Opportunities 06/22/2022

Insider, New Scientist, and New York Review of Architecture.

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. This week, it’s guest written by Marisa Clogher, who recently learned that their reputation at work is that of “harsh critic.” The newsletter is 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.

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. 

-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. 

-The Trans Journalists Association’s Style Guide is a tool for reporters, editors, and other media makers to improve coverage of transgender people and the various issues happening within the trans community. 

-The NBCC Book Coverage Publication List by the National Book Critics Circle tracks over 80 publications that publish book coverage (reviews, interviews, essays, etc.). The list includes editor names, contracts, pay rates, and more. 

Want more resources? Check out the Spring 2022 Fellowships and Residencies 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

–High Country News is looking for pitches that “examine the nature of changing work in the Western US by profiling subjects whose jobs are adapting, emerging or fading.” Pitches should be framed as a profile of a worker and explore new angles and under-covered industries. The rate is $1,000 for 800-1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected] by today, June 22. 

–New Scientist is looking for pitches on the environment, climate, biology, human evolution, and archaeology. The rate is per word, and is generally “about the same as the number of words commissioned.” See their pitch guide for more details. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–The Lighthouse is looking for pitches about books, travel, sex and relationships, movies, TV, makeup social issues, and more. The rate is $0.50 per word. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Vittles is looking for pitches for their upcoming season “Food and the Arts.” They’re looking for essays that “explore the presence of food within different artistic media.” The base rate for a full newsletter is £600 ($736 USD) and £0.40 ($0.49 USD) per word for individual pieces. The deadline to pitch is early July, and pitches should be sent to [email protected]. See their pitch guide for more details.

–Reader’s Digest UK is looking for pitches on music, books, sex, and relationships for their website, as well as inspiring human interest, health, and science stories for their print magazine. Rates for online pieces are £60-100 ($74-123 USD), and rates for print pieces are £300-400 ($368-491 USD). Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Insider is looking for pitches about Airbnb and vacation rentals or lucrative summer jobs and side-hustles. Rates typically start at £250 ($307 USD) for personal essays and £270 ($331 USD) for single interviews and rise depending on logistics. See their pitch guide for more details. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–No Depression is looking for pitches of longform stories “about the most exciting music, musicians, stories, topics, etc. in roots music today.” The rate is $0.20 per word, and the deadlines are “within a month or so.” Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Elite Daily is looking for pitches of timely news and social justice pitches for and by Gen Z readers and authors. They’re looking for essays, short reported pieces, and interviews. Their rates vary but begin around $200 for personal essays and simple reported pieces. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Catapult is looking for pitches of argument-driven essays that weave cultural criticism with personal narrative; they are not looking for meditations. The rates start at $200 per piece. See their pitch guide for more specific guidelines. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Nurall is looking for pitches from experts to write remote destination guides for the following Indian destinations: Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Rishikesh. The rate is $400 for a guide of 2,000 words. Send clips of relevant experience to [email protected]. 

–Stylist Magazine is looking for pitches on sleep, gut health, sexual wellbeing, hormones, “women’s health,” energy, mood, etc. They are not looking for pitches on diet culture. The rate is £150 ($184 USD). Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–The Bookseller is looking for pitches by disabled authors, agents, editors, publishing employees and booksellers about the obstacles and lack of accessibility they’ve faced. The rate is £120 ($147 USD) for 500 words. Send a one paragraph pitch to [email protected] by July 8.

–Sliced, a monthly publication that offers thought-provoking, evidence-based takes on the food industry, is looking for pitches for its Insect and Fast Food issues. The rate is $0.15 per word for about 1,200 words. Send pitches or questions to [email protected]. 

–Tribune is looking for pitches on politics, labor, history, and more. They’re looking for feature pieces and opinion pieces, and are especially keen on hearing from writers who are confident in economics and labor reporting. The rate starts at £100 ($123 USD). Send pitches to [email protected].  

–Kveller is looking for pitches on “a wide range of JEWISH content — from how a Jewish TV character makes you feel seen to how a Jewish word or concept helps you parent.” The rate is $100 for 700-1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected].  

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–DBLTAP is always looking for pitches of reported features, interviews, and oral histories on video games and esports. They are particularly interested in pitches on “people from marginalized backgrounds in the games or esports industries, niche gaming communities, gaming anniversaries, [and] gaming or esports and the environment.” The base rate is $500 for stories up to 1,000 words, plus $1 per word over 1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Via is always looking for pitches from freelance auto writers on “everything from DIY maintenance to on-the-road safety tips.” The rate is $400 to $500 per article. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–The Bronx Times is always looking for pitches of news local to the Bronx or section(s) of the Bronx, including breaking news, politics, transit, health, crime, development, housing, business, and more. They are not looking for sports and entertainment writers. They’re looking for freelancers who can contribute about once a week, with the option to attend weekly staff meetings. Rates start at $75, and the article length is flexible. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–New York Review of Architecture is always looking for pitches about what architecture you hate, why you hate it, and why you’re the person to write about it for a new segment called Wrecking Ball. The rate is $200 for 1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected].  

–The Fence is always looking for pitches for their magazine’s four sections — facts, features, fiction, and etc. They publish quarterly, and their rates are £100 ($123 USD) to £150 ($184 USD) for pieces between 1,000 and 1,500 words. See their pitch guide for more details. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–The Progressive is always looking for pitches from LGBTQ+ writers. The rate is $100 to $150 for 800-1,200 words. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–FanBuzz is always looking for pitches from freelance college football writers. Rates start at $0.10 per word, but they are “very up for negotiating.” Send clips and pitches to Justin Columbo via Twitter direct message.

