Yellowing leaves and even the first dustings of snow are upon us (well, some of us), but that doesn't mean we're heading to our winter hideouts or going the way of the bears.

On the contrary, fall is always a busy time of year, and to encourage our contributors to get out there and cover the world around them, we can pay for up to five news stories at $100 a piece this time around.

Whether you have a new angle on the Duffy vs. Harper scandal, a story on migrant justice organizing, a screed on Canadian corporate malfeasance, an account about Ottawa's interference in Honduras or elsewhere, or something new to tell about the ongoing resistance against the extractive industries, we're looking forward to hearing from you.

But first, a special message for the artists among us. Before we get to the details of how to pitch, we want to remind you all that writing isn't the only way to contribute to The Dominion! The Media Co-op has simplified the process for artists wishing to get involved. Simply submit your artist profile here to considered for a spot as one of our "resident artists."

This will mean the opportunity to see your work in print next to cutting-edge articles in The Dominion, as well as online. We accept illustrations on an on-going basis and we pay $100 for cover art printed in full colour every two months. Find out more at mediacoop.ca/ART. Know any illustrators? Pass it on!

Ok, back to the straight news... If you're interested in writing for us, you can submit your pitch online here. We accept several articles every month; and contributors whose pitches are selected will be paid $100 for their story. Accepted articles will be published on the Media Co-op's website, and most will also be featured in The Dominion, our bi-monthly print magazine.

We accept stories of national interest, including those about Canada’s role in international affairs. If it's an international story, tell us what the Canadian angle will be. If the story focuses on a particular city or region of Canada, tell us why it's of interest to a national audience. Priority will be given to articles that are evergreen and will be of long term interest and value to our readers. Bear in mind pieces go through several weeks of editing before publication.

Pitches are welcome from anyone, with priority for payment going to our contributor members (those who have previously contributed at least 2-4 pieces to The Dominion or the Co-op, Contact us for more info about membership).

Please read over past content to get an idea of what we publish. It’s also a good idea to make sure you’re not covering a topic we’ve recently covered, unless there is a new angle or update. Consider what other media has covered the topic you are pitching and from what perspective. Be sure your pitch is news-focused, rather than opinion or academic. We like both of those forms, but they’re not what we publish. Think about your sources and interviewees—this is something we consider seriously when reviewing pitches.

We have a fairly extensive editorial process, with two editors assigned to each piece, plus a fact-checking and copy editing process. Please only pitch to us if you are open and available to work with us through this process.

We prioritize pitches that incorporate reader suggestions, which can be found here.

Deadline for pitches: November 1 at midnight
Response to pitches by: November 5
First drafts due: November 15
Final copy due: November 30

How to pitch:

Set up a Media Co-op account (if you don’t already have one) here.

New to journalism? No problem. Check out our writer’s guide for more information about writing for The Dominion.

Peruse the Media Co-op discussion page for story ideas.

And finally, pitch!

Click here for info about making a video pitch. Questions about pitching a video news clip? Contact us.

The deal:

Pitches should be less than 200 words and include your planned sources and research. An entire story submitted as a pitch will not be considered for payment. The Media Co-op currently pays a flat rate of $100 for accepted stories. Articles are either 720 or 1500 words. See the video guidelines for length of videos.

Editors reserve the right to suggest changes and edit stories (with your participation, of course!) Pitches should capture the content, tone and style of the story you plan to submit; if the content submitted differs significantly from the pitch, editors reserve the right to withhold payment. We accept pitches at any time, so if these deadlines don’t work for you, please consider contributing at a later date.

We look forward to your story proposals!
The Media Co-op Editorial Collective