Mondoweiss is an independent news website devoted to informing readers about developments in Israel/Palestine and related U.S. foreign policy. We provide news and analysis unavailable through the traditional media regarding the struggle for Palestinian human rights.
The majority of our news section is written by Mondoweiss staff correspondents but we are always on the lookout for compelling stories from freelancers. Most of our features, reviews, essays, and interviews are written by freelancers. While some of our freelance articles come from experienced reporters and academics, much of what we commission is written by early career reporters. We often publish first-time authors. We value accuracy, a strong narrative, human-focused stories, and unique angles that are not published elsewhere. Our editors are experienced with polishing stories where the reporter’s first language is not English.
This page is intended to outline what our editors are looking for, how to craft an effective pitch, and guidelines for submitting. Directions on how to submit an op-ed are at the bottom of this page.
Stories we like
- Perspectives of people that are not found anywhere else. Particularly we like stories that show how major events or policies impact average people and marginalized voices.
- First-person narratives about witnessing a historical event.
- Profiles of individuals relevant to the news cycle.
- Exclusive stories that are not reported elsewhere, especially those focused on economics, the environment, healthcare, activism, and politics.
- Culture pieces that introduce readers to innovative musicians, poets, novelists, and artists.
Top tips
- Use the form below to send pitches to Mondoweiss (kindly note, we do not accept attachments).
- We try to respond to every pitch and will usually follow up within a week.
- Before you pitch to us, spend about 20 minutes researching the topic to make sure the story idea is accurate, original, and feasible to report. Most of the time this can be done with a Google search. Sometimes details will need to be confirmed with a phone call or an email to a source.
- Please do not send us completed stories. We rarely take pieces on spec and don’t want you to waste your time. Often our editors work with freelancers and tweak the story before it is commissioned to ensure the story is up to date and does not conflict with over-planned coverage.
- An ideal pitch is a few paragraphs in length and should mirror the tone of the piece you plan to write. If you intend to interview people in your reporting, state their names and how they are relevant. The best pitches convey why a story is important. We want to hear why you think people should read your piece.
- If you live in or have ties to a remote region or community, let us know! We love first hand-experience in reporters who cover voices that are not often heard.
- While it’s not feasible for every piece to have gender parity, we always encourage our reporters to quote from women and underrepresented voices in expert interviews.
For samples of pitches that are really strong, take a look at the databases Successful Pitches and the Open Notebook.
Pitching features and news
While we don’t have a hard and fast rule about word counts, we usually adhere to conventions. News stories average 700 words, features around 1,200. We are open to longform, but those stories should have a lot of nuanced characters and span a series of major events. We like clear narrative structures and may work with you during the commissioning process to find the perfect way to tell your story.
Here are a few examples of strong stories we published by freelancers:
- No ambulances amid the bombings: How Gaza’s COVID-19 patients survived Israel’s military assault
- From insects to boredom, patients and doctors detail life inside Gaza’s COVID-19 quarantine centers
- Planned blackouts hit the West Bank in response to rising debt
- Film charts failed experiment inviting Palestinian teens to become kibbutzniks
Submitting op-eds
Mondoweiss accepts opinion-editorials on a wide range of topics, viewpoints and analyses. We want pieces with a strong point of view, and prefer articles that have not run elsewhere. We prioritize first-hand accounts from Palestinian or marginalized voices and encourage movement writers to submit pieces on topics you are informed and passionate about. You do not have to be a full-time writer. If you are employed or represent an organization, NGO, and/or work in politics related to the issue you are writing about, kindly note your affiliation at the time of submission.
While we take a range of lengths, most op-eds we publish are 800 to 1000 words.
Pitching podcasts or videos
We accept podcast and video pitches as well. If you have a completed podcast or video and are interested in Mondoweiss publishing it, be sure to include a link where we can listen or watch the complete program. If you are pitching an audio or video idea, please include links to previous work you’ve done, and a complete description of your project.