[Photograph: Robyn Lee]
Are you a great writer and photographer who is infinitely passionate about pizza? Good news! Slice is looking for more contributors, and we're currently accepting applications. These positions are commitments to ongoing assignments that pay per post. Please read the following guidelines carefully before responding.
What We're Looking For
- A passion (and palate) for pizza: Do you love pizza in all its myriad forms? Will you go out of your way just to try a great slice? Do you have any special pizza-related skills or qualifications, like restaurant experience or your very own pizza oven? Can you tell us about different regional styles and oven types? You should have a finger on the pulse of the pizzeria openings and dining trends in your city.
- Strong writing skills: Your sentences are zippy, pithy, and fact-checked. They're descriptive and specific. They make us want to snatch the pizza off your plate and gobble it up. You send us clean copy that's spelled and punctuated correctly.
- Creativity and initiative: You have an ability to generate your own column ideas (and you actually enjoy doing so).
- Great photography: Your photos should be in focus, aesthetically pleasing, and, most importantly, make the pizza look good. If you aren't a photographer, consider roping in a photographer friend to work with you, though providing images is ultimately your responsibility. Show us what you've got!
- Basic photo editing skills: Color correcting, resizing, file optimization, cropping, etc. (Goes hand in hand with above.)
- Bandwidth and commitment: You have enough time to commit to a regular weekly or monthly dispatch, and meet set deadlines.
- Communication skills: You are responsible and take your commitment to Serious Eats...seriously. If something comes up, you let us know as soon as possible.
- Blog-savviness: A familiarity with blogging applications is preferred; a willingness to learn is required.
- Location, location, location: We welcome applicants from all around the country, but the following cities and their surrounding areas are currently in greatest demand: New Haven, Long Island (yes, we know, not a city), Portland, Seattle, Providence, D.C. and/or Baltimore, Detroit, Austin, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.
How to Apply
Please submit all of the following to pizza@seriouseats.com, with the subject "Contributor Application."- Your name and location, as well as your willingness/ability to travel locally.
- Photo samples or links to photographs you've taken, preferably including photographs of pizza.
- A list of the first three Slice reviews you would file if hired. Please make sure that these places have not already been reviewed on Slice!
- Your blogging skill set: How familiar are you with blogging applications and HTML?
- A sample pizza review that you feel accurately reflects your expertise and passion about pizza or two other food writing samples that you've done.
- A link to your blog or website, if you have one.
Please note that due to volume, we cannot reply to each pitch individually. Qualified applicants will be contacted via email to further the process.
*UPDATE*: We will be accepting applications over the next two weeks. Please do not rush to respond, we are not conducting rolling admissions so replying today as opposed to next week will not give you an advantage. It is far more important that you submit a typo-free, well-composed response. Take the time to write relevant material for submission, if necessary. If you have already replied and would like to revise your application, you are welcome to do so. Thank you for your time and we look forward to hearing from you!