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Pitch a specific story, not just a historical subject. Show the editor what the article will reveal, why it fits that publication’s readers, what evidence supports it, and how you will report and shape it. Then follow that outlet’s current rules for format, length, submission route, and timing.
Choose a publication that fits your story
Before drafting, read the outlet’s mission, recent articles in the relevant section, and submission guidelines. Check its archive for similar coverage: a strong idea can still be a poor fit if the publication has recently covered it or does not publish that kind of history.
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For example, the Historical Society of Michigan’s submission guidelines say its publications, Michigan History and Chronicle, screen for topics covered in the preceding 20 years and ask writers to query before writing. AHA’s Perspectives on History writer guidance asks prospective authors to review its archive. Contingent Magazine likewise encourages writers to understand its mission and style and lists which forms are open. These are outlet-specific policies, not general rules for every magazine.
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“I want to write about the Civil War” names a subject, but it does not yet tell an editor what the article will do. Find a focused proposition: an overlooked consequence, a contested interpretation, a revealing episode, or a historical question with a promising answer.
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State what readers will understand after reading that they may not understand now. The Washington Post’s Retropolis guidance puts the distinction plainly: “You should be pitching a story, not a topic.”
Do enough reporting to make the pitch credible
Show the editor that the idea has a foundation. Briefly identify sources you have consulted and the evidence that makes the angle promising. Then describe what reporting remains: relevant archives or records, people you hope to interview, and any access still needed.
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Be precise about what is confirmed and what is planned. Do not imply that an interview, document, or access arrangement is secured if it is not. A pitch framed only as a promise to investigate whether a story exists may signal that more preliminary reporting is needed; Retropolis’ pitch guidance specifically cautions against that approach.
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A timely connection can strengthen a pitch: an anniversary, a new discovery, a current debate, or a historical comparison that clarifies a live issue. Explain the connection specifically rather than attaching a fashionable news peg to an unrelated subject. Some outlets’ formats may not require a current hook, so let the publication’s mission and guidelines determine whether it belongs.
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What a useful history pitch includes
Follow any template or word limit the outlet provides. If it offers no specific format, this sequence covers the editor’s main questions:
- Subject line and proposed section: Identify the pitch clearly and use any subject-line convention the publication requests.
- Opening hook: Offer a vivid, accurate entry into the story without delaying the central idea.
- Story proposition: In a sentence or two, say what happened, what your angle reveals, and why it matters.
- Publication fit and timeliness: Connect the idea to a particular readership, section, or editorial interest; include a genuine reason to publish now if relevant.
- Shape and reporting plan: Sketch the narrative or explanatory progression, the people or evidence it will follow, and what reporting remains.
- Reader value: Explain what a non-specialist will learn and why the story matters beyond its specialist subject.
- Relevant experience: Give a brief, relevant account of your background and link to accessible writing that shows you can deliver the piece. Avoid a full CV.
- Practical details: Include an estimated length, timing, access constraints, or exclusivity status only when useful or requested.
- Close: Ask whether the editor would like a fuller outline or would consider assigning the piece. Keep the tone professional and concise.
A Harvard Kennedy School Communications Program guide, dated June 2019, describes a similar approach: hook, story statement, reader benefit, execution, and relevant credibility. Treat it as general guidance; the outlet’s current instructions take priority.
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Do not assume every outlet wants the same submission
Publications differ in audience, subject matter, accepted forms, pitch requirements, submission route, and response practices. These examples show why you should read each outlet’s own page instead of applying a universal formula:
| Outlet | What its guidance emphasizes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Historical Society of Michigan: Michigan History and Chronicle | Query letter; screening for repeated topics; stated review time of four to eight weeks. | Check prior coverage and query before writing. The review period is specific to these publications. |
| History News Network | Accessible work connecting past and present, explaining historical methods, or profiling under-recognized historians. Its guidelines ask for one or two paragraphs covering the main argument, reader relevance, writer fit, and links to accessible writing; the site says it will do its best to respond in two to three weeks. | Make the contribution clear to general readers and match the newsletter’s current remit. The response estimate is not an industry-wide schedule. |
| Washington Post Retropolis | A clear story arc, main characters, people to speak with, and a surprising or important element. Its guidance describes 800 to 1,200 words as typical, with exceptions, favors stories related to news, and advises against completed stories on spec. | Pitch a reported story with a clear shape. Its guidance was updated January 2, 2025; reconfirm the contact route before sending. |
| AHA Perspectives on History | Topic, underlying problem or conflict, angle, why now, broader significance, and sources. Lengths vary by article type, and submissions are reviewed by the editorial board. | Name the intended section and follow that section’s current guidelines; a pitch is not a guarantee of acceptance. |
| Science History Institute magazine | Little-told history and historical angles on contemporary subjects; seeks writers with relevant historical research or magazine-feature experience. | Foreground the original material or current connection and establish your readiness to report it. |
| Contingent Magazine | History and the practice of history; its pitch page identifies forms currently open. | Match an open form rather than relying on an old call or assuming every genre is being accepted. |
The details above reflect the cited guidance; submission openings, contacts, formats, and response estimates can change. Check the live page again immediately before you send.
Quick Recap
Common pitch mistakes to avoid
- Offering only a broad topic: Give the editor a distinct angle and a reason readers will care.
- Sending the same generic pitch everywhere: Explain why this specific story belongs in this publication and section.
- Promising research instead of showing a path: Name the evidence already in hand and the reporting still to do.
- Writing the full article before checking the process: Some outlets want a query; others accept different formats. Follow the target’s instructions.
- Overloading your biography: Include relevant expertise and proof of writing ability, not every qualification.
- Treating one outlet’s numbers as universal: Word counts and response windows apply only where that publication states them.
Before you send
- Recheck the outlet’s current submission page for open formats, contact details, requested length, and whether it wants a query, pitch, or finished work.
- Confirm that your subject and angle fit the publication and are not redundant with recent coverage.
- Make the proposition, evidence, reporting plan, and reader benefit easy to find.
- Send only what the guidelines request, then wait according to that outlet’s stated process. Do not assume a response time or acceptance unless the publication says so.
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