Pitch: Slate Wants Health and Science Submissions – $300 to $1,500/project

I’m back at Slate next week after mat leave, and will be looking at pitches again. Particularly interested in health and science opinion and analysis, and or with a first person angle, as well as features (2,500+ words, deeply reported) that turn a big idea on its head. shannon.palus@slate.com

Here’s a good example of a feature that worked well.

• It’s the Most Misunderstood Pet in America. If Only You Knew Where It Came From—and What It’s Capable Of: https://slate.com/technology/2025/08/hermit-crab-lifespan-beach-pet-cage-breeding.html

Here’s what I mean by opinion and analysis.

• Those Dire Wolves Aren’t an Amazing Scientific Breakthrough. They’re a Disturbing Symbol of Where We’re Heading: https://slate.com/technology/2025/04/dire-wolf-colossal-de-extinct-conservation-science-research-paper.html

Here’s a completely stand-out first person narrative I edited—if you have a wild experience you want to write about, consider pitching me.

• It Was Late to Have a Baby. I Knew the Risks. I Still Wasn’t Ready for How Bad It Could Get. https://slate.com/technology/2023/11/childbirth-death-united-states-advanced-maternal-age.html

Rates vary by complexity of the reporting involved. For my sections, they start at approximately $300 for essays, and approximately $1,500 for features (2,500+ words).

Questions / Apply:

shannon.palus@slate.com