Writer's Guidelines Bitch Magazine (Not Every Magazine is on AdSprouts)

A former student suggested I take a look at this. Pretty good example of guidelines for potential contributors.

Contributor's Guidelines

• Writer's Guidelines 
• Illustrator's Guidelines 
• Themes for Future Issues
• Blogger's Guidelines 
• For PR Folks

Writer's Guidelines

We're looking for anything that can be described as "feminist response to pop culture." Our definition of pop culture is broad, encompassing cultural attitudes and myths, phenomena of the popular imagination, and social trends as well as movies, TV, magazines, books, advertising, and the like. Interviews with feminist culture-makers are welcome, as are book, film, and music reviews and nuanced analyses of particularly horrifying and/or inspiring examples of pop culture. Nonfiction essays only. We do not publish fiction or poetry. Ever. Seriously. Finished work and query letters are both welcome. If sending only a query, please include clips and/or writing samples. And hey, everyone likes a nice cover letter. We strongly prefer e-mail submissions. We do not accept pitches over the phone.

More details:

Features are 2,000 to 4,000 words of meaty critiques, essays, and articles on pop culture from a feminist perspective. We're looking for sharp-eyed perspectives on pop culture and the media, brimming with personal insight and wit. Features vary in format: interviews, reported pieces, and critical essays are welcome, as are roundups and graphically driven formats like timelines, charts, and comics. Recent features include an examination of rape jokes as told by female comedians; an analysis of Beyoncé Knowles-Carter's public persona and the response from both feminist and mainstream media; an interview with veteran sex-worker activist Margo St. James; and a comics feature on trans and women comics artists in the industry.

. We also have shorter features for our book, screen, and music sections, each approximately 2200 words. Recent screen, book, and music features have included an interview with filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu;revisiting The Feminist Mystique fifty years later; and an analysis of Tori Amos' unhip fandom.

In addition to features, we're in search of shorter pieces for the front of the magazine. Our front-of-book section features 1500-1800 word columns on film, television, language, activism, advertising, publishing, and more, with pieces taking the form of reviews, critical essays, Q&As, and activist profiles. Past columns brought attention to the links between fatphobia and homophobia, the role of women in the Tea Party movement, and an analysis of Pinterest as a "women's website."  

We're always on the lookout for Love It/Shove It items. Love/Shoves are short (under 500 words) but sharp-eyed and cogent analyses of the latest things that either pleased you or enraged you. We're looking for pieces that are timely, and, more importantly, go beyond the sentiment of "Wow, this sucks!" in search of deeper meaning. Love/Shoves are accepted on a rolling basis, and are often printed on our website as well as in the magazine, so send things along whenever the mood strikes. Examples of former "Love-Its" include New Orleans's "Sissy" Bounce music movement, the PMS Cupcake, and the "Not Your Baby" phone app. Some "Shove-Its" took on anti-abortion legislation, faulty ‘g-spot’ science and Urban Outfitters’ appropriation of Navajo culture. 

In addition, we have Bitch List items, 100-word pieces highlighting the best of pop culture, whether it's a new DVD box set of I Love Lucy, a labia-shaped skatepark, or a fun, feminist-friendly website. We also feature film, music, and book reviews. If there's a review up your sleeve, pitch it our way (no full draft submissions, please), keeping in mind the magazine's release date and the timeliness of your review. If you're interested in being added to our regular roster of reviewers, contact andi [at] b-word.org with samples.

Payment is $100 for features, $50 for front-of-book pieces, and $25 for Love/Shoves. Please send all materials to magazine@b-word.org, but if you must use snail mail, include a SASE and reach us at:

attn: Submissions
4930 NE 29th Ave.
Portland, OR 97211.

Illustrator's Guidelines

We're always looking for new illustrators to work with. We commission people with various styles appropriate for each individual article.

Payment is $100 for features (one full page and one spot), $50 for front-of-book (half page) and $20 for Love/Shove (one spot).

We also accept pitches for our "Adventures in Feministory" back page, where we pay homage to a feminist figure worthy of a whole lotta recognition and love, comic-style. Recent "Adventure in Feministory" heroines include Cynthia Heimel, Lucy Gonzalez Parsons, and Joan Rivers (or check out our ongoing blog series). Pitches for this specific feature should be tied to the theme of the issue, and would be developed in conjunction with our art director.

