Dear Writers,

Here are 41 publications that work directly with freelance writers, and pay up to $1 per word.

If you’re interested in writing for these publications, please carefully study their publication before submitting a pitch. Don’t send in complete articles. The standard practice is to send a short email with a proposed article idea. If you’re not sure how to send a good pitch, please read this.

— Jacob Jans

Nautilus

Nautilus is a magazine about science, culture, and philosophy. They accept story ideas and pitches at drenwick@nexusmedianews.com. According to a Tweet by one of their editors, they pay $0.50 to $1.00 per word. To contact them, refer to this page. 

Lux

Lux is a socialist feminist magazine for the masses. They welcome pitches from both new and established writers. They usually pay $1.00/word for reported features and $0.50/word for most other things. Pitches should be sent to pitches@lux-magazine.com. To learn more, refer to this page.

Landscape Architecture Magazine (LAM)

Landscape Architecture Magazine (LAM) is a print and digital magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). They publish on a monthly basis. They are always seeking “good stories and great journalists to write about them.” While they love the incredible work happening in major cities, they are “particularly excited to read about smaller cities, rural areas, towns, and other markets where landscape architects are doing innovative and important work that others in the profession could learn from.” They “generally do not allow people to write about projects they’ve worked on, and writers are expected to disclose in print (and to the editors before assignment) any relationship to the story subject.” According to their editor, they pay $1 per word for most of their stories. If interested, email your pitches to lam@asla.org. To learn more, read their contribution guidelines.

The Fuller Project

The Fuller Project is a global nonprofit newsroom that reports on issues affecting women in the US and abroad. They raise awareness, expose injustices, and spur accountability. They are always seeking stories on issues that affect women in the US and globally. According to payment reports, they pay $1 per word. If interested, send your pitches to pitch@fullerproject.org. To learn more, refer to their pitch guide.

EdTech Magazine

EdTech Magazine explores “technology and education issues that IT leaders and educators face when they’re evaluating and implementing a solution for K-12 and Higher Ed.” They are always seeking new writing talent. According to their associate editor, they pay $0.50 to $1.00 per word for articles of 800 to 1,200 words. To learn more, refer to this page.

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan is a women’s magazine for dating tips, sex advice, beauty tutorials, fashion trends, and celebrity news. Payment reports indicate that they pay an average of $1.05 per word. To learn more about them and to contact them, visit this page.

Rest of World

Rest of World is a new international nonprofit journalism organization that is focused on “the impact of technology beyond the Western bubble.” They are seeking narrative magazine pitches (1,000-5,000 words) that “report on the interplay of digital technology with cultures around the world, with nuance and detail.” This includes profiles (around 1,500 words), mid-length features (less than 2,000 words), and longer features (3,000 words and above). They don’t want stories set in the United States, Canada, Western Europe or Australia. According to their editor, their rates start at $1 per word. Contact them here.

Increment

Increment is a quarterly “print and digital magazine about how teams build and operate software systems at scale.” Each issue of the magazine focuses on a new theme. They welcome pitches from writers. Right now, they are especially interested in APIs. According to one payment report, they paid $1.00 per word for a 3,000-word piece. Read their Tweet here. Pitch them a story here.

The Real News Network

The Real News Network is an independent, nonprofit news network that is focused on providing uncompromising and fact-based journalism. They cover politics, prisons and policing, racial justice, climate crisis, and economy and inequality. According to payment reports, they pay about $1 per word. If interested, contact them at contact@therealnews.com. To learn more about them, refer to this page.

The New York Times

The New York Times covers politics, business, technology, science, health, sports, arts, style, movies, travel, books, education, jobs, real estate, and more. They accept opinion essays (400 to 1,200 words). According to payment reports, they pay up to $1.00 per word. Details here.

Canadian Geographic

Canadian Geographic is a magazine by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society. They publish 6 times a year. Each issue features the latest science, technology, environment, culture, and travel stories from across Canada. According to one payment report, they paid $1.00 per word for a 1,500-word feature. For details, read their submission guidelines.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Wine Enthusiast Magazine features wine ratings, reviews, recipe ideas, pairing information, news, and guides. They welcome proposals from freelance writers about wine, fine food and travel. They also accept story ideas for their website. According to one payment report, they paid $1.00 per word for a 700-word profile or interview, though most reports indicate $0.50 per word. To learn more, read their pitching guidelines.

