{"id":7612,"date":"2020-01-10T06:21:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-10T14:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/?p=7612"},"modified":"2020-01-10T06:21:01","modified_gmt":"2020-01-10T14:21:01","slug":"30-themed-calls-for-submissions-non-fiction-essays-etc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/uncategorized\/30-themed-calls-for-submissions-non-fiction-essays-etc\/","title":{"rendered":"30 Themed Calls for Submissions (Non-Fiction, Essays, Etc)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are 30\nnon-fiction themes for the 14 magazines\/websites listed here. While some give a\ndate by which they want articles or queries on specific topics, several do not,\nso it is best to get work in early. The themes include: fantasy, soul food\nthanksgiving, American Indian citizenship, adapt and grow, historic scenic\nhighways, climate change and theatre, humor, alchemy, and cure. Several outlets\nalso accept work outside these themes. Many do not specify their pay though, so\nwriters have to query\/negotiate rates. Here they are, in no particular order. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nBitch Media: Fantasy (#87)
\n<\/strong>This is an independent\nfeminist magazine. Their front of the book section has Dispatches, where they want underreported and fascinating stories\nfrom across the US, the globe, and the realms of fiction that introduce Bitch\nreaders to stories and topics they might not have encountered\nbefore. Their features are deep dives into the intersection of\nfeminism and culture. Everything is culture to Bitch, including pop culture,\nsocial-justice movements, and technology \u2013 they have investigative essays and\ncultural features. They also have shorter pieces on culture, including essays\nand interviews. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the Fantasy theme,\nthey have extensive guidelines, including \u201cWhat\u2019s the first fictional place you\never escaped to? For some of us, it was a bridge to Terabithia. For others, it\nwas through a wardrobe and into a fantastical, frozen realm where children are\ntasked with saving the day. … But whatever the entry point we have all delved\ninto a fantasy at some point in our lives.
\nBut our everyday lives, too, are infused with fantasy, whether we\u2019re\ndaydreaming about someone we pass on the street or envisioning lives free of\ncrushing capitalism, climate change, and political clown cars. In this issue,\nwe bring together the imagined and the real to get at the heart of a single\nquestion: What purpose do fantasies serve in our lives? We are excavating the\nvery concept of \u201cfantasy\u201d\u2014how they develop, what we do with them, and how we\ndecide who and where is worthy of being fantasized.
\nThis is one issue that shouldn\u2019t be taken literally … we\u2019re interested in\ncriticism, reporting, and analysis that take an unconventional approach to the\nabove mentioned question and consider a few others. What would a world where\npeople earn more while working less look like? What lessons can be gleaned from\nAfrofuturism, Indigenous futurism, and other genres that envision oppressed\ncommunities in worlds of their own making?\u201d
\nKey words are Afrofuturism, Indigenous\nfuturisms, science fiction, sex, clothing, pleasure, vacation, bondage,\nmystical, astrology, magic, lust, Hollywood, Instagram, novels, planets,\nwizardry, Hollywood, paintings, social media, beauty standards. Pay is\ngenerally $700-$1,000 for features, $350 for dispatches, and between\n$150-$700 for culture stories. They also accept illustrations ($200-600), and\nonline pitches on a rolling basis. The deadline for this theme is 24 February\n2020. Details here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nMidwest Living: Best of Midwest Travel 2020; Westside Market, Soul Food\nThanksgiving, Cheesecake, Ice Luminaria
