Isabel Ravenna, culture storyteller and publisher of The Ravenna Report
(A note from Isabel)
“Write while the heat is in you… The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.”
Hello my dear readers!
I’m so proud to say that The Ravenna Report has found its people — a community of smart, passionate and curious thinkers across the globe. It’s exactly what I’ve envisioned when I started this publication, and I’ve so enjoyed our conversations — whether in the DMs, comment sections or my email inbox, I’m proud that it was TRR that introduced me to you.
But beyond knowing you — I’ve become inspired by you. And many of you have asked to collaborate — a request I’m absolutely honored by.
And after some thought, I finally have an answer.
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The Ravenna Report has always been about one thing: fearless, independent voices cutting through the noise. And now I want to open it up to you.
I know so many of you have stories, opinions and insights that deserve a platform. So starting this month, I’m inviting readers to contribute short op-eds, essays or dispatches to TRR.
To be clear: I unfortunately can’t offer payment yet (this independent platform is still a developing one-woman operation). But I can offer editorial guidance, a byline under TRR and the chance to amplify your perspective to our growing audience of passionate readers.
I began this work a decade ago, writing all kinds of unpaid stories. I will never accept reported pieces until I have a budget for that kind of work, but I’d love you to spill your mind for me.
Whether it’s a sharp take on politics, a cultural commentary (pop-culture, subcultures, science, etc) or a quick dispatch from your own community — if it’s smart, fearless and true, I’d love to read it.
“I’m out there to clean the plate. Once they’ve read what I’ve written on a subject, I want them to think, “That’s it!’ I think the highest aspiration people in our trade can have is that — once they’ve written a story, nobody will ever try it again.”
Pitch Guide:
Got a take? Pitch an Op-Ed: Opinion pieces that argue a clear stance on a news-related issue. It should be assertive, persuasive, concise and rooted in fact. Aprox. 700-900 words.
For example: When ‘We, the People’ Become Background Noise
Got a smart shower-thought? Pitch an Essay: Broader, more reflective explorations of an idea, trend or experience. Pitch an essay when inspiration sparks something personal, cultural or historical — tying back to bigger themes — that you might want to unpack. The Style should be personal, narrative or cultural and provoke thought. Less about asserting a perspective and more about exploring it. Aprox. 800-1200 words.
Got a journal entry? Pitch a Dispatch: On-the-ground observations or short reports from where you are. If you’re a big user of the “Notes” app, this ones for you to capture the moment, mood or scene — something readers wouldn’t otherwise see. It should be immediate, descriptive, sometimes raw — like a journal entry. Can just be a few hundred words.
What I’m not looking for (at the moment):
Breaking news reporting: I can’t run a traditional newsroom or cover daily beats in real-time, for now.
Unverified claims / conspiracy theories: If it’s not fact-based or responsibly sourced, it won’t run.
Long investigations: I don’t have the bandwidth to edit or fact-check big enterprise projects from contributors right now.
Self-promotion or brand tie-ins: Essays shouldn’t be ads for your work, product or organization. But your bio can be!
AI-generated content: If TRR readers wanted this, they’d just scroll through LinkedIn. Writing must be original and human.
Purely personal diary-style pieces: Essays should connect to bigger cultural, political or historical themes.
If this sounds like something you’d be into, you can respond to this email or send me a note at [email protected]. You can cold pitch me, ask for a pitch template, and when in doubt, follow your instincts. In the meantime, catch up on the Tok, follow the Gram, connect on Bsky and never stop asking questions.
Best,
Isabel
“People say, ‘What advice do you have for people who want to be writers?’ I say, they don’t really need advice, they know they want to be writers, and they’re gonna do it. Those people who know what they really want to do this and are cut out for it, they know it.”
Authoritarianism is fueled by information fatigue. Your interest in the truth is radical.
Recommendations
Isabel’s favorite indie journos, speaking truth to power:
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