Pitch to Lateral
Lateral accepts pitches about any topic relating to science and its interaction with society and culture. To get a good idea about the types of articles we publish, check out our past issue archives. We do not currently accept submissions of completed articles. We also commission artwork for feature articles and columns, if you’d like to join our pool of artists, see below.
Sign up to our pitching newsletter to receive more info about specific ideas our editors would like Lateral to explore, upcoming deadlines, potential commissions, and opportunities at the magazine.You can also join our pitching and commissioning group on Facebook.
Magazine Pitching Guidelines
Your pitch should give us a clear idea of the topic and tone of th proposed article, and we should also be able to see how it will fit into Lateral’s ongoing exploration of the relationship between science and society.
Make sure you send your pitch to the section it will fit best in. Contact details for the different sections are available on the opposite side.
Experience required: None.
Here at Lateral, our editorial team is here to help you write about science for a general audience. Your pitches will be accepted on the strength of your ideas and how well they fit into the magazine style and vision — we'll help you with the writing part.
In your pitch, please include:
A paragraph outlining the article you wish to write including the topic, your angle, key points to address and questions to explore.
Article type: Feature (themed) articles are typically between 1,200 and 2,000 words, while general (non-themed) articles and columns are typically between 800 and 1,200 words.
Some background information and/or links to articles on the broader topic, and an explanation of what new information or angle your piece will provide; and
Key researchers or experts you might approach for comment
Types of pitches Lateral accepts:
feature
Feature (themed) articles are typically between 1,200 and 2,000 words. Each issue, we publish a feature article in every section (5-6 total). Each issue will have a pitching deadline - see above.
We pay AUD$50 for feature articles.
General
General (non-themed) articles are typically between 800 and 1,200 words. General articles can be pitched at any time.
We pay AUD$30 for general articles.
Column
Column articles are usually 600-1000 words long. Having a column requires you to regularly publish on a particular topic (every month or every two months) for a year. When pitching a column idea, make sure to include at least three article ideas that fit what you want your column to be on.
We pay AUD$30 for each column article.
Upcoming themes and deadlines:
Issue 31 (MarCh 2019): SIDEKICKS
Pitching Deadline: closed
Please send pitches to the relevant sections:
General/miscellaneous pitches: editor@lateralmag.com
Art & Popular Culture pitches: artcult@lateralmag.com
Life Science pitches: lifesci@lateralmag.com
Physical Science pitches: physsci@lateralmag.com
Philosophy & History pitches: philhist@lateralmag.com
Society & Education pitches: socedu@lateralmag.com
Artwork: artdirector@lateralmag.com
Artwork
For each issue, we also commission artwork. This includes our issue banner, and images to accompany each of the features. We send artists drafts of the articles, so the art matches the story as closely as possible, while retaining the style of the artist.
We pay AUD$50 for feature artwork and AUD$100 for the issue banner.
If you’re interested in producing artwork for Lateral contact
Nicki on artdirector@lateralmag.com.
