Deadline: open
Mad pays $500 per article
We're actively looking to expand our pool of freelance comedy writers and there's more opportunity to join The Usual Gang Of Idiots than ever. If you have a twisted sense of humor, a peculiar way of looking at the world, or are simply eager to express your immature, strange or just plain silly side, then we want to see your stuff! Here's what we're looking for:
1. Material for The Fundalini Pages: Introduced in January 2004, this still-evolving front-of-the-book-section provides great outlet for topical, short form humor. Especially prized are biting social satire and outrageously funny quick takes. Throw the kitchen sink at us! This is an excellent place for first time writers to break in.
2. Comic strips: We want to add new comics to the magazine. Whether a strip is an ongoing, monthly feature, or a one-time-only, single or multi-panel gag, we'd love to see your ideas. While we are particularly interested in comics that reflect adolescent male sensibilities, feel free to let your mind roam. Got a really weird concept that you think belongs in an underground comic? Have an idea for an irresistibly irreverent character? Whatever it is, if you think it's funny, send it to us. (And, no, you don't have to be an artist.)
3. Hard Hitting Satire/Cutting Edge Yuks: Tackle ongoing cultural themes and fads, problems and issues, including controversial court cases, political blunders, celebrity and sports scandals and anything else ingrained (and sometimes senselessly beaten!) into the American consciousness. Good areas include: pop culture, sex/dating, politics, the Internet, the music and fashion scenes, and any topics of interest to teens. Especially prized are articles on video games, kid/parent and student/teacher relationships.
4. Media Parody: Poke fun at and lambaste your favorite (or least favorite) showbiz celebs, movies, TV programs and channels, radio shows, videos, commercials, magazines, books, catalogs, etc. Be audaciously original!
5. Utter Silliness: Pointless humor for humor's sake, which may include a heavy dose of stupidity, faulty logic, moronic conclusions and non-sequiturs. (Articles we've run in this category include Most Wanted Renegade Clowns and Sadistic Simon Says.)
6. MAD 20 Features: Our annual run-down of the 20 Dumbest People, Events & Things of the Year has become a reader favorite. Especially prized are full-page visual-impact pieces. (Take a look at one of our previous MAD 20 installments to familiarize yourself with the feature.)
Here's what we're NOT looking for:
1. Movie & TV Satires: Unless they're entirely different in format and approach from the ones we're currently using.
2. Rewritten MAD-Like Junk: Nothing will get you a rejection slip faster that an article with a title like "Other Uses For Your Old _____" or "Who's Who At A ______."
3. Your Take On Already Existing Features: Including Spy Vs Spy, A MAD Look At..., The MAD Fold-In, The MAD World Of..., etc.
4. AND PLEASE: No advice columns, short stories, book manuscripts, articles about Alfred E. Neuman, or Alfred E. Neuman cover gags.
HOW TO SUBMIT MATERIAL
Send us a paragraph or two explaining the premise of your article, with three or four examples of how you would carry it through. Be sure to include art notes describing the visual content of each example. Rough sketches are welcomed but not necessary. Be neat and to the point. No hand-written submissions.
IMPORTANT NOTES
1. Our preference is for you to submit via email. Send your material to submissions@madmagazine.com. Please note: We will respond only if we're interested. Fax submissions are not accepted.
2. If your material contains significant sketches or is otherwise art-intensive, you may submit via snail mail. Be sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage to send your submission back, or we will not be able to return your artwork. (Overseas contributors must include U.S. stamps or International Reply Coupons.) Send your submission to:
MAD Submissions Editor
1700 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
3. Before submitting become familiar with today's MAD, not the MAD you grew up with (although that helps). Don't be discouraged if the rejection slips pile up. Writing for MAD isn't a piece of cake. That's why we pay top rates — $500 per MAD page (for new contributors) — on acceptance (pieces that are less than a page — e.g. comic strips, Fundalini bits, etc. — are pro-rated accordingly).
Any other questions? See your spiritual advisor or write your Congressman! We've told you everything we know. Now it's time to sit down at your computer, word processor, typewriter, notebook, stone tablet (or whatever it is you use to record your idiotic brainstorms!) and exercise your funny bone. We're waiting to hear from you! Lots of luck!
