Pitches wanted (food, Halloween) (worldwide) | around 50 cents per word

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: GASTRO OBSCURA 

Deadline: 10 August 2022

Each October, we publish a slew of seasonal articles and recipes that are related to themes of Halloween. Here are some examples!

• Remembering ‘Witch Cakes,’ the Evil-Fighting Baked Goods of the 1600s
• The Historical Halloween Cake That Reveals Your Future Spouse
• Remembering When Americans Picnicked in Cemeteries
• The Bone-Shaped Sweets That Honor the Dead in Spain
• It Takes a Village to Feed Cambodia’s Ravenous Ghosts
• The Cucumber Horses and Eggplant Cows That Welcome Back the Dead We’re commissioning articles and recipes now for this October package. The pitch deadline is August 10, 2022!

We are looking for stories from every continent and especially from countries and communities that are underrepresented. We are particularly interested in highlighting:

• Long-running events, superstitions, and other food-related rituals intended to connect us with the supernatural
• The food and drink of seasonal traditions that mark, in the Northern Hemisphere, the end of the growing season (and, in the Southern Hemisphere, the arrival of spring) and other holidays that fall around Halloween, such as Day of the Dead, All Soul’s Day, and Samhain
• How is Halloween celebrated in unusual ways around the world? As with any great Gastro Obscura pitch, yours should have:
• A strong sense of wonder (What’s the “wow” factor that will surprise and delight readers?)
• A strong sense of place (Where is the pin on the map for this story?)
• Compelling characters (Who are the people passionate about this topic? Take us into the communities where this is happening.)

If you are pitching a recipe, remember that Gastro Obscura recipe pitches should come with a story that provides a window into hidden histories or lesser-known places, people, or communities. See the Gastro Obscura general pitch guidelines for guidance and more examples of recipe stories.

Please send your pitches to gastro-pitches@atlasobscura.com by August 10. We look forward to hearing from you!

Rates: While our rates vary depending on a story’s length, the amount of reporting required, and the format, they start at $300 and usually pay around $0.50 per word. The majority of our commissioned articles are 800 to 1,500 words, but you can pitch longer stories.

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

• Submissions: gastro-pitches@atlasobscura.com
• Website: https://www.atlasobscura.com/gastro

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Atlas Obscura's food section, Gastro Obscura, is devoted to wonder and curiosity. It features wondrous foods to explore and enjoy and publishes stories about the most awe-inspiring parts of the food world.
• Read through its selection of recent articles/stories, categorized into: Food & Drink, Where to Eat, Stories
• 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 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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