Want to write for Bustle? We want you to write for us, too. Read on for our general pitching guidelines, as well as current needs and guidelines for each of our verticals: Books, Lifestyle, Entertainment, Fashion & Beauty, and News & Politics. Please only send pitches; do not send full drafts of stories/op-eds.
In any pitch to Bustle, please include the following:
- A sample headline for the piece.
- A 2-3 sentence description of the angle of the piece.
- Your plan for photos, if applicable.
- Sources for the piece that you know you have access to.
- Clips, if you have not written for Bustle before.
- Your standard rate.
BOOKS
We are currently accepting pitches for:
- First-person essays about literature and identity pieces about your relationship to literature.
- Reported pieces with a minimum of three sources.
- Author interviews.
Coverage of new books, preferably by women and gender nonconforming authors, will be prioritized.
We are not currently accepting pitches for:
- Reading lists.
Examples of past freelance stories that have appeared on Bustle:
- Why Saying My Book About Immigration Is “So Timely” Erases The Experiences Of Millions Of People
- The Sweet Valley High “Evil Twin” Books Were So Blissfully Weird & I Still Can’t Stop Thinking About Them
- Cora Harrington’s “In Intimate Detail” Is An Inclusive Guide To Lingerie That Reframes The Conversation About Intimate Apparel
- 12 Women Of Color & Native Authors Open Up About Why They Write About Mental Illness
- LGBTQ Diversity In YA Novels Is Getting Better, But Queer Girls Are Still Being Left Behind
Contact: Senior Books Editor Cristina Arreola: cristina+pitches@bustle.com
LIFESTYLE
We are currently accepting pitches for:
- Personal essays and reported pieces (reported pieces must include at least 3 sources) about health, mental health, relationships, and identity.
We are not currently accepting pitches for:
- Listicles.
- News stories pegged to new studies or viral trends; however, if it’s a unique take or first-person essay related to news story, we will consider it.
Examples of past freelance stories that have appeared on Bustle:
- I Almost Didn't Tell My Chinese Parents I Was Going To Therapy — Here's Why I Did Anyway
- I Did A Random DNA Test To Learn About My Ancestry. Then I Found Out I Was BRCA Positive
- What I Want You To Know About The Travel Ban, As A Muslim-American Woman
- What I Learned About My Mental Health From Being My Mother’s Caretaker
- My Boyfriend & I Tried Meditating For 30 Days To Improve Our Sex Life & It Worked... Sort Of
Contact:
For sex & relationships pitches, Senior Editor Michelle Toglia: michelle+pitches@bustle.com
For health, mental health, and identity pitches, Associate Editor Melanie Mignucci: melanie.mignucci+pitches@bustle.com
For general lifestyle pitches, Deputy Editor Kathryn Kattalia: kathryn+pitches@bustle.com
ENTERTAINMENT
We are currently accepting pitches for:
- First-person identity pieces based on timely entertainment news or TV/movie events.
- Reported entertainment features.
- Festival or junket coverage.
We are not currently accepting pitches for:
- Entertainment watch lists (Ex: "13 Rom-Coms To Watch On Netflix").
Examples of past freelance stories that have appeared on Bustle:
- Why The 'Insecure' Lawrence Hive Needs To Buzz Off For Good
- The Real Effect Of ‘Insatiable’s Fat-To-Thin Narrative, According to 3 Fat Activists
- Why ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Matters So Much To Non-American Asians Like Myself
- Writing Trans Roles Is Great, But I Want To Be Seen In Characters Already Written, Too
- 'Disobedience' Shows It's Possible For A Lesbian Sex Scene To Be Filmed With Respect
Contact:
For movies pitches, Movies Editor Sage Young: sage.young@bustle.com
For TV pitches, TV Editor Sam Rollins: samantha.rollins@bustle.com
For general entertainment pitches, Deputy Editor Allison Piwowarski: allison@bustle.com
FASHION & BEAUTY
We are not currently accepting pitches for the fashion or beauty verticals. Please check back regularly for updates.
NEWS & POLITICS
We are currently accepting pitches for:
- Op-eds (600 to 800 words) and reported pieces (up to 1,500 words) that are tied to current news events.
Examples of past freelance stories that have appeared on Bustle:
- My Iranian Family Was Helpless While My Uncle Died. Thanks To Trump, It Could Happen Again.
- The First Female Genital Mutilation Prosecution In America Is A Chilling Reminder It Happens Here, Too
- Unsafe Abortion In Latin America Is A Health Emergency & It's Time To Treat It Like One
- I'm A Disabled Woman. Here's Why Ohio's Down Syndrome Abortion Ban Disgusts Me
- It Was Already Terrifying To Be A 20-Year-Old Woman In Alabama, Even Before Roy Moore
Contact:
For op-ed pitches, Senior Editor Celia Darrough: celia+pitches@bustle.com
For pitches for reported pieces, Deputy Editor Katie Thompson: catherine.thompson+pitches@bustle.com