If interested, please send your portfolio link and any specific suggestions (style, topic) for artwork to Kristin Rogers Brown, or send mail (no originals, please!) to:

Bitch: Feminist Respose to Pop Culture
4930 NE 29th Avenue
Portland, OR 97211

Themes for the Future Issues

Our themes are intended to be nonexclusive jumping-off points rather than limiting factors, and below we've included a few key words that may help along your fabulous brainstorms. We encourage you not to interpret the themes too literally, and in fact to go ahead and interpret them as loosely as you wish. Furthermore, if you have an idea you think is right for us but that fits no theme, go ahead and pitch it anyway.

Tough (#63, Summer 2014)

This issue will tackle what breaks us down, builds us back up, challenges our abilities and assumptions—and what role the media plays in all those experiences. It will explore where the rubber meets the road, the personal meets the political in pop culture and media. What does "toughness" mean when in comes to gender, to sex, to class and race and age and profession? What difficult discussions and nuanced analysis do we miss when our media and pop culture water down their commentary and analysis? What new language and dialogue can bring us beyond crusty concepts of right and wrong, strong and weak, survivor and victim, good and evil? How do stories and narratives about thick skin—or lack thereof—influence our ideas about gender and value? The tough issue is about all of this and more, and we're excited to see what you have to say about it. 

Key Words: experience, outlaw, agency, resilience, action, heroines, weakness, battle.
Pitch Deadline: December 15, 2013

Love/Lust (#64, Fall 2014)

For this issue, we want to talk about what gets your blood pumping, heart thumping, and brain pounding. Now’s your chance to share your views on pornography, dating, marriage, sex, and everything else that's been at the center of many a feminist debate. What’s with all these bride movies? How does racial or sexual fetishization affect real women’s lives? What kinds of sexualities are seen as sexy, or transgressive, or deviant—and what sexualities are not seen at all—in pop culture and media, and how do such representations impact real-life sexual identity? How does the intersection of desire and capitalism affect how we define what's sexy? All this and more is in our overflowing goodie drawer, so get pitching!

Keywords: sex, porn, sex work, erotica (note: please do not submit actual erotica), relationships, obsessions, attraction, orientation, fetishization
Deadline: April 1, 2014

(Re)Vision (#65, Winter 2015)

We all see the world through our own particular lenses of experience, upbringing, privilege or the lack thereof, and more. But what happens when we change our perspective? From blurred lines to feminist standpoints, this issue is about changing the view—reshuffling paradigms, fomenting revolution, or just taking a new look at an old subject. We’re interested in articles about reclaiming, subverting, and critiquing entrenched narratives. We'd like to explore how visual culture affects our lived realities. We want to go beyond the staid old male gaze and into a more complex reading of the world. And we’ll highlight folks who are taking their stories into their own hands.

Keywords: Writing, looking, lenses, creation, revolution, erasure, reform, witness
Deadline: June 1, 2014

*Please familiarize yourself with Bitch magazine's content before pitching.* You can scroll up for pitching guidelines, browse select articles online, or subscribe.

Blogger's Guidelines

Bitch Media is always looking for two types of writing for our blog. 

Got a tip? If you have an idea for something we should write about, but don't want to write about it yourself, we're happy to take your suggestions. Send links and blog post suggestions to webeditor[at]bitchmedia.org

Want to write an online article? If you have ideas for just one or two excellent blog posts, send a quick pitch for your one-off post idea to webeditor[at]bitchmedia.org, along with links to writing samples. Bloggers are paid. 

For PR Folks

Bitch HQ receives hundreds of review requests each month. This includes authors, artists, and filmmakers. Review requests sent en masse end up in the trash. If you're looking for a genuine review, please be familiar with the publication—we support artists who acknowledge Bitch's mission. For example, bands or musicians up for review should have at least one female or feminist member (we think dude bands get enough attention elsewhere). And as always, a personal query or email is always a nice touch; sincerity is more important than length. Please contact us here.