Pitches wanted (Quebec) | USD$250 to $350 per article
Added 2024-12-03 22:43:18 +0000 UTCCOMPANY/PUBLICATION: SEVEN DAYS
Jen Rose Smith, Editor at Seven Days, is looking for pitches:
I'm always open to pitches about Québec travel for the ongoing series I oversee at Vermont's Seven Days newspaper. Send me your juicy, your colorful, your sharply observed story ideas!
DETAILS AND SOME EXAMPLES:
First, the basics: This is a travel series about visiting Québec aimed at people living in Vermont. We're next-door neighbors, so stories can assume some basic familiarity. (i.e., this is not the place for "Montreal! A cosmopolitan wonderland with Euro flair!")
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/category/quebec-guide-38490884
We're generally covering places within a few hours of the Vermont border — Montréal, the Eastern Townships, Québec City, etc. But we're also open to big, dreamy stories that showcase how vast and diverse the province is, like this piece on Anticosti Island.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/guides/anticosti-island-quebecs-new-unesco-geopark-is-spectacular-and-empty-40946497
We love creativity, voice, and quirky formats. Like this adorbs Montréal travel comic by Gabrielle Drolet.
But our chops are pure news: We check facts. We do two edits and a copyedit. Writing that sounds like marketing copy does weird things to my blood pressure.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/guides/what-to-do-in-montreal-this-winter-an-illustrated-guide-42255801
Brass tacks: Pitches accepted on a rolling basis, with rates in the ballpark of $250–325 USD. Stories are generally 1,200–1,800. Press trips are fine, but we're looking for stories that offer readers a nuanced lens for understanding Québec — this probably isn't for a one-and-done press tripper.
Now, the fun stuff — some of my faves from this series. Here's an ode to Québec City's explosive mtb scene from Vermont writer Berne Broudy. I love how she finds the cross-border ties linking Vermont and Québec.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/guides/how-did-quebec-city-mountain-biking-get-this-good-40945309
The wonderful Karen Gardiner wrote this story about the powwow circuit that loops Québec in the summer. It's a treat to read, and is a good example of how solid reporting can make events coverage evergreen (not an easy feat!).
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/guides/quebecs-powwow-season-a-summer-tradition-kicks-off-41234108
Last summer, I indulged my Québec nouveau cirque obsession. (PSA: it's so much more than cirque du soleil.)
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/guides/in-circus-loving-montreal-the-greatest-show-on-earth-looks-a-little-different-38491537
Send me your brilliant ideas! Inbox always open.
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CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):
Questions/submissions: jenniferrosesmith@gmail.com
Website: https://www.sevendaysvt.com
TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:
Learn more about the publication: Seven Days is a weekly newspaper based in Vermont that focuses on local news, politics, arts, food, and culture. It provides reporting and analysis on issues relevant to Vermont communities. The publication aims to inform and engage readers with insightful and accessible coverage of regional topics. More information here.
Read through a selection of recent guides on its website.
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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