How would I go about pitching these articles/papers to major publications, such as the New Yorker?

Asked by JonnyCeltics (2721

) June 30th, 2011

I am working on a dissertation which will be finished in December. I also have another academic paper that is quite journalistic and contains scholarly research and ethnographic fieldwork. Both, I believe, fall right in line with media numerous media calendars and the general feel of a number of major pubs.

So – how do I go about pitching them, getting my foot in the door?

Do I go old school and camp out. Do I call directly. I’d prefer to take a more active rather than passive approach (send in email, cross fingers). (also – who would be the decision makers? editors, readers….?)

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3 Answers

Get an agent, let them camp out!

Tropical_Willie (31441

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The New Yorker doesn’t consider unsolicited nonfiction, the kind of thing you are describing. Most of the big ones don’t. You need to research what publications take the kind of writing you are talking about and their submission policies. You might want to invest in a copy of The Writer’s Market and also talk to your advisor about what options might be available to you for submitting academic writing for publication. Publications like The New Yorker are incredibly competitive and you will need an agent for something like that, if they are even interested in publishing some version of your academic writing, no matter how “journalistic” you feel it is. They are two different kinds of writing.

lillycoyote (24870

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