These are calls for non-fiction/article themes. A few also accept other genres, like fiction and poetry. Some themes are: diversity of the (American) south; the craft or psychology of video games; status anxiety; adventuring in the mountains; war and geopolitical violence; Africa-focused stories; interior; and beer. – S. Kalekar
The Food Section: Diversity of the (American) South
They publish food journalism/culinary culture stories about the American South. They have detailed guidelines; “The Food Section is actively seeking freelance contributors to add their voices to the newsletter’s mix, with a particular emphasis on reported stories that reflect the diversity of the South. … In terms of topics, the only real limitation is geographical. Just about every story has a food angle, but for The Food Section’s purposes, that story must unfold in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia (or the northernmost reaches of Florida, which The Food Section claimed because of its sunshine laws—which ought to tip you off that The Food Section is fond of stories with hard news hooks and corroborating data.)” They pay $1,000 for a 1,200 word feature. Their pitch guide is here.
Cleveland Review of Books: Fall 2024 print issue
A post by them says, “From now until April 1 we’re holding an open call for pitches of essays, reviews, interviews, and experiments in critical writing to appear in Vol. 2.2, our Fall 2024 print issue.” They also have detailed pitch guidelines, including, “We publish reviews, essays, interviews, and excerpts. While we are especially committed to publishing writing on, about, and from Cleveland and Ohio, as well as the Rust Belt and greater Midwest, regional connection is by no means a requirement.
Our conception of what criticism is and can be is purposefully expansive, generous, and open.” Pay is $200 for print and $100 for online work. See the post here and their general pitch guide here.
Inverse: The craft or psychology of video games
The deputy gaming editor of Inverse is accepting freelance pitches about the craft or psychology of video games. Also, “please try to include a news peg, some reason why your story matters now and should be told soon. even if it’s writing about an older game, there should be a reason why we’re still thinking about it today.” And, “rates start at $300 for a good reported piece”. See the pitch call/thread here.
Griffith Review: Status Anxiety
They prioritize work by Australian writers, and also accept some international submissions. They want non-fiction (up to 4,000 words) and fiction on the ‘Status Anxiety’ theme for Issue 85. “Like the answer to a riddle, status is all around us, but it can’t always be seen or heard. The silent switchboard behind our professional and personal interactions, status dictates our place on the guest list, in the room, at the table; through its connections to class, race and gender, it affords some of us power and wealth and others empty promises. But why does status so often go unnoticed? How does it influence everything from social inequality to personal relationships? And what changing forces have come to bear on the high or low status we’ve ascribed ourselves and others over the centuries? This edition of Griffith Review grapples with the fallout of our status anxiety and explores what happens when we don’t measure up.” The submission deadline is 14 April 2024. They will open a poetry call-out on this theme later in April. Fiction and non-fiction commissioned for the print edition is paid at AUD$0.75 per word. Details here (scroll down) and here.
Wired For Adventure: Guides to adventuring in the mountains
This is a pitch call for UK-based Wired for Adventure; their editor says, “I’m looking for pitches on practical guides to adventuring in the mountains for Wired For Adventure. I’m after a guide on one specific aspect of mountain life. Eg a guide to mountain refuge etiquette, how to winter camp, how to manage water on a long adventure (but not these, they’ve already been run!) And no listicles please. It would be great if it’s framed by your own experiences but it must be applicable to multiple locations or activities. Deadline for pitches is 2/04, and must be able to file by 22/04. Strong images are a must.” Pay is £250 for 1,200-1,600 words plus images. See the call/thread here.
The Other Side of Hope: Journeys in Refugee and Immigrant Literature
They publish fiction, poetry, and art from refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants only; these are unthemed. They also consider poems from refugee/asylum seeker writing groups. Non-fiction (1,000-5,000 words) and book reviews are open to all, and the theme for those is migration. Also, A.M. Heath Literary Agency will offer 1-2-1s to 6 of their contributors. They pay £100 per published writer, and £300 for art; asylum seekers get gift cards. The submission deadline is 30 April 2024. Details here.
