Alex Pierce has been in touch to let me know that, in September, Speculative Insight will be open to pitches from authors of Indigenous, Asian, Maori, Pacific Islander, Latinx and Black heritage. Any essays purchased will be published from March 2026 onwards.
Alex says:
How to pitch
Between 1 and 30 September, email editor[at]speculativeinsight.com with:
- the subject line “Pitch for Speculative Insight;”
- your name;
- a 150-200 word pitch, explaining your essay’s focus;
- a brief explanation for why your idea is a fit for Speculative Insight (see this page for further details about the journal); and
- a statement confirming that writing your pitch did not involve the use of LLM / AI, and that if accepted your essay will likewise not use LLM / AI.
What we are looking for:
- essays that focus on science fiction and/ or fantasy;
- essays about specific books, authors, or themes across a number of books;
- thoughtful, rigorous, and analytical essays (footnotes not compulsory but welcomed);
- including a personal response is welcomed, within an analytical framework
We are not looking for:
- essays about television, films or comics;
- an essay entirely about your own work.
Other vital information:
- finished essays will be 2000-3000 words in length;
- payment is AUD 5c/word up to AUD$150, via PayPal;
- deadlines are negotiable;
- we aim to respond within a month of receiving a pitch.