Pitches wanted (travel) | $200 to $300 per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: MATADOR NETWORK

We updated what stories we're looking for right now (TLDR: experientials that tie into bigger issues).

Please use the form below to send pitches for Matador Network's freelance coverage. We kindly ask that you only send one pitch per form, and please refrain from sending pitches directly to editors. If the form is closed, we aren't accepting pitches.

BEFORE PITCHING, PLEASE:

• Review Matador Network's pitch guidelines to learn how to frame your pitch and see what types of stories we do and don't cover internally.

• Search the website to make sure we haven't already covered the topic you're pitching (many recent pitches were topics we have already covered)

• Don't use this form if you're a PR agency. It's for writers only.

• Save pitches for after you've returned from any relevant travel (i.e., do not pitch stories around trips you haven't yet taken).

• Don't pitch commerce/affiliate articles.

We review pitches on an ongoing basis. If you don't hear from us in about three weeks, please consider it a pass and feel free to pitch elsewhere. We wish we had the bandwidth to reply to all pitches, but we truly just don't. If we do try to assign an article after three weeks and you've already sold it elsewhere, it will absolutely not be held against you for future pitching.

Our rates for stories range from $200-300, depending on factors like the extent of the story, any research/interviews required, the writer's experience/background, and any additional work required (such as sourcing photos). Turn-around times are usually around three or four weeks, or occasionally longer for more complex stories. Articles are very loosely in the 1,100 word range. Payment is via PayPal only (per our finance department).

We cover travel worldwide, but remember that most of our readers are based in the US. Our freelance budget is small, and we like to spend it on stories that can't be done in-house -- meaning they require travel and/or local knowledge of a place.

IN GENERAL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

• Experiential stories

• Reported pieces around travel

• Stories that appeal to a 20-something-to-40-something age range

• Well-researched op-eds relating to travel

• Stories on niche communities: being in a niche community, about niche communities, etc. What is a niche community? Think: a ping-pong enthusiast community in Bhutan, or a group of Seattle baristas pushing the bounds of latte-foam art. We're open to ideas!

IN SPRING 2025, WE'RE ESPECIALLY LOOKING FOR:

• Articles around destinations and experiences that may disappear -- for whatever reason -- in the coming years.

• Articles that tie your personal experience with a deeper topic (See: How the Northern Lights in Norway Led me to Indigenous Reindeer Herders)

• Articles around key March and April events: World Wildlife Day, Mardi Gras, Holi, St. Patrick's Day, etc

• Stories that can only be told because the writer experienced something

WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR:

• Hotel or restaurant reviews (i.e. do not pitch us stories focused on a single hotel)

• Lists or roundups of any kind

• Guides to cities/destinations

• Diaries/blog-style trip recaps

• Promotional stories (don't pitch us "why TK place is the perfect family vacation"), for example

• News stories

Finally: note that you can also submit pitches via the Matador Creators pitch call. Both get reviewed, and you do not need to submit the same pitch through both channels.

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CONTACT INFORMATION:

• Submissions: Via the webform

• Website: https://matadornetwork.com/

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Matador Network is a digital travel publication that focuses on adventure, culture, and exploration. It offers travel guides, stories, and personal essays that highlight unique destinations and cultural experiences around the world. The platform aims to inspire and inform travelers by providing resources on sustainable travel, outdoor adventures, and off-the-beaten-path journeys. More information here.

• Read through its selection of recent articles/stories, categorized into: Travel, Culture, Food and Drink, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Outdoor

• Review the submission guidelines here.

• Check out our collection of pitch excerpts on this page and find more sample pitches at The Open Notebook and at SuccessfulPitches.com.

• Do not forget to end your pitch with (1) a short introduction about yourself; (2) a few lines highlighting your writing experience, relevant credentials and publication credits; and (3) links to your strongest work or portfolio, and online profile.

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