How to Pitch Vox — Pitching Guidelines

ARCHIVED 2024-06-01, DATE APPROXIMATE · VERSION 20240601_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20240203_rev01

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+Vox is a general interest publication that helps our audience understand the world around them. We cover a wide range of subjects - from policy and politics to culture and tech to science and health - with clarity and depth, curiosity and generosity.
+Vox is a general interest publication that helps our audience understand the world around them. We cover a wide range of subjects - from policy and politics, to culture and tech, to science and health - with clarity and depth, curiosity and generosity.
 Freelance pitches for written pieces are accepted by many of our sections; pitch guidelines and contact information can be found below. All accepted stories go through a collaborative editorial process and are paid at competitive rates, which are based on the amount and type of work.
 We also hire freelance photographers and illustrators for many of our feature stories. You can find details on how to pitch to the visual team on this page, too.
+- * *
 ## Submission guidelines
 A good pitch consists of a concise description of the piece you would like to write; aim for a couple of paragraphs here. We are looking for pieces with strong, unique angles. Specifics are important! Tell us the whats of the story, but also the whys: why this story is important to cover now, and why you should be the one to write it. Please add information on any pre-reporting you've done and source access you have; diverse sourcing is of paramount importance to Vox. A proposed headline and word count should also be included.
 In addition to your pitch description, please tell us a bit about yourself and your work (just a line or so will suffice!), and provide links to pieces you've previously published that are similar to your pitch in subject and/or form.
 - Traditional reviews of books, TV shows, movies, albums, or other cultural products
 - Shopping roundups
 - Manuscripts or academic papers
 What _are_ we looking for? Read on for section-by-section instructions. Please note that many sections are not currently taking freelance pitches, but that we update this page regularly.
+#### [Future Perfect](http://www.vox.com/future-perfect)
 Future Perfect covers the world's biggest, most neglected moral and technological problems, and the philosophical debates around how to do the most good. Its work is animated by a baseline question: What would we write about if our only job was to cover the most important and yet oddly neglected stories in the world? Future Perfect's core coverage areas include:
 - Global poverty and public health
 - The catastrophic and existential threats, both natural and technological, that humanity faces
 - Animal welfare, factory farming, and the future of meat
 - The growth of progress studies and evidence-based ideas that can boost sustainable growth for all
 - The frontiers of artificial intelligence and biotechnology
 - The philosophies and practices surrounding philanthropy and altruism
 - Moral philosophy and the ethical questions that underpin individual and policy choices
 Future Perfect welcomes freelance contributions. Most stories run between 1,500 and 2,500 words, and pitches can be sent to [futureperfectfreelance@vox.com](mailto:futureperfectfreelance@vox.com). A more in-depth pitch guide for the section can be found [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/12Qy3w-cjygj5ak5lCD5xmn7fHO53F_eOdh1eRJpzRSY/edit).
+#### [Even Better](https://www.vox.com/even-better)
 Even Better is Vox's home for service journalism, where we strive to answer the questions readers have about living better lives - sometimes before they even know what those questions are in the first place. We're looking for pitches focused on the following topics: parenting, work and money (although we stick more toward the emotional end of the spectrum, rather than straightforward personal finance advice), mental and physical health, and relationships of all types.
+Some recent examples of successful stories include a guide to enjoying a social gathering [if you're someone with a low social battery](https://www.vox.com/even-better/23297099/introvert-party-socializing-energy); advice on [how to fall back in love with reading](https://www.vox.com/even-better/23269893/start-reading-ritual-books); and the case for [caring less about petty things](https://www.vox.com/even-better/23216083/caring-less-perfectionism-small-stuff). What these pieces have in common is deep reporting, thorough and diverse sourcing, unexpected takeaways, concrete and actionable advice, and a warm, accessible yet authoritative tone. To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,000 words, email [evenbetter@vox.com](mailto:evenbetter@vox.com).
+Some recent examples of successful stories include a guide to enjoying a social gathering [if you're someone with a low social battery](https://vox.com/even-better/23297099/introvert-party-socializing-energy); advice on [how to fall back in love with reading](https://vox.com/even-better/23269893/start-reading-ritual-books); and the case for [caring less about petty things](https://vox.com/even-better/23216083/caring-less-perfectionism-small-stuff). What these pieces have in common is deep reporting, thorough and diverse sourcing, unexpected takeaways, concrete and actionable advice, and a warm, accessible yet authoritative tone. To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,000 words, email [evenbetter@vox.com](mailto:evenbetter@vox.com).
+#### [Culture](https://www.vox.com/culture/)
 Vox Culture's goal is to bring readers all the context and analysis they need to understand what's going on in entertainment now. We're looking for pitches that answer the big questions readers are asking about major movies and TV shows, musical artists and songs, internet culture, fame, and the business of entertainment. Please note, we are not looking for personal essays or celebrity interviews.
+Examples of successful stories include this story about how (and why) [Disney has done away with the traditional villain](https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/5/19/23715887/disney-villains-little-mermaid-ursula-jafar-scar-frozen-ii) and an analysis of [the problems with _Bridgerton_'s ahistoricism](https://www.vox.com/culture/23712625/queen-charlotte-bridgerton-netflix-real-history). To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,500 words, email [culture@vox.com](mailto:culture@vox.com).
+Examples of successful stories include this story about how (and why) [Disney has done away with the traditional villain](https://vox.com/culture/2023/5/19/23715887/disney-villains-little-mermaid-ursula-jafar-scar-frozen-ii) and an analysis of [the problems with _Bridgerton_'s ahistoricism](https://vox.com/culture/23712625/queen-charlotte-bridgerton-netflix-real-history). To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,500 words, email [culture@vox.com](mailto:culture@vox.com).
