Smart Mouth Podcast Is Accepting Pitches/ How To Submit (Pay: $1/ word)
Smart Mouth Podcast, a newsletter curated by food writer Katherine Spiers, offers freelance writers an avenue to contribute compelling content on a variety of food-related topics.
With a focus on delivering insightful narratives and engaging discussions, they aim to provide readers with a blend of historical explorations, progressive food politics, and light-hearted content.
Are you a freelance writer? Or are you interested in food writing? Please go through the guidelines below before submitting.
Submission Guidelines For Smart Mouth Podcast
1. Pitching: Writers are encouraged to submit pitches via email to Katherine Spiers at katherine@tablecakes.com. Each email should contain only one pitch, and all communication regarding a specific story should be kept within one email thread to facilitate efficient correspondence.
2. Formatting: Ideally, submissions should be in Google Docs format with edit permission granted to Katherine Spiers. Writers should include website links within the article itself, rather than as a separate list at the end.
3. Photos: If a pitch includes photos, they should be sent along with the pitch.
4. Follow-up: Katherine Spiers responds to emails chronologically, and repeated inquiries about the status of a submission may delay response times.
What They Want
They seek submissions that cover a range of topics, including but not limited to:
- Histories of restaurant chains and food items
- Consumer-facing farm issues
- Eating guides to various cities
- Analyses of school lunches
Writers are encouraged to adopt a writing style reminiscent of publications like Texas Monthly, Civil Eats, and Bitter Southerner. Voices such as Sarah Taber and Soleil Ho serve as inspirations for the tone and content of Smart Mouth. However, the newsletter does not entertain “wellness” stories, and the phrase “clean eating” should only be used sarcastically. They encourage writers to familiarize themselves with the newsletter’s content and tone before submitting pitches.
What They Don’t Want
Smart Mouth does not accept:
- Publicist-generated stories
- “Wellness” stories
- Use of the phrase “clean eating” in a non-sarcastic manner
Eligibility Criteria
Smart Mouth welcomes pitches from freelance writers who are passionate about food culture and storytelling. There are no specific eligibility criteria based on prior publications or experience, but writers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Smart Mouth before pitching.
Author Rights
Authors retain the rights to their work, but they reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, style, and length. Writers are expected to make changes directly to the article when receiving edits, rather than sending clarifications via email.
Payment
Smart Mouth compensates writers at a rate of approximately $1 per word, rounded to the nearest 50. Payment methods include paper check, Zelle, PayPal, or TransferWise. Invoices should specify the preferred payment method.
For any additional inquiries or information, writers can contact Katherine Spiers at katherine@tablecakes.com.
