Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been writing for a while, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when writing for Bustle.
Here is how to write for Bustle:
To write for Bustle, research the publication and target demographic. Get a feel for the style and tone, and note what topics are commonly covered in popular sections such as Lifestyle. Then, create a customized writing portfolio, network with Bustle editors and writers, and pitch fresh ideas.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to write for Bustle.
What Is Bustle?
Bustle is a website that covers a wide range of topics, from fashion and beauty to entertainment and news.
The site also covers serious topics like politics and social issues. Bustle is aimed at millennial women, and its content reflects this target audience.
Bustle is a relatively new website, having been launched in 2013.
It has quickly become one of the most popular sites on the internet, particularly among millennial women.
The site has something for everyone, with a mix of original content and aggregated stories from around the web.
Whether you’re looking for the latest celebrity gossip or want to stay up-to-date on current events, Bustle has you covered.
And if you need a little distraction from the real world, Bustle also offers a variety of fun quizzes and listicles to help you kill some time.
12 Ways To Write For Bustle
If you’re looking for ways to write better, faster, and more effectively for Bustle, here are 12 ways to do it.
1. Research The Publication
If you’re interested in writing for Bustle, it’s important to study the type of content they publish.
This will give you a good idea of what kind of pitches they might be interested in. Bustle is known for publishing high-quality, informative articles.
As such, your pitches should be well-researched and well-written.
Be sure to target your pitches to the specific section of Bustle you’re interested in writing for.
For example, if you’re interested in writing for the site’s lifestyle section, focus on pitching articles that cover topics like relationships, fashion, beauty, and health.
If you’re interested in writing for the site’s entertainment section, focus on pitching articles that cover topics like celebrities, movies, and TV.
Whatever section you’re interested in writing for, be sure to study Bustle’s content carefully.
This will help you determine what kinds of pitches they might be interested in.
2. Create A Custom Writing Portfolio
Creating an online writing portfolio is a great way to showcase your previous work and highlight your strengths as a writer.
Having a strong portfolio is essential for any writer looking to break into the online publishing world, including Bustle. Make sure your portfolio showcases your best work and is updated regularly.
Here are some tips for creating a strong writing portfolio:
- Choose Your Best Pieces Of Writing To Include. Your portfolio should only include your very best work so that potential clients can see your writing skills at their best.
- Make Sure Your Portfolio Is Updated Regularly. Add new pieces of writing as you create them so that potential clients can see your most recent work.
- Use A Professional-Looking Design. Your portfolio should look polished and professional in order to give potential clients the best impression of your work.
- Include A Variety Of Writing Samples. Choose writing samples that showcase different genres or styles of writing so that potential clients can see your range. In particular, include writing samples that reflect the Bustle section you want to write for (Entertainment, Lifestyle, etc).
- Promote Your Portfolio Online. Make sure that Bustle editors and other potential clients can find your portfolio by promoting it on social media or through your website.
By following these tips, you can create a strong online writing portfolio that will help you attract Bustle editors and further your writing career.
3. Build A Network with the Bustle Editor Team
Building a good relationship with the editors at Bustle is key to getting your pitches accepted.
Here are a few tips on how to get to know the team:
- Attend events and meetups. This is a great way to network and get your face known by the editors.
- Shoot them an email from time to time. This keeps you top of mind and helps them remember who you are.
- Follow them on social media. Like, re-share, and comment on their posts.
- Be persistent. Don’t give up if your first few pitches are rejected. Keep trying and eventually, you’ll find the right fit.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a great relationship with the Bustle editor team.
This will increase your chances of getting your pitches accepted and, ultimately, help you get your work published on Bustle.
4. Study the Target Population
In order to write for any publication, you need to understand what they’re all about.
What is their target audience? What are their goals? What are their biggest challenges and struggles? When you know the answers to these questions, you can better tailor your pitches.
Read Bustle regularly and take note of how they write to their target audience.
This will give you a good idea of the style of writing they prefer in terms of content and tone.
Then, when you’re ready to submit your own work, make sure it aligns with what they typically publish.
5. Get Creative
There’s no shortage of content on the internet, so it’s important to make your pitches stand out from the rest.
Be creative and think outside the box – Bustle is looking for unique voices and fresh perspectives.
They don’t want a rehash of what every other article has already said.
Some tips to help you get started:
- Write about topics that you’re passionate about
- Find a unique angle to approach familiar topics
- Be specific and personal in your writing
- Don’t be afraid to be funny or (appropriately) irreverent
- Keep up to date on what Bustle has covered recently (so you don’t pitch something too similar)
If you can capture our attention with a great idea and some fresh writing, we’re sure you’ll be able to write something amazing.
6. Be Professional
When you’re pitching a publication, it’s important to remember that you want to always put your best foot forward.
