Vox is a general interest publication that helps our audience understand the world around them. We cover a wide range of subjects — from policy and politics to culture and tech to science and health — with clarity and depth, curiosity and generosity.
Freelance pitches for written pieces are accepted by many of our sections; pitch guidelines and contact information can be found below. All accepted stories go through a collaborative editorial process and are paid at competitive rates, which are based on the amount and type of work.
We also hire freelance photographers and illustrators for many of our feature stories. You can find details on how to pitch to the visual team on this page, too.
Submission guidelines
A good pitch consists of a concise description of the piece you would like to write; aim for a couple of paragraphs here. We are looking for pieces with strong, unique angles. Specifics are important! Tell us the whats of the story, but also the whys: why this story is important to cover now, and why you should be the one to write it. Please add information on any pre-reporting you’ve done and source access you have; diverse sourcing is of paramount importance to Vox. A proposed headline and word count should also be included.
In addition to your pitch description, please tell us a bit about yourself and your work (just a line or so will suffice!), and provide links to pieces you’ve previously published that are similar to your pitch in subject and/or form.
Put all of this in the body of your email — no attachments, please — and remember that how you write your pitch gives editors insight into the quality and style of your writing. We rarely accept already-written pieces, as we like to work with writers on shaping their stories from start to finish.
We are not looking for:
- Q&As, unless you have access to a hard-to-get subject and a compelling reason to use the Q&A format
- Traditional reviews of books, TV shows, movies, albums, or other cultural products
- Shopping roundups
- Manuscripts or academic papers
What are we looking for? Read on for section-by-section instructions. Please note that many sections are not currently taking freelance pitches, but that we update this page regularly.
Future Perfect
Future Perfect covers the world’s biggest, most neglected moral and technological problems, and the philosophical debates around how to do the most good. Its work is animated by a baseline question: What would we write about if our only job was to cover the most important and yet oddly neglected stories in the world? Future Perfect’s core coverage areas include:
- Global poverty and public health
- The catastrophic and existential threats, both natural and technological, that humanity faces
- Animal welfare, factory farming, and the future of meat
- The growth of progress studies and evidence-based ideas that can boost sustainable growth for all
- The frontiers of artificial intelligence and biotechnology
- The philosophies and practices surrounding philanthropy and altruism
- Moral philosophy and the ethical questions that underpin individual and policy choices
Future Perfect welcomes freelance contributions. Most stories run between 1,500 and 2,500 words, and pitches can be sent to marina.bolotnikova@vox.com. A more in-depth pitch guide for the section can be found here.
Even Better
Even Better is Vox’s home for service journalism, where we strive to answer the questions readers have about living better lives — sometimes before they even know what those questions are in the first place. We’re looking for pitches focused on the following topics: parenting, work and money (although we stick more toward the emotional end of the spectrum, rather than straightforward personal finance advice), mental and physical health, and relationships of all types.
Some recent examples of successful stories include a guide to enjoying a social gathering if you’re someone with a low social battery; advice on how to fall back in love with reading; and the case for caring less about petty things. What these pieces have in common is deep reporting, thorough and diverse sourcing, unexpected takeaways, concrete and actionable advice, and a warm, accessible yet authoritative tone. To pitch stories between 1,000 and 2,000 words, email evenbetter@vox.com.
How we’ll work together
If we’re interested in your pitch, we’ll discuss rates, deadlines, scope, kill fees (if applicable), and other expectations with you upfront. We’ll also discuss potential expenses, travel, or risks and provide press credentials when necessary.
We appreciate all pitches but are not able to respond to every one. Please note that we often receive pitches that are similar to one another or to our existing assignments.
If we decide to work with you, you’ll receive an agreement with key terms clearly defined. We typically use a freelance management platform called Shortlist where you’ll find your agreement. It will also generate an invoice for you and show you payment status.
We believe clear, thoughtful communication is both our responsibility and yours. We expect you to follow our Vox Media Values, which include collaborating well, and to give and receive feedback respectfully. We follow those standards, too: If you experience a problem in working with us, we encourage you to discuss it with your editor or our legal team. We also offer a hotline for reporting concerns about conduct anonymously.
We’ll provide an edited draft before publication. We’ll appropriately credit you and other contributors. After publication, we will pay in a timely manner as specified in your agreement (typically within 30 days via our Shortlist platform), including reimbursement for any agreed-upon expenses.
By submitting a pitch to Vox Media, you acknowledge that your pitch may be similar or identical to content submitted by others, or to materials developed by or on behalf of Vox Media and that it shall have the right to use such other content or materials without any obligation to you. Neither the submission of your pitch nor Vox Media’s review of it constitutes or creates an implied contract or other financial or confidential relationship between you and Vox Media. You shall have no right to compensation or reimbursement of any kind by Vox Media in connection with the submission of your pitch. If and when Vox Media elects to proceed and assign work to you based on your pitch, the terms of any such assignment shall be subject to a separate agreement between you and Vox Media. Vox Media has no obligation to review, keep, or return any materials you submit.