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 [email protected]. (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.

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, and personal conversation about ancestry, psychics, and parenthood. I keep thinking of her book as an episode of Finding Your Roots but with ghosts and I’d love to talk about that with her.

Fun, newsy blogs 

If you have a snarky take related to a timely story, or want to expound on an under-discussed element of headline news, we’d love to hear it. These quick blogs typically run between 400-500 words and have between a 24-48-hour turnaround.

Personal essays

We’d love to consider your personal essay. However, submissions must include a portion of a working draft, in order to give us a better sense of your angle and voice. If you have a completed first draft, please submit it.

Columns

We’re open to regular column ideas. If you’d like to pitch one, please send a summary of what your column would cover, along with 3-4 ideas for the name of the column and 4-5 examples of stories you’d pitch. Please also include a short bio, highlighting why you should write this column for Jezebel.

Features

It’s hard to say exactly what makes a feature a Jezebel feature, so here are 13 examples from the last five years that we hope can act as guideposts. They cover a range of topics—from reproductive rights reporting to investigations into niche subcultures to stories on infamous pop culture symbols—but all share three things: a unique idea, smart and engaging writing, and original reporting (both gonzo and traditional).

This Abortion Boat Sounds Fishy
Do Famous Men Know How to Read?
The Strange, Sad Story of Ken’s Crotch
You Can Thank This Forgotten 19th Century Novel For the Christmas Prince Movie Genre
Getting the Abortion Pill to the U.S. Involved a 29-Year-Old Anarchist Calling the Feds on Herself
Inside the Desperate, Dedicated World of Discontinued Snack Obsessives
A Sin to Eat: The Untold Story of Anorexia as Religion
These Women Were Stalked With AirTags. They Never Got Justice.
A Definitive List Of Which Batmans Would Go Down On Their Respective Villains
‘Meat Is Magic’: The Women Who Are Committed Carnivores
My Brief Hero’s Journey Into the ‘Art of Manliness,’ Which Unfortunately Did Not Teach Me to Chop Wood
‘Why Is a White Woman Worth So Much More?’: Inside the Porn Industry’s Overdue Reckoning
The Story Of *The Dress* From ‘My Date With The President’s Daughter’