Pitches wanted (history) | ~20 to 50 cents per word

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: CONTINGENT MAGAZINE

Deadline: 15 April 2023

Every writer learns early on that they must kill their darlings. For historians, this advice may be delivered in more prosaic terms, such as “This is interesting, but what does it have to do with your argument?” or “You need to cut 25 pages from this chapter.” Some darlings go quietly, but others stick with us—in abandoned drafts, in documents full of fragments, and in the overstuffed file cabinets in our minds. This spring, Contingent offers you the chance to revive your darlings.

Contingent is now accepting pitches for features, shorts, and mini-essays on this theme. All pieces will be published April through July of 2023. For more information on how to pitch, including suggestions for how to get started, and the compensation for each form we publish, see our Pitch Us page.

To submit a pitch, please use the form at the bottom of that same page, and include the phrase “Revive Your Darlings” at the top of your pitch, which should include an explanation of why this darling was killed in the first place. Pitches are due by April 15. Greenlit writers will be notified by April 17. Drafts will be due by May 7.

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

• Submissions: pitches@contingentmag.org
• Website: https://contingentmagazine.org/

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Contingent is a non-profit history magazine that is rooted in a principle that history is for everyone. While a lot of publishers and magazines think the audience for history is pretty narrow, Contingent thinks everyone can understand and find meaning in stories about the past. Contingent takes a much broader view of relevance and publishes pieces about such topics as dinosaur hunting, women’s wrestling gear, coal mines, and embroidery. More information here.
• Read through a selection of recent stories/articles on its website.
• Review the submission guidelines here.
• 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.

* * * * * * * * * *

LOOKING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES? Find additional jobs on Extra. Check out the upcoming deadlines on our PLUS+ Calendar. Filter the listings by category (worldwide opportunities, high-paying leads, paying publications, and non-pitching jobs). Use the search form on the homepage to find opportunities relevant to your interests.

WANT OUR DIGEST delivered to your inbox on a daily basis? Go to your email settings and make sure the notifications for Write Jobs PLUS+ are turned on. Want more tips? Read the welcome notes here.