For years, the hashtag #SlatePitches has been used to highlight a particularly stupid concept or story that the editors at Slate would consider genuine fodder for a future article. Take this bit of breakthrough journalism, for example:
If your dog has gay sex, does that make him a gay dog? EXPLAINED: http://t.co/0p9aoM6V
— Slate (@Slate) February 2, 2013
Here’s some big news. #SlatePitches are a real thing, albeit with some strings attached. Slate is conducting its second annual “pitch slam” for paid-up members of Slate Plus, which currently runs $50 a year. “Post your ideas, vote on other people’s pitches, and find out how our editors make decisions. Winners’ stories will be commissioned for the site,” Slate explains.
Don't miss the chance to make your very own #slatepitch dreams come true: https://t.co/55BUUy1hci pic.twitter.com/8c6CPzxdZY
— Slate (@Slate) March 2, 2016
Remember when not paying writers was the worst? @Slate is literally charging writers to pitch stories. https://t.co/6zdJltG06n
— Daniel Radosh (@danielradosh) March 2, 2016
@danielradosh @Slate This statement is not true. Pitching Slate is free, and we pay our writers.
— Julia Turner (@juliaturner) March 2, 2016
@juliaturner @BenMathisLilley What am I missing? pic.twitter.com/YtGaGeIItd
— Daniel Radosh (@danielradosh) March 2, 2016
Recommended
The purple-and-gray box now on the site reads, “Anyone can pitch Slate by emailing [email protected]” and calls the pitch slam a semiannual event. In any case, it’s pretty clear that subscribers are the intended audience for this particular promotion.
@danielradosh @Slate Wow! My ideas can be ignored for only $5 per month?
— Rory Hartong-Redden (@rory_h_r) March 2, 2016
@danielradosh @Slate Rumor has it NYT editors now assure freelancers they will "look into" pitches. If promising, they assign to staffers
— Andrew Meacham (@torch437) March 2, 2016
@danielradosh @davidzweig @Slate Ah, the old literary journal model of publishing.
— John A McCloskey (@JohnAMcCloskey) March 2, 2016
@danielradosh @Slate computer program editing. #WhatCouldGoWrong
— ⛓Huck Finn⛓ (@ohiospud) March 2, 2016
Can I do this, even if I've shamed Slate for some real pitch-y #SlatePitches ? https://t.co/3CvlXxf3fh
— chance dibben (@chancedibben) February 29, 2016
That could be a #SlatePitch right there. Paid or not (mostly not), there’s no sign that the #SlatePitches hashtag will ever die.
@Slate one of the dumbest slate articles recently #slatepitches
— dino (@dinovchem) March 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/facepaulmrevere/status/703313697834409984
No, The Term 'Black Holes' Is Pejorative And It's Time For A New Language On Astrophysics And Race #slatepitches
— Sid Verma (@_SidVerma) February 11, 2016
I have the Slatiest of #SlatePitches: A Gay Man Reads The Last NSFW And The First SFW Issues Of PLAYBOY. I'm serious pic.twitter.com/mWW2MhfI2I
— OK GOBBLER (@thomasdkeiser) February 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/jodyrosen/status/696905712375619585
Everyone's Moving to Brooklyn #slatepitches
— Uncut Yams (@brianvan) January 29, 2016
Join the conversation as a VIP Member