Write for The Verge

WRITE FOR THE VERGE

The Verge covers the way technology and science are changing the way we live. Ride-hailing companies and self-driving cars are transforming the way we get around, social networks are fostering niche communities and political movements, companies and governments are gathering data on users and citizens. Technology is altering how film and TV stories are made and distributed, and who has the tools to get them out in the world. Apps are changing the way we relate to one another in surprising ways. We want writers who can explore these changes with thoughtfulness and depth.

Our stories go through a collaborative and thorough editorial process and writers are paid at competitive rates. We try to respond to every pitch, but if you don’t hear back within a few weeks, please follow up or resubmit.

Pitches can be sent to pitches@theverge.com. Section-specific contact information can be found below.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

If you’re interested in pitching The Verge, a good place to start is by familiarizing yourself with the stories we write. We’re primarily interested in reported stories that show readers something new: an unexpected side effect of an app, a surveillance program people aren’t aware of, the inside story of a product’s development, a cutting-edge research program, or an online community or trend that’s escaped notice. The best stories have clear angles and use reporting as a foundation for larger insights. We’re particularly interested in stories where technology intersects with other areas in interesting ways, influencing health, politics, culture, business, or other fields.

WHAT WE’RE NOT LOOKING FOR

With rare exceptions, we aren’t really looking for opinion pieces or personal reactions to the news. (If you have an idea for deeper reporting related to something in the news or can provide expert and important context, however, by all means pitch away.) We also have a high bar for weird gadgets — they must be truly unique, or you need a good reason for why they matter. We are looking for stories rather than topics. For example, we will be more receptive to a pitch about a researcher doing interesting work using CRISPR on a specific set of genes rather than a broad overview of CRISPR.

HOW TO PITCH

Pitches should clearly and concisely convey the story you plan to write and why it matters. The best pitches display promising pre-reporting and a deep knowledge of the topic, as well as a sense of the angle or insight you plan to pursue. If your story depends on access to a person or company, you should say whether you have obtained it already (and if not, what your prospects are). You should also include a brief description of your qualifications to write the story and links to your previous work. Depending on the focus of your story, it may fall under one of The Verge’s subsections: tech, science, transportation, or culture. Below are more detailed descriptions of what those sections are looking for.

SCIENCE

We’re looking for stories about exciting new avenues of research, Silicon Valley’s forays into health tech, space exploration, climate change, and other topics. We’ve covered everything from cutting-edge heart transplants to disappearing beach sand to ant extermination campaigns to investigation into sexual misconduct at the Smithsonian. We’re particularly interested in ambitious reporting and feature-length stories that cover science and its impacts for a general audience without talking down to them. We handle the study stories we’re interested in in-house, and typically before the embargo lifts; however, research trend stories are always welcome.

For science pitches, email elizabeth.lopatto@theverge.com.

TRANSPORTATION

Everyone needs to get around. How we do it will change more in the next decade than it has in the last century. We are looking for stories that explore the science, technology, and culture of transportation. We’ve published stories about a self-driving tech entrepreneur, the allure of "flying cars", little-known but wild innovations in mass transit, and how big tech companies are reimagining our every move. We want to tell stories about the challenges we face in transportation, and about those dreaming up solutions behind closed doors at big companies and in research labs far off the beaten path.

CULTURE

Technology is changing the way popular culture is produced and consumed, political movements are formed, and people interact. We’re interested in stories that explore these changes and help readers understand why they’re happening and what they mean. Our culture section has profiled a paid dating app, followed the transhumanist presidential candidate on the campaign trail, told the definitive oral history of a 1980s TV icon, imagined Hollywood’s eventual singularity, and explored how the internet is changing life in Cuba.

Please send culture pitches to culturepitches@theverge.com.

TECH

We’re looking for tech stories that take readers deeper into the systems and devices that shape their world. That could be an inside look at a company, a profile of an influential figure, an investigation of hidden labor behind digital worlds, or a diagnosis of the way technologies are changing fashions, industries, or ways of interacting. In the past we’ve investigated the opaque moderation rules that shape discourse on social platforms, the impact of predictive policing algorithms in St. Louis, the rise of encrypted messaging amid political uncertainty, and how Airbnb is subtly influencing interior design.