MIT Technology Review: The Next 125 Years
MIT Technology Review is looking for pitches on the ‘The Next 125 Years’ theme for its September/October print issue. They publish narrative features, investigations, profiles, essays, and more. Their general pitch guide also says, “Rates range from $1 to $2 per word, depending on the experience level of the writer, the story, and the publication route. Deeply reported features pay more than shorter news pieces.” This is for their 125th anniversary issue, and pitches due mid-to-late March 2024. See their general pitch guide, which also includes all their announced themes, here.
Oregon Humanities: Public
They want non-fiction by Oregon-based on the ‘Public’ theme for their Summer 2024 issue. “What is public, and what is private? How have the lines dividing these spaces blurred or shifted? For this issue, we’re looking for stories about things that happen in public—parades and political forums; skateboarding and social media; funerals and fireworks displays—and how we experience them, individually and collectively. How are people working together to govern themselves, share power, and build community? Tell us about public ownership, public media, public libraries, public schools, or public pools. What is subjected to public scrutiny, and what isn’t? How does public perception affect our behavior and self-image? What people or groups are working to reimagine public life? … We encourage stories created with or by communities—classrooms, neighborhoods, congregations, or any other group with shared interests and experiences.” They want all forms of non-fiction, including essays, journalism, and book excerpts. “Please send drafts of personal essays, which should push beyond simple narrative and consider larger thematic questions. If you’re pitching a journalistic or researched piece, please send a proposal … Features generally range between 1,500 and 4,000 words”. Pay is $750-1,500. The pitch or first draft is due 22 April 2024. Details here.
The Christian Science Monitor: The Home Forum
This news organization accepts pitches from freelancers and writers, and submissions for The Home Forum, where they want “The Home Forum is searching for upbeat personal essays of from 600 to 1,000 words. We recently began accepting short poetry submissions, as well. … For time-sensitive material (seasonal, news-related, holiday- or event-themed), you must submit at least SIX WEEKS in advance.” Also, “These are first-person, nonfiction explorations of how you responded to a place, a person, a situation, an event, or happenings in everyday life. Tell a story with a point; share a funny true tale. Describe a self-discovery. The humor should be gentle.
We accept essays on a wide variety of subjects and encourage timely, newsy topics. However, we don’t deal with the topics of death, aging, medicine, or disease. We do not publish work that presents people in helpless or hopeless states.” They want finished work only for this section, not pitches. They pay $200-250 for poems, and $400 for these essays. Details here.
Consequence Magazine: War and geopolitical violence
They publish work “that addresses the human experiences, realities, and consequences of war and geopolitical violence through literature and art.” They accept non-fiction of up to 4,000 words (interviews, essays, and narrative non-fiction – reviews are on hiatus until mid- to late-2024), fiction (including flash and excerpts), poetry, translations, and art. All works will be considered for online and print. Pay is $30-50 for print prose, $40 for online prose, and $20-30 for poetry. The deadline is 15 April 2024. Details here.
Pride Magazine: Infinite Horizons
Pride is a Vancouver-based magazine, and they invite article pitches and poetry submissions by 2SLGBTQAI+ writers locally, and from across Canada. “Pieces should address the theme for Canada Pride 2024 – Infinite Horizons. “Infinite Horizons” is more than just a phrase; it’s a beacon guiding us toward a future where inclusivity, acceptance, and celebration reign supreme. This theme encourages us to adopt a forward-looking perspective, celebrating the boundless possibilities that lie ahead for all members of our community. At its core, this theme challenges societal norms, urging us to embrace authenticity in a world where the identities of queer individuals are under siege daily. “At the heart of ‘Infinite Horizons’ is the recognition of the resilience and strength of our 2SLGBTQAI+ community. Our connection to this theme embodies Vancouver Pride’s steadfast commitment to fostering inclusivity, diversity, and empowerment within our community; and it’s about carving out spaces where everyone feels valued and celebrated. But the journey toward infinite horizons isn’t just about looking forward; it’s also about honouring the diverse experiences and identities within our community. That’s why this year’s theme also embraces the fluidity and diversity of gender identities, challenging traditional binaries, and celebrating authenticity”. Short articles are 300-600 words, and features are 900-1,300 words. Pay is CAD0.60/word. The pitch deadline is 3 May 2024. Details here (download guidelines).