Physics Today

Physics Today is the American Institute of Physics’ flagship publication. They publish both in print and online formats. They inform their “readers about science and its place in the world with authoritative features, news stories, analysis, and fresh perspectives on technological advances and ground-breaking research.” According to a now deleted Tweet by their website director, they pay $1.00 per word. (The editor’s Tweets are automatically deleted after one year.) To learn more, visit this page.

Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN)

Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) is a non-profit news organization that produces explanatory and investigative journalism on food, agriculture, and environmental health. They pay $1.00 to $2.00 per word plus travel. To learn more, refer to this page.

Business Insider and Insider

Business Insider and Insider are looking for pitches for features. Business Insider is a website that covers business, financial, and technology news. Insider is a website that shares all the adventures that life has to offer. According to a now deleted Tweet from their features editor, their pay starts at $1.00 per word. Reports from readers, however, indicate pay is closer to $0.33 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.

Hammer & Hope

Hammer & Hope is “a magazine of Black politics and culture.” Their aim is to “build a project whose politics and aesthetics reflects the electric spirit of the protesters who flooded the streets in 2020, a project that breathes life into the transformative ideas pointing us towards the world we deserve.” They accept pitches from writers at submissions@hammerandhope.org. They pay $1.00/word for commentary, $1.33/word for reported features, and $300/25 lines or less and $6 each additional line for poems. To learn more, refer to this page.

Ori Magazine

Ori Magazine is a twice-a-year travel magazine that publishes stories by talented local journalists. They would love to receive pitches from writers. As per their editor, features pay $0.50-$1.00/word and single page department pieces pay $200. If you want to contribute a story, then refer to their contributor inquiries page.

Noema

Noema is a magazine that explores the transformations sweeping our world. They publish “essays, interviews, reportage, videos and art on the overlapping realms of philosophy, governance, geopolitics, economics, technology, and culture.” According to payment reports, they pay $1.05 per word. If interested, send your pitches or drafts for essays, reported features, interviews, or fiction short stories to edit@noemamag.com. To contact them, refer to this page.

Ambrook Research

Ambrook Research offers data-driven storytelling regarding modern agriculture. They’re looking for stories about modern agriculture. They’re presently focused on U.S.-based subject matter but will consider exceptions if a story has significant impacts or teachings that can be applied in the U.S. They generally pay between $0.50 and $1.00 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.

MLK50 Memphis

MLK50 Memphis is a nonprofit news website focused on poverty, power, and public policy.  They are looking for freelancers. They pay up to $1.00 per word. To learn more, refer to this Twitter post, Google form, and visit their website.

The Logic

The Logic provides in-depth reporting on Canada’s innovation economy. They are seeking investigative and feature stories about Canada’s innovation economy. They don’t list payment rates, but state that their rates are competitive. One payment report indicates payment of $1.00 per word. To read their submission guidelines, visit this page.

Sonoma Magazine

Sonoma Magazine is a bi-monthly publication that covers Sonoma County’s events, restaurants, hotels, bars, wineries, breweries, culture, style, and more. Payment reports indicate that they pay $1.00 per word. To contact them, visit this page.

D Magazine

D Magazine is a resource for news, food, arts, health, business, weddings, and more in Dallas, Texas. Payment reports indicate that they pay $1.00 per word. To contact them, refer to this page.

Inuit Art Quarterly

Inuit Art Quarterly is a magazine dedicated to “Inuit and circumpolar arts, connecting Inuit Nunangat and readers around the world.” $1 per word for print and online. They say this means they’ll pay $1,750 for feature articles and interviews and $500 for artist profiles and other front-of-book pieces. To learn more, refer to this page.

Atlanta Magazine

Atlanta Magazine is a general interest publication based in Atlanta, Georgia. They cover news, culture, food, travel, entertainment, style, and all things Atlanta. They are interested in stories focused on Atlanta and the metro region. According to payment reports, they pay up to $1.00 per word. To submit a pitch, visit this page.

Texas Monthly

Texas Monthly is a magazine and website that covers Texas news, politics, culture, food, travel, history, music, crime, and more. According to payment reports, they pay $1.00 per word. To contact them, refer to this page.

The Intercept

The Intercept is a nonprofit news organization that is devoted to holding the powerful accountable through its fearless, adversarial journalism. According to payment reports, they pay up to $1.00 per word. To contact them, refer to this page.

