Submissions are currently open! Pitch away, and 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 talk about the stuff they love and tell stories about games, from indies to AAAs.
We have established ourselves as a site that hosts diverse voices, along with supporting new folks in different ways both during and after publication.
Keep in mind that we’re after atypical, niche angles – there’s already many other sites where you can take your longform reporting or criticism (we can’t afford those!). And please, don’t pitch us extremely timely ideas, since our schedule varies month per month and we can’t guarantee an immediate response either.
Pitches: Ideas you should presented in a short manner – sometimes one paragraph is more than enough, and we’re happy to work with you to finish developing an idea or angle. And please, don’t forget to add a brief introduction about yourself. Also, include some links to your previous work (if you have them), either from a site or a personal blog, and don’t pitch us reviews. For any additional details, refer to our freelancing guide.
Note: We’re no longer accepting ideas for our Stories and Opinion sections, as the shift has moved towards Fragments. This means that we’ll ask for less words and retain the same rate as before. We would love to increase it, but until that changes, we found this to be the best middle ground.
Fragments: We’ll be solely focusing on this section for the time being, which 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 outside games.
We want 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 already.
Flat rate is $25 at the moment, thanks to our lovely Patreon supporters. 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 on a Google Doc, please!
Note: Depending on the number of pitches, we 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 we’re already working on at the moment. We’re a small team, but if anything, don’t be afraid to follow up. Just be mindful of our time, please, as we all work on a volunteer basis!
Persons of color as well as LGTBQ+ folks are more than encouraged to pitch, and our contributors’ list reflects that. As for the country you reside in, we accept folks from all over the world, as long as PayPal is an eligible option for you in order for us to process payments.
Into The Spine is the place I’ve always wanted to write for when I started freelancing. Plurality of voices and all kinds of 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 us, and we’ll make sure to direct you towards the right paths for you to continue working upon that.
Please, forward all pitches and ideas to pitches@intothespine.com and feel free to contact us on Twitter or at contact@intothespine.com for any questions.
Let’s make it happen.