+#### [Money](https://www.vox.com/money/)
 Money coverage at Vox is about making the notoriously opaque worlds of business, economics, and finance legible. Topics of interest include: large-scale economic trends, consumer behavior, the retail industry, labor, and the headaches and scandals of the business world.
+To get a sense of the kinds of stories we're looking for, please check out this piece about [people who do nothing at their jobs](https://www.vox.com/money/23733244/bullshit-jobs-work-employment-lazy-jobless-employed-nothing-to-do) and this look at [the rise in luxury goods sales](https://www.vox.com/money/23728283/luxury-designer-boom-nike-lvmh-pandemic-le-creuset) despite rampant inflation. To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,500 words, email [money@vox.com](mailto:money@vox.com).
+To get a sense of the kinds of stories we're looking for, please check out this piece about [people who do nothing at their jobs](https://vox.com/money/23733244/bullshit-jobs-work-employment-lazy-jobless-employed-nothing-to-do) and this look at [the rise in luxury goods sales](https://vox.com/money/23728283/luxury-designer-boom-nike-lvmh-pandemic-le-creuset) despite rampant inflation. To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,500 words, email [money@vox.com](mailto:money@vox.com).
+#### [**Technology**](https://www.vox.com/technology)
 The mission of Vox's technology section is to help readers better understand the many different ways technology is changing the world - and changing us. This includes not only explaining what's happening in the tech industry but also how technology is changing our culture, impacting the political process, and helping us fight climate change. Our technology is also intersectional, since technology is involved in and affects nearly everything we do. That means we're looking for pitches on a wide range of topics: Big Tech companies, AI, green energy, innovation, space exploration, cities, transportation, privacy, and money.
+To get a sense of what kinds of stories succeed, check out [this analysis piece on Apple's weird headset](https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/5/31/23742675/apple-headset-goggles-vr-ar-mixed-extended-reality-peter-kafka-media-column) or [this reported explainer about the Wild West of TV](https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/5/24/23733401/fast-streaming-tubi-pluto-roku). This is [another great explainer on the business of selling EVs](https://www.vox.com/technology/23713040/ev-car-dealer-dealership-electric-sales-gm-ford-tesla-rivian) and here's [one about what workers think of AI](https://www.vox.com/technology/23673018/generative-ai-chatgpt-bing-bard-work-jobs). We're also open to servicey angles like [this guide to avoiding scams](https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/11/25/23473947/scam-phishing-yeti-cooler-kohls-emails). To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,500 words, email [tech@vox.com](mailto:tech@vox.com).
+#### [**Climate**](https://www.vox.com/climate)
 At Vox's climate section, we're looking for stories that offer clarity and understanding of the climate crisis so we can empower readers as we learn to live with, adapt to, and fight against climate change and its often devastating impacts. We're hungry for brave and surprising angles that clarify the causes, impacts, and stakes of a changing climate, and give audiences more agency.
+We want stories that embrace nuance and explain. And we want you to interpret those ideas broadly to encompass anything from [powerful service journalism](https://www.vox.com/climate/23769186/bad-air-quality-index-wildfires-pollution) to explainers that unpack [complicated policy](https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/23498215/ev-tax-credit-2023-heat-pumps-solar) or show [how extreme weather phenomena connect to the bigger picture](https://www.vox.com/climate/23792828/antarctica-heat-wave-sea-ice-level-record-el-nino). We're also interested in [gorgeous narratives of community resilience](https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/10/16/20908291/camp-fire-wildfire-california-paradise-survivors) and stories that inspire [hope](https://www.vox.com/climate/2023/2/21/23594544/europe-electricity-natural-gas-renewable-energy-russia) for or [awe](https://www.vox.com/23698253/kelp-forests-seaweed-ocean-climate-change) of the natural world.
+We want stories that embrace nuance and explain. And we want you to interpret those ideas broadly to encompass anything from [powerful service journalism](https://vox.com/climate/23769186/bad-air-quality-index-wildfires-pollution) to explainers that unpack [complicated policy](https://vox.com/energy-and-environment/23498215/ev-tax-credit-2023-heat-pumps-solar) or show [how extreme weather phenomena connect to the bigger picture](https://vox.com/climate/23792828/antarctica-heat-wave-sea-ice-level-record-el-nino). We're also interested in [gorgeous narratives of community resilience](https://vox.com/the-highlight/2019/10/16/20908291/camp-fire-wildfire-california-paradise-survivors) and stories that inspire [hope](https://vox.com/climate/2023/2/21/23594544/europe-electricity-natural-gas-renewable-energy-russia) for or [awe](https://vox.com/23698253/kelp-forests-seaweed-ocean-climate-change) of the natural world.
 Right now, we're especially interested in climate stories that explore the intersection of biodiversity and traditional ecological knowledge; labor, daily life, and housing; coexistence and new frameworks for conservation; the green energy transition; politics; and solutions, adaptation, and resilience. Story assignments range from 800 to 2,500 words and encompass many formats. If you think you've got an idea that will resonate with our readers, send your pitch to [climate@vox.com](mailto:paige.blank@vox.com).
+- * *
 ## How we'll work together
 If we're interested in your pitch, we'll discuss rates, deadlines, scope, kill fees (if applicable), and other expectations with you upfront. We'll also discuss potential expenses, travel, or risks and provide press credentials when necessary.
 We appreciate all pitches but are not able to respond to every one. Please note that we often receive pitches that are similar to one another or to our existing assignments.