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ByBlacks.com | #1 online magazine for Black Canadians

ByBlacks.com

How To Pitch A Story To ByBlacks.com

How To Pitch A Story To ByBlacks.com
Administrator By Administrator
Published on Sunday, January 9, 2022 - 20:49
The ByBlacks mandate is to enrich and uplift diverse aspects of Black Canadian life from coast to coast. Here are some guidelines for publicists and members of the public pitching stories to ByBlacks.com.  

UPDATE:

As of September 2023, we are no longer accepting pitches for:

  • Entertainment reviews or previews (including stage, film & TV, music albums, books)
  • Business and personality profiles

We will be focused on stories that are: 

News based 

Issue-based

Analysis-based 

Opinion based 

First-person narrative

Deep dives into Black Canadian history 

 

First-person narrative

We are looking for original, first-person narratives about the Black Canadian experience. First-person stories don’t have to be anchored in a theme of identity, but they must be written in the first-person or “as told to” one of our writers. You don’t have to be a professional writer to submit a first-person narrative; our editors can help shape your story for publishing. 

Black Canadians experience the world much differently than others. Some of those ways are joyful, and some of them are not. These are the nuanced stories we are looking for–pieces that will help others understand Black life in Canada. 

Here are some examples:

They Said I Had Nothing To Worry About, Then I Lost Both My Breasts To Cancer

How Internalized Racism Ruined Dating For Me

A Gathering Of Ancestors: How I Found My Family’s Missing Link

Please note we have a particular interest in historically underrepresented groups within the Black community, such as the disabled and 2SLGBTQIA. 

First-person narratives are usually anywhere between 500 and 2500 words.

 

Opinion/Issue/Analysis

We are looking for strong viewpoints from Black Canadians who can reveal, examine, or debate issues impacting our community. ByBlacks opinion pieces must have a clear thesis, backed by research or evidence, written in the form of a persuasive argument. We encourage you to think about any major objections to your arguments, then raise and answer them within your op-ed. 

Before pitching an op-ed, please search for that topic on ByBlacks.com to get an idea of whether we have covered this topic before, and if/how your piece will advance the discussion.

There is room here for a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

  • Federal and provincial politics
  • Identity
  • Social justice issues
  • Pop culture
  • Parenting
  • Health and mental health
  • Sex and relationships
  • Money and career

Please see these op-eds as examples:

I'm Black And Trans. I Would Have Laughed At The Closer, If Only It Was Funny

This Nation Sets Black Women On Fire

Please Stop Comparing The Vaccine Passport To Segregation! It Is Not The Same

Today Is The Ethiopian New Year But It's Hard to Celebrate

Black In Newfoundland: We're Small But We're Mighty

We Need To Talk About Colourism

Jesus Was A Carpenter: The City of Toronto vs. Khaleel Seivwright

Why I Do Not Trust Schools To Protect My Black Son

Opinion pieces are usually anywhere between 500 and 2500 words.

 

News

A ByBlacks news piece goes beyond “what happened where.” We are looking for news stories where the writer is willing to examine the impact of “what happened where” on members of the Black Canadian community. News pieces explain in plain language what people should do with or why they should care about a particular issue, change or update, whether it be a new law, policy or trend. Where possible, we aim to incorporate the promotion or support of a Black-owned business, association, community group or organization.

See these stories as an example of typical news pieces:

Toronto's Black Community Steps Up As Government Leaves African Refugees On The Streets

Former Migrant Worker Exposes Canada's Predatory Agriculture Industry

The news category also holds space to document hate crimes and abuses against the Black community. We are a platform that not only documents these incidents but advocates against racism and all forms of discrimination, particularly against Black members of the 2SLGBTQIA community. 

The news category is also looking for stories that mark important beginnings, endings or successes. For example, if a well-known community member passes away if a Black Canadian earns a prestigious award, any significant milestones or anniversaries, new programs, and events that would benefit any part of the community. 

Please keep in mind we have a particular interest in geographically diverse (within Canada) and gender diverse (2SLGBTQIA) stories.

News stories are between 500 to 1000 words.

 

Entertainment

As of September 2023, (aside from sponsored entertainment content) we are no longer accepting pitches for previews or reviews on new albums, films, books, theatre, art installations and other art/entertainment forms.

Entertainment stories on ByBlacks will be focused on content that can be contextualized within commentary on race, identity, justice or belonging.

Here are some examples:

Black Attack Is The Invisible Hype Girl We All Need In Our Lives

This Is What It's Like Trying To Diversify A Legacy Theatre Company In Canada

Montreal's Carifiesta Is Cancelled. Disappointed? So Are We

The State of Black Canada As Seen Through The Lens of Black Canadian Rap Artists

City Fidelia's Powerful New Single is a Reminder That The Fight For Justice Isn't Over

Emanuel's New EP Is Out And It's A Love Letter To Black Women 

Please keep in mind we have a particular interest in geographically diverse (within Canada) and gender diverse (2SLGBTQIA) stories.

Entertainment stories can be anywhere from 500 to 1500 words.

 

Some things to keep in mind when pitching stories to ByBlacks: 

Pitch a “why,” not a “what.” For example, the launch of a new book on a collection of Black poets is a “what.” When pitching stories, focus on the “why”—why should our readers click on this, why should our readers want to buy/read this book, why is this content important right now, why is it unique or compelling?

Pitch a story, not an idea. The most important part of your pitch is the headline. If you pitch an idea in the form of a story, there’s a better chance you’ll get your article published. Here are some examples: “Travelling during COVID-19” is an idea, whereas “Why I’m Still Travelling During Covid” is a story. Likewise, “Vaccine mandates in the workplace” is an idea, whereas “These Are The Only Two Ways To Keep Your Job Without Vaccination” is a story. 

While press releases provide helpful background information, they don’t always tell a great story. Please include a one-paragraph summary explaining why this story is a good fit for ByBlacks.

 

We cannot accept:

  • Brand-supported submissions
  • Authors who have a financial stake in a topic
  • Posts that endorse a product or read like a publicity post (click on Services in our media kit if you are inquiring about a sponsored post)
  • Fiction or poetry
  • Articles that have been published elsewhere

 

Please note we will only respond to email pitches that are a strong fit for publication.

Last modified on Monday, November 20, 2023 - 13:42

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Administrator By Administrator

ByBlacks.com is a bold, innovative online magazine serving the Black community in Canada.

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And with our detailed Black Canadian Artist, Books, Business and Politicians Directory, Black Canadian Events Listing and Job Postings, we put all of Black Canada at your fingertips.

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