To pitch or submit an article, please write to us with:
- Your brief bio (if a new contributor), including links to similar work.
- Which section you want to write for (as below).
- What book(s) you want to cover, and if you need a copy.
- Paragraph pitch (see below for guidelines).
Below are the sections we currently accept contributions for:
Reviews — Punchy, argument-driven reviews of recent (<1yr) single works (1600+ words), or longer review-essays that engage with multiple works (3200+ words). We like our reviewers to synthesize what’s in a book (or film etc.) for readers, picking out the best details and quotes, but also to say something of their own about the topic. That is, draw out an original argument from the work that tells us something new about China or the Sinophone world, don’t just summarize it and rotate your thumb 180º.
Essays — Lively essays (either 1600+ words or 3200+ words) that engage with broader ideas and trends relating to China or the Sinophone world. We prefer a focus on society and culture, but also run general essays on politics, economics and history. Your essay doesn’t need to focus on a particular book or work, but should engage with existing literature on the topic — that is, tell us what’s already been written or said on this topic, as well as making an original argument based on your experience and perspective.
Profiles — Literary profiles (3200+) of prominent Chinese or sinophone authors (or film-makers or other artists), written up as a narrative that engages deeply with their work and life. Ideally, there would be recent work by the subject to peg it on, but we also accept general profiles that overview their oeuvre. The profile should focus on a specific angle so as to make a particular point about their work, and be based on close reading — think of it as a “literary profile” that takes in multiple works, instead of a single review.
Excerpts — If you are an author or publisher, feel free to propose a stand-alone passage for excerpt (2000-4000 words) from your upcoming or recently published (<1yr) book, that tells an engaging story or reveals something new about China or the Sinophone world. Please send the full digital copy of the book as well as flagging excerpt potential, and indicate if other excerpts have appeared, or will be appearing, elsewhere.
We pay a competitive flat rate for all original articles, equivalent to 25c per word.
When pitching, consider how your idea is focused and original. What key question will you answer? Why should the general reader care about it? What does it say more broadly about China or the Sinophone world? Will it surprise us, or tell us something we already know?
Keep your pitch short, to demonstrate that your idea has a clear focus. Please read our contributor guidelines before pitching and/or writing for us, for our expectations of diligence and impartiality, and further details such as kill fees.
Principal books under review should have been published in the last year. Additional books that are paired or mentioned need not be recent, and you can draw on the deep archive.
Our working definition of “China” is broad, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and the diaspora. We also accept pitches for reviews of Chinese titles, whether translated or not.
Please write to info[at]chinabooksreview.com unless you have already corresponded with one of the editors (Alec Ash or Alexander Boyd) and have their email.
We read all pitches and endeavor to reply in a timely fashion, but we get a lot of mail. If you have not heard back from us after ten days, please accept our apologies for not replying and assume that we are not accepting the idea.
If you are an author, publisher, illustrator or reader, please see how to contact us instead. ∎
