Journalism, Essays, Opinion, Reviews
Undark Magazine
Undark wants reported features, essays and op-eds where science collides with politics, economics and culture. Official door: the submissions form, not a general email. A fee is not published on the submissions or “what we’re looking for” pages. AI may not write pitches or drafts.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-08
The docket
The nine 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 304-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 pages checked. 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. They run reported features, book reviews, photo essays, op-eds and about a dozen long-form narratives a year. The guideline states no length BRYME could record.
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo country list. First-time contributors must include a bio and clips.
- Reading period
- Not knownBRYME has not been able to read this publication's guideline — the site blocks automated access and no archived copy carried the windows — so no reading period is recorded. The gap is BRYME's, not the publication's: check the guideline before you send.
- 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.
- Simultaneous submissions
- Not knownBRYME has not been able to read this publication's guideline — the site blocks automated access and no archived copy carried the policy. This is unknown rather than unanswered, so ask the editor before you send the same piece anywhere else.
- AI policy
- AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
- Rights
- Not statedBRYME records that 162 of the 304 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.
- Experience
- Not knownBRYME has not been able to read this publication's guideline — the site blocks automated access and no archived copy carried the policy. The missing answer here is BRYME's, not the publication's, so treat this as unknown rather than settle it yourself.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 8 of the nine 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.
- Reading period — BRYME could not open this guideline, so the window is unknown rather than absent. Check it before you pitch.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- Simultaneous submissions — BRYME could not open this guideline, so this is unknown rather than open. Ask first.
- Rights — you may be asked to assign more than you expect. Get the terms in writing.
- Experience — BRYME could not open this guideline, so this is unknown rather than absent. Check it before you pitch.
Record last human-checked 2026-08-19. 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 pages checked
- Word count
- Not publicly stated. They run reported features, book reviews, photo essays, op-eds and about a dozen long-form narratives a year.
- Submission
- Official online submissions form — do not email pitches
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-08
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Journalism, Essays, Opinion, Reviews. Official guideline: Undark Magazine guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Stories where science intersects everyday life — vaccines, climate, agrochemicals, renewable energy, AI, research culture, money and bias in labs.
- Use the form. Pitch meetings are generally Wednesdays 11 a.m. EST.
- If you have not written for them: bio plus clips.
Subjects they avoid
- Emailing a pitch to a general inbox.
- A made-up fee.
- Pitches or drafts generated or line-edited by AI. Official exception only when AI itself is the subject, with disclosure.
- Purely historical yarns, or first-person outside the op-ed silo unless your presence is essential. Climate/environment pitches are the most common and the hardest to land.
Key requirements
- Official form only
- Clips if you are new
- No AI pitch or draft
Who can submit
No country list. First-time contributors must include a bio and clips.
Rights
Not stated on the submissions page. Separate republishing guidelines exist for published Undark stories.
AI policy
Prohibited
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
Official online submissions form — do not email pitches
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Official online submissions form — do not email pitches
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read https://undark.org/what-is-undark-looking-for/ and https://undark.org/ai-policy/.
- Submit via the form on https://undark.org/submission-guidelines/.
What happens after submission
Expected response: They will try to respond expeditiously; a small team, it may take time
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: 2026-08.