Pitch The Journal

Got an idea for a long read that you’d like to write? Pitch The Journal here. Remember, it has to have a local angle, whether it’s connected to the district of Bradford or West Yorkshire.

What to include in your email

• Subject line: PITCH: [title of pitch]
• 100 words max on your story idea
• 50 words max on why it matters to our reader
• The format: investigation, interview, feature, essay, comment, etc
• A link to your website/portfolio
• Optional: a link to your LinkedIn profile

What we expect

We are a newspaper committed to the craft and integrity of writing well. If you’re commissioned by The Journal, here’s what we expect:

• Originality: your writing should always be 100% your own – it shouldn’t be written by someone else or generated at all by AI
• Due diligence: all facts, claims and quotes should be verified before submitting your piece 
• Research: an appropriate amount of research to the work should be carried out using reliable and reputable material (online and offline)
• Sources: a list of your primary and secondary sources used (excluding confidential ones)
• Review: all writing should be edited, proofread and checked for plagiarism before submitting your piece (commissions will include one round of amends)
• Right of reply: where relevant, give people or organisations a right of reply before submitting your piece
• Images/videos: we welcome original photos and videos or assets that you have been given permission to publish in The Journal

Fees

We pay our writers. Your fee will depend on the work and will be agreed ahead of the commission.

We also accept free commissions where both parties are in agreement.