As of July 17, submissions are currently closed. Thanks for your interest!
Hello, my name is Diego and I’m the founder of Into The Spine. Hope you are keeping well and staying safe.
One of the first things I thought about when creating the site was the possibility of building a new place for writers from all over the world. I want contributors to share stories about and around games. Since 2018, Spine has established itself as a site that hosts diverse voices, along with supporting newer folks in different ways both during and after publication. The site is entirely reader-supported via Patreon.
Keep in mind Spine is particularly looking for atypical, niche angles – thereare already many other sites where you can take your reporting or criticism pitches (can’t afford those!) Also, please don’t pitch timely ideas, as the site is beholden to a fluctuating weekly schedule and can’t guarantee an immediate response either.
Pitches: Ideas should be presented in a short manner – sometimes one paragraph is more than enough. If you’re new to pitching, don’t fret, as we can work together to finish developing an idea or angle. Don’t forget to add a brief introduction about yourself, as well as links to your previous work (if you have them), either from a site or a personal blog. Links to socials or your portfolio are welcome, and don’t pitch us reviews. Seriously. For any additional details, refer to our freelancing guide.
As of July 2025, Spine’s current budget allows for either two Fragments or either a Story or Opinion piece a month. Previous rates, $25 and $50 respectively, have been increased to $30 and $60. Keep this in mind while pitching. If you’d like to support the site and allow for more voices with better rates, Spine has a Patreon.
Fragments
This section follows upon the foundation of our end of the year roundups. This means shorter pieces between 150 to 300 words, with a focus on specific moments both inside and around games.
Looking to hear about a sequence, a line of dialogue, or even a song that made you stop in place and reflect on something. An unexpected twist, a cutscene that’s been stuck in your head, or a lesson that will follow you throughout the rest of your life. In summary, the format is yours to choose, and there are tons of examples on the site to refer to.
Flat rate is $30 at the moment.
Stories
The foundation for Spine. Personal essays and stories ranging between 500 to 700 words.
Stories can be about the meaning of home, the cycle of grief, about meaningless beauty and tropes as tradition, about learning to dance, or white space, about playing games in single player and being “not like other girls,” and about social anxiety or that one shade in Hades, to name a few examples.
Flat rate is $60 at the moment.
Opinion
A catch-all term for criticism. Thoughtful perspectives and sharp writing about games big and small, ranging between 500 to 700 words.
Opinion hosts criticism about virtue in mundanity, what gamification does for capitalism, gothic protagonism, mocking succession, the invisible hand, intimacy, essential workers, video games’ short memory, escape systems, and threatening gender norms, to name a few examples.
Flat rate is $60.
56
A curation told in 56 screenshots. Examples include examinations of Ghost of Tsushima, Goldeneye, and The Last of Us Part II. I’m more keen on interesting angles or sections rather than a collection of screenshots.
Flat rate is $25, although this section is more of a wild card of sorts. If I receive a pitch I’m particularly interested in, I’ll find a slot for it in the weekly schedule.
As general guidelines: No UI, no text, and preferably taken with a photo mode for better results.
General info
Deadlines are usually within two weeks after accepting a pitch, but can be flexible on a case-by-case basis. Oh, and always send the draft as a Google Doc, please.
Depending on the number of pitches, I won’t be able to fulfill every request. Response times may range from a couple days, a week, or a few weeks, depending on how many pieces are already in the backlog at the moment. There’s currently one person behind the site, but if anything, don’t be afraid to follow up. Just keep in mind that everything is done on a volunteer basis!
BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ folks are more than encouraged to pitch, and Spine’s contributors list reflects that. As for the country you reside in, Spine accept folks from all over the world, as long as PayPal is an eligible option for you in order to process payments.
I want for Into The Spine to be the place I’ve always wanted to write for when I started freelancing. Plurality of voices and backgrounds are, and will be, the source of this. I want to present people with a voice, an identity in each piece. Having the freedom to get your personal or niche ideas published, while building a portfolio and improving your skills at the same time is key to the site’s ethos.
Please, forward all pitches and ideas to pitches@intothespine.com and feel free to reach out via Bluesky or at contact@intothespine.com for any questions.
Best of luck out there,
Diego
