Dear writers,
Welcome to another edition of your favourite (I hope) freelancing newsletter.
The year has just begun but, I already feel like months have passed! I don’t know if it’s the heavy workload, the general ill health, the erratic weather or the air of gloom surrounding us. I think I deserve an award for surviving this month, and I am sure you do too! So, if you’ve done one thing this year, no matter how small, pat yourself on the back because you did good.
This week’s edition has an interview with the editor of a new and very interesting Indian publication. I have also brought back my reading list because someone commented it was her favorite part of the newsletter! And, I am throwing open the newsletter to questions. Scroll down to read why.
Let’s begin.
STRAIGHT TALK
Megha Moorthy has been a newspaper editor for over 15 years. She is currently the editor-in-chief of RoundGlass Sustain, a new wildlife conservation and biodiversity website. They’ve been consistently churning out some wonderful stories. They pay Rs 8 per word. Here, she shares information and pointers to keep in mind before sending across a pitch.
What is your advice to a newbie writer pitching you for the first time?
My first and most important piece of advice to anyone who pitches us is: spend some time on going through the website and the kind of stories we focus on. Think about which kind of story you want to write and then reach out with a very specific pitch that fits our publication. Be open to your piece coming back to you for more information or with feedback. We work very hard with new, young writers and try and give structured feedback in our comments and playback as far as possible. Do make use of this.
What makes for a strong letter of introduction?
I am instantly drawn to a clear, crisp email with good grammar. Run a spell check, please. Do send links to your previous work and explain what sort of writing/work you’d like to do for us. It usually helps if the links are relevant to the work we do at Sustain. Also, try and sound like you are a congenial, reasonable person in the letter of introduction as there’s a higher chance of us prioritizing your email over another. I regularly get emails that say: “Hey, I’m XYZ. Love the work you guys are doing. Would love to collaborate. Here’s a link to my blog.” Collaborate exactly how? Do you want to publish our stories on your blog? Do you want me to publish stories from your blog on my website? Do you want to write for us? If yes, what kind of stories do you want to write? It is unlikely I am going to ask you all these questions. I do try to respond to all emails but this email is definitely very low on my priority now. And I will probably give you an equally vague answer.
When it comes to RG Sustain, what makes for the ideal pitch?
We accept stories on national parks, species, ecosystems, conservation, people. But do remember that we are a features website. We expect some amount of secondary research and reporting in the stories and not just a memorable encounter with a species in the wild. We don’t accept time-bound news stories. We are currently not accepting stories from outside the country, books/film reviews, interviews with authors, filmmakers, photographers and listicles.
You usually instantly have our attention if you pitch the following category of stories: a) profiles of local heroes and grassroots initiatives that have made a difference to a certain species or a habitat. b) Stories that move away from charismatic megafauna or already popular species. Pitch us a story of a rare species of frog or lichen and how it is central to an ecosystem, and you would have made all of us very happy c) Stories on conservation that intersect with local cultures. d) Urban Jungle stories. Tell us stories that go beyond protected areas or city gardens. Tell us stories beyond Delhi and Bombay too. We would love to hear from Hyderabad, Kolkata, Nagpur, Shillong, Surat and other small towns too. E) Call to action stories: How can our readers engage and help?
What would make you turn down a pitch?
Unresearched, casual pitches that don’t give me a sense of the story or the writer. I need to get a sense that you have tried to understand the website before you pitch ideas to us, and that you’ve spent some time thinking through the story before hitting send.
The traits of freelancers you enjoy working with?
As an editor, I am of course partial to people who write beautifully, take stunning pictures and make great films. But the kind of people I reach out to over and over again for the best assignments are people who are dependable, responsive and prompt. In my world, sticking to deadlines is THE most important virtue. Don’t go on a trip and then make the team chase you for months for stories. That’s very, very unprofessional. Try and respond as soon as you can to queries and playbacks. At Sustain, we try and do a thorough rigorous edit and fact-check and may come back with questions. I really appreciate someone who is willing to put in that kind of work. These qualities, as valuable as they are in freelancers, are equally important in editors/commissioning editors too. It really is a two-way street.
If you have a pitch, email megha.moorthy@round.glass
HAVE AN IDEA? GO PITCH
Self magazine is on the lookout for service pitches: tips, explainers, guides, etc especially with a personal/narrative twist. Email anna_borges@condenast.com
Urban Asian wants reported features on music, food, health, and beauty and personal essays around relationships, politics, and social issues. Email anika@urbanasian.com
Huffpo India is seeking journalists who write on fashion (and lifestyle), and are willing to do some reporting for their pieces. DM Piyasree Dasgupta.