Canthius: Trash
“Canthius is an intersectional feminist magazine that publishes poetry and prose by writers of marginalized gender identities, including trans, Two Spirit, non-binary, agender, cis women, genderqueer, GNC, and intersex writers. We are committed to publishing diverse perspectives and experiences and strongly encourage Indigenous women, Black women, and women of colour to submit. We also welcome submissions in Indigenous languages.” They are reading submissions on the ‘Trash’ theme – creative non-fiction (up to 2,500 words), fiction, and poetry. “Whether you write about the things we throw away, ignore, discard, or scavenge for, we want to read your poems, prose, and hybrid works. How do you define trash? How does trash intersect with our ecological and social spheres and communities? How do we live, breathe, and write trash? In what ways do we embody, become, reject what is worthless? Do you think trash is beautiful, valuable, something to be treasured? Who defines what is or is not our filth? Send us your work about treasures you’ve reclaimed, leftovers, pulpiness, messiness, griminess, and excessiveness. What you’re afraid to touch with a ten foot pole.” Pay is $50-150, and the submission deadline is 1 April 2024. Details here.
TODAY Show: Personal essay pitches
Their essay editor is “accepting personal essay pitches again for @TODAYshow. Particularly looking for some fun and juicy relationship stories, as well as first-person bounces on pop culture news. But open to anything!” See their website, and previously published essays, here. Rates start at $350 for personal essays. See the pitch call/thread here.
AfroVibes: Africa-focused feature stories
AfroVibes is a US-based media platform, and they publish work about African entertainers and business leaders. They recently issued a pitch call: “AfroVibes was recently awarded a grant and we are currently accepting (5) story pitches for 2024! We’re seeking African-focused feature stories particularly about musicians, business leaders, and entrepreneurs…We aim to tell in-depth stories about Africans challenging historical narratives. These stories provide our readers with a comprehensive understanding of what Africa has to offer.” Pay starts at $0.40/word. “The rate for these (5) pitches increases depending on the scope of work & intensity of reporting.” Journalists living in Africa will be prioritized. The pitch deadline is 25 March 2024. Details here.
LampBlack Lit: Community
This is a magazine dedicated to voices from the Black diaspora. They’re reading submissions of prose and poetry for their ‘Community’ issue. “While capitalism fuels armed conflicts across the known world, it simultaneously facilitates the broadcast of genocides in Palestine, Sudan, and Congo; we have all been implicitly asked to pick sides. But what of those who do not choose? Of those that do not feel it is their place? — What creates the duty of community and who are its participants? What is its role? Lampblack’s Community issue seeks to interrogate these questions through writing…. Offer us work that best represents who you are as a writer. We will consider all submissions, regardless singularly on the strength of its craft. If you are looking for a prompt, feel free to write about what community means to you.” Length guidelines are up to 15 pages for prose, and up to 5 pages for poetry. Pay is $350. The deadline is 1 April 2024. Details here.
Terrain.org: Climate Stories in Action
This magazine focuses on place, climate, and justice. They publish fiction, poetry, essays, articles, artwork, videos, and other contributions, as well as translations. They particularly seek underrepresented voices (see guidelines). General poetry submissions are closed, while general fiction and non-fiction are open; submissions for ARTerrain and Letter to America are open year-round.
They are also reading submissions for a special call; they have detailed guidelines on the ‘Climate Stories in Action’ theme, including, “Narratives and art that center solutions (about climate action), introduce us to everyday climate heroes, and showcase the joy discovered through community engagement often lead to feelings of agency and possibility.
The “Climate Stories in Action” series will expand our vision of climate activism and help people imagine meaningful ways to be involved. We are inviting storytellers to submit poetry, nonfiction, fiction, art and multimedia pieces that showcase climate activism in professional, civic and community life. We are interested in stories that help shift our cultural mindset from despair to creative possibility and from isolation to collective purpose.” They will publish 12 pieces in this special series.
