How to Pitch Jezebel

Welcome to Jezebel, thanks so much for being here. We're psyched that you're interested in writing for our smart, snarky, intrepid website. We've created this how-to guide to help give you a sense of what we're looking for, and make it more likely that your pitches are accepted. The nitty gritty: Send all pitches to submissions@jezebel.com. (Pitches submitted on social media will not be considered, and you should only email an editor personally if explicitly asked.) Your subject line should specify that you're pitching, and include a working headline. (If you don't have a suggested headline, we'll assume you don't have a firm enough grasp of your idea yet.) If your pitch is timely, then please put TIMELY PITCH in the subject. The body of your email should start with your pitch, which should be no longer than two concise paragraphs. It should include context for why your story is a good Jezebel story, as well as any relevant reporting and research you've already conducted. All pitches should have a clear angle and/or focus. If they don't, we'll almost certainly reject it. If your pitch is accepted, an editor will contact you to work out word count, deadline, and payment. (Our rates are competitive.) We try our best to respond to as many pitches as possible, even if we are passing on them, but we are a small staff so don't always have the bandwidth. If you haven't heard back within two weeks, feel free to follow up; if you haven't heard back within a month, please reach out again. After that, it's safe to assume it's a no. Now that that's all covered... What We're Looking For: Jezebel is a place for stories on politics, feminism, culture, fashion, and identity that may be considered too controversial, too brash, too out-of-the-box, or too risqué for traditional women's magazines or mainstream media outlets. We want witty, thoughtful, and creative writing that tells a story through a unique point of view or one-of-a-kind angle, as well as blunt and critical reporting that shines new light on an old story, exposes the powers that be, or introduces readers to an under-explored corner of existence. Coverage of books, movies, TV shows, music, etc. If you're pitching our entertainment section, it is critical that you have a clear angle. Do not say you would merely "like to cover" an upcoming release, or want to "talk with this director." That a movie or book is coming out is not worthy of coverage in and of itself; what do you want to say about it? What's interesting about this title at this time? What makes this a Jezebel story? Your pitch should answer these questions. The above guidelines are especially firm for author interviews, and you should also make sure you have access to the author before pitching to us. Related: If you're pitching on books, you should already have read the book, or at least enough of it to inform your pitch. We're open to reviews, essays, oral histories, profiles, found poetry, or whatever other storytelling device you've thought up. We're happy to consider Q&As but if you're pitching one, you must still include an angle you intend to pursue in the conversation, as well as explain why you want to use that format. Here's an example of an author Q&A we recently accepted: Her novel is a bizarre, oddly plotted story about trans-generational empathy, immigration, bilingualism, Russia, and the afterlife. It's sort of like a nesting doll of mothers, going back several generations. I really think she and I could have a fun, probably strange,…