Freelance Feature Pitches
For the first time in awhile (again), Time Out Los Angeles is actively soliciting feature pitches and other freelance editorial support for the Food and Drink (F&D) section. Other sections on the site include Things to Do, Culture and Travel. For pitches unrelated to food and drink, please send your pitches to michael.juliano@timeout.com.
A little bit about us: First launched as a London magazine in 1968, Time Out helps people discover the best things to do, see and eat in hundreds of cities around the world. Today, the global, digital-first company has an editorial presence in 333 cities across 59 countries, and Los Angeles is among its most popular sites. Since 2012, Time Out Los Angeles has helped both locals and visitors find out the coolest things to do in the city, from cutting-edge arts and culture to the city's ever-changing culinary and nightlife scenes.
IMPORTANT: With a decade of editorial content under the belt, it's important to check Time Out L.A.'s vast archive to make sure your round-up or story idea hasn't been covered yet! Googling " 'Time Out Los Angeles' + [search query] " is your best friend here.
What kind of freelance work we're looking for, and what we pay: Generally, we don't freelance out timely news stories/features with extremely tight turnaround times. At the moment, our F&D editorial needs fall into three categories:
1) Standalone written features ($250-300)
Typical length: 500-1000 words
Our coverage of the L.A. culinary scene is hyperlocal, anti-elitist and strives to be comprehensive. While we love a great pop-up, we're not all about the hype train or waiting in long lines. No matter the season, we're always looking for hidden gems and untold stories, particularly those that highlight the stories of BIPOC and other marginalized communities. We also love F&D stories that include an element of wonder, discovery and the unexpected; we already cover the city's splashiest restaurants—what else is going on around town? If possible, strong visual elements and video-based storytelling opportunities should be highlighted in the pitch (don't worry, we don't expect writers to also capture video content!)
Formats we're open to: Straightforward food and drink features, trend stories/explainers, as-told-tos (on a limited case-by-case basis), interviews (with a relevant local, service-driven angle),
Generally, please do not pitch: First-person essays/event recaps, new listicle-style SEO guides, stories with a squarely national angle, restaurant and bar openings (we've got this covered!), restaurant industry stories—they're a little "inside baseball" for Time Out
Ideal format for feature pitches: Your email subject line should start with "Freelance story pitch: [proposed headline/story topic]." Include in the body of the email a potential headline and lede, plus a sense of story structure and why your pitch is relevant to Time Out Los Angeles readers. Include a reporting plan and any sources you'd reach out to. New to pitching TOLA? Start with a brief writers' bio and links to 2-3 relevant writing clips.