Pitches wanted (South Asia) | $250+ per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: JUGGERNAUT

Tulika Bose is looking for pitches for The Juggernaut:

Excited to announce that I’ll be taking over commissioning for The Juggernaut for the next month. I love this magazine dedicated to global South Asians and am including some info below on what I’m looking for.

• How ‘Black Warrant’ Became a Streaming Success: https://www.thejuggernaut.com/black-warrant-review-vikramaditya-motwane-interview-netflix

• How Riz Ahmed Stretches Culture: https://www.jgnt.co/riz-ahmed

For February, I’m also looking for stories that can be interwoven with Black History Month and Valentine’s Day. A couple of examples:

• Black and Brown Love: https://www.thejuggernaut.com/black-brown-love

• Freida Pinto Wants to Change Who is “Allowed” to Fall in Love On Screen: https://www.jgnt.co/freida-pinto-interview-mr-malcolms-list

• Black TikTok, Brown Culture: https://www.jgnt.co/black-tiktok-brown-culture

As a science, tech, and health nerd, this is my favorite story from The Juggernaut, and one I’ve brought up in countless news meetings at other publications.

• Colonization Might Be Responsible for Your Diabetes: https://www.thejuggernaut.com/south-asian-diabetes-incidence

As a reminder, you do not have to be South Asian to write for us, but you should have an interest and curiosity in South Asian news and culture.

And lastly, you can be newer to the field. I especially take great joy in mentoring and supporting young journalists and LGBTQ+ folks.

Below, you can find a handy pitch guide—including instructions on how to pitch us for several beats: Culture, History, Food, Politics, Business, Technology, and Science + Health.

PITCH GUIDE

First, a little background. We’re a subscription-based publication and community setting new standards for smart reporting about South Asians around the world. While many of our readers are based in the U.S., our audience and purview are global, and so are our authors. While you absolutely don’t have to be South Asian to pitch us, you should be curious about South Asian issues — and well-versed in the topics you’re bringing our way.

What We’re Looking For

Our editorial sections include (but are not limited to):

• Culture

• History

• Food

• Business

• Science + Health

• Politics

• Technology

Your reporting should follow our editorial tone — smart, nuanced, and skeptical. We assign reported features (1300-2000 words) and the occasional column (op-eds, essays, photo essays).

Below are examples of Juggernaut coverage that really resonated with our readers. Please also read our publication thoroughly before pitching us. That’ll ensure you have some familiarity with our style, in addition to knowing what we’ve already reported on. If there’s a new angle for existing reporting, we welcome that, too.

Example Articles:

• Why Trump is Gaining Ground With Indian American Men [Politics]

• The Rise of the Indian-Origin CEO [Tech, Business]

• Why South Asians Still Aren’t Working Out Enough [Health]

• ‘One Day’: Hollywood Romance with a South Asian Twist [Film & TV, Culture]

• How a Bengali Tycoon Pioneered Strippers for Women and Became a Murderer [Business]

• Colonization Might Be Responsible for Your Diabetes [Health]

• How Much Did Colonization Cost India? [History]

• Ethiopian and Indian Food — An Interconnected History [Food]

• One Wipe to Rule Them All [Personal Essay/Op-Ed]

• How Skin Whitening Became a $23B Industry [Business, Health]

How To Pitch Us

Please include a hed/title, dek/subtitle, angle, and (brief!) description of the story you want to tell, a few sentences on how you plan to report it, and links to previous articles you’ve published. Pitches without this information will be harder to approve.

We can take up to 2 weeks to respond — please let us know in the subject line if your pitch is time-sensitive. Timely, well-reported articles that also have an evergreen so-what are some of our favorites. Because of the high volume of pitches, if you haven’t heard back within two weeks, please feel free to take your story elsewhere. That said, even if the first pitch didn’t work, the second or third pitch might, so don’t hesitate to pitch us again!

FAQs

What are your rates?

For reported features and profiles, rates start at $400 and go up based on reporting scope. For op-eds and essays, rates begin at $250. We do our best to increase compensation for regular freelancers and also give bonuses.

Can I submit fully written articles before a pitch?

Of course, but we can’t guarantee publication. There may also be a heavier editing process than for newly pitched article ideas we workshop together.

Can I submit my pitch (or fully written article) to multiple places at the same time?

We only publish stories that are exclusive. If, by the time we get back to you, someone else has commissioned the story, please tell us as soon as possible since we can no longer commission it.

What can I expect in terms of editing?

Most stories get two rounds of edits — the first focuses on whether the right information is there and structured, while the second focuses on flow, clarity, and an engaging lede/conclusion. We’re here to deliver quality stories, so your submission may have a heavier editing round — or more rounds than expected. We also believe in no-surprises journalism. If we need you to follow up on certain sources, this may add reporting time even after a piece’s submission. Most importantly, we’re on the same team here — we want to ensure your writing is stellar, so please be patient with us during the editing process. We run all edits by you before we publish.

Once my story is accepted, is it guaranteed to be published?

We reserve the right to kill a story if it isn’t executed the way it was pitched and—despite editing or sourcing—doesn’t land at the quality level we expect. We pay a kill fee in these instances.

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CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

• Questions/submissions: tulika@thejuggernaut.com

• Website: https://www.thejuggernaut.com

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: The Juggernaut is a subscription-based digital publication that offers in-depth, nuanced stories about South Asians around the world. It covers a wide range of topics, including culture, politics, business, and food, providing readers with insightful analyses and narratives. The platform aims to tell untold, smart South Asian stories and news not found elsewhere. More information here.

• Read through its selection of recent articles/stories, categorized into: Business and Tech, Culture, Food, Politics

• Review the submission guidelines here. Note that these are the publication's general guidelines to help you refine your pitch. You must still follow the editor's specific instructions above.

• 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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