Motherboard Magazine Is Accepting Pitches/ How To Submit (Pay: $0.25/word)

Motherboard Magazine is a publication by Vice that covers science, technology, and the human stories behind them. 

They focus on how science and tech are shaping specific communities around the world and online, with a keen interest in niche concerns that have broader implications.

They value in-depth investigations, engaging features, and unique, stunt-driven ideas. You might want to read this article on Tips For Making Your Writing Perfect.

Submission Guidelines For Motherboard Magazine 

• Motherboard is always on the lookout for new talent and inquisitive minds. 

• They accept pitches via email and Twitter DM. 

• Your pitch should include a tentative headline, a couple of sentences about the story, proposed word count, and a deadline.

• Motherboard is open to pitches from all writers but prefers to start with shorter, straightforward pieces from new contributors. 

• They are more likely to accept quick blog posts from first-time freelancers before moving on to more complex features.

• Motherboard is unlikely to accept features or investigative pieces from first-time freelancers or those without a robust portfolio of published articles. 

• They prefer to start with straightforward stories and work up from there.

Pitch Contact Emails

General: editors@motherboard.tv

Editor-in-Chief: jason.koebler@vice.com (also accepts pitches via Twitter DM)

Managing Editor: emanuel.maiberg@vice.com

Canada Editor: (specific email not provided)

What Motherboard Magazine Wants

They are interested in stories that delve deep into specific communities and highlight how niche concerns have broader implications. They focus on several core topics which include:

Tech Populism: Access to and democratization of technology, right to repair, deepfakes, hacking, copyright law, decentralization, and alternative governance structures.

Far Future: Science fiction, speculative fiction, and explorations of future human life on Earth and in space. Current events impacting our shared future also fall into this category.

Power in Tech: Inequality in tech, how new technologies entrench traditional power structures, and how big tech companies like Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon, and Uber are changing daily interactions and lives.

The News: Coverage of the day’s biggest news, science explainers, and breaking stories.

Author Rights At Motherboard Magazine 

Specific author rights were not detailed in the provided content. However, standard practices likely apply, and it’s advisable to discuss and clarify rights with the editors upon acceptance of a pitch.

Payment

Payment reports indicate that Motherboard pays an average of $0.25 per word. They also pay photographers, illustrators, and photo agencies for visual content.

Deadline

Include a proposed deadline in your pitch. There is no specific deadline mentioned for submissions, but timely and relevant content is always preferred.

Other Tips for Pitching

• Provide evidence such as hard data or documents to support your pitch.

• Think visually and know what images will enhance your story.

• Read Motherboard to understand their style and the types of stories they publish.

• Be concise and clear in your pitch, outlining the key elements and why it’s relevant now.