Washingtonian

Washingtonian is a general-interest magazine for the DC area. They cover politics, technology, art, entertainment, dining, shopping, health, parenting, and personalities. They publish profiles, true-crime yarns, pieces of narrative journalism, trend pieces, column-length arguments, comprehensive lists, and photo essays. According to payment reports, they pay about $1.00 per word. To learn more, refer to their writers’ guidelines.

Today’s Parent

Today’s Parent is “Canada’s #1 source for parenting content that informs, inspires and builds a sense of community.” Their articles help parents of children from birth to 9+ tackle a range of parenting issues including discipline, health, behavior and education. Payment reports suggest that they pay up to $1.00 per word. To find out more, visit this page

Science Magazine

Science Magazine covers news on science, science policy and issues that are of importance to the scientific community. They want “everything from 140-word news briefs to 2500-word features to investigative projects.” According to payment reports, they pay up to $1 per word, and sometimes more. To learn more, refer to this page.

National Geographic Travel

National Geographic Travel is a travel brand that tells “visually-driven, unexpected stories about the world.” They provide travel information to people and expose them to new places and cultures. They want contributors to send a brief paragraph about their idea(s). They generally pay around $1 per word. To view their list of editors, visit this page. Many of their editors have their contact information posted on Twitter; some regularly post calls for pitches there.

Bay Nature

Bay Nature is a quarterly magazine that is “dedicated to the intelligent and joyful exploration of the natural places, plants, and wildlife of the San Francisco Bay Area.” They welcome queries from people working in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Their articles and features are generally 700 to 3,000 words long. Payment is a flat fee that works out to $0.20-$1.00/word based on the writer’s experience and article difficulty. Further details can be found here.

Chicago Magazine

Chicago Magazine is a print and online publication that focuses on the culture, lifestyles and politics of Chicago. They want writers to send a brief pitch of 1 to 3 paragraphs stressing why their idea is unique and compelling for their readers. They do not publish stories which lack a Chicago angle. Payment reports suggest that they pay up to $1.00 per word. To learn more, visit this page

Marie Claire

Marie Claire is a fashion publication for women with “a point of view and a sense of humor.” They prefer story proposals instead of completed work. According to payment reports, they pay an average of $1 per word. To find out more, visit this page.

Plate Magazine

Plate Magazine explores the culinary world to meet the most innovative chefs of the industry and uncover interesting food and drink ideas. Each issue of the magazine focuses on a singular culinary theme. According to payment reports, they pay $1.00 per word. To learn more, visit this page.

Experience Life

Experience Life is a progressive “healthy-way-of-life magazine.” It comes out 10 times a year and has a circulation of 700,000. They aim their content at 30 to 45 year-olds. Payment reports suggest that they pay $1.00 per word. Further information can be found on their writer’s guidelines page. You can also see their 2024 editorial calendar here.

National Parks

National Parks is an award-winning, quarterly magazine known for high-quality photography and writing. The magazine is published by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), a non-profit group dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the National Park System. Reports indicate they pay $1 per word. To learn more, read their submission guidelines. Be sure to click “Downloads” on their guidelines page to access the file.

Chatelaine

Chatelaine is a Canadian magazine that covers the topics of health, fashion, and beauty. They publish briefs, how-tos, and features. For seasonal articles there is a four to six month lead time. They pay $1 per word. To learn more, read their submission guidelines.

Backpacker

Backpacker publishes articles that target the backpacking and hiking communities. Their pieces cover foot-based travel, backcountry experience, North American destinations, and other topics that they highlight. They pay up to $1 per word depending on complexity and experience. To learn more, read their submission guidelines. (Note, they are currently updating their guidelines, and seem to have been delayed in the update.)

Outside Magazine

Outside Magazine is a monthly publication that covers “the people, sports and activities, politics, art, literature, and hardware of the outdoors.” According to our research they pay between 25 cents and $1 per word for the writing they publish. To learn more, read their contributors’ guidelines.

Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Magazine pays a flat rate per story. They previously paid $1 per word. According to payment reports, they now pay $0.20 to $0.75 per word. They publish “stories from around the world: stories that are big or small, visually driven or essayistic, first-person or as-told-to or service-oriented.” They have a very detailed and helpful guide for potential freelancers. To learn more, read their pitching guidelines.