Huffpo UK Personal wants to feature more first-person writing on sex, how we do it (or don't do it), and everything else in-between. Find submission guidelines here. Email ukpersonal@huffpost.com or charlie.lindlar@huffpost.com
Fast Company wants pitches for reported stories and essays on how technology changing society and the way we live now. Rate: $250-$500. Email kschwab@fastcompany.com
Here Magazine is accepting pitches for narrative-driven personal essays about travel. Email annie.werner@awaytravel.com
A.V. Club's TV section wants pitches. Rate: starts at $250 for around 900 words. Email dchavez@avclub.com
Send education pitches – colorfully written, strongly argued essays on policy, news, k12, campus culture, etc – to NYT Opinion. Email talmon.smith@nytimes.com
PC Gamer is looking for ideas on World of Warcraft, Escape From Tarkov, and community/player stories. Email steven@pcgamer.com
DJ Mag is seeking to publish long-form features that focus on an emerging sound, a reportage deep-dive into a subject surrounding dance music, culture and technology, or an opinion piece on a timely (and potentially divisive) talking point. Submission guidelines and contacts, here.
Pitch Opinions to the Guardian at hettie.obrien@theguardian.com
Bracken is a magazine for lyrical fiction and poetry inspired by the woods. They are seeking submissions (click here for details and to submit) from women and non-binary voices. Rate: $15 for a poem, $0.04/word for fiction (with a minimum payment of $50).
NEED A JOB
Moglix is a B2B commerce start-up that partners with organizations in re-imagining and transforming and supply chain through technology. They are seeking a content writer, who will be responsible for delivering content across website, blog, video scripts, emailers, analysis, and opinion pieces. Click here to know more, and apply: JD & Form
MagicPin has vacancies for 8 jobs (editorial and social): Blogs Editor (Mumbai-Pune, Delhi-Jaipur, Bangalore-Hyderabad); Feed editor — Fashion & Beauty, Food & Nightlife, Lifestyle; Deputy Editor; and Social Media Editor. The latter three are based out of Delhi. Email sonali.kokra@gmail.com for more details.
Sachin Bhandary, a freelance travel writer and ex PR professional, has started a content writing agency and is actively looking for freelance writers. Most of the work is in the space of, but not limited to B2B writing in the space of digital marketing, PR and overall marketing. If you have experience, fill this form. (note: filling the form does not guarantee any work but he will reach out to you as soon as there is a requirement).
MISCELLANY
Listen to a podcast about literature by writers Supriya Nair and Deepanjana Pal. If you don’t know them already, follow their work for they are talented journalists (the role model kinds). I have worked with Deepanjana and she is one of the funniest people I know, a great editor and sends out an excellent newsletter about books.
Read this excellent NYT story on JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh; a Deep Dives piece on data bodies and what they can tell us about our real ones; this lengthy and eye-opening Quora explanation about how diamonds are a scam; and this very important story on how to stop freaking out about climate change.
Visit the Azaad India Collective, a live archive of the anti CAA movement. It is documenting the many ways in which people are raising their voices – through protests, independent media sources, and even poetry.
Learn Mandarin from Anantika Mehra. The 2.5 hour workshops will take place at Doolally branches across the city: Palm Beach Road (8 Feb), Kemp’s Corner (15 Feb). Visit Doolally.in for more details and to sign up.
Attend the Coastwise Marine Festival 2020 in Mumbai. There will be shore walks, film screenings, workshops (including one by the very talented Rohan Chakravarty of Green Humour), and tours to see flamingos. It’s an exciting festival and I am eager to learn more about our coast and its lesser known eco-systems.
Attend an event, 2020 - Y3K: Planet Lost & Found, focused on building conversations around sustainability and conservation. I will be there, to attend a workshop on making eco-friendly changes at home, and to help my friend at her stall (Happy Little Store). If you’re around, say hello!
The next edition is going to feature some tough love about freelancer payments. I am horrified at the number of writers telling me they haven’t been paid for months and have given up hope about ever seeing their money. I will attempt to create a guide and share practical advice on how to tackle these issues. If you any questions related to this or personal experiences to share, email me.
As always, tell your friends to subscribe and share. I want to hit 1000 subscribers before my birthday in April (yes, I have weird goals!).
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