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

FREELANCE, PART-TIME, AND TEMPORARY JOBS 

-UC San Diego is hiring a 6-month contract writer and editor for their equity, diversity, and inclusion department. Candidates would create clear, easy-to-navigate content — both writing and web development — for the office, as well as serve as an editor. The job is a hybrid remote position, and the salary range is $83,000 to $103,000. 

–BOMB Magazine is hiring an online film and theater editor “to commission 1200-1500-word interviews in film and theater as well as other performing arts.” Candidates are expected to produce one piece — either interview or review — each week, and the position lasts six months. This position is remote, and the rate is $1,000 per month. To apply, email [email protected] with required material by July 4. 

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

-The International Women’s Media Foundation is accepting applications for their Reproductive Rights Reporting Fund program. The program supports reporting on reproductive rights that affect people across the U.S., including access to abortion and contraceptives, maternal health, health policy, and abortion bans. The grants will vary depending on need, “but the average grant size will be $5,000.” Applications will be accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis. 

–Narratively is accepting submissions for their Spring 2022 Memoir Prize contest. The contest awards prizes to “revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view,” and also helps adapt stories into larger projects. The grand prize is $3,000, while two additional finalists will be awarded $1,000 each. The deadline to submit is this Monday, June 27.

FELLOWSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

NEW: Roxane Gay Books/Grove Atlantic are accepting applications for an editorial fellow to read and evaluate submissions, maintain a submission log, author correspondence, and other editorial support. This is a yearlong fellowship, and fellows receive a $25,000 stipend paid biweekly for 24 hours of work per week. This is a remote fellowship, but it’s recommended that fellows spend some time in Grove’s New York City office at some point. The deadline to apply is this Monday, June 27 by 5 PM EST.

–Mother Jones is accepting applications for their Ben Bagdikian Fellowship program. Fellows fact-check for the magazine and website in addition to producing their own reporting. The fellowship pays a monthly stipend of $3,600, plus an additional $200 monthly health care stipend. It starts on August 8, 2022, and lasts until late May 2023. Mother Jones has offices in San Francisco, DC, and New York City, but most editorial staff are currently working remotely, and the fellowship will start remotely. The deadline to apply is July 5.

-UC Berkeley is accepting applications for their Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship. Fellows will be awarded $10,000 to report on “in-depth print and audio stories on the science, policy, business and culture of this new era of psychedelics.” The program aims to build and aid new journalists covering the “rapidly changing field.” The deadline to apply is July 31.

JOBS 

WASHINGTON, D.C.

-The Associated Press is hiring a reporter to cover the Pentagon and national security. Candidates must be willing to work any shift, including nights and weekends, and should have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, and at least five years experience working in a newsroom. The salary for this position was not publicly listed. The deadline to apply is July 2.

CENTRAL

–Borderless Magazine is hiring a Chicago-based managing editor to work with reporters on stories, write social media copy, edit their weekly newsletter, and other tasks. Candidates should have at least five years of editing experience. The salary is $55,000 and the position requires both remote and in-person work. The deadline to apply is July 1. 

-Cincinnati Public Radio is hiring an early career news reporter to “​​gather and present compelling short news stories and longer features covering a variety of significant local issues on-air, online, and across social media platforms.” Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, and some radio experience is a plus. The job is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the salary range is $48,000 to $55,000. 

-The Alumni Association of the University of Michigan is hiring an editor for their marketing and communications team. Responsibilities include writing and assisting in content development for print and online materials and coordinating with brand and sponsorship managers. Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of editorial experience, or equivalent experience. The job is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the salary range is $65,000 to $75,000.

CALIFORNIA

–USA Today is hiring a night editor for their life and entertainment team. Candidates should have at least five years of editing experience as well as a bachelor or master’s degree in journalism, or “an equivalent combination of education and experience.” The job is based in Los Angeles, California, and the salary is $72,000. 

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

–Congressional Digest is seeking a part-time, freelance editor/researcher to manage the publication’s “Pro and Con” section. Candidates must have solid knowledge of federal legislation and the legislative process as well as the ability to find, excerpt, and edit content from a variety of public sources on each issue’s topic. Capitol Hill experience is a plus. This is not a reporting or feature writing job. This remote-work position starts at $1,000 per month and requires about 30 hours a month, with two unpaid months off in the summer, and works in concert with CD’s Fact Section editor. Send a letter of interest, resume/CV, and two writing samples to [email protected]. 

-The International Women’s Media Foundation is hiring a program coordinator and a program manager. The program coordinator will support their international programming and emergency assistance and enhance outreach efforts with the journalism community, and the salary is $55,000. The program manager will design, implement, and monitor programming and emergency assistance, and the salary is $70,000. The deadline to apply is July 10.

NORTHEAST

-Harvard University is hiring a staff writer to cover the important happenings of the institution through its various channels. Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree and at least four years experience of news writing or content creation. The job is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and candidates are expected to be on campus at least two days a week. The salary range is $69,100 to $116,100.

SOUTHEAST

-Auburn University is hiring a communications editor to serve as the managing editor of the Southern Humanities Review (SHR). Responsibilities include editing, producing, and developing content for online and printed components; designing and coordinating the layout of publications; and overseeing production and distribution of the publication. Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree, and experience level can vary. The salary range is $30,160 to $58,400.