Pitches wanted (Christmas, science) | ~70+ cents per word
Added 2024-05-16 20:47:15 +0000 UTCCOMPANY/PUBLICATION: NEW SCIENTIST
Deadline: 14 June 2024
Abby Beal, Features Editor at New Scientist, is looking for pitches:
As you can tell we start thinking about this VERY early. The deadline for Christmas pitches this year will be Friday 14th June. What we pay depends on a few things but generally they start at around £660 for 1200 words.
Christmas features tend to be more fun and quirky stories, but – crucially – still have to involve some NEW science!
They tend to fall into a few categories, so it might be easier if I share some examples:
ANIMALS doing funny things, like this from 2021 about monkeys sailing across the oceans on rafts of vegetation: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25233653-500-did-monkeys-really-sail-the-oceans-on-floating-rafts-of-vegetation/
Or Christmas animals – like the amazing science of why reindeer eyes change colour: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634171-100-how-reindeer-eyes-change-colour-in-winter-to-help-them-see-in-the-dark/
There are usually FOOD stories, like this from last year on how the science of flavour bridging can make unexpected food combinations weirdly tasty: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034692-300-how-to-use-flavour-bridging-to-cook-a-bizarre-but-tasty-holiday-meal/
And of course we need to satisfy our physics crowd. Past examples have included this lovely piece on quantum board games: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634171-200-how-to-beat-your-family-at-board-games-with-quantum-tricks/
The best stories branch multiple categories, like this story – a perfect overlap of food and physics – QUANTUM LENTILS: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034691-200-mystery-of-the-quantum-lentils-are-legumes-exchanging-secret-signals/
A key one is usually booze stories. Like this on whether chemistry can replicate the flavour of vintage whisky overnight: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24833133-300-can-chemistry-replicate-the-flavour-of-vintage-whisky-overnight/
We love a stunt at New Scientist – like this on whether Graham Lawton could eat himself drunk: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22430001-400-man-vs-sherry-trifle-can-i-eat-myself-drunk/
We always like to have a lovely history story, like this fascinating quest to locate the land of Punt, where ancient Egyptians bought gold, incense and other luxury items: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634170-800-we-have-finally-found-the-land-of-punt-where-pharaohs-got-their-gifts/
History stories can also re-tell forgotten stories from science, like this one on Occam’s razor: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25233654-300-occams-razor-the-medieval-monk-who-saw-the-power-of-simplicity/
We often have stories related to “you” - such as this on the real reason we laugh and what different kinds of laughter mean: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25233654-400-the-real-reasons-we-laugh-and-what-different-types-of-laughter-mean/
Then there are just the Christmas-related science stories, like this on a grand unified theory of snowflakes: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25233653-800-kenneth-libbrecht-interview-a-grand-unified-theory-of-snowflakes/
There are also puzzles! like these scientific riddles from last year’s issue: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034691-400-15-mind-bending-scientific-riddles-to-enjoy-solving-with-your-family/
And anything else that you think fits the vibe.
For more examples, browse our past Christmas issues:
AND FINALLY...HOW TO PITCH!
If you already work with a New Scientist features editor please feel free to email them directly. but if not, you can send your pitches to me at abby.beall@newscientist.com
Pitches should ideally be about 3 paragraphs + a headline idea, explaining the story and what is new about it – BEFORE 14 June please.
If you do pitch and we are interested in your idea, we will begin to commission features from late June onwards. It might take a few weeks until decisions are made but I will endeavour to be in touch as much as possible with updates.
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CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):
Questions/submissions: abby.beall@newscientist.com
Website: https://www.newscientist.com
TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:
Learn more about the publication: New Scientist is a weekly science and technology magazine. Its website, app and print editions cover international news from a scientific standpoint, and ask the biggest-picture questions about life, the universe and what it means to be human. New Scientist is based in London, UK, with offices in the US and Australia. More information here.
Browse through a selection of recent Christmas stories/articles on its website.
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 paragraph 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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