Pay is $200 for Climate Stories in Action series; at least $50 for regular contributions. The deadline is 31 March 2024 for general prose; and 8 April 2024 for Climate Stories in Action.
Details here and here. (Terrain.org also has an annual Editor’s Prize of $500 per genre for underrepresented writers for which there is no submission fee, and another prize, for all writers, for which there is a submission fee – see guidelines).
Wired: Disinformation, online extremism and conspiracies, and more
The senior editor of politics at Wired has issued a pitch call: “the WIRED politics team is looking for pitches! we focus on disinfo, online extremism and conspiracies, tech legislation, influencers and grifters, AI in politics, and anything strange or manipulative in that vein!” Rates start at $500. See the call/thread here.
Bright Wall / Dark Room: Spike Lee
This magazine publishes essays on cinema. “We’re an online journal devoted to long-form critical discussion of the intersection between movies and the business of being alive. The magazine was founded in 2013 with a goal of pushing the boundaries of typical online film writing—we look for essays not just from critics and film scholars but from poets, playwrights, novelists, comedians, and creative types of all stripes interested in experimenting with what film analysis can be.” They have detailed guidelines, including, “To honor the 35th anniversary of American masterpiece Do The Right Thing in June, we’re dedicating that month’s entire issue to director, screenwriter, actor, and inveterate New York Knicks apostle, Spike Lee. For nearly 40 years, Spike Lee Joints have challenged, evolved, and changed the face of cinema, a singularly fearless and atomic filmography that has defied stereotypes, embraced topics as controversial as they are necessary, explored genre filmmaking with the same vitality and energy with which it has crafted fiery sociopolitical masterworks, and portrayed with a richness and vivid verisimilitude the Black experience of the 20th and 21st centuries. … For our month of Lee, we’re seeking essays and voices tackling any and all of his films, his performances, his writings, his impact on cinema and culture. Don’t be afraid to go big or go niche—we’re looking for writing as risky and daring as The Man himself.” Pay is $100, and the deadline for first drafts is 1 May 2024. Details here (theme details) and here (pitch guide).
American Craft: Interior
This is a magazine about American craft and its makers. They publish reported articles, essays, and opinion pieces. They have detailed guidelines, including, “From the handmade that we use in our homes every day to the fine craft honored in museums, we cover inspiring craft being made today. We also showcase craft organizations making a difference in their communities, thought leadership in the field, and the importance of craft in contemporary American culture.” They publish articles, essays, and opinion pieces – on artists, craft that brings together a community, handmade goods, galleries, and much more. For Winter 2025, they will publish work on the Interior theme. “This issue reveals craft’s influence on interior spaces, exploring the way handcrafted furnishings, fixtures, and fittings help make our homes our own, and how ideas conceived in creative minds shape the way we live. We share the profoundly personal and the hidden treasures—from the meditation room behind a hand-carved door to the pattern at the bottom of a ceramic vase, from the secret kept in a locket to the way makers think through craft.” The issue will have special coverage, and the themes for those are: Education; Architectural Craft; and Home Goods. Stories for American Craftare generally assigned at 400-2,000 words; pitch via the form on their guidelines page. Pay is $0.50–$1.00/word.Pitches for Interior theme are due 13 May 2024. Detailshere.
Poets & Writers: Debut Fiction and Agents
They publish articles of interest to emerging and established literary writers. They publish News & Trends, The Literary Life Essays (on the more contemplative aspects of writing, ranging from creative process to the art of reading), The Practical Writer (advice and how-to articles that offer nuts and bolts information about the business of creative writing), and features – articles, essays, profiles, and interviews regarding American literature. According to their section for advertisers, for July/August 2024, the issue theme is ‘Debut Fiction and Agents’ (see ‘Upcoming Issues and Deadlines’ here). They do not publish fiction or poetry, or reviews. They take both, story proposals, and articles on spec, and take 4-6 weeks to respond to queries or manuscripts. Details here (themes) and here (writers’ guidelines).
