that offer honest experiences this demographic might relate to. Still, Jezebel remains a standout.

“We’re trying to push the envelope in terms of what stories aren’t being told, what stories are out there, what things we’re finding interesting. That’s a huge range from politics to reproductive rights to celebrity,” says senior editor Kate Dries. “But our focus is always humor. We always want to be funny and not take ourselves too seriously. It’s not appropriate for every story, but I’d say it’s the attitude of most of our writers, if not all.”

What to pitch: Most of the pitches to the site are about celebrities, pop culture and music. Also pitchable is their politics subblog The Slot, where their stellar election coverage currently lives.

“The stuff that works really well [for all areas of the site] is stuff that requires a little more work and is more deeply researched, like historical pieces and pieces about parts of the country where we don’t have staffers,” Dries explains.

Covering regional stories, trends and insights is a great opportunity for writers who can make what’s going on locally an interesting read to women nationally. Dries adds, “That’s hugely important to us. Most of us are based in New York. We can’t be in all parts of the country or in all parts of the world.”

Under the direction of editor Emma Carmichael, the blog magnetizes a readership of largely 20- and 30-somethings who either consider themselves feminists or embrace the passions of it, even if they don’t identify with the label. To get an assignment, freelancers interested in contributing need to fluently speak the language of that demographic and do it in the blog’s signature style.

One key thing to note: “Our readership is predominantly young women, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only people we’re targeting,” says Dries. “I think we run stuff for women of all ages and try to be pretty diverse in our content.”

Editors for all parts of the Jezebel franchise want ideas that haven’t occurred to them before to cover celebrity, sex, fashion and personal essays, which are frequently featured on the blog. Wow them with topics and angles that go beyond the ordinary and either haven’t been on the site or haven’t been on the site often.

One story that stands out in Dries’ memory is a piece on how the use of IUDs in teen girls has drastically dropped the teen pregnancy rate in Colorado and other states. “First of all, it was so fascinating and something I’d never thought about before,” she says. “Since then, the legislation in Colorado has tried to quash this program but there was a big story in The New York Times about how successful it is. We ran a follow-up blog post about it.”

What not to pitch: Staff writers handle cultural coverage, so steer clear. Also note: “I think we have a hard time with pitches that aren’t very timely, especially stories we’ve already covered or stories that don’t really have a new take,” says Dries. “When the Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke/’Blurred Lines’ debacle happened, that was extensively covered by the site in a variety of posts. Months and months later, we were still getting pitches about it. It was like, how much more can you say?” Be careful not to add to the gang of writers already beating a topic into a pulp, particularly because new posts are uploaded so often.

Percentage of freelance content published: 10 percent
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: 50 percent

What publicists should pitch: Editors heavily rely on their PR contacts for entertainment releases—movies, books, TV and music—and interviews with actors. What works best, says Dries, is paying attention to what editors individually cover and playing to those areas of interest. “They see that I’ve written about ‘The Bachelor’ a lot, so they may want to offer up an interview with a contestant or suggest a show that’s similar. That kind of stuff works well, pegging it to something we’ve done before. Or just actually emailing the appropriate editor with your pitch,” she adds.

Recent freelance story pitched and published: Deputy editor Jia Tolentino put out a call for a science writer and a former San Diego Zoo librarian responded, delivering a strong piece about the sex lives of hyenas because, naturally, inquiring minds always wanted to know. The concept actually turned into a series, which just goes to show how the marriage between creativity and solid writing can forge opportunity.

Etiquette: The ideal pitch is short and inventive.

Lead time: Varies, depending on timeliness
Pay rate: $150 to $250
Payment schedule: 30 days after publication
Kill fee: None
Rights purchased: Varies

Contact info:
Jezebel
210 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012
Twitter | Facebook
Email format: FirstName@jezebel.com

Direct pitches to the appropriate editor:

Editor in Chief Julianne Escobedo Shepherd: JULIANNE at JEZEBEL dot COM

Senior Editor Kelly Faircloth: KELLY at JEZEBEL dot COM

Pitches may also be sent to TIPS at JEZEBEL dot COM and at least one editor will read it.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.

Topics: