Opportunities 09/07/2022

Narratively, Broccoli Magazine, Majuscule, and more.

The Study Hall Opportunities newsletter is a weekly compilation of pitch calls; freelance, part-time, and temporary gigs; events; fellowships, scholarships, awards, and grants; internships; and full-time jobs. It’s written by Chris Erik Thomas, who got in a fight with a US-based mosquito and (nearly) lost the battle. The newsletter is (usually) released on Wednesdays. Once in a while, we take a day off for mental health breaks and holidays. 

►Have a job posting, gig, or fellowship you want to be included in the next Opps newsletter? Send them to [email protected] for approval with “Opportunity:” in the subject line. 

►Editors, submit your time-sensitive or evergreen pitch calls to our webform.

►Let us know if you got a job or landed a pitch through the Opps newsletter! Send them to [email protected] with “Opps Success Story:” in the subject line.

►Tell us what resources have helped you in your freelancing so we can share with other Study Hall members. Send them to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line.

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***THE MEDIA CLASSIFIED ADS***

>> The Classified Ads are back and better than ever. We’ve expanded our Ad model to include placement in ALL of our weekly newsletters, including Monday’s Digest and Wednesday’s Opportunities newsletters. Want to promote your job opening / pitch call / new project / ecommerce brand? Click through for rates, testimonials, and to get in touch. <<

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STUDY HALL EVENT PROGRAMMING

►NEWSLETTER ADVICE THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

Study Hall is excited to announce Newsletter Advice That Could Save Your Life, a conversation with newsletter veterans Alex Hazlett and Dan Oshinsky on September 14, 2022 at 3pm EST. Alex and Dan have led newsletter strategy and execution at media outlets including The New Yorker, BuzzFeed, and Mashable. In this conversation, they will help freelancers attempt to answer the most important question that arises when starting a newsletter project: Will my newsletter ever become profitable? Tickets are free for Study Hall Network subscribers (promo codes will be posted to Slack) and $5 for everyone else. You can register here.

►SLACK AMA WITH RAX KING

Writer and podcaster Rax King will join Study Hall for an “Ask Me Anything” session on September 21, 2022 at 1 PM EST. The discussion will focus on Rax’s book, Tacky, and the publishing process. Participants are encouraged to ask questions about publishing an essay collection, essay writing and publishing on the internet, and podcasting as a writer.

The hour-long AMA will be hosted in the #general channel on Study Hall Slack.

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RESOURCES

Mastering the art of freelancing requires more than just perusing the Study Hall Opps newsletter every week. To help you get the most bang for your buck, we keep track of the many, many resources designed to help media workers. Have a resource you’d like to see included? Send it to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line. 

NEW: -The new study, “Fatigue, Traditionalism, and Engagement: Gen Z and Millennials’ Complex Relationship with News,” by the American Press Institute details how news organizations can better serve younger audiences. 

-The Resources For Journalists Seeking Therapy guide from the Dart Center’s Journalist Trauma Support Network offers a number of resources, including a directory of therapists specifically trained to work with journalists; funding for mental health services; and self-help webinars, apps, and websites. 

–Accessible Social is a free resource hub that helps make your social media content more accessible to people with temporary or permanent disabilities, including vision and hearing impairments. 

Want more resources? Check out the Trans Journalists Association’s Style Guide; NBCC Book Coverage Publication List; Who’s Behind This Website Checklist; SpotlightDC Investigative Journalism Fund; United States Journalism Emergency Fund; Transcription Tool Safety Guide; Labor Action Tracker; Rate Sharing Database; NPR Diverse Sources Database; Online Violence Response Hub; Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Journalists Therapy Relief Fund; Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund; Developing An Investigative Pitch Guide; Britany Robinson’s Big List of Writing Deadlines; Study Hall Transcriber Database; Study Hall Fact Checkers Database; Freelancing Guide/Editorial Contacts spreadsheet; #FreelancerPayGap spreadsheet; Pitch Guide Database; Chelsea’s Guide to Freelancing doc; PACER; Priya Krishna’s resources for food writing; Election SOS Report; and the Extremism Coverage Prep Guide.

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CALLS FOR PITCHES 

***Please note that we are not endorsing every publication or company that is listed here. The decision of whether to engage with a publication or company is entirely up to the reader. In regards to pitch calls, we try to only share opportunities that have fair rates based on publicly available information. While we currently define “fair rates” as being above $100 USD for around 700-800 words and above $0.10 per word for longer pieces, we cannot guarantee that every publication pays this rate. If you have more information on a rate or exploitative business practices from a publication posted, email [email protected].***

TIME-SENSITIVE PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES 

–Narratively is looking for pitches of longform deep-dives or in-depth stories on “times when failure in one area turned out to be positive in another, or when failure taught you an important lesson that helped shape you” for their new series, Turning Failure on its Head. The rates start at $1,000 for 3,000-6,000 words and they also “develop TV, film, and podcast projects inspired by the stories that run on [their] site.” Send pitches to [email protected] by next Thursday, September 15. 

–Broccoli Magazine is commissioning a writer “fluent in Vietnamese and English to craft a compelling interview [with] a ceramicist.” The rate will be at least $0.50 per word. Send inquiries to [email protected] ASAP.

–Majuscule is looking for pitches of nonfiction essays on literature, pop culture, sociology, education, film, music, and politics for their upcoming print issue. They are specifically not looking for reviews of specific books, films, or other content, and are “very interested in BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writers, as well as writers from outside of NYC.” The rate is $750 for 3,000 words. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] by September 23. 

–palabra, the digital magazine of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, is looking for pitches of six- to seven-minute audio stories in English on reproductive justice, immigration, climate and the environment, and economics and finance for an upcoming podcast. “Each of these beats can be considered in an expansive way (for example, a reproductive justice story doesn’t have to be about birth control access), but the pitch and the story should focus on the economic impact on the person or communities being featured. Stories should be evergreen, people-driven features that reveal a reported aspect of the beat you’re pitching for.” They are particularly interested in stories from BIPOC. The rate is $700 per story. Send pitches to Aria Velasquez at [email protected] AND Valeria Fernández at [email protected] with “ASI FUE PITCH” and the beat you’re pitching for in the subject line by next Wednesday, September 14 at 8PM EST.

–Game Informer is looking for pitches of interviews, features, reviews, and other formats related to video games and the gaming community. The rates range from $400-$500 for reviews and range from $500-$750 for features. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Alliance Magazine is looking for pitches of opinion pieces, interviews, reported features, and other formats on the subject of “decolonising philanthropy.” The rates start at £250 ($290 USD) for 1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected] by mid-November. 

–gal-dem is commissioning freelance editors to work on brand partnership projects. The rates start at £200 ($231 USD) per article. Send inquiries — including relevant clips and a paragraph summarizing your experience — to [email protected]. 

–Insider is looking for pitches of travel features from freelancers based in Mexico, including “Cancún, Cabo, Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, and beyond.” The rates start at $225 per piece. Send pitches to @crwillen. 

–Ars Technica is looking for pitches of stories on video games that “would be a good fit for [their] heavily tech-literate audience.” They are especially interested in takes or trend pieces on the industry and culture, as well as stories on gaming tech and development, unseen gaming history, interesting groups of players, and more. The rates range from $200-$300 per piece. Send pitches to [email protected] with “Freelance Pitch” in the subject line by the end of 2022.  

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–Earth Island Journal is always looking for pitches of reported stories on environmental and other intersectional issues. The rate is $0.25 per word. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Time Out London is always looking for pitches of reported features on events happening outside of the capital. The rates range from £200-£300 ($232-$348 USD) for up to 1,200 words. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

***CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL LIST OF 200+ EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES.***

FREELANCE, PART-TIME, AND TEMPORARY JOBS 

-Tim Herrera is hiring a journalism student to do a few hours of research work. The rate is $20 per hour for four to five hours of research. Send inquiries, including a résumé, to [email protected]. 

–The Lonely Planet is hiring freelance writers to produce guide books to Costa Rica. Candidates should either live there or have traveled the country extensively in the last 18 months. The rates start at $1,500 per guide. Send inquiries through their web form by this Monday, September 12. 

-NASA is hiring a science writer on a contract basis to report and produce stories “based on satellite imagery, natural events, research results, scientific meetings, and lectures.” Candidates should have at least three years of experience “developing content for the science literate public,” and must be able to interpret remote-sensing imagery and produce detailed explanations of what it shows. The position is remote-friendly and the salary is “competitive and based on experience.” 

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

NEW: -The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting is accepting applications for their Gender Equality Grant. The program aims to “help journalists take to a new level the reporting on issues related to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.” The grant is open to both US-based and international journalists. The grant does not have a budget range, but the average size is $5,000. Grant proposals are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. 

NEW: –Sentient Media is accepting applications for their Midwest Journalism Fund. The program aims to provide training, mentorship, and resources to writers in the Midwest who are interested in reporting on agriculture and the environment. The grant of $10,000 will be distributed between 50 journalists. The deadline to apply is September 26.

-The McGraw Center for Business Journalism is accepting applications for their paid McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism grant program. The program provides editorial support and grants of up to $15,000 for freelance or staff journalists to produce “deeply reported enterprise and investigative stories that delve into critical economic, financial, or business issues across a wide array of subjects.” “Applicants do not need to have a business journalism background specifically; many are generalists or cover beats such as health care or the environment.” The deadline to apply is September 30. 

NEW: -The Tarbell Fellowship is a one-year program for early-career journalists intent on improving the world. Fellows receive a stipend of up to $50,000, mentorship from experienced journalists, and access to a two-week journalism summit in Oxford. You can find out more about the fellowship here. The fellowship is designed to support those early in their journalism career, with 5 years of relevant experience or fewer. Mid-career professionals hoping to transition into journalism are also welcome to apply. The deadline for applications is October 9.

FELLOWSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

–Texas Observer is accepting applications for their paid David McHam Fellowship for Investigative Reporting program in Austin, TX. The program aims to allow journalists to pursue investigative projects and enterprise stories about Texas politics, policy, and social issues. Applicants should have at least five years of reporting experience, and “experience reporting on Texas is a plus, but not required.” The fellowship pays a stipend of $60,000, and fellows are expected to work full-time for one year. Fellows “must be based in or willing to move to Texas.” The deadline to apply is this Monday, September 12. 

–Vox is accepting applications for their paid Future Perfect fellowship program. The three fellows will produce content for the Future Perfect section, including receiving extensive training and mentorship. The fellowship is remote, pays $72,000, and fellows are expected to work full-time for one year. The position is union-eligible and the deadline to apply is next Friday, September 16. 

–The American Prospect is accepting applications for their paid editorial internship program. The interns will “assist with research, fact-checking, social media, data entry, and library services for both the print magazine and the daily website,” as well as contributing editorially. The rate is $100 per day, and interns can work full- or part-time from September through December 2022. The fellowship can be remote or based in Washington, D.C. The deadline to apply is next Friday, September 16. 

NEW: -National Geographic Society is accepting applications for their paid National Geographic Explorers grant program. The program aims to provide funding for work in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that focuses on the ocean, land, wildlife, human ingenuity, or human history and culture. The grant can be up to $20,000 and the project can be up to one year in length — “although projects with ‘Technology’ as the primary focus can be up to two years.” The deadline to apply is October 12.

JOBS 

NEW YORK

–Interview Magazine is hiring a digital editor to write, edit, and commission stories from a network of freelance writers and contributors, as well as build an editorial calendar. Candidates should have at least three years of writing and editing experience and an “obsessive knowledge of pop culture and contemporary media.” The minimum salary is $55,000 (according to their managing editor Alexandra Weiss) and the role is a full-time salaried position with benefits. Send resume and clips to [email protected]. 

–The Wall Street Journal is hiring a head of news audio to lead its global audio teams. Candidates should have “​​considerable experience planning, editing and developing audio content for global news organizations,” as well as a deep understanding of current business and market trends, domestic and international news, pop culture, tech, and politics. 

NEVADA

-The Associated Press is hiring a Las Vegas-based sports reporter to cover “professional teams in the NFL, NHL and WNBA, as well as weekly combat, auto racing, and golf events.” The beats will include the Raiders, Golden Knights and Aces. Candidates should have at least three years of journalism experience and a “proven track record of building reliable sources with players, leagues, teams, agents and officials.” The deadline to apply is this Sunday, September 11. 

CALIFORNIA

-The Associated Press is hiring a Los Angeles-based videojournalist to report from red carpet events, courthouses, and junkets for their entertainment news team. Candidates should have strong knowledge of entertainment beats and the ability to communicate and produce stories in both English and Spanish is strongly preferred. The deadline to apply is this Sunday, September 11. 

SOUTHEAST

-The Oxford American is hiring a multimedia editor to help grow its audience. The nonprofit literary organization is looking for an experienced editor and project manager who has a thorough knowledge of its aesthetic and mission, and is eager to think creatively about the OA’s future. The multimedia editor will have the option to report to the magazine’s main offices in Conway, Arkansas or work remotely. All factors being equal, preference will be given to candidates who can work from our Conway offices three days a week.