We are interested in essays, photography, reported stories, and features. To pitch us, you can send us an email at tips@hellgatenyc.com. Important: Be sure to put "PITCH" in the subject line.
A few tips for a successful pitch:
- Read the stories on the website to get a feel for the kind of work we're looking for.
- Keep your pitch brief, ideally under 500 words. If we're interested, you can always give us more detail later.
- Be as specific as you can about what your story/essay/feature is about. Show us that you understand the story well enough to have an angle, that you've done some preliminary digging and know how you want to approach it, and that you're capable of pulling it off.
Our rates are roughly the following: $200+ for an essay/blog post (~700 words), $250+ for a photo assignment, $300+ for a reported story, and $400+ for a longer (1,200+ words) feature.
You can also send us photos of weird stuff happening on the street, reasonably informed rumors, story ideas, and complaints to tips@hellgatenyc.com.
Before we even launched, Hell Gate worked with the Freelance Solidarity Project of the National Writers Union to create a standard contract and a statement of commitments that promotes fair practices for freelance writers, photographers, and artists. Included in these commitments are:
- Full payment for work on receipt of the final draft;
- A promise to indemnify and defend a freelancer against any third-party claim;
- Writer retains rights to their work; and
- A grievance procedure with the National Writers Union.