Write For The Dissenter
Journalists and writers are encouraged to pitch or propose original news stories. We seek fact-based reporting that involves primary source materials and the perspectives of people impacted by unfolding prosecutions, involved in developing lawsuits, or knowledgeable about key whistleblower policy issues.
Priority will given to journalists who are skilled at obtaining public documents through open records laws at the state and federal level. We will be happy to discuss reimbursing you for production costs for documents (in addition to paying you for your story).
How To Pitch The Dissenter
Please send pitches only—not finished drafts—to newsletter@thedissenter.org
You are encouraged to begin the subject line of your email with "PITCH" and include:
- 1-2 paragraph summary of the story
- Any relevant details about your experience as a journalist and why you are reporting or covering this story
- A few sentences about the style of the story, how long you expect the story to be, and whether you plan to incorporate any original media (photos, infographics, video, etc.)
- The kind of work you plan to put into creating the piece (interviews, research, document requests, etc.)
- A writing sample if you haven’t been previously published by The Dissenter
- How much money you’d like to be paid for your piece.
The Dissenter does not have a standard rate for payment, and we do not base compensation on word count. Instead, we would like to know what you think is fair compensation for the story and the reporting you put into it.
Editorial Preferences
The Dissenter Newsletter is focused on covering and documenting whistleblower stories in corporate, government, and/or institutional settings. There are a broad range of relevant issues and topics worth highlighting through this lens.
If you are uncertain about whether your story is appropriate for The Dissenter, we encourage you to browse the archive and familiarize yourself with past reports.
We look forward to collaborating and forming partnerships, especially with those just getting started as a writer or journalist.