Here’s 15 calls for pitches directly from freelance writers, covering a wide variety of topics.
Please, please, please DO NOT contact these publishers unless you are confident that you are sending a high quality proposal that is carefully crafted to meet their needs.
I occasionally get complaints from editors that certain readers of Freedom With Writing are sending them very low quality pitches. Please, don’t let this happen! If you’re not sure how to craft a quality pitch, then at the very least, watch this free webinar directly on Youtube.
– Jacob Jans
Australian Geographic covers Australia’s nature, culture, history, people, and places. They are looking for an Australia-based digital bird columnist to publish on their website on a fortnightly basis. The applicant should have a background in science writing. Women, POC, and LGBT people are strongly encouraged to apply. Pay is $200 per piece (400 to 500 words). If interested, email their digital producer at AHeathcote@australiangeographic.com. To learn more, refer to their digital producer’s Twitter thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
Vice UK has launched a new column called The Debt Collection which features “stories from young people about getting into – and out of – debt.” Their associate editor is looking for pitches for this column. According to one payment report, they paid 20p per word. To learn more, refer to their associate editor’s Tweet. To read The Debt Collection column, refer to this page.
Atlas Obscura is “the definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.” They cover history, geography, exploration, science, and culture. They are looking for stories that focus on a place. They are actively seeking stories by writers of color and writers from other marginalized groups. According to payment reports, they pay an average of $0.29 per word. For details, refer to their editor’s Tweet and their pitch guidelines.
National Catholic Reporter (NCR) is a biweekly newspaper that reports on “the Catholic Church and justice issues.” Their newly appointed opinion editor is looking for pitches from young Catholics and people of color. They normally pay $150 to $250 for 800 to 900 words. Send your pitches to osegura@ncronline.org. To learn more, refer to their opinion editor’s Tweet and their submission guidelines.
Study Hall is “a media newsletter & online support network for media workers.” Their co-founder is accepting pitches for stories about media, tech, etc. They are particularly interested in “dystopian intersections of tech and media (Amazon, Netflix, weird startups, etc).” Their rates start at $150 for Q+As and $300 for reported features. For details, refer to their co-founder’s Twitter thread. To learn more about them, refer to this page.
Texas Highways is the official travel magazine of Texas. They are always looking for new writers who are “based in Texas or have a strong connection to Texas.” They want timely pitches with “a travel angle or a strong sense of place and/or Texas culture.” Stories with historical focus are also popular with their readers. Their rate for web stories is $0.50 per word for up to 500 words. For details, refer to their Tweet and freelancer guide.
If you are a WOC and are interested in writing an oral history of Chadwick Boseman and his legacy, then refer to this Tweet. Payment will be $200.
Can I Play That? is a community where disabled gamers share their stories of game accessibility. They are seeking pitches for features or commentary pieces from disabled BIPOC writers. They can commission 1 article per month. They will pay $50 per article. To learn more, refer to their Tweet, call for pitches, and submission guidelines.
Economic Hardship Reporting Project (EHRP) is a nonprofit organization that produces compelling journalism about income inequality and poverty in America. They are seeking “photo essays, narrative features, podcasts, and other kinds of reporting that humanize inequality in the US.” They typically pay about $1 per word (less for op-eds). To learn more, refer to their Twitter thread and this page. To submit a pitch, refer to this page.
A new publication is “looking to commission a journalist on a story in/around the American prison system.” They are looking for “something long form-ish.” Pay is about $500. To learn more, refer to this Tweet.
The Ferret is an online investigative journalism cooperative for Scotland and beyond. They are looking for “exclusive stories on issues affecting the public in Scotland.” They offer £120 for an exclusive news story. To learn more, refer to their Tweet and this page.
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) is a nonprofit organization that promotes diversity in children’s literature. They are seeking pitches for Hispanic/ Latinx Heritage Month. They are primarily seeking feature stories, opinion pieces, and personal essays. They are interested in issues affecting the book world (this includes librarians, educators, and booksellers). They don’t publish book reviews. Please don’t pitch if you don’t identify as Latinx/Hispanic. The pitches don’t have to be centered around your identity. Email your pitches to alainalavoie@diversebooks.org. Rates start at $150. To learn more, refer to this Twitter thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
A new Medium publication that is focused on being the leading voice of diverse and creative women travelers is currently accepting submissions. Their rates start at $75. For more information, send an email to hello@girlaroundtheglobe.co and read this Tweet.
Shondaland is “the pioneering storytelling company founded by Shonda Rhimes.” Their culture editor is accepting pitches for October and November about: entertainment (commentary on films/TV/interviews), books (author interviews), culture, and reported election stories. Their rates start at $500. Send pitches to britni@shondaland.com. Read their culture editor’s Tweet here and contact them here.
