MindSite News Freelance Market Guide
Created March 11, 2022; Revised March 5, 2024.
Fees: This digital publication, launched in September 2021, covers mental health and typically pays $1 per word for articles depending on the degree of reporting involved, although it may pay more in rare cases. Feature stories run from 1,200 to 1,800 words and investigative pieces may run as long as 2,300 words. Freelancers typically earn $750 to $1,000 for book reviews, which typically are 1,000 to 1,500 words in length.
Submit to: editor@mindsitenews.org
Website: mindsitenews.org
Owner: MindSite News
Readership demographics: The target audience is a mix of mental health policy advocates, researchers, practitioners, consumers of mental health services and their families.
Frequency of publication: New stories are posted to the website two or three times a week.
What editors looks for in a pitch: “Our bread and butter is in two categories: investigative stories that expose problems in the mental health system; and solutions-focused stories that channel light on solutions and innovative efforts to address mental health problems,” Founding Editor Rob Waters said.
In addition, the editors are looking for features about practitioners, interesting projects, stories on brain science and new insights into mental health/illnesses.
Waters suggested that a nut graph in the pitch would be useful. While not every story has to be a character-driven narrative, the editors appreciate those kinds of stories.
“We want to know why this story now,” he said. The pitch should explain the documentary sources for the story and the potential interviews with experts and affected human beings.
Do editors accept pre-pitches: “MindSite News is definitely open to pre-pitches,” said Diana Hembree, the co-founding editor. “We’ve found they can save both writers and editors a lot of time and work.”
What they look for in a writer: “Mental health can be a difficult area to write about,” Waters said. “We like people who have experience covering mental health, and we’re interested in diverse voices.”
Most common mistake editors see with pitches: Pitching a story that has already been covered extensively, although a new angle may sometimes work.
Lead time for pitching: There is no typical lead time. The editors try to respond to pitches within two to three weeks. Time to publication depends on the nature of the story.
What kind of story should a freelancer pitch to break into the pub? “It just depends on the writer’s experience,” Waters said. “We would be less likely to take an investigative piece from someone who had never done investigations before. But, if somebody had an incredible investigative story, we would work with them and support them to get the story.”