Journalism, Reported feature, Analysis
The Caravan
The Caravan, India's long-form narrative journalism magazine, takes story pitches of no more than 400 words alongside a résumé and publication list - and has closed its fiction and poetry desks entirely. No pay figure is published and the desk says it cannot reply to every pitch, so treat silence as silence.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-09
The docket
The six things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 147-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- Not statedNot publicly stated on the official submission page. The publication publishes no figure BRYME could record. That is not the same as unpaid — but you cannot price the work from this page.
- Length
- Not statedNot publicly stated. The guideline states no length BRYME could record.
- Who can submit
- Not statedThe submission page states no geographic restriction. India-based, publishing on Indian politics and culture.
- Response time
- Not statedNo response time recorded. A follow-up after two to three weeks is reasonable; silence past that is a soft no, not a rejection.
- AI policy
- Not statedThe guideline is silent. BRYME records that 47 of the 147 publications on this desk do restrict AI-assisted work, so silence here is not permission — ask.
- Rights
- Not statedBRYME records that 62 of the 147 publications on this desk state their terms. This one does not. Ask what rights you are assigning, for how long and for what territory, before you sign anything.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves all six questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Payment — pitch only if you are comfortable negotiating the fee itself, or ask before you write.
- Length — propose a length in your pitch and let the editor correct it.
- Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- AI policy — assume disclosure is expected unless the editor says otherwise.
- Rights — you may be asked to assign more than you expect. Get the terms in writing.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-30. Sources listed at the foot of this page. This record holds no figure BRYME could compare, so no ranking appears above it. Where a rate is quoted per word, it is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- Not publicly stated on the official submission page
- Word count
- Not publicly stated
- Submission
- Email a pitch of no more than 400 words, with a résumé and published-work list
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-09
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Journalism, Reported feature, Analysis. Official guideline: The Caravan guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Long-form narrative journalism on Indian politics, culture and society.
- Photo essays that offer a narrative rather than straight news coverage.
- A familiarity with the archive and its approach, which the page asks for explicitly.
Subjects they avoid
- Fiction and poetry. The desk states it no longer accepts either.
- Pitches longer than 400 words.
- Zipped folders of high-resolution images with a photo-essay proposal.
- Photo essays of fewer than twenty images, or without the 200-300 word description.
Key requirements
- A pitch of no more than 400 words.
- A résumé.
- A list of your published work.
- For photo essays: at least twenty images plus a 200-300 word description, all in one PDF.
Who can submit
The submission page states no geographic restriction. India-based, publishing on Indian politics and culture.
Rights
Not stated on the submission page.
AI policy
Not stated in the guideline
How to write for them
Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.
BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.
How to pitch
Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.
- Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
- Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
- Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
- Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
- Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
- Say why it fits this publication.
- Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
- Close professionally and thank them for their time.
- Send through the official channel only.
Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.
How to submit
Email a pitch of no more than 400 words, with a résumé and published-work list
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Email a pitch of no more than 400 words, with a résumé and published-work list
- Submission email: editor.thecaravan@delhipress.in
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Send the pitch, your résumé and your published-work list by email in one message.
- Keep the pitch inside the 400-word limit the page sets.
- Read the archive first - the page asks for it, and the desk commissions on fit with its established approach.
What happens after submission
Expected response: The desk says it cannot respond to every pitch
If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.