NightTide Magazine

PITCH NIGHTTIDE!

NightTide Magazine
5–7 minutes

* Pitches Temporarily Closed

NightTide is temporarily closing external pitch submissions through September while we work through our existing editorial queue.

We’ve received an incredible number of thoughtful pitches over the past several months, and rather than continue accepting work we don’t currently have the capacity to review properly, we’re taking some time to give our existing submissions and staff contributions the attention they deserve.

If you’ve already submitted a pitch, thank you for your patience. We’re working through our backlog and will be in touch where we’re interested in moving forward.

External pitch submissions will reopen in October under a new monthly submission schedule.

Thank you for trusting NightTide with your work and for giving our small editorial team the time to give it proper consideration.

NightTide is a platform dedicated to horror as a cultural, political, emotional, and artistic language. We publish writing that approaches horror with curiosity, care, and intention; whether through film, literature, history, or criticism.

Our contributors come from many backgrounds. Some are academics. Some are journalists, librarians, creatives, programmers, or first-time byliners. What unites the work we publish is not formal training, but depth of thought.

To help us review every submission fairly, NightTide reviews non-staff pitches once per month. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with our editorial scope before submitting, as we only consider nonfiction pitches that align with our publication.

NightTide is an editorial publication with a defined vision.

Horror must remain the central subject of the piece throughout. Essays that use horror primarily as a mood, metaphor, or framing for a separate argument are not a fit for this publication. If you’re unsure whether your idea aligns with our scope, we strongly encourage reading our About page and recent work before pitching. If your pitch is a simultaneous submission, please let us know. Please note: NightTide does not publish short stories or have a dedicated team to review short films; our festival staff mainly provides coverage during and post-active festivals we are accredited to.

A quick note on fit

NightTide welcomes emerging writers, including those publishing their first horror article. However, we are not an introductory horror publication.

We’re best suited for pitches that:

  • Move beyond plot summary or franchise overview
  • Present a clear point of view or guiding question
  • Treat horror as something to be examined, not explained

If you’re still in the early stages of discovering the genre or working through foundational concepts, we encourage you to keep reading, writing, and refining your ideas, and to return when your pitch reflects that deeper engagement. The world could certainly use more horror writers!

What We Publish –

MORBID MINDS: Theory, culture, trauma, power – 2000 to 4000 words

What this section is:

Morbid Minds publishes theory-forward, research-informed essays that actively engage with horror as a site of cultural meaning. Essays should be in conversation with existing horror scholarship, criticism, or cultural discourse, even when written in an accessible voice.

This section assumes:

  • Familiarity with horror history and genre discourse
  • Comfort treating films as texts with stakes
  • An ability to make a clear, arguable claim

What belongs here:

  • Cultural, historical, or political readings of horror
  • Essays engaging trauma, identity, authorship, power, spectatorship, or ideology
  • Interrogations of how horror functions within society—not just what it depicts

What does not belong here:

  • Franchise overviews
  • Plot summaries
  • “Horror as folklore” or “this film is deeper than people think” arguments
  • First-time explorations of horror as an academic subject

If your pitch explains who a character is, why a franchise matters, or introduces basic genre concepts, it is not a Morbid Minds pitch.

SINISTER SCREEN: Critical film & TV analysis – 1000 to 2500 words

What this section is:

Sinister Screen is a space for sharp, critically engaged analysis of horror film and television. Pieces should move beyond reaction or recap and instead interrogate form, theme, authorship, industry context, or cultural resonance.

This section assumes:

  • Working knowledge of horror cinema
  • An ability to analyze film language (even informally)
  • A point of view grounded in thought, not fandom alone

What belongs here:

  • Focused film or series analysis
  • Comparative readings
  • Industry-aware criticism
  • Cultural framing that enhances interpretation

What does not belong here:

  • Straight reviews or summaries
  • “Why I love this movie” essays
  • Franchise primers or timeline explainers

STRANGER THAN FICTION: Authors, books, and horror literature – 500 to 1500 words

What this section is:

Stranger Than Fiction centers horror literature through critical engagement with authors, texts, and trends, particularly those operating outside the mainstream or reshaping the genre.

This section assumes:

  • Familiarity with horror literature beyond household names
  • Interest in literary context and influence
  • Engagement with themes, not just biography

What belongs here:

  • Author spotlights with critical framing
  • Thematic explorations of horror fiction
  • Literary lineage and influence

What does not belong here:

  • Book reports
  • Introductory “why this author matters” pieces without analysis

NIGHTTIDE LISTS

Curated, intentional, critical

What this section is:

Our lists are curatorial essays, not clickbait. They should reveal a point of view, draw connections, and offer insight, not just collect titles.

This section assumes:

  • Clear curatorial intent
  • Familiarity with the field being listed
  • Thoughtful framing

What belongs here:

  • Thematically rigorous lists
  • Historically or culturally informed groupings
  • Lists that argue something

What does not belong here:

  • Obvious canon rundowns without perspective

Pitches may not be the right fit if they focus primarily on:
– Broad introductions to horror or its major franchises
– Foundational genre explanations
– Early exploratory thinking without a central claim

We’re most interested in pitches that bring:
– A clear point of view or argument
– Cultural, historical, or emotional stakes
– Awareness of the conversation surrounding the topic

What We Don’t Accept

  • Submissions that reinforce racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, or ageism in the genre
  • Pieces that rely purely on gratuitous violence or sensationalism
  • Surface-level or recycled content lacking original insight

How to Pitch

Please include:

– A brief introduction (2–3 sentences)

– A concise summary of your proposed piece (300–400 words max), clearly outlining your central argument

– A short note explaining why this idea belongs at NightTide specifically (not just why it interests you)

– The segment you’re pitching for

BEFORE YOU PITCH

If you are new to us, we implore you to read a few articles and learn about our motivations for beginning this magazine here.

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Thank you for your response. ✨

At NightTide, we are always looking for diverse voices and marginalized creatives, and we believe lived experiences are important perspectives to share. Please feel free to share with us, if you are comfortable, where you’ll be writing your perspectives from, and please check the **REQUIRED** box before submitting.

Next Steps
After submission:

  • We’ll review your pitch and respond within 4 weeks
  • Successful pitches will receive an invitation to become a contributor and instructions on draft submission

We value dedication, clarity, and creativity. If you’re ready to explore horror thoughtfully alongside our editorial team, we’d love your voice in NightTide’s archive.

— Mo Moshaty, Founder & Editor-in-Chief

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