\n<\/strong>This is a bi-monthly lifestyle\nmagazine from Meredith Corporation, and their articles focus on travel, food,\nhome and garden. Article lengths are generally between 100 and 1,000 words.\nThey define the Midwest as Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,\nIowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas (they also\nsometimes do stories in bordering states such as Kentucky and Arkansas). They\ninclude writer bylines on features, but most of their freelance opportunity\nlies in scouting and research. Most of their\narticles are researched up to a year from publication date, especially seasonal\nones; annual issue planning occurs in the\nlate summer and fall, but they accept story pitches throughout the year. According to their editorial calendar, the themes\nfor the November\/December 2020 issue are: Westside Market, Soul Food\nThanksgiving, Cheesecake, and Ice Luminaria. They also have a special issue\nwhich goes on sale in March, \u2018Best of Midwest Travel 2020\u2019. Writers on a first\nscouting assignment for the magazine, or for a website writeup, can expect to\nbe paid up to $150. Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n<\/strong>Tribal College Journal:\nAmerican Indian Citizenship
\n<\/strong>This is the journal of American\nIndian higher education. For their Fall 2020 issue, the topic is \u2018American\nIndian Citizenship\u2019. All feature articles must involve tribal colleges in some\nway. Possible feature article topics are listed, but alternative topics on each\ntheme are welcome. For this theme their guidelines say, \u201cTribal colleges and American Indians are deeply affected by education\npolicy and political currents in Washington, DC.  How can tribal college\nleaders and students influence national conversations on policymaking that\nimpact TCUs and Native communities? What have been some of the tribal college\nmovement\u2019s past successes and how can we build on those in today\u2019s polarized\npolitical climate? How can TCU leaders forge connections with lawmakers across\nthe political spectrum?  And finally, what is at stake for TCUs and Native\ncommunities in the forthcoming general election?\u201d\nThey want both long features (2,500-3,000 words) and shorter features\n(1,500-2,000 words). They have several regular departments<\/a> also. Deadline for feature story suggestions is 24 February 2020; the\nfeatures deadline is 17 April 2020; and the deadline for On Campus news shorts\ncolumn is 24 April 2020. Payment varies. No payment is made for Voices or\nResearch articles. Details here<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nVictorian Writer: Writing change
\n<\/strong>Writers Victoria is an\nAustralian not-for-profit charity that supports and advocates for writers,\nillustrators, editors and literary-sector workers to be paid for the work that\nthey do. They are accepting pitches of their in-house magazine, The\nVictorian Writer. For their June\/July issue, they want work on \u2018Writing change\u2019\n\u2013 cli fi, writing as power, power of writing, and writing as activism. They\nwelcome both pitches and submissions. They accept non-fiction, articles and extracts\nup to 2,000 words (fiction and memoir submissions are open to Writers Victoria\nmembers only). Commissioned articles are paid AUD150-250. The deadline for this issue is 27 February 2020. Details\nhere<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calgary\u2019s\nChild: Five themes
\n<\/strong>This Canadian magazine is for Calgary-area parents.\nAccording to their 2020 Editorial Calendar, the themes for Spring Edition 2020\n(on sale in April) are: Summer Camp & Program Guide; Teen & Tween\nGuide; Spring Fun Feature; Birthday & Celebration Guide; and Education\nGuide: Academic Alternatives<\/strong>. There are several other themes listed. Pay is\nin Canadian funds. Details here<\/a>,\nhere<\/a>\nand here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experience Life: Ready, Set, Go Outside!; Adapt and Grow
\n<\/strong>This is a health\/fitness\/quality-of-life magazine that is\npublished 10 times a year. Apart from three in-depth features (2,500-3,500\nwords), they have four departments that need shorter pieces: Front of Book,\nReal Fitness, Real Food, Feature Well, and Real Life. They begin planning\nissues six or seven months in advance of the publish date. For June 2020, the\ntheme is \u2018Ready, Set, Go Outside!\u2019 Their guidelines say, \u201cSpending time in\nnature not only delivers healthy dividends to body and mind, but it also reminds\nus how vulnerable our natural world has become. Discover new ways to enjoy \u2014\nand protect \u2014 the great outdoors.\u201d For September, the theme is \u2018Adapt and\nGrow\u2019. Their guidelines say, \u201cChange is the only constant in life, so it pays\nto learn how to shift strategies and mindsets when conditions, routines, and\nseasons call for it. Tune in to the latest thinking on how to make change work\nfor you.\u201d They have several other themes listed. Details\nhere<\/a>\nand here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