More information here.
Mad pays $500 per article
We're actively looking to expand our pool of freelance comedy writers and there's more opportunity to join The Usual Gang Of Idiots than ever. If you have a twisted sense of humor, a peculiar way of looking at the world, or are simply eager to express your immature, strange or just plain silly side, then we want to see your stuff! Here's what we're looking for:
1. Material for The Fundalini Pages: Introduced in January 2004, this still-evolving front-of-the-book-section provides great outlet for topical, short form humor. Especially prized are biting social satire and outrageously funny quick takes. Throw the kitchen sink at us! This is an excellent place for first time writers to break in.
2. Comic strips: We want to add new comics to the magazine. Whether a strip is an ongoing, monthly feature, or a one-time-only, single or multi-panel gag, we'd love to see your ideas. While we are particularly interested in comics that reflect adolescent male sensibilities, feel free to let your mind roam. Got a really weird concept that you think belongs in an underground comic? Have an idea for an irresistibly irreverent character? Whatever it is, if you think it's funny, send it to us. (And, no, you don't have to be an artist.)
3. Hard Hitting Satire/Cutting Edge Yuks: Tackle ongoing cultural themes and fads, problems and issues, including controversial court cases, political blunders, celebrity and sports scandals and anything else ingrained (and sometimes senselessly beaten!) into the American consciousness. Good areas include: pop culture, sex/dating, politics, the Internet, the music and fashion scenes, and any topics of interest to teens. Especially prized are articles on video games, kid/parent and student/teacher relationships.
4. Media Parody: Poke fun at and lambaste your favorite (or least favorite) showbiz celebs, movies, TV programs and channels, radio shows, videos, commercials, magazines, books, catalogs, etc. Be audaciously original!
5. Utter Silliness: Pointless humor for humor's sake, which may include a heavy dose of stupidity, faulty logic, moronic conclusions and non-sequiturs. (Articles we've run in this category include Most Wanted Renegade Clowns and Sadistic Simon Says.)
6. MAD 20 Features: Our annual run-down of the 20 Dumbest People, Events & Things of the Year has become a reader favorite. Especially prized are full-page visual-impact pieces. (Take a look at one of our previous MAD 20 installments to familiarize yourself with the feature.)
Here's what we're NOT looking for:
1. Movie & TV Satires: Unless they're entirely different in format and approach from the ones we're currently using.
2. Rewritten MAD-Like Junk: Nothing will get you a rejection slip faster that an article with a title like "Other Uses For Your Old _____" or "Who's Who At A ______."
3. Your Take On Already Existing Features: Including Spy Vs Spy, A MAD Look At..., The MAD Fold-In, The MAD World Of..., etc.
4. AND PLEASE: No advice columns, short stories, book manuscripts, articles about Alfred E. Neuman, or Alfred E. Neuman cover gags.
HOW TO SUBMIT MATERIAL
Send us a paragraph or two explaining the premise of your article, with three or four examples of how you would carry it through. Be sure to include art notes describing the visual content of each example. Rough sketches are welcomed but not necessary. Be neat and to the point. No hand-written submissions.
IMPORTANT NOTES
1. Our preference is for you to submit via email. Send your material to submissions@madmagazine.com. Please note: We will respond only if we're interested. Fax submissions are not accepted.
2. If your material contains significant sketches or is otherwise art-intensive, you may submit via snail mail. Be sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage to send your submission back, or we will not be able to return your artwork. (Overseas contributors must include U.S. stamps or International Reply Coupons.) Send your submission to:
MAD Submissions Editor
1700 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
3. Before submitting become familiar with today's MAD, not the MAD you grew up with (although that helps). Don't be discouraged if the rejection slips pile up. Writing for MAD isn't a piece of cake. That's why we pay top rates — $500 per MAD page (for new contributors) — on acceptance (pieces that are less than a page — e.g. comic strips, Fundalini bits, etc. — are pro-rated accordingly).
Any other questions? See your spiritual advisor or write your Congressman! We've told you everything we know. Now it's time to sit down at your computer, word processor, typewriter, notebook, stone tablet (or whatever it is you use to record your idiotic brainstorms!) and exercise your funny bone. We're waiting to hear from you! Lots of luck!
More information here.
