Write For Us!

Leaps.org Writers’ Guidelines

We’re delighted you’re interested in writing for us. Please review our guidelines and read a few of our favorite stories listed below before submitting your ideas.

What we publish

Leaps.org publishes stories about transformational advances in a range of scientific areas, including but not limited to health, mental health, medicine, disease prevention, longevity, regenerative medicine, synthetic biology, xenotransplantation, the microbiome, technology, AI, ecology, the future of food, sustainability, fertilizer alternatives, cellular agriculture and conservation.

We’re especially interested in articles that explore bioethical issues, such as topics that represent the often-fractious intersections of science, policy and society. As a platform, we are seeking to create a broad movement dedicated to our mission of building a culture of science appreciation and careful thought about the implications of breakthroughs.

Our stories can be features, news, profiles on researchers who are developing breakthroughs, opinion pieces by experts, articles that look back on historical examples of innovation and challenges in science and, occasionally, book excerpts and reviews. Shorter news articles average about 800 to 1000 words, while in-depth features span 1000 to 1800 words.

When it comes to describing science, our bar is higher than that of general interest publications. We explain science at the level of other top science outlets, digging deep into complex details. At the same time, we present this information in clear, engaging narratives that can be enjoyed by both the lay public and readers with scientific backgrounds. It’s a plus, though not necessary, when aspects of these advances are personally relevant to readers and can be broken down in ways that apply to people’s everyday lives.

For features, in addition to expert views, we look for the human component; writers should, when possible, try to interview people outside the scientific community to show how an advance or new frontier could or is already affecting members of the public, such as talking with a patient who is benefiting from a new treatment.

We’re open to personal essays but only in cases when the writer’s journey illuminates and explains important scientific developments, relevant for an average reader.

When possible, we expect our writers to work with their sources to provide options for photos and images to run with the articles.

What we DON'T publish

We don’t publish press releases or stories on subjects that have been extensively covered unless there are new angles or developments on the topic.

Leaps.org is not a medical journal; articles should avoid technical jargon and overly complex descriptions. Writers are expected to explain any scientific terms the lay public wouldn’t understand.

We discourage interviews by email and ask that our writers speak to their sources to obtain the most engaging and personable quotes, letting our readers hear these voices.

Pitches and payment

Please send pitches to lina_dot_zeldovich_at_leaps_dot_org. We like detailed pitches, about 300 words, so please explain in depth why the story you’re pitching will cover issues that are groundbreaking, why it’s timely and why it’s important for an average person to know about this development. Please explain, at least briefly, the scientific underpinnings of the breakthrough, and include links to studies you’re referencing as well as names of experts and other sources you have spoken to or plan to interview. It’s helpful if you can estimate how many words long the story would be.

If you’re pitching for the first time, please tell us about yourself, where you have been published, your social media handles, and include at least three links to your recent and relevant work. Rest assured we will look you up and read your stories.

We strive to respond to pitches quickly, within one week for stories with news hooks. However, we are a small team, and it may take as long as two weeks to get back to you. If you haven’t heard back from us after that time, please feel free to follow up. We regret that we may not be able to respond to every pitch.

Our competitive pay rates depend on several factors, including wordcount, the complexity of the project, and the writer’s experience.

We welcome ideas from writers of all backgrounds, and we enjoy working with a diverse contributor base.