Always be polite, respectful, and professional in your correspondence.
This will help you build relationships with editors and increase your chances of getting your work published.
Even one unprofessional email or pitch can seriously hurt your goals of writing for Bustle.
7. Follow Up
Once you’ve submitted a pitch and haven’t heard back from the editor, it’s time to follow up.
Give them a call or send an email to check in and see if they’re interested in your story.
If they are, great!
If not, move on to the next pitch. Either way, keep trying until you find the right fit for your story.
Of course, don’t barrage them with a constant stream of follow-up emails. Wait a few weeks and then follow up once. It makes you look more professional.
8. Be Flexible
If you want to be a successful writer for Bustle, you need to be flexible.
Once you get published, your editor may have some changes they want you to make. It’s important to be open to those changes and willing to work with them.
Otherwise, you risk having your work rejected or not being well-received by Bustle readers.
Being flexible doesn’t mean you have to compromise your vision or artistic integrity, however. It simply means being willing to work with others to make your writing the best it can be.
So if you’re serious about becoming a Bustle writer, start practicing flexibility now.
It’ll serve you well throughout your career.
9. Be Timely
When you’re pitching ideas to Bustle editors, it’s important to make sure that your pitches are relevant and timely.
In today’s fast-paced world, there’s no time to waste – so make sure your pitches are on point.
If you’re not sure whether your pitch is relevant or not, do some research beforehand.
See what topics are trending, and see if you can find a way to tie your pitch into that. Timeliness is key, so don’t be afraid to “trend jack” by riding on the wave of a popular topic.
The bottom line is, that if you want your pitches to be successful, you need to make sure they’re timely and relevant.
Similarly, make sure that you always respond to editor emails quickly.
10. Keep It Short
If you want to get your pitch accepted by an editor, make sure it is short and to the point.
Bustle editors are busy people, so they don’t have time to read long pitches.
Keep your pitch concise and focused on the main points. Don’t include any fluff in your pitch or your article.
11. Highlight Your Experience
If you have relevant experience or expertise, be sure to highlight that in your pitch. This will make you more credible and increase your chances of getting published.
Your experience can include topics like:
- Relevant professional experience
- Writing samples
- Links to published articles
- Links to YouTube videos
- Links to your book on the topic
- Any other type of content that showcases your writing abilities or topical authority
Make sure to list any and all experiences that you think would be relevant to the Bustle section you’re pitching.
If you have a lot of experience, you can pick and choose what to include in your pitch – just make sure that everything you do include is impressive and will add value to your pitch.
12. Be Passionate
When you’re pitching an idea to an editor, be sure to let your excitement and passion for the topic shine through.
Editors can tell when someone is genuinely passionate about something, and that passion is often what lands a pitch.
So go forth and be passionate about your ideas! It just might make all the difference.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to writing for Bustle! Just remember to be persistent, professional, and passionate, and you’ll be sure to succeed.
What To Include In A Pitch To Bustle
Bustle is a website that covers a wide range of topics, from entertainment and news to lifestyle and fashion.
In order to get your pitch accepted by this website, you’ll need to make sure that it’s relevant to their interests and meets their specific guidelines.
Here are some tips on what to include in your pitch to Bustle:
- As few words as possible
- Your topic
- Your unique angle
- Your experience and credentials
- Your contact information
- Your sources
- Your payment rate
- Links to related writing samples
- How you plan to handle images or photos for your article
1. Keep It Short And Sweet
Remember that Bustle is a website, so they want pitches that are concise and to the point. Make sure you get your point across in as few words as possible.
As a general rule of thumb, I like my pitches to fall between 250 to 500 words.
According to the Bustle website, they want “a 2-3 sentence summary of the piece.” That’s about as short and sweet as you can get.
2. Be Crystal Clear About What You’re Offering
Bustle wants to know what you’re offering them, whether it’s an article, a video, or something else.
Be clear about what you have to offer and why it would be of interest to their audience.
This is not the time to be vague or indirect.
3. Show That You Understand Their Audience
Bustle’s audience is mostly young women, so your pitch should be tailored to them.
Show that you understand what they’re interested in and what would appeal to them. This includes your topic, angle, word choice, examples, quotes, personal experience, etc.
4. Offer Something Unique
Bustle receives a lot of pitches, so you’ll need to offer something that sets you apart from the rest.
Whether it’s a fresh perspective or insider knowledge, make sure you have something unique to offer.
You might offer:
- To write the first article pro-bono or at a discounted rate
- Exclusive access to sources
- Original research
- Personal experience
- Amazing writing samples
- Professional images or photos
5. Follow Their Guidelines
Make sure you read and follow Bustle’s guidelines for pitches. This will increase your chances of having your pitch accepted.
For example, they prefer first-person articles and don’t take round-ups.
