Pitches wanted (history, true crime, subcultures, etc.) (worldwide) | $2 per word

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE 

Ted Scheinman, Senior Editor at Smithsonian Magazine, is looking for pitches:

Writers, I'm doing my semi-regular call for print pitches.

To help you target those pitches, I'll describe three history-focused departments where I'm particularly open to freelance ideas:

• For American Icon, the ~750-word essay that opens each issue of the magazine, I'm always looking for smart pitches that highlight some cultural product, structure, foodstuff, etc. that is uniquely and revealingly American (and for which there’s a timely or novel angle!)
• For shortish features in the front of the book, I'm looking for rich narratives that involve some manner of new historical discovery or interpretation. here's one great example (by VanessaBraganza): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/secret-codes-lady-wroth-first-female-english-novelist-180978365/
• Single-pages — got a good Weird History story that would work in short form? A story that involves a smart graphic or infographic treatment? hit me up! Three good examples: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ohio-golf-course-hopewell-earthwork-subject-lawsuit-180976653/

..and of course I'm also open to pitches for longer features, too, including:

• true crime (https://smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/theft-carnegie-library-books-maps-artworks-180975506/)
• fascinating journeys into subcultures (https://smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/california-search-for-ultimate-wild-fig-heats-up-180979538/)
• profiles that helps us see the natural world in a new way (https://smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-old-man-and-the-tree-180979242/).

No deadline — these departments appear in each issue of the magazine. You can email scheinmant@si.edu.

Rate: In print, usually $2 per word.

Open to international writers? Yes indeed!

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

• Submissions: scheinmant@si.edu
• Website: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Smithsonian magazine places a Smithsonian lens on the world, looking at the topics and subject matters researched, studied and exhibited by the Smithsonian Institution—science, history, art, popular culture and innovation—and chronicling them for its diverse readership. More information here.
• Read through a selection of recent stories/articles, categorized into: History, Science, Arts & Culture
• Review the pitching tips outlined in this article (Note: These are tips from another Smithsonian editor and could be outdated. Just use them to refine your pitch.)
• 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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