Writers' Guidelines
Last Updated: November 13, 2007
East Bay Express Freelance Guidelines
The Express publishes freelance material 52 weeks of the year. Although much of our copy is staff-generated, we run articles from freelance writers in many sections of the paper. It always excites us to discover new writers because we believe that keeping the Express open to outside contributors makes for a less predictable, more interesting paper.
What Sections Accept Freelance Work?
At the moment, we run freelance stories of various lengths in the news and music sections, as well as in annual special issues such as Summer Guide and Best of the East Bay. We also publish freelance photography, illustrations, and cartoons throughout the paper. Our section-by-section needs are explained below in more detail.
What is Your Coverage Area?
In the past, we have strived to cover happenings throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties. More recently, however, we have decided to refocus our coverage on the core readership, which includes the following cities: Albany, Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Kensington, Oakland, and Piedmont. We also are interested in El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hayward, Lamorinda (Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda), Richmond, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, and Walnut Creek.
We certainly will entertain pitches from elsewhere in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, but will assign those stories only where we feel they will resonate with our core readers. And while we welcome timely pitches with a connection to national or international affairs, all stories must have a strong local hook for us to be interested.
What Type of Stories Are You Seeking?
While each section has its own needs, certain values unite all our coverage. The Express is interested in well-reported local news, features, and criticism, with an emphasis on the East Bay in all its cultural, racial, economic, and geographic diversity.
The East Bay is one of the most ethnically diverse metropolitan areas in the nation. We aspire for our coverage to be similarly diverse. Culturally, our interests range from fine arts and fine dining to poetry slams and slam dancing.
In general, we are looking for in-depth magazine-style articles about local people, places, and events. What catches our eye is well-crafted reporting, not personal observations or the unsupported opinions of the writer. Stylistic experimentation is encouraged if it’s grounded in reporting or personal observations. But we want stories, not dry coverage of dull-but-important “issues.” Rather than survey pieces on a topic, we want articles with a cinematic attention to characters and story structure. A strong point of view is not necessary but welcome, as long as the writer can back it up.
We do not publish personal essays, Q&As, or opinion pieces in our news section, and first person is appropriate only in those rare instances where the writer’s personal experience is truly relevant. Our arts coverage, on the other hand, has room for essays or cultural commentary that is firmly rooted in reporting about the phenomenon or trend at hand. On occasion we run essay-type stories as cover features, but these must be original, compelling, and solidly backed by reporting.
An interest in ideas has always typified the coverage of the Express, and that interest remains today. We like articles that simultaneously tell a story while also illustrating a larger idea. The more levels your journalism works on, the more likely we will be interested in it.
What Type Of Stories Won’t You Run?
- Outside of our music section, we don’t want stories that lack a strong East Bay connection.
- We do not currently publish freelance restaurant reviews.*
- We do not currently accept outside drama or performance reviews.*
- We do not currently publish freelance film or book reviews.*
* We still are interested, however, in reported news or culture items related to the East Bay food, theater, film, arts, literary, and culture scenes, some of which might run in the News or Culture sections.
How Do I Approach You?
Editors generally prefer to be queried via e-mail. Please bear in mind that it is not good form to send a query to several publishers at once. Nor is it proper to submit a “rewritten” version of an article that has appeared elsewhere without informing us in advance and sending along a copy of the previously published version. When you first pitch, include information about yourself and your level of experience, with links, if available, to any previously published work. If you don’t get a response by e-mail, it’s okay to follow up and pester us by phone. Public relations pitches are generally frowned upon.
Photography and Illustration
All of the photography and illustration that we publish in the Express is produced by freelancers. Assignments are made by our creative director, Greg Traverso. If you would like to show us your work, please send an e-mail containing links to your Web site or sites on which you have been published, or JPEGs of a representative sample of your output, to Greg Traverso, who can be reached by clicking here. Please follow up by phone at 510-879-3721.
Freelance Opportunities by Section
NEWS: Front of The Book
We publish freelance news items and short features ranging from about 400 to about 1,200 words. We aim to run news articles on a very wide range of topics. Business stories, consumer issues, science topics, and demographics interest us just as much, if not more than, the typical alternative newsweekly fare of environmentalism, planning issues, race relations, government, and politics. We prefer hard-hitting, cleverly crafted news features that break news, although we’re also open to some soft features. All stories should exceed the daily newspaper treatment, and advance the story considerably if it is a story the dailies have already covered.
We welcome your ideas for unconventional story approaches. Our annual Year In Review issue, for instance, is done entirely in comic form. We like both long and short, words and graphics, sidebars and charts.
We also should note that our coverage does not presume that all our readers share a specific ideology. We are just as interested in coverage of “conservative” issues as “progressive” ones, and far more interested in new ways of looking at issues than the predictable lefty ideology that typifies the coverage of some alternative newsweeklies. Real life is full of nuance. There is humanity in the villains and villainy in the humane. We want our coverage to be nuanced and as close to the truth as possible. Sometimes we go out on a limb with an idea, but we do not preach to the choir.
News stories range in price from $75 to $240. Please e-mail a detailed description of the story you hope to write along with relevant writing samples to editor Stephen Buel, who can be reached by clicking here. Please follow up by phone at 510-879-3708.
NEWS: Cover Features
We’re interested in stories on almost any possible topic. We place a high premium on good writing, thorough reporting, and interesting ideas. Before you pitch, remember that we want stories, not general subjects. We suggest you look at past covers to get a feel for the kind of stories we publish. The pay typically ranges from $500 to $1,500, depending on length and difficulty. Stories can run from 2,500 to 5,000 words -- we'll go longer in rare cases that truly warrant the length. We encourage you to think of ways to break up the story using sidebars, boxes, and graphic elements, which make for a more interesting read. When you pitch such a story, you should have already made contact with the key players and know that you have access to what you need. We tell our own writers the same thing. Include a detailed description of the story you hope to write, and links to relevant writing samples. Address such inquiries to editor Stephen Buel, who can be reached by clicking here. Please follow up by phone at 510-879-3708.
MUSIC
The weekly music section typically runs several freelance features and/or reviews. Features range from 600 to 1000 words, with compensation ranging from $150 to $225 depending on length, difficulty and the writer’s credentials. The pay increases if the piece goes beyond the “20-minute phone interview with a touring artist” variety, something we hope to move away from.
Our emphasis is on magazine-style “trend stories,” highlighting new genres, fads, industry happenings, cultural shifts, technologies, and schools of thought encompassing all styles of music — particularly those trends with immediate relevance to the Bay Area. We run local record reviews in our Hearsay column, which generally run about 200 words and pay $35. Both features and hearsays should be pitched six to eight weeks before their run date, especially if tied to specific Bay Area shows. Include two or three of your best clips and as much relevant info you can dig up about your pitch. Please address such inquiries to Kathleen Richards, who can be reached by clicking here. Please follow up by phone at 510-879-3783.
ARTS & CULTURE
At this time, the arts & culture section offers no additional freelance opportunities.
THEATER
At this time, the theater section offers no additional freelance opportunities.
MOVIES
At this time, the film section offers no additional freelance opportunities.
FOOD
At this time, the food section offers no additional freelance opportunities.
BOOKS
At this time, the monthly Books section offers no additional freelance opportunities.
SPECIAL SECTIONS: Best Of the East Bay, Summer Guide, etc.
Every year we publish our annual Best of the East Bay issue and a handful of other special sections – including a Summer Guide, Fall Arts Preview, Holiday Guide, and one or two other issues. These sections often include a large volume of freelance material. To learn more, please contact editor Stephen Buel, who can be reached by clicking here. Please follow up by phone at 510-879-3708.