Guide: How to Learn From The Atlantic’s World/Global Coverage, Pitch Smartly, and Earn Money (Step by Step)

Ideas the Global desk says it rarely accepts

The Global desk warns against certain categories. As a beginner, use this like a filter. If your idea matches these patterns, reshape it before you pitch.

• Newspaper-style op-eds aimed at policymakers with explicit calls to action.
• Deep travel-heavy investigations (unless there is a partner or grant support).
• Dispatches that report events but have no “big idea” or lesson.
• Overly narrow technical pieces with limited appeal to general readers.

Beginner fix: add a frame. Turn “event report” into “what this shows about ____ and why it matters.”

What they want inside a good pitch

The Global desk guide also gives practical notes: have a clear frame, an exciting headline-style summary, an execution plan, and keep the general reader in mind.

• One-sentence frame (your “big idea”).
• Suggested headline (shows focus and tone).
• How you will report it (sources, access, method).
• Why a curious general reader will care (without needing your background).
• Why your location/angle adds value (geographic diversity matters).

Pro tip: a focused pitch is short. Contently’s Atlantic Tech interview also advises: keep pitches short and precise, and pitch story ideas, not topics.

Is your story “Atlantic-level” yet?

Ask these 5 yes/no questions:

• Do I have a frame that can be said in one sentence?
• Do I have evidence (documents, interviews, data, on-the-ground knowledge)?
• Do I bring something new (not already obvious from mainstream coverage)?
• Can a general reader understand this in one sitting?
• Is it “bigger than the event” (meaning, context, lesson, insight)?

If you answered “no” to 2 or more, don’t panic. It just means you build first (next sections).

The “Surprising Place → Big Question” angle

Template: “In [place/community], people are doing [unexpected thing], which answers [big question] about [global issue].”

• Place/community: not just “a country,” but a real group.
• Unexpected thing: behavior, policy, practice, tradition, workaround.
• Big question: something general readers care about.

This is “Atlantic-style” because it turns a local story into a general insight.

The “Confused Person’s Guide → Clear Meaning” angle

Template: “Everyone is hearing about [event]. Here is what it actually means, using [3–5 moving parts] and one simple model.”

• Great when news is noisy and confusing.
• Requires strong sourcing and calm clarity.
• Ends with “what changes in how we see the world.”

The Global desk guide itself highlights demystifying analysis as a strong type.

The “Comparison teaches humility” angle

Template: “Country A does [habit/policy] differently than Country B, and that difference reveals [hidden assumption].”

• Use comparison to teach, not to mock.
• Keep it human. Use real voices and lived detail if possible.
• Make it useful: “what readers can see differently now.”

The “History lesson that fixes today’s misunderstanding” angle

Template: “People talk about [idea] today, but they forget [historical fact]. That missing history explains [current confusion].”

• Works well for global myths and repeated headlines.
• Requires careful citations and clear storytelling.
• Must avoid being a textbook: make it narrative and relevant.

Short Global pitch email

To: global@theatlantic.com

Subject: [Proposed headline] — [one short hook phrase]

Body (example structure):

• Frame: In one sentence, this piece argues/shows that [big idea] using [place/community] as a case.
• Why now: [1–2 lines on why readers care this month].
• What I will deliver: A reported/analytical essay (~[word count]) that explains [3 key points].
• Reporting plan: I will interview [types of sources] and use [documents/data/history]. I have access to [access note].
• Proof Pack: Clips: [link 1], [link 2], [link 3]. Credibility: [2-line bio relevant to story].
• Timeline: I can file within [X days]. Happy to adjust angle/length.

Close with: “Thanks for your time — happy to revise the frame to fit your needs.”

Demystifying analysis pitch

To: global@theatlantic.com

Subject: The confused person’s guide to [event] — what it actually means

• Frame: This guide explains [event] through 5 moving parts: [A/B/C/D/E].
• Reader promise: A general reader will understand what matters, what is noise, and what changes next.
• Evidence: Primary documents, timelines, expert interviews, and one simple model.
• Why me: [credibility line].
• Clips: [links].

Tip: In this format, structure is everything. If your outline is clean, the editor feels safe saying yes.

How to pitch “with a theme” (useful even outside Tech)

Your Contently resource describes The Atlantic Tech channel using monthly themes and the editor’s preference for originality, strong reporting, and the “human side.” You can reuse the same mindset for Global:

• Choose a theme like: “borders,” “translation,” “trust,” “workarounds,” “small talk,” “illegal not to vote,” etc.
• Pitch one story that fits the theme and reveals something larger about people and systems.
• Keep the pitch short, precise, and headline-shaped.

Read the Contently piece here: The Atlantic Is Asking for Themed Pitches. Here’s What They Want.

Write like you are explaining to a smart friend

The Atlantic’s Global desk wants stories that a curious general reader can enjoy. That means: explain terms, avoid insider jargon, define acronyms, and build the story in layers.

• If you must use technical terms, define them in one sentence.
• Use short paragraphs (2–5 lines).
• One paragraph = one main point.
• Use headings that promise value (“What changed,” “Why it matters,” “What people miss”).

Use evidence in “layers”

Magazine writing does not depend on one type of proof. It mixes evidence like a strong meal:

• Layer 1: a real scene or human moment
• Layer 2: a document or data point
• Layer 3: an expert voice or historical context
• Layer 4: your interpretation (careful and fair)

This makes your writing trustworthy and memorable.

Write a headline that states the frame

The Global desk guide says it helps to have a winner headline. The Contently pitch advice also says offering a suggested headline shows focus.

• Good: “What [local story] reveals about [big global question]”
• Good: “The real reason [thing] is happening is [frame]”
• Avoid: vague poetic titles with no meaning

End with insight, not activism

The Global desk says it rarely accepts op-eds with explicit calls to action. So end with understanding, complexity, and meaning.

• Show what your reporting suggests.
• Show what is still uncertain.
• Show what the reader should now see differently.