Their submission guidelines are pretty clear:
In general, we’ll consider timely first-person pieces and personal essays, experiments and trials, and interviews and profiles. We’ll also consider reported, conversation-making feature ideas about fashion and beauty, lifestyle (incorporating health and wellness, sex and relationships, tech and social media trends, and astrology), and entertainment/culture (incorporating film, TV/streaming services, music, celebrity, and books). We do not accept evergreen listicles, market or trend roundups, how-to pieces, watch lists, or news stories pegged to studies or viral trends.
How Do You Write a Bustle Article?
If you’re a fan of Bustle, then you know that the site is all about providing quick, informative articles on the latest news and trends.
But have you ever wondered how those articles are written?
Well, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how to create Bustle content.
Some articles can be written in as little as 30 minutes, while others may take a few hours. It all depends on the topic and the amount of research involved.
Here is how to write a Bustle article:
1. Keep It Snappy
Bustle articles are typically short and to the point. So, make sure your article is easy to read and doesn’t ramble on.
Each section in Bustle is a bit different so make sure to check the average word count.
In general, shoot for between 900-1,700 words.
2. Write In A Conversational Tone
The vast majority of Bustle’s readers are young women, so write as if you’re talking to a friend.
Stuffy writing with no personality is for academic journals, not Bustle.
3. Use Short, Punchy Sentences
This ties in with keeping your article snappy – use shorter sentences to keep the reader engaged.
If you read through Bustle articles, you’ll notice a lot of short sentences, short paragraphs, and images to break up the article.
This makes the article much more scannable and readable.
4. Incorporate Personal Experiences
Many Bustle articles are personal essays, so if you have a story to share, make sure to include it.
Unless advised otherwise by a Bustle editor, lean into a first-person point-of-view (POV).
Tell your story and give your personal experience with the topic.
5. Use Images
A picture is worth a thousand words, so include images to break up your text and add visual interest.
Many Bustle articles include more than 3 images.
You won’t always need to provide the pictures yourself but, if you have professional and relevant images available, go for it.
6. Keep It Current
Bustle covers a wide range of topics, but all the articles have in common: they’re timely. So, make sure to write about something that’s happening right now.
Or, at least, tie the topic to a current trend, celebrity, or newsworthy experience.
7. Have A Strong Opinion
Bustle readers want to read articles that are thought-provoking and offer a unique perspective.
Make sure your article has a strong point of view.
Don’t be wishy-washy or “safe” with how you really think and feel. This is Bustle, not CNN.
8. Be SEO-Friendly
This means using keywords naturally throughout your article (without going overboard) and including links or references to other Bustle articles.
If you use images, include accurate image descriptions and keywords in the Alt text.
9. Use Quotes
As you study Bustle, you’ll quickly notice that many of the articles include direct quotes or dialogue.
Like images, these quotes give the reader a break from pure text and narration.
Whenever possible, include a quote in your article. A powerful quote or snippet of dialogue is also sometimes useable in your pitch.
10. Edit, Edit, Edit
Once you’re finished writing your article, be sure to go back and edit it.
This includes proofreading for grammar mistakes as well as making sure your article flows well. I always double-check the spelling of names, dates, numbers, and facts.
The less work you give a Bustle editor, the better.
Can You Write For Bustle With No Degree?
The answer is yes!
While a degree may give you a leg up in the competitive world of online publishing, it’s not necessary to land a writing gig at Bustle. In fact, many of the most successful bustle contributors have no formal education in writing or journalism.
What’s more important than a degree? A great pitch!
You have a fresh, unique take on the latest news and trends affecting young women.
So don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a degree in journalism or English – your passion and perspective are what we’re looking for most.
Can You Write For Bustle With No Experience?
Yes, you can write for Bustle with no prior experience.
While experience is always helpful, it’s not necessary to write for Bustle. If you’re a talented writer with a strong voice and something to say, you can write for Bustle.
Bustle is always looking for new contributors to the site.
If you’re a man or woman with an opinion and a desire to share it with the world, Bustle could be the place for you.
How Much Does Bustle Pay Per Article?
Bustle pays freelance writers anywhere from $80 to $200+ per article.
However, it should be noted that these rates can vary depending on the length and complexity of the article, as well as the writer’s experience.
On the Bustle website, they ask you to include your standard rate in your pitch. Don’t oversell or undersell yourself.
In pitches like this, I usually go with .25 to .30 per word when first trying to break into a new publication.
However, the more experience or better story you offer, the higher rate you can probably charge.
Before you go, check out this YouTube video by Bustle editors about how to get paid for your writing:
Final Thoughts: How To Write for Bustle
The most important factors in writing for bustle are your intimate knowledge of the publication and your ability to write a good article.
Focus on those two things you will be well on your way to writing for Bustle.
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