The Sick Times is accepting pitches for reported news stories and essays/commentary pieces. We take pitches only; do not send full drafts on spec. We prioritize pitches from people with Long COVID and related diseases. We will not review pitches that were drafted with AI.
To pitch us, email editors@thesicktimes.org. We generally respond to pitches within two weeks; if your pitch is more time-sensitive, include that in the subject line.
Applications for our part-time podcast and social media producer role are now closed. Other updates to this page are coming soon!
Reported news stories
These stories usually share newsworthy information and involve interviews and/or other methods of gathering this information, such as researching scientific papers, analyzing data, or investigative reporting.
In pitches for these pieces, we’d like to see:
- A summary of the story you propose (what’s happening, who is involved, when and where, etc.).
- Why the story is relevant to our audience of people with Long COVID, related diseases, and their allies.
- Why you are the right person to report this story, including relevant clips (e.g. past examples of your writing).
- Reporting steps you plan to take, such as experts you might interview. Our stories always include experts with lived experience with chronic illness and disability as well as those with scientific or medical experience.
Please note: as a rule, we do not publish single-study stories (e.g. stories that focus on only one new paper), as we have limited capacity and cannot cover every interesting study. We share new papers in our Research Updates instead.
We pay $1300 for news features of 1200-1500 words and publish 2-3 of these stories per month. We will also consider pitches for longer features on a case-by-case basis.
Essays/commentary pieces
These stories usually explore a personal narrative and/or present an argument, rather than share news. They typically do not involve reporting or gathering new information.
In pitches for these pieces, we’d like to see:
- A description of your proposed narrative or argument.
- How you would support the argument. This may include a potential outline, summaries of scenes you would write, or suggestions for how you’d support your argument (with your personal experience, research citations, etc.).
- Why you are the right person to write this story, including relevant clips (e.g. past examples of your writing) if you have them.
Please note: as a rule, we do not publish broad personal narratives (e.g. “my life with Long COVID”), as these narratives are common across other media outlets. Rather, we look for our commentary articles to offer novel perspectives or arguments to the Long COVID and related disease community. We recommend pitching such personal narratives to local news outlets or other publications where they may help educate people who are unaware of Long COVID.
We pay $400 for essays of 1000-1200 words and publish 2-3 of these stories per month.
For all pitches, please keep in mind that our audience includes people with Long COVID, their loved ones, people with related chronic diseases, the disability community, scientists, healthcare workers, advocates, and other concerned community members seeking to avoid SARS-CoV-2 (re)infection. We do not publish any stories that gaslight our audience or minimize their experiences.
Also, keep in mind that we aim to publish stories that are accessible to readers without scientific or academic backgrounds. In pitches, it’s helpful for us to see past writing examples that are similarly written for this type of general-interest audience — though not required!
Letters to the editors
The Sick Times occasionally publishes responses from readers, to both our news and commentary stories, in the form of letters to the editors. We follow guidance from other publications that do this, including fellow INN members.
- We cannot offer payment for these letters.
- Letters should be around 150-250 words, 300 maximum.
- Letters may be copyedited for clarity and style.
- Writers must disclose their full names and affiliations, unless doing so would pose a significant risk to their safety.
- Please send your full name, phone number, and location (city/state/country) with letter submissions. Your phone number and location will not be published.
- Letters typically refer to an article published within the past two weeks or so.
- By submitting a letter, writers agree to allowing The Sick Times to share it in any format.
- This article offers more guidance on letters to the editors.
To submit a letter to the editors, email editors@thesicktimes.org and include the phrase “letter to the editors” in your subject line.
