Dear Writers,
Here’s our latest roundup of calls for writers directly from editors. We’ve research payment rates, and found contact information for all of these publishers.
Please do not contact these editors unless you’re confident that you’re sending a high quality pitch. If you’re not sure how to do that, then you’re encouraged to watch this free lecture.
— Jacob Jans
Thanks to Fatima Saif for compiling this week’s listings.
Lady Science is a monthly magazine about “women and gender in the history and popular culture of science, technology, and medicine.” They are open for pitches. They are seeking features, essays, commentary, and reviews. They encourage pitches from BIPOC writers, LGBTQ+ writers, writers with disabilities, and writers who are newer to public writing. Rate: $150. For details, read their Twitter thread and pitch guide.
The assistant managing editor of CBS News is seeking “BIPOC freelance reporters in Atlanta, New York City and Los Angeles, and other major cities to cover the rise in racist violence against the Asian community.” Rates start at $0.60 per word. If interested, DM their editor on Twitter or email justin@cbsnews.com. To read their editor’s Tweet, click here. To visit their website, click here.
Forbes Advisor offers personal finance advice and news. They are hiring “freelance writers for SEO articles on a number of different SMB tech topics.” They will pay $200 to $400 per article. If interested, DM their editor on Twitter or email rwatts@forbesadvisor.com. To read their editor’s Tweet, click here. To read Forbes Advisor’s articles, click here.
Insider is a global news publication. Their senior health editor has tweeted, “Are you a Black woman who has given birth in the UK *and* the US? I’m looking for someone to write about the different experiences.” Rate is $400 for 1,000 to 1,200 words. If interested, DM their editor on Twitter or email mdegraaf@businessinsider.com. Read their editor’s Tweet here and contact them here.
Toronto Star is Canada’s largest daily newspaper. Their sex columnist is accepting pitches. She has tweeted, “Did you have a cool GTA wedding in the last year? ISO newlyweds with a fun/interesting/unique/romantic love story + wedding for the Toronto Star. Bonus points for LGBTQ, BIPOC + disabled folks or any kind of outdoorsy ceremony.” “Writers must be GTA-born, GTA-raised, or GTA-based, or have spent a significant chunk of time here.” Rate is $350. To learn more, refer to this Tweet. To contact them, refer to this page.
Can I Play That? is a community where disabled gamers share their stories of game accessibility. They are looking for personal essays, industry accessibility analysis, commentary/features, and more. They publish 2 paid pieces a month and pay $100/piece. For details, read their Tweet and submission guidelines.
Pit is a magazine about food and fire. They are accepting pitches for their next issue themed KEBABS. They usually pay £80 to £150. Pitches should be sent to hello@pitmagazine.uk. To learn more, refer to their Tweet. To contact them, refer to this page.
Input is a tech publication. Their features editor has tweeted, “Periodic pitch call! Freelance tech/culture writers, I’m looking for everything from personal essays to ambitious features.” Pay is $0.50 to $1.00 per word. Pitches should be sent to mark.yarm@inputmag.com. Read their features editor’s Tweet here and contact them here.
Container is a digital magazine about creative technology. They are accepting pitches for Issue 3. They publish “human-centred, interesting, critical or disruptive views of creative technology.” They pay £300/1,000 words for written articles. Send your pitches to info@containermagazine.co.uk. To learn more, refer to their Tweet and this page.
Deadline: May 16th, 2021
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization that reports on education in poor communities across America. They are looking for first person essays from educators (or students, parents, or school workers). They pay $100 per post. If interested, send your pitches to firstperson@chalkbeat.org. For more information, read their story editor’s Twitter thread and their first person guidelines.
Business Insider is a website that covers business, financial, and technology news. They are looking for pitches. They are “specifically interested in people with unique jobs, migration, and returning to the office” but are open to any pitch related to their business verticals — technology, media, careers, real estate, entrepreneurship, and more. Their base rates start at around $300. If interested, email lhaas@insider.com. To learn more, refer to this Twitter thread and this guide.
Metro.co.uk is looking for “powerful first-person stories from immigrants living in the UK” for the Immigration Nation series. Their rates generally start at £70 for 600 to 800 words. Pitches should be sent to james.besanvalle@metro.co.uk. For more information, refer to this Twitter thread and the Immigration Nation series.
The Dream Foundry is a nonprofit organization that is “dedicated to helping new professionals in the speculative genres.” They have tweeted, “We’d love to hear pitches for articles on business, industry, or how-tos geared toward new creatives of ALL types. Artists, podcasters, editors, translators, game designers – hit us up!” They pay $60 per article (about 750 words). Pitches should be sent to content@dreamfoundry.org. For more information, read their Tweet and contributor guidelines.
The Scientist is a magazine for life science professionals. They are building out their freelance base. They are mostly looking to cover cell and molecular biology, genetics/genomics, neuroscience, immunology, and cancer. They pay about “$250 for a standard study story (~600 words), up to $500 for a longer news feature (~1200 words), higher for a true-blue feature.” If interested, DM their editor on Twitter or email aheidt@the-scientist.com. Read their editor’s Twitter thread here and their freelance guide here.
