Submission Guidelines
Pitching Non-Fiction Articles
What We’re Looking For:
We are most interested in pitches for essays, think pieces, list posts, reaction pieces, and reviews in the 1000-2500 word range (although we are also open to longer essays). If possible, please include 2-3 writing samples and/or links to your published work on other sites.
We do not encourage articles on spec—please send us clear, thoroughly outlined pitches on specific topics.
Who to Pitch:
Reactor currently has three non-fiction editors open to submissions, each of whom focuses on different types of content.
Please note the distinction between reviews and other types of articles/essays: a review (of a book, movie, or television episode) entails a strict deadline; pitches must be made and accepted in advance of the pub/release date, and advanced copies/screeners will be provided if possible.
- Requests to review brand-new/upcoming fiction should be directed to Christina Orlando.
- Reviews of upcoming movie releases and new television shows should be pitched to Emmet Asher-Perrin.
If you want to write about an older book or series, or a movie or TV show that has already been released, please send your pitch to [email protected]. (Yes, even though we are now Reactor.)
Bridget McGovern, Managing Editor
(she/her) [email protected]
The Managing Editor oversees all regular columns and series, including rereads and rewatches. She is also interested in author appreciations, critical and personal essays, think pieces, literary analysis and deep dives into film, television, and classic/older/less recent literature (anything published more than five years ago).
Christina Orlando, Books Editor & Publicity Coordinator
(they/them; Mx.) [email protected] / @cxorlando
The Books Editor focuses on reviews and discussion of upcoming, new, or recent fiction—that is novels, novellas, stories and other works, including works in translation, from the last five years. This includes author primers, essays, list posts, writing advice (such as pieces that focus on language, representation, etc.), and conversations relevant to current fiction, publishing, and authors.
Christina also handles author features; if you are an author or publicist with an upcoming book or other project and would like to contribute an essay or list post to Reactor, please email them directly. (Note: we are not currently open to promoting Kickstarter/IndieGoGo/Patreon/etc. projects.)
Emmet Asher-Perrin, News & Entertainment Editor
(they/them; Mx.) [email protected] / @use_theforce_em
As News & Entertainment editor, Emmet coordinates and assigns daily coverage of breaking entertainment and publishing news, as well as reviews of upcoming film releases and episodic coverage of new TV series.
Not sure where to direct your pitch?
Email [email protected] and we will direct it to the right person.
About Reactor:
Reactor magazine is a publisher-neutral fan community founded in 2008. We are pro-author and pro-fandom, and generally do our best to promote civil and respectful discourse about science fiction, fantasy, and related topics. This includes opinion pieces and reviews—in terms of tone, posts should be grounded in balanced, constructive criticism. Humor is, of course, welcome—mockery and ridicule are not.
We are committed to promoting greater diversity and inclusiveness within our community, and actively encourage submissions from underrepresented populations. This includes, but is not limited to, writers of any race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, class, and ability, in the hopes that our site will provide an outlet for a rich variety of opinions, experiences, beliefs, and perspectives.
Response time: We’re a small staff, and the day-to-day running of the site keeps us pretty busy, so we may not be able to respond to your pitch immediately, but if we are able to accommodate extra content and your proposed article sounds like a good fit, we will try to do so within a two week period.
Unfortunately, we are not currently in a position to respond to every submission, but we always appreciate hearing from potential writers, and may follow up on individual pitches at a later date.
If your pitch is accepted: We pay for original content—payment rates, paperwork, and invoicing details will be forwarded to you along with our posting instructions. Upon publication, contributors receive a byline, a short bio at the end of each published post, and are listed on the Reactor authors roll.
A note on editing: We may request rewrites before publishing your post. We will not make significant edits or changes to an article’s content without permission, but please be aware that we may lightly edit your post for grammar, spelling, and general clarity; if necessary, we may change the title in the interest of reaching a wider audience. We may also add in relevant links and images.
Last updated 01/23/2024.