As of early 2025, we’re particularly interested in pitches about:
- Deep dives into promising — and scientifically backed — Long COVID treatment options
- Deep dives and unique angles on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), dysautonomia, MCAS, hEDS, and other related diseases and conditions commonly diagnosed alongside Long COVID
- Long COVID reporting from outside the U.S., Europe, and Australia
- Covering Long COVID as a disability, or intersections between disability justice and Long COVID
- Long COVID in children
- Social impact, or how Long COVID is impacting different communities
- Service journalism (e.g. information that readers can use in their day-to-day lives)
- New demands and strategies for Long COVID advocacy and community organizing
- Responses to and context about ableist/anti-health policies (e.g. mask bans and similar threats)
- Connections to climate change and pandemic preparedness
- Pitches for the Color of Long COVID series
We will also support grant applications from journalists interested in pursuing larger reporting projects about Long COVID. We can provide commitments to publish stories and/or feedback on applications.
Potential duties include:
- Coordinating with editors to plan a “season two” (and beyond) of the podcast Still Here, including potential adaptations to the podcast’s schedule and editorial, social, and promotional strategy; and coordinating a new theme song;
- Planning regular episodes, booking guests, and writing interview questions and scripts, with room for occasional special/themed episodes based on interest;
- Recording and editing podcast audio (experience with Riverside.fm, Adobe Audition, Audacity, or a similar tool preferred);
- Uploading podcast episodes on our RSS feed and website and writing accompanying blurbs;
- Editing podcast transcripts for clarity;
- Coordinating with our engagement editor to produce short videos from podcast recordings to share on our social media channels;
- Producing other short videos based on web stories;
- Contributing to coverage of major Long COVID and IACC research events, such as scientific meetings and online symposia;
- Writing and editing web stories based on interest and capacity.
An ideal applicant will have experience covering science and health topics in addition to audio and video production. We strongly encourage applicants who have personal experience with Long COVID and related diseases and disabilities, as well as applicants with other marginalized identities, to apply.
The position will ideally start in late January 2026. Pay is a stipend of $2,750 per month (as a W-2 employee), with an expectation of 20-25 hours of work per week.
We’re open to international applicants who can be available for occasional meetings on U.S. time zones and who live in countries supported by Gusto, the HR platform that our fiscal sponsor uses.
To apply: Please send your resume and a brief email (3-4 paragraphs) detailing your applicable experience and work samples to editors@thesicktimes.org by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 20. Include “podcast producer application” in the subject line. We will not review any applications that were drafted with AI.
Other ways to contribute
Writing an article for us is just one way you can contribute to The Sick Times. Here are a few others:
- Send us a tip, or an idea for a story you would like us to cover. As a small team, we aren’t able to look into every story idea, but ideas and questions from readers often inform features down the line.
- Invite us to cover your work. We love to hear from Long COVID and related disease scientists, medical providers, artists, advocates, and others working on these issues.
- We may consider writing a news article about your work if we have the capacity and space in our editorial schedule.
- New research papers and clinical trial announcements may be included in our Research Updates section.
- Upcoming events and advocacy opportunities may be included in our newsletter and shared on social media.
- Collaborate with us as a fellow news outlet.The Sick Times is very open to partnerships with other media outlets, especially local publications and other topic-focused outlets that may help us share our work with broader audiences.
- This can look like an original story that two outlets develop together, or a story produced by one outlet that is republished by the other.
- Other news outlets are also welcome to republish original articles by The Sick Times, as long as they credit us and link back to the original story.
- Send us an existing article that we can republish or share. We are open to republishing existing, already-published articles from other news outlets, blogs, and newsletters.
- When we do this, we make the original source of the article clear at the top of the story. We will also clarify that other outlets can’t republish the article from The Sick Times, they must go to the original source.
- See examples here.
- Be a source for a story. We are always looking for new Long COVID and related disease experts to feature in our articles.
- Pitch a segment or coverage topic for our podcast, Still Here. We typically schedule our podcast coverage around weekly stories, but are open to off-schedule episodes or interview segments related to issues of interest to people with Long COVID.
- These segments last between 8-16 minutes and our episodes are under 30 minutes long; please keep that timeframe in mind when pitching.
- This is a news podcast, so we are not promoting or endorsing any specific projects beyond promo swaps with similarly-aligned podcasts. However, we are open to potential interviews about research and advocacy.
- Sponsor a newsletter issue, podcast episode, online event, article series, or other form of content. More details about this coming soon!