True\nWest: Annual Travel Issue; Historic Hotels, Saloons and Getaways; Historic\nScenic Highways; Towns to Hang Your Hat In\/Annual Historic Trains
\nThey\npublish literary non-fiction and heritage travel narratives about the Old West.\nThey want \u201c<\/strong>enticing narrative and\nintelligent analysis on the history of the Old West\u2014focusing mainly between\n1800 to 1912, but not exclusively\u201d, according to their guidelines. Also, \u201cWe\nactively seek out creative writers who can infuse their articles with dramatic\nrealism, excellent research and memorable examinations. Tell a story that\nfocuses on a singular person, place or event that reveals a broader aspect of\nAmerican Western history and culture.\u201d Queries should be no longer than 300\nwords; they review queries once a month. In April 2020, they will publish the Annual\nTravel Issue (with a Cooperative Museum ad section); for May, the theme is\nHistoric Hotels, Saloons and Getaways; for June, it is Historic Scenic\nHighways; and for July\/August, the issue is on Towns to Hang Your Hat In\/Annual\nHistoric Trains. There are several other themes listed. Pay is $0.25\/word, and\n$20\/photo (see guidelines). Details here<\/a>\nand here<\/a>\n(fill in details to download the media kit). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

C Magazine: Humor
<\/strong>This magazine welcomes writing on contemporary Canadian art and culture that is lively and rigorously engaged with current ideas and debates.\u00a0They are interested in writing that addresses art and its various contexts, and looks at trends and emerging perspectives through a mix of editorials, columns, in-depth essays, interviews, artist projects and reviews. They accept pitches for features, artist projects, reviews and columns. For Summer 2020, the theme is Humor. They have extensive writers\u2019 guidelines, including: \u201cIn light of today\u2019s incessantly apocalyptic discourse\u2014which tends to crudely suggest that there will be a distinct cleaving of the troubled present from an even more troubled future\u2014we\u2019re curious about practices that use comedy, absurdity, and the illogic to attune audiences to the funny, playful, and weird underbelly of life as we know it, and as we might imagine it. … How are artists using humor as a wilful instrument of resistance, transgression, and critique? How is it employed as a tactic to cultivate forms of engagement that expand one\u2019s conception of reality? Can humor\u2019s ability to soften, calm, and rehumanize us make us more capable in our roles as agents of change? How might humor be used to confront the uncomfortable reality that, sometimes, institutional critique gets caught in a feedback loop or breeds negativity?\u201d The deadline for thematic pitches is 16 January 2020; review pitches (not thematic) are accepted on a rolling basis till 30 January 2020. First drafts are due 10 March. Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ASK Magazine: Alchemy; Sneaky\nArt Tricks
\n<\/strong>This is Cricket Media\u2019s science\nand non-fiction magazine for 7- to 10-year-olds. The ideal article is an\nengaging non-fiction story (or cartoon) that is concrete, specific, and\nappealing to newly independent readers (grades 3\u20135), but that an adult reader\nmight also find interesting \u2013 it should tell a good story, with an emphasis on\nideas and problem-solving. They have feature articles (400-1,200 words), photo\nessays (400-800 words), humor pieces (200-400 words), profiles\/interviews of\nscientists, inventors, engineers, and artists (200-1,000 words),\ntheme-appropriate science experiments, and science panel cartoons (2-6 pages).
\n— Alchemy:<\/strong> This is the October 2020 theme. Their guidelines say, \u201cWhat did the alchemists do, and how did\nthey turn into chemists?<\/em>
\nPossible topics: How can all these different creatures be made from just four\nelements?; alchemy in modern life; making new elements.\u201d They want queries by\n15 January 2020 for this theme.
