Pitches wanted (public policy) | 75+ cents per word

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: PLURIBUS NEWS

Reid Wilson, Founder and Editor of Pluribus News, is looking for pitches:

We’re looking for freelancers to submit story ideas for our twice-weekly digital magazine, Pluribus Stated, which comes out Mondays and Thursdays. Our target audience is America’s 7,383 state legislators, their staff, the government affairs professionals who need to know what they’re doing, and the constituents whose lives are more often impacted by what happens at the state level than by what happens at the federal level.

We’re interested in stories that focus on either important bills or trends that come from one individual state, or broader trends that are occurring across several states.

Some ideas might include:

• A profile of the state House Speaker in your state, whose prominence is on the rise because of x, y or z.
• A deep dive on legislation introduced in your state that is new or innovative, with an exploration of why it matters.
• An exploration of some controversy or scandal rocking your state government that might be overlooked in the national media.

We are open to any and all ideas, if you can make the case that our readers — state legislators, staffers and government affairs professionals across the country — would be interested.

To submit an idea, please send me an email including the word “PITCH” in the subject line. The email should include:

• A brief explanation of the story, what we might call the nut graph
• An estimated word count (preferred length will be 800-1000 words)
• An estimated delivery date by which we can count on the story being submitted
• How you plan to report the story (who you plan to quote on the record, documentation you can provide through public records or those you have obtained and how to verify that information)

Our first Stated issue will launch November 3, so you have plenty of time to pitch ideas.

You’ll be paid as an independent contractor though we reserve the right to edit for length and clarity, subject to your final approval of a story.

CONFIDENTIAL NOTE: Reports indicate that this opportunity will pay an initial rate of 75 cents per word for a story up to 1,000 words. It is recommended that you discuss the rate(s) with the editor prior to commencing work.

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

• Questions / submissions: reid@pluribusnews.com
• Website: http://www.pluribusnews.com/

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Pluribus News exists to spotlight new ideas that will drive public policy for the next generation. It strives to cover state-level public policy debates and developments, with a focus on market-moving trends that provide its readers the insight they need to stay on the cutting edge. More information here.
• 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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