Thanks for your interest in writing for the Martlet! In this pitching guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about getting your story published with the Martlet. This page is specifically for UVic students or members of our broader UVic community that are looking to get their work published. Businesses or organizations with article ideas or press releases should directly contact edit@martlet.ca.
Before sending off your pitch, please quickly read our volunteer guide, style guide, and conflict of interest policy. We also have a pitch list, where we send volunteers story ideas. If you’re interested, you can subscribe here.
We do not pay contributing writers. However, we hire journalists every year and volunteering with the Martlet is an excellent way to get started.
We acknowledge that the majority of article submissions we receive are from white voices. We want to especially uplift racialized voices and BIPOC writers in our campus community. Recognizing that BIPOC voices have traditional, systemic barriers in accessing campus newsroom spaces, the Martlet is prepared to specifically offer support to BIPOC writers in crafting pitches and writing articles.
Before pitching, please ensure that you have done some research into your idea and how you might approach your story. Here are some elements a pitch should include:
- A proposed headline and proposed wordcount
- Basic information about the story, such as where it takes place, who is involved, and what the main crux of the story is. Also specify which section you think the story is a good fit for (see The Martlet’s sections below)
- The angle or perspective you plan to take when writing this story.
- Is there a local connection to the story?
- Why you feel this story is important
- How you will get more information to build your story, and whether that is through research or interviews.
Again, if any of these questions become hurdles for your pitch, please reach out to us and we can help you hone your ideas.
The Martlet’s sections are as follows:
- News – this typically includes articles about current events or explainers. These stories are usually written in the inverted pyramid style. They should strive to include multiple perspectives, research, and usually involve 1-3 interviews. Here is an example: Secwepemc set up new camp in hopes of halting TMX construction, leads to five arrests and UVic preparing freezers for potential COVID-19 vaccine storage
- Opinion – this is where writers can voice their own perspectives in an essay-style piece. The best opinions are well-researched or speak to your personal experiences. For example: Confrontations at 1492 Land Back Lane bring some glaring colonial hypocrisy into light or see all of the articles written for the News Unsettled column.
- Feature – Feature articles are 2000+ words. These articles can be profiles or delving into a particular subject in-depth — think of features as a long news or culture article, expanded. Example: Why Kolin Sutherland-Wilson can’t stay quiet and Online and Overwhelmed
- Culture – The culture section is great for any arts-related articles or articles about pop culture. They typically loosely follow the inverted pyramid style. Other culture articles might interview an artist, review a set of different movies or books, or involve highlighting a community group. Example: New Legacy Art Gallery exhibit aims to revitalize traditional W̱SÁNEĆ fishing practices and Indigenous-owned Massy Books is more than just a neighborhood bookstore
- Sports / Lifestyle – The sports section is self-explanatory, and the lifestyle section is really anything that has to do with lifestyle. We’ve published tips for dealing with landlords, essays on coffee and anxiety, and listicle-style articles about virtually any topic. This is also typically where we might feature profiles about a person or about a professor’s research.
- Humour – the spot for satire!
Please let us know if you have any questions the pitching process! Our Editor-in-Chief is happy to talk to you about your ideas and can be reached at edit@martlet.ca