\n— Sneaky Art Tricks:<\/strong> This is the November\/December 2020 theme. Their\nguidelines say, \u201cWait\u2014is that a camera?<\/em>
\nPossible topics: Camera Obscura, the painter\u2019s\nfriend; profile of a particularly tricky painter (Vermeer? Leonardo?); how to\ndraw perspective; why Michelangelo\u2019s David has a big head; how to make a\nbillboard so it looks right from below; \u201cside view\u201d pictures; golden ratio;\nconservation tricks; trompe l\u2019oeil; how to make gray paint look like metal;\nanimation.\u201d They want queries by 30 February 2020 for this theme. Details\nhere<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


Taproot Magazine: Tides; Cure
<\/strong>This is a magazine of food, farm, family, and craft. The magazine is divided into three sections: Head \u2013 essays about living a more connected life; Hands \u2013 recipes, crafts and projects to make yourself; and Heart \u2013 the personal experience of more connected living. Their 2020 themes are: Tides (submission deadline 1 February 2020); Cure (submission deadline 1 April 2020). There are other themes listed too, with later deadlines. Payment varies depending on the type and length of submission. Details here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Theatre: Climate change and theatre;\nFamily-friendly policies
\n<\/strong>This is a publication\ncovering theatre in the US. They have an online as well as print edition. Two\nof their upcoming themes are
\nClimate Change and Theatre (March 2020), and Family-friendly policies (April\n2020). They ask for a two-month lead time for material for their print issue.\nPay is unspecified. Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smithsonian Magazine: Planet Positive; Travel Issue
\n<\/strong>This premier magazine\naccepts pitches from established freelance writers for features and certain\ndepartments. For April 2020, their issue theme is Planet Positive; for May,\nthey will publish a Travel Issue. They have a print and an online section.\nDetails here<\/a> and here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanstellation Magazine: The Dark Side of Science
<\/strong>This online publication that presents a thematic collage of what it means to be human in the digital age. Their guidelines say, \u201cThe theme for the second issue is, broadly, the dark side of science.
In the article “The Slowness of Literature and the Shadow of Knowledge” published on November 6, 2019, by\u00a0The New Yorker<\/em>, Karl Ove Knausgaard outlines this “dark side” of science: \u201cWith all our technological advances, from the printing press to the airplane and the nuclear-power station, there seems to follow a shadow, unseen and yet perceptible, for the consequences of these advances manifest themselves before our eyes. Karl Benz, who, in 1885, built the first motorcar in a workshop in Mannheim, only eighty kilometres from Frankfurt, could hardly have realized that, in the future, his machine\u2014which would join places and people together, opening cultures to each other and increasing the radius of human life so considerably\u2014would claim the lives of one and a quarter million people each year, in car crashes. Nor could he have known that carbon-dioxide emissions from cars would be a cause of global warming, rising sea levels, burning forests, growing desert areas, and the extinction of animal species.\u201d
We\u2019re looking for writing and art that explores the unintended side effects or consequences of scientific advancement, including but not limited to the areas of biology, physics, chemistry, and geology.\u201d They will accept essays (1,000-2,500 words), as well as poetry, fiction, and art on the theme. Pay is $120 for essays, $100 for flash (fiction and non-fiction), and $60 for each poem, illustration, or photograph. The deadline is 15 January 2020. Details here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington Post: On Parenting
\n<\/strong>The Washington Post wants new, insightful, different pieces\nthat have an interesting angle related to parenting, of up to 1,200 words. They\nwelcome reported pieces as well as personal essays. At times they also accept\npitches. Details here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n


\nAuthor Bio:<\/strong> S.\nKalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She is the\nauthor of 182 Short Fiction Publishers.<\/a> She\ncan be reached here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are 30 non-fiction themes for the 14 magazines\/websites listed here. While some give a date by which they want articles or queries on specific topics, several do not, so it is best to get work in early. The themes include: fantasy, soul food thanksgiving, American Indian citizenship, adapt and grow, historic scenic highways, climate…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7612"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7612\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7613,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7612\/revisions\/7613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}