Journalist: How the news works (or doesn’t) – 0.25 to 0.50 cents/word
Our inbox is always open. We’re excited to hear from writers with smart, original, nuanced pitches about journalism and the people who make it happen.
We publish reported stories, analysis and essays that help readers better understand how news works — and how it sometimes doesn’t. If you have an idea, we want to see it.
Most of the freelance work we publish begins as a pitch rather than a completed draft. We prefer to shape stories together — discussing focus, reporting, framing and timing before a piece is written. Because our freelance budget is limited, we primarily pay for stories we commission or develop with writers in advance.
Here’s what makes for a strong pitch:
- Focus on the news media. We cover the full spectrum: hyperlocal and independent outlets, major national and international newsrooms, individual creators, fact-checking, media literacy, press freedom and the forces shaping — and reshaping — journalism today.
- Answer “why now?” and “so what?” A clear time peg, news hook or fresh angle helps us understand the urgency and relevance of your idea.
- We’re not looking for nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. Stories about journalism’s past should help readers understand journalism’s present or future. History is welcome when it illuminates current power, practice or consequence, not when it simply memorializes what’s been lost.
- Think about our audience. Our readers include working journalists and news consumers who care about journalism. The best pitches are accessible to both, even if they lean more toward one than the other.
- Show your reporting plan. A likely word count, the sources you plan to interview and any expected access to documents, data or images will strengthen your pitch.
- Match our tone. We value clarity, accuracy and accessibility. We avoid jargon, hype and insider shorthand whenever possible. Our writing is curious and fair, not snarky or scolding — the voice of a trusted colleague, not a referee.
- Share your expertise. If you have relevant background, reporting experience or a personal connection to the topic, tell us. It helps us understand why you’re the right writer for the story.
- Be upfront about affiliations. If your pitch overlaps with your employer, an organization you work with, an organization you’re a part of that isn’t an employer or a project you’re involved in, flag that in your email. Transparency helps us assess ideas quickly and fairly.
- Criticism is welcome. We publish fair, evidence-based critiques of journalism — including from writers outside the industry — when they advance understanding rather than score points.
About organizational pitches
We will consider reported pieces or columns written by or about an organization — including work that advances its mission — if the journalism is genuinely useful, interesting and independent.
If the organization’s name were removed from your piece, would it still be useful and interesting to readers? If yes, we want to see it. If not, the pitch is probably better suited for your own channels or for sponsored content.
We are not a platform for press releases, product launches or promotional content, and we reserve the right to decline pitches that read primarily as self-marketing. Learn more about Poynter’s advertising options, including sponsored content, here.
About completed or near-completed pieces
We generally don’t accept or pay for fully completed pieces. Our best work happens when we can shape an idea together — discussing focus, reporting, framing and timing — and when we can plan for it.
If you’ve already written something, the best approach is to check in first rather than sending a full draft. Tell us the idea, what you’ve reported and how the piece might be reshaped to fit Poynter’s audience and needs. In most cases, reaching out before you write — or while a piece is still in progress — will give your pitch the strongest chance of success.
We do occasionally publish completed pieces or essays that were not commissioned by us if they are especially timely or useful to our audience. In those cases, we are often unable to offer payment because our freelance budget is limited and reserved primarily for stories we plan and assign in advance.
How we pay freelancers
We pay freelance writers for stories we commission or develop together. Our general rates are:
- 50 cents per word for reported articles
- 25 cents per word for nonreported opinion or analysis
Because our freelance budget is limited, we typically reserve it for reporting we assign and shape with writers ahead of time. We sometimes publish completed essays or analysis pieces that were not commissioned by us; these are generally unpaid, though authors may republish them elsewhere with permission.
We do not pay for work that primarily serves another organization’s business, fundraising or promotional interests.
Email pitches to: pitch@poynter.org.
If you’re new to us, please include links to previous work. We read every pitch. We try to respond within one week, though response times can vary depending on volume and news cycles. If you don’t hear back, it’s OK to follow up.