Pitches wanted (narrative journalism) (worldwide) | $2,500+ per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: WIRED

Amit Katwala, Features Editor at WIRED, is looking for pitches:

I’m back from paternity leave with some belated news – I'm now a Features Editor at WIRED.

I'm commissioning ambitious narrative longform journalism for wired.com and print. Particularly looking for stories and writers from outside the US. If that's you, let's talk.

Email: amit_katwala@wired.com.

Here are some stories that I've edited or written to give you a sense of what we are looking for:

• The Radical New Face of Climate Activism by Lena Lazare

• The New Gods of Weather: Inside the Strange World of Cloud Seeding in the Emirates

• India's Election and the Rise of AI-Generated Deepfakes

• How Taiwan Became the Epicenter of the World’s Myopia Epidemic

And here are some pitching guidelines – I beg you to read them.

What are basic guidelines for longform feature pitches?

The vast majority of the features we publish are narratives. For best results, pitch us a tale you’re going to tell, not a topic you want to explore. What central chronology are you going to reconstruct? Who are your main characters? What scenes are we going to be able to see? You don’t have to know the full narrative arc of your story when you pitch, but you should be able to give some indication that it’s going to be a satisfying one. Also, be able to convey your tale’s larger implication or importance.

WIRED does occasionally publish feature-length essays, but there, too, we’re looking for a focused through line, not just an exploration of a topic. What argument are you making, and what evidence will you muster for it? What’s the core example (or two, or three) that will animate the idea you’re hoping to get across?

For any feature pitch, give us a sentence or two about the sort of work you’ve done, and please include links to other stories, especially long-form narrative pieces.

How long should my pitch be?

A pitch needs to have enough detail to intrigue us, but not TMI. For a feature, 500 to 700 words is a good range.

How much do you pay for freelance pieces?

We offer set project fees depending on the factors described above—story length, time involved, and intensity of the reporting and writing involved. These story fees start at about $2,500 and rise from there.

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

• Questions/submissions: amit_katwala@wired.com

• Website: https://www.wired.com/

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: WIRED is a digital and print publication that covers the intersection of technology, culture, and innovation. It offers in-depth reporting, analysis, and commentary on a wide range of topics, including science, business, security, entertainment, and design. WIRED is known for its forward-thinking articles that explore how emerging technologies are shaping our world and influencing the way we live, work, and communicate. The publication also delves into the ethical, social, and political implications of technological advancements, providing readers with a comprehensive view of the digital age.

• Read through its selection of recent stories/articles, categorized into: The Big Story

• 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 Database 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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