ScrapingBee is a web scraping API. They are seeking a Python content writer (freelance). They are looking for someone who is fluent in English, has some content writing experience, and knows about web scraping. They are looking for long-term collaboration. They usually pay $700 / $800 for 2,000 words. If interested, DM their co-founder on Twitter. To read their co-founder’s Tweet, click here. To visit their website, click here.
Wear Your Voice is “a digital feminist magazine for and by LGBTQIA+ Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).” They are “looking to publish a series from LGBTQIA+ BIPOC writers that covers the political, social, and medical realities of transness, specifically as it relates to children.” They will pay $150 per piece. If interested, send your pitches to submissions@wyvmag.com. For details, refer to their Twitter thread and submissions page.
Big Potato is a board games company. They are seeking freelance tabletop writers to write content for their blog. They will pay £200 per post (1,500 to 2,000 words). If interested, apply here or send an email to nat@bigpotato.co.uk. To learn more, refer to this Tweet and their blog.
Rewire is a nonprofit publication that delivers thought-provoking content that inspires young adults (under 40) to make their lives better. Their editor is accepting story pitches. Their content areas are: “living, work, money, health, love, and our future.” They pay $250 for 800 to 1,000 words. Read their editor’s Tweet here and their call for pitches here.
Research Money is a source for news and insight on Canadian science, technology, and innovation. They are seeking Canadian freelance writers to cover science, technology, and innovation policy in Canada. They pay $250 for regular 500-word stories and $500 for 1,000-word features. If interested, send your resume and 2 to 3 clips to editor@researchmoneyinc.com. To learn more, refer to their managing editor’s Twitter thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
Clerestory Magazine publishes “stories, articles, and interviews on subjects at the intersection of action and contemplation.” They are accepting pitches and submissions for their summer issue on Therapy, responding to the question, “what heals?” Most accepted pieces are 1,000 to 3,000 words. Pay is $50 per accepted submission. For more information, refer to their Tweet and submissions page.
Deadline: May 15th, 2021
SFGate covers news and entertainment from the Bay Area and beyond. Their editor is accepting pitches for Presidio month. They usually pay $200 per article. If you have unique stories to tell, then DM their editor on Twitter. Read their editor’s Twitter thread here and contact them here.
TechRadar is a UK-based consumer technology news and reviews website. Their US computing editor is accepting pitches for their PC Gaming Week. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women writers are especially encouraged to pitch. Pay will be $150 to $400 per piece. If interested, DM their editor on Twitter or email at bill.thomas@futurenet.com. Read their editor’s Tweet here and their pitch guide here.
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine by Meredith Corporation. Their associate restaurant editor has tweeted, “Looking to hear from folks about beloved neighborhood restaurants! If you’re a writer with a delicious spot that feels like a home away from home, would love to chat –– DMs open!” They typically pay $1 per word for print stories. Read their editor’s Tweet here and contact them here.
The Local is an independent magazine that explores urban health and social issues in Toronto. They are looking for pitches about the vaccine rollout. They like revealing data stories, deep-dives, and intimate portraits of under-covered neighborhoods. Rates start at around $1,500 for a 2,000+ word feature. To learn more, refer to their senior editor’s Tweet. To contact them, refer to this page.
Outside Magazine publishes stories about adventure, gear, travel, sports, fitness, health, culture, and the environment. They are seeking “pitches of personal essays on The Oregon Trail video game for its 50th anniversary, particularly ones that explore the game’s cultural influence.” They will pay $0.50 per word. Pitches should be sent to klindsey@outsideim.com. To learn more, refer to this Tweet and their pitch guide.
Alma is an online community for Jewish millennial women who are trying to figure the “whole adult thing out.” Their associate editor has tweeted, “Very excited to launch a new series on Alma today: LATE TAKE where we revisit Jewish pop culture of the past for no reason, other than the fact that we can’t stop thinking about it??” She is accepting pitches for this new series at submissions@heyalma.com. Rate is $100. Read their associate editor’s Twitter thread here and learn how to write for them here.
Tom’s Guide is a website that covers all things consumer tech. Their news editor is seeking some freelancers to cover crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge, and more). Mostly quick news hits. Rate: $65 to $200. Read their news editor’s Twitter thread here and learn more about them here.
Chicago Reader is Chicago’s largest weekly newspaper. Their interim culture editor is accepting pitches about your backyard birthday parties/new shows/anything you like. Rate is $75-$400 for 200-3,000 words. Pitches should be sent to scollojulin@chicagoreader.com. To learn more, read their editor’s Twitter thread and their pitch guidelines.
Giddy is “a sexual health platform that’s jumpstarting a new conversation about the important, intimate parts of life.” Their editor is looking for pitches from US writers on STDs, chronic conditions, physical and mental health and sex, parenting, marriage, and grooming. They will pay about $175 for 550 to 700 words. If interested, send your pitches to hwisterman@getmegiddy.com or rmunford@getmegiddy.com. Read their editor’s Twitter thread here. Learn more about them here.
Greatist is a health and wellness brand. They are accepting food and recipe story pitches for Juneteenth. They will pay at least $250. To learn more, refer to their freelance food editor’s Twitter thread. To submit your pitch, refer to this page and to learn more about them, refer to this page.
Deadline: May 12th, 2021