Woods Reader
They only accept submissions from writers in the US and Canada. “Woods Reader is a publication for those who love woodland areas: whether a public preserve, forest, tree farm, backyard woodlot or other patch of trees and wildlife. Our readers like to hear about others’ experiences and insights, especially those that make an impression that they think about long after they have finished the article. Submitted content should center around trees and woodlands.” And, “We buy articles in the following categories with woodland themes: Personal experience; Educational or nonfiction; The Woodland Philosopher; Fiction/fantasy; DIY article using woodland materials (accompanying photographs requested); Humor blog or cartoon; Short poetry; Destinations”. Please contact them prior to submitting book reviews. They publish works of 500-1,000 words. “We also buy the occasional longer fiction or true adventure story which may be serialized over up to four issues (2000-5000 words).” Payment is $25 for short poetry to over $100 for longer articles. Details here.
New York Times: Modern Love
Modern Love is a non-fiction column. They want “honest personal essays about contemporary relationships. We seek true stories on finding love, losing love and trying to keep love alive. We welcome essays that explore subjects such as adoption, polyamory, technology, race and friendship — anything that could reasonably fit under the heading “Modern Love.” Ideally, essays should spring from some central dilemma you have faced. It is helpful, but not essential, for the situation to reflect what is happening in the world now.” Also, “Love may be universal, but individual experiences can differ immensely and be informed by factors including race, socio-economic status, gender, disability status, nationality, sexuality, age, religion and culture.” Send essays of 1,500-1,700 words. Modern Love has two submission periods, March through June, and September through December. Writers are paid. Send submissions to modernlove (at) nytimes.com. They especially welcome work from historically underrepresented writers, and from those outside the US. Details here.
(Also see their Tiny Love Stories column; these are also personal essays similar in theme to Modern Love, but much shorter, of 100 words.)
New Socialist: Transmissions
This is an independent, online socialist magazine based in Britain. “We are always looking for contributions on struggles and movements both in Britain and abroad for our Transmissions series.” See past published work in the series here. Rates are £50 for Transmissions; £75 book reviews and interviews, and Culture is Ordinary; and £100 for longer pieces published in their editions. Details here.
Final Gravity: A Beer Zine
This is a new avenue for publishing work about beer. “Final Gravity is a quarterly print zine about beer and the culture surrounding it. … When we say “zine,” we don’t mean magazine; we mean an old school, staple-bound, 8.5” x 5.5” paper zine produced in the proud DIY zine-making tradition. … despite this grassroots approach, Final Gravity features professional editing and clean and attractive formatting.” And, “Final Gravity tells intimate, human-centric stories about beer. We publish writing focused on people, places, ingredients, sensory experiences, cultural intersections, and the holistic ways we interact with and around beer. We also feature writing of all types—including poetry and flash fiction—from folks working in the beer industry in any capacity.” They have a detailed pitch guide about the kind of pitches they want from freelancers, including, “Essays about how we (or just you) interact with beer and how we interact with each other in light of it; … Immersive stories about a particular brewery, bar, beer destination, or ingredient producer; … – Nerdy and curious explorations of ingredients.; … Beer travel stories that aren’t travel guides; and Short essays about your own relationship to a specific beer.” Pay “roughly works out to about $.15-$.20 per word” ($100-300 for articles). The pitch deadline for Issue 6 is 5th May 2024. Details here.
Prism: Updated pitch guide
Prism is “an independent, nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of color. Our mission is to share stories from grassroots perspectives. Our reporting aims to challenge damaging narratives and empower social justice movements.” They cover issues across the U.S. and in U.S. territories (not international). They have detailed pitch guidelines, please read them carefully. They publish news (1,100 words or less), features (1,500-2,500 words), op-eds (700-1,000 words), Q&As (about 1,200 words), explainers (around 1,000 words), and personal essays (800-1,000 words). They have updated their pitch guide. Pay is $0.50/word. Details here and here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here
