Snatch Magazine Issue 3 Submission Guidelines
Recreational sports probably changed your life, and Snatch Magazine Issue 3 is all about that.
Playing is no longer something to grow out of. Through organized leagues and self-guided sports explorations, queer adults are reconnecting with sport— sometimes for the first time, sometimes after years away— and finding community, movement, and meaning in the process. The Recreational Issue welcomes stories about leagues, run clubs, solo sports journeys, specialty gyms, and the queer adults who never stopped playing. No competitive or collegiate background required, this issue is for all of it.
Snatch Magazine is an independent, direct-to-reader publication. That means we can publish stories that matter to our community instead of stories that need to sell ad space, and pay contributors instead of a publicist's roster.
What We’re Looking For
Open to written pieces, photo essays, and original art works (painting, mixed media, etc.).
Written formats include: essay, reported feature, interview, profile, review, poetry.
Illustration is commissioned separately and not part of the open pitch call. Illustrators interested in Issue 3 can fill out this form.
Especially interested in:
Queer sports leagues and the communities built around them
Unexpected angles that surprise within a specific story, not a general topic. "How my rec league perfected their reffing rules" beats "thoughts on rec sports."
Pitches that fit one of our five pillars: The Infrastructure, The Player, The Scene, The Aesthetic, The Body. Don't force it — if your idea fits the theme, pitch it.
Queer-first storytelling. We center LGBTQIA+ athletes playing within women’s sports and the broader queer community in sports.
What We’re Not Looking For
Season recaps or promotional content.
Spectator stories without a distinct point of view.
"My rec league changed my life" essays. That's our jumping-off point, dig deeper!
Anything that reads like AI wrote it.
Athlete press releases or publicist pitches. We're a submissions-based magazine with no staff writers to assign, but athletes are welcome to pitch directly.
Vague one-line ideas without a working title or a sense of angle.
Anything that requires us to split costs or fund your project's existing initiative. We pay contributors for original work made for Snatch Magazine.
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No. Anyone over 18 years old can submit. We care more about perspective, clarity, and intention than credentials. That said, submissions should be polished and ready for editorial collaboration.
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Yes, but selectively. We’re aiming for a balance of personal, reported, and observational work. First-person pieces should offer a clear point of view beyond personal experience alone.
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No. All work should be human-made. Snatch reserves the right to decline work that appears AI-generated or request revisions to phrasing that reads as automated.
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All women’s sports are eligible, but submissions for this issue should be exclusive to the recreational level. This can include large rec leagues, community-organized groups, or solo sport endeavors in adulthood. Snatch defines women’s sports expansively and inclusively.
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No. Queer stories are welcome and valued, but queerness does not need to be the focus of every piece. You yourself also do not need to be queer for your work to be selected.
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Snatch is an independent, self-funded publication committed to paying contributors while keeping the magazine sustainable. The goal is to increase contributor rates with every issue.
For issue 3, Snatch will pay writers $0.10 per word. Short pieces (~300 words) pay $30, medium pieces (~600 words) pay $60, and features (~1,200 words) pay $120. Rates are fixed and non-negotiable.
Commissioned visual artists including illustrators, designers, and photographers are compensated at a flat rate depending on scope.
All published contributors receive one complimentary print copy. Shipping not included. Payment issued upon publication.
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Read the theme carefully, be specific in your pitch, and show us why this story belongs in The Recreational Issue and why you’re the right person to tell it.
Timeline
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Submission Process
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Timeline ⇢ Submission Process ⇢
Pitch Window & Timeline
Pitches help us shape the issue before pages are assigned.
A pitch should include:
Working title
3-5 sentence summary of the idea
Format (essay, photo essay, illustration, etc.)
Any relevant access or reporting notes
If your pitch is accepted, you’ll be invited to submit the final piece during the submission window with clear word counts, specs, and deadlines. View the full timeline below.
Illustration: Phase 2
Selected written pieces may be paired with original spot illustrations commissioned separately. Illustrators will work from early drafts, not final layouts. Not every accepted piece will receive an illustration. Illustration direction and placement are handled by the Snatch editorial and design team.
To be considered for illustration or graphic art, fill out our open call form here.
Timeline & Process
This issue will work in clear stages so contributors know whnotion
at to expect at every step. Please read the full timeline before pitching.
Pitch Window Deadline: Friday July 17
We accept pitches only during this time. You may submit concepts for writing, visuals, interview ideas, etc. Pre-existing photo work is welcome, as long as it hasn’t been widely published and clearly fits the Winter Games theme. Please don’t submit finished work unless your pitch is accepted.
Selection & Assignments Notified: Friday July 24
Accepted contributors will be notified during this window with confirmation, format + word count. You will be notified if your pitch wasn’t selected for this issue.
Illustrators on our open call list will be contacted with spot illustration opportunities.
Submissions Working Deadline: Friday August 7
This is when accepted contributors work on their pieces. If your piece involves interviews, we strongly recommend scheduling them early in this period.
Final Editing Deadline: Friday September 9
Editing happens on a rolling basis. Contributors should be available for light revisions and timely responses. Late or non-responsive submissions may be cut from the issue.
Final Notes
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Final Notes ~
All submissions must be original and unpublished.
Contributors license their work to Snatch: exclusive for one year, non-exclusive after.
Selected contributors will receive clear timelines, contracts, and expectations.
Snatch Magazine is a queer women’s sports magazine with DIY roots and a grown-up point of view. The publication prioritizes clarity, good taste, and work that feels human.
If that sounds like you, we’d love to read your pitch.
