Call for Emerging Writers

Call for Emerging Writers

Pitches accepted until July 1, 2022.

Still Life with a Skull and a Writing Quill by Pieter Claesz (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Dissent magazine is launching a program to publish emerging writers and new voices. Accepted applicants will work closely with a member of our editorial board to refine their work prior to publication.

Pitches should show a familiarity with Dissent and should be grounded in left politics and critique. Reported features, essays, cultural criticism, and book reviews are all welcome. No fiction, please.

Accepted applicants will be paid $.50/word for pieces up to 2,000 words and will also be awarded an additional stipend for expenses. Because this program is intended for emerging writers, preference will be given, but not limited, to applicants under the age of thirty. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and working-class writers are especially encouraged to apply.

To apply, you’ll need:


  • A developed pitch of the article you’d like to write. Pitches should include a description of why you’re the person to write this piece.
  • A writing sample that shows you at your best. It can be a previously published article, a paper for a class, or something you’ve come up with just for this. Our judgment will be based on the quality of the piece, not where it comes from.

Please submit your pitch and writing sample with the subject line “Emerging Writers Pitch” to inquiries@dissentmagazine.org by July 1, 2022. Applicants will be notified of our selection by mid-July, and first drafts will be due in early September.

This program is supported by a generous grant from the Puffin Foundation.


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