Pricing
Financial Philosophy
Psychgeist Founder Dave Nussbaum has been helping colleagues share their science with the public for close to a decade. What started as a favor or two soon grew into a hobby and has evolved into a full-time undertaking, leading to the launch of Psychgeist Media, Inc. in early 2022. Most of that work was done pro bono, but as we try to build this organization and the community around it, our goal is to achieve financial sustainability. By charging people for the work we do, we hope to be able to continue providing our services to this community, while paying the people who work for us fairly and positioning ourselves to grow over time.
We are committed to full inclusivity, so no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds (scholarships support is available to defray costs for anyone who needs assistance). Our prices aim to recognize the different financial constraints people are facing, on the one hand, and the ability others have to financially support this undertaking, on the other. We hope that many members of our community will be able to rely on existing grants, expense accounts, and other sources of research support to cover these expenses, rather than having to pay out of their personal accounts. In short, we anticipate working with a wide range of budgets and we hope that, as a community, we are able to help make this enterprise successful and sustainable.
Accordingly, we offer different packages at various price points with the goal of matching people with the packages that suit their needs and their means. These prices reflect research we have done to collect input on appropriate amounts to charge — they are dramatically below market value, but far from trivial. They are our first attempt and are subject to case-by-case negotiation as well as wholesale revision; input and feedback is highly appreciated, both on the existing price structure and also on alternative pricing packages or models we could consider adding.
For each project, we will ask you to submit a brief proposal that will include information about the article you are pitching as well as questions about your needs and your ability to fund the work. We will respond with an estimate that reflects the anticipated workload and budgetary considerations. We are open to negotiating a price based on your needs.
Price List
What you can expect from our estimates will depend on the amount of help you’re looking for. In most cases, we expect that you will want help throughout the process, starting with crafting an effective pitch, then placing that pitch at an outlet, and finally guiding you through the process of writing, editing, and revising the article. All of this is included in the Standard Package. There are certainly exceptions, however, and some people may prefer the Pitch-Only Package, which focuses on the placing of an article, often after a strong initial draft has already been written.
There is a substantial amount of variability in the pitching process, which can be difficult to predict, and is often out of our direct control. With this in mind, our estimates aim to inform you of a range of possible outcomes and to allow for adjustments on an ongoing basis. All of our prices are aimed at organizational sustainability and are open to negotiation to suit your needs and constraints.
We are also open to discussing working with you on a retainer model, where the plan would be to work on multiple articles over an extended period of time, and to devise a strategy based on your longer-term goals. We are currently considering a small number of institutional collaborations, which we plan to expand further in the future. Please send us an email at psychgeist@psychgeistmedia.org if you’d like to discuss either a retainer or an institutional collaboration.
Standard package
We will help you polish your pitch — up to three 30-minute Zoom consultations are available, as needed — and then we will pitch the article to a mutually agreed upon set of outlets. If the article is accepted, we will help you think through the structure of your article and will provide feedback on a draft of your submission. If the draft is accepted, we will provide guidance through the revision process and will help you to share the published article (e.g., via social media, our newsletter). If the draft is not accepted, we can repeat the pitching process.
Who should do this?
We recommend this to people who have an idea of what they want to pitch, but want help throughout the process of writing and publishing an Op-Ed, from beginning to end.
Cost: $800 – $1,500, typically close to $1,000
Pitch-Only package
The Pitch-Only package includes help with polishing your pitch, and a 30-minute zoom consultation is available, as needed. We will then pitch to a mutually agreed upon set of outlets, and connect you to the editor once it has been accepted. Some light editing and guidance through the revision process may be included as necessary.
Who should do this?
If you’ve already written a (strong) draft and you’re looking for help placing it, this is likely the right option. Also, if you have extensive experience writing for the public, you may not need help with editing.
Cost: Typically $500, with some exceptions
Our goal is for everyone to be able to cover these costs with grants or other sources of funding and we are prepared to defray the costs of people for whom such funding is not available. We will be working toward a formal scholarship application process in the near future, but for the time being, we are happy to discuss subsidizing the costs of packages on a case-by-case basis. We are committed to ensuring that nobody is turned away for lack of funds.