Here’s the latest calls for pitches directly from editors and publishers.
For more opportunities, check out this list of calls for essays.
If you’re not sure how to take advantage of these opportunities – and want to build a real income with your writing, I suggest signing up for Writing Launch, so you can get in-depth training, mentorship, and more. Join the waiting list here.
– Jacob Jans
PS: Thanks for Fatima Saif for her research on this article.
gal-dem is a British online and print magazine that is dedicated to sharing the stories of women and non-binary people of color. Their politics editor has tweeted, “Looking for: WOC or non-binary POC writers, who don’t live in Manchester or London, for writing opportunities. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never had a byline before.” According to payment reports, they pay up to £95 per piece. To learn more, refer to their editor’s Twitter thread and their pitching guide.
Texas Monthly is a magazine and website that covers Texas news, politics, culture, food, travel, history, music, crime, and more. They are looking for pitches for their new Texans You Should Know series. The series highlights “overlooked people and events from Texas history.” Payment reports indicate that they pay $1 per word. To learn more, refer to their associate digital editor’s Twitter thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) is a weekly print magazine and an online publication that covers chemistry news. They are looking for Black journalists to write profiles for their special issue which will celebrate Black chemists and chemical engineers. The journalists will “contribute 1 or 2 profiles, each 1-2 pages long, highlighting the life, research, and accomplishments of a trailblazing Black chemist or chemical engineer.” They will pay $1.90 per word. They will begin commissioning in late November. If interested, contact k_bourzac@acs.org. For details, refer to their editor’s Tweet and this page.
Inverse covers science, innovation, entertainment, gaming, and the mind and body. They have updated their freelance story pitch guidelines. Their “editors welcome pitches from people without a lot of experience, and are happy to develop ideas with new freelancers.” They pay about $0.50 per word. For details, read their executive editor’s Tweet and their updated pitch guidelines.
OpenDemocracy is a global media organization that covers world affairs, ideas, and culture. Their U.S. investigations editor is accepting pitches for their 50.50 project which publishes “critical and in-depth coverage of gender, sexuality, and social justice.” They primarily publish pieces of 1,000 to 1,200 words. Their base rate for reported articles is £0.33 (about $0.45) a word. Email your pitches to teddy.wilson@opendemocracy.net. For more information, refer to their editor’s Tweet and this page.
Huck Magazine celebrates and explores “independent culture – people and movements that paddle against the flow.” Their US editor is always seeking “pitches on all things art/music/subculture/youth activism/politics.” They pay £120 to £200 for interviews and profiles, they pay more for a cover feature. They pay £225 and up for larger pieces. Send your pitches to jonathan@tcolondon.com. To learn more, refer to this Tweet and their submissions guidelines.
The Bookseller is a British book industry magazine and website. Their comment editor is always open to pitches for comment pieces that will stir debate in the industry. They will pay authors and freelancers £150 per piece (800 words). “These are unpaid if you work in publishing and writing a comment piece could be said to be part of your day job.” Send pitches to molly.flatt@thebookseller.com. Read their comment editor’s Twitter thread here and contact them here.
Baltimore Style is a lifestyle publication for the Baltimore Metro area. They cover fashion, beauty, food, health, travel, local personalities, arts, culture, and more. They are seeking freelance writers from the Baltimore area. They usually pay $75 to $200 per story. To learn more, refer to this Tweet. To contact them, refer to this page.
Euronews Living is “the home of eco news and green views.” They are seeking well-researched environmental stories. The stories don’t have to be Europe-centric. They are also looking for opinion pieces. Their standard rate for features (around 800 words) is €180 and for opinion pieces, it is €100. For details, refer to their Twitter thread. To submit your pitch, click here and to visit their website, click here.
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a daily newspaper for Philadelphia. Their deputy editor, opinion is accepting story pitches at epalan@inquirer.com. Payment reports indicate that they pay up to $0.29 per word. To learn more, refer to their editor’s Twitter thread and their submission guidelines.
OneVillage is a soon-to-be launched platform that will connect cancer patients and their supporters with “content, tools, and services they need.” They are seeking writers who have experience with cancer. They will pay about $100 to $200. Send pitches to sammy@onevillage.io. To learn more, refer to their editor-in-chief’s Twitter thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
Greatist is a health and wellness brand. They are looking for “writers with an interest in health, wellness, and lifestyle product reviews.” Rates start at $200 per article. If interested, contact asepanski@healthline.com. To learn more, refer to their editor’s Tweet. To contact them, refer to this page.
Refinery29 UK is a media and entertainment company that focuses on young women. They are looking for two UK/Ireland-based Black, queer writers for a project. Women and non-binary writers will be preferred. They will pay £180 for an opinion piece and £250 for a feature. To learn more, refer to this Twitter thread. To visit their website, click here.
SFGate covers news and entertainment from the Bay Area and beyond. Their deputy managing editor is always seeking story pitches “on Hawaii, ideally with a Bay Area hook (though not required).” BIPOC writers are strongly encouraged to pitch. Pay is $150 to $200 per story. Send pitches to fiona.lee@sfgate.com. To learn more, refer to their deputy managing editor’s Twitter thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
Healthline is a health information website. Their wellness team is seeking freelancers. They are looking for product writers and writers who have “experience writing/reporting on sexual health, substance use, and mental health.” Rates start at $200 to $225. If interested, DM their senior wellness editor on Twitter or email her at alannakristinanunez@gmail.com. To read her Tweet, click here. To contact Healthline, click here.
How-To Geek is a website and an online magazine about technology. They are seeking a freelance Smart Home Writer. They are looking for “someone who lives and breathes home automation and can pitch unique guides for all skill levels.” Pay will be $100 per post. If interested, DM their managing editor on Twitter. Read their managing editor’s Tweet here and learn more about them here.
Studio Magazine is “a national publication committed to thoughtful, careful, and engaging writing about contemporary Canadian craft and design.” They publish twice a year and have an ongoing web presence. They are seeking pitches for their Fall/Winter 2021 issue which will explore “the theme of GENERATION, playing fast and loose with its etymology, meanings, synonyms, and antonyms: generate, generative, degenerate, generations, degeneration, regenerate, etc.” Payment reports indicate that they pay $0.30 per word for print pieces. Email your pitches to pitches@studiomagazine.ca. For more information, read their Tweet and submission guidelines.
Deadline: January 15th, 2021
Metro.co.uk: The senior lifestyle writer of Metro.co.uk is looking for writers of color. She is commissioning features for The State of Racism series and is looking for “strong voices & unique, rigorously researched angles on race and racism in the UK.” According to one payment report, they paid £120 for a feature of 800 to 1,000 words. If interested, send pitches to natalie.morris@metro.co.uk. To learn more, refer to this Twitter thread. To read The State of Racism series, refer to this page.
The Mill is a digital newspaper about Greater Manchester. The newspaper is delivered every week via email to the readers. They are seeking freelance journalists in Greater Manchester and the North West. They want contributors who can write stories regularly. They are “open to any topic, as long as it has a strong link to Greater Manchester.” A lot of their stories are news features of 700 to 1,200 words. They pay an average of £150 per piece. Send pitches to joshi@manchestermill.co.uk. For more information, refer to their Twitter thread and pitching guide.
