Submissions & Rates

After reviewing our submissions guidelines and rates below, please file your submission here.

We will no longer be checking the email account submissions@inthesetimes.com. Submissions will be considered for either the print magazine or for publication on inthesetimes.com. Investigative submissions should be emailed to investigations@inthesetimes.com. We do not accept mailed submissions and please note that our process is not to accept completed articles without requesting them. With very few exceptions, we do not publish material that has already been published in print or online.

Please use this link for your submission.

GUIDELINES
In These Times is a space for stories that expose the influence of corporations over our government and in our lives, and that inform and advance movements for social, environmental, gender, economic and racial justice. All pitches will be reviewed through this lens.

FEATURES
In These Times’ feature well is an eclectic space for investigations, reported stories and opinion pieces. Reported stories and investigations range from 1,200 to 4,000 words. Opinion and thinkpieces range from 800-1500 words. In addition to traditional features, we’re open to stories that lend themselves to nontraditional formatting: Q&As, photo essays.

Here are some examples of In These Times features:

INVESTIGATIONS
(Will likely appear in print and web)

$1/word for investigative features, plus approved expenses and an art budget.
All investigative features will have extensive editorial support and rigorous fact checking.
Send investigative pitches to investigations@inthesetimes.com.

Here are some examples of In These Times investigations:

See past In These Times investigations at inthesetimes.com/investigations

LABOR
In These Times is committed to covering workers’ struggles in the United States and beyond. We’re looking for reporting on and analysis of underreported workplace struggles, whether workers are unionized, unionizing, or fighting wage theft, occupational hazards and other exploitative treatment.

Here are some examples of In These Times labor stories:

DISPATCHES
Dispatches are for providing reports from around the country on events outside the mainstream media spotlight. Each story leads with a short vignette, scene or conversation, and then expands out into reporting or commentary. While the topic will often be local organizing, activism or politics, there’s room for eclecticism. For Dispatches, pitch a scene that has political resonance (whether overt or subtle) and explain how you would build a story around it. The event can be upcoming or recent, but should not be widely reported. You must be able to directly observe it, whether in person or by video/audio (no secondhand reporting). These are 900-word essays, first or third person.

Here are some examples of In These Times dispatches:

CULTURE
Our culture section offers a space for idea-driven writing with a distinct, creative and authorial voice. That may take the form of a personal essay, historical piece, longform comic, poem, think piece on a cultural or political trend, or a review that uses one or several books, movies or TV shows as a jumping-off point for your own argument. We believe that big ideas can be expressed in ways that are not lofty or ultra-academic, and that progressive cultural writing, at its best, relates politics to people’s lives and interests. Think Alice Walker, Studs Terkel or Kurt Vonnegut (all former In These Times contributors). Essays that focus on the intersection of economic/racial inequality and culture are especially encouraged. Pieces range from 750−2,500 words. Pitch 1-3 months in advance of any time-specific hook — an anniversary, movie release, book publication, etc. We consider reviews of books that have been published within the past six months.

Here are some examples of In These Times dispatches:

The ITT-NWU-FSP Agreement establishes a floor for freelancer rates. Both the National Writers Union and In These Times affirm that freelancers are important to the quality and success of independent media and In These Times, and that freelancers have a right to transparency about the work they do and accountability in their dealings with In These Times.

To learn more about the National Writers Union and the Freelance Solidarity Project, visit https://nwu.org.

When possible, In These Times offers freelancers rates exceeding those base rates established in the ITT-NWU-FSP Agreement.

As of May 12, 2025, standard rates for most editorial content are:

Print Fees
(will likely also run online)

$1/word for print features (3,300+ words)
$0.50/word for Viewpoints | Dispatches | Culture

Web Fees

$400 for a web-only story up to 1,500 words
$375 for web-only viewpoints up to 1,200 words

Fees for Combined Web & Print

$0.50/word for a shorter feature between 2,200 and 2,700 words
$250 to moderate and publish a roundtable discussion (defined as moderator + minimum 3 panelists for a minimum discussion of 1 hour). Panelists will receive a fee of $100 each.
$150 to conduct a Q&A interview for publication

Illustrations
(If an assignment includes multiple illustrations, a flat fee for all combined work will be negotiated between the freelancer and In These Times.)

$50 for spot
$250 for 1/2 page
$525 for full-page
$750 for 2-page spread

Magazine Cover

$200 for 6 cover sketches (added onto total cover fee)
$800 for total front cover only fee
$1250 for total wraparound cover fee

Comics for Web & Print

$250 for 1-panel
$525 for full-page

Photography for Web & Print

$50 for individual photos
$250 up to 4 hours
$500 for 8-hour day rate

Interviews & Roundtables | Panels | For Web & Print

$150 for interviewer Q&A + book(s) reimbursements if necessary
(For overall production of the interview and article for print and/or online including, but not limited to, conducting, editing, transcribing and adding brief written context and/or analysis.)
$250 for roundtable moderator + $100 each for up to 4 panelists
(For facilitating roundtable discussion — defined as the facilitator plus at least three other participants — and producing (including, but not limited to, conducting, editing, transcribing and adding brief written context and/or analysis) an article based on the roundtable that appears online and/or in print.)

Translation

$0.10/word

Proofing | Fact Checking

$20/hour for freelance proofers and fact checkers (unless a flat rate or other arrangement has been negotiated between the freelance proofer or fact checker and In These Times).

Other Multimedia
(Such as photo essays, videos, and audio projects)

These do not have a set rate and the freelancer and In These Times may negotiate the price, but In These Times is not obligated to accept any negotiated price for this content.

Except in rare circumstances, a fee will not be provided for authors | creators | others whose jobs include writing op-eds or producing other content as part of their job or on behalf of an organization or politician, etc.

Authors | Freelancers may return their fee for any assignment as a donation to In These Times.
To learn more about the National Writers Union and the Freelance Solidarity Project, visit https://nwu.org.

For a full explanation of the payment process, please review the In These Times Freelance Commission, Publication & License Agreement.

In These Times pays freelancers through bill.com.
Most fees to freelance contributors are payable within 30 days following publication of the work online or after the issue of the print magazine containing the assignment has been sent to the printer, whichever is first.
The fee can also not be paid unless there has been mutual signature and delivery of the In These Times Freelance Commission, Publication & License Agreement and the applicable Project Assignment from the freelance contributor to In These Times.
The fee can also not be paid until In These Times is in receipt of the freelance contributor’s Form W9, or equivalent documentation required for In These Times to remit payment, and In These Times has verified creation of the freelance contributor’s own Bill.com account or any other method required by In These Times for the freelance contributor to accept payment.
In These Times also reserves, always, the right to reject the work and, if necessary, will pay a “kill fee” in accordance with the ITT-NWU-FSP Agreement, which is equal to 25% of the fee.

To learn more about the National Writers Union and Freelance Solidarity Project, visit nwu.org.

Submissions & Rates for Freelance Content Contributors