These magazines, journals and websites publish reviews of books for children and young adults, seniors, women, LGBTQ community; of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, on a wide variety of topics. Many magazines also publish work in other genres – features, essays, interviews, articles, criticism, memoir, creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry. All of these pay reviewers, from token to pro rates. – S. Kalekar
Bitch Media
They want work that speaks to feminist responses to pop culture, including book, film and music reviews. They also publish essays and interviews, and shorter writing for their Front of Book and Dispatches sections. They welcome both pitches and finished essays for the online magazine on an ongoing basis, and usually have themed submission calls for the print magazine. Features are 1,500-3,000 words. Pay is $700-1,000 for features, $350 for Dispatches, and $150-700 for Culture stories. Details here.
The Rumpus
They publish features, fiction, poetry, columns, and book reviews, of both poetry and prose books. They prefer finished reviews rather than queries. For prose book reviews their guidelines say, “We prefer not to publish negative reviews, but it’s fine to discuss a specific weakness, lack, or question you have related to the book.” For poetry reviews their guidelines say, “Your review should be accessible to a general audience. We’re more interested in the reader’s experience of the poems, subject matter, arc, and the poet’s use of craft than we are in scholarly criticism or theory. We love reviews that address how the collection interacts with poetic tradition, the current landscape of poetry, and that speaks to what the collection brings to our shared discourse as readers, writers, and citizens.” They’re also interested in entries for their ‘Last Poem I Loved’ and ‘Last Book of Poems I Loved’ series. They pay feature writers and book reviewers – there’s a monthly budget of $300, to be shared out among all eligible contributors who opt in. Details here.
Rebellious Magazine for Women
This is a Chicago-based feminist magazine and publishes articles, essays, profiles and stories about Chicago-area events. That said, they are always looking for good content of general interest, and essays and reviews are a good way of getting published in this magazine for writers outside Chicago. They pay $50 for 500-word articles, profiles, columns and essays, and $25 for reviews. Details here.
Herizons
This is a Canadian feminist magazine “examining feminist principles at work, in relationships, in organizations and institutions, and in politics and social justice causes”. They publish 325-word reviews of books, music and films: preference is given to Canadian authors, film-makers and musicians. They also publish features and news. Pay is CAD75 for reviews, and CAD175-550 for other writing. The deadline is 15 December 2019 for their Spring issue, and 15 March 2020 for the Summer issue. Details here.
Hamilton Review of Books
This literary journal publishes twice annually, in Spring and Fall, and accepts work by Canadian writers only. They welcome queries about writing reviews of new or forthcoming Canadian titles and essays all through the year. Reviews of books should be between 500 and 750 words in length. They encourage constructive criticism in a review. Reviews pay CAD50. Essays are 1,500-5,000 words and pay CAD75, and focus on a literary subject; authors may, for example, engage with a book’s subject matter as a jumping-off point for a thematic, personal essay. Details here.
Milwaukee Magazine
This is a monthly magazine covering people, issues and places of Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin. They publish book reviews and excerpts, and want pitches, not completed work. Other articles they publish are on current issues, local personalities, area businesses, sports, health care, education, politics, arts and culture, architecture and urban life, history, food, shopping, music and nightlife, recreation and the environment. Full-length features are 2,500-5,000 words. Rates are per word, based on experience and skill. Details here.
Proceedings
This is the flagship of the U.S. Naval Institute and provides an independent forum for discussion on professional topics of interest to the Sea Services. They publish book reviews (up to 650 words), and potential reviewers should send an email to the book review editor describing their writing experience and subjects they feel qualified to review. Apart from these, Proceedings also publishes feature articles (up to 2,500 words) and columns. Rates vary, and published non-members also receive a complimentary one-year membership in the Naval Institute. Details here.
Naval History Magazine
This magazine, also from the U.S. Naval Institute, publishes articles on naval history. Book reviews, which pay $75, are commissioned, and they welcome queries from potential reviewers, not unsolicited reviews. They also publish articles of up to 3,000 words which pay $60-150/page, pictorials ($250-500) and anecdotes ($25). The best way to break into the magazine, according to their guidelines, is to identify a good story, with one or several of the following: drama, action, humor, irony, and emotion. Details here.
Air & Space/Smithsonian
This is a general-interest magazine about flight, and is an adjunct of the Smithsonian Institute’s National Air and Space Museum. The emphasis is on the human rather than the technological, on the ideas behind events, rather than a simple recounting of details. Writing a department piece is one of the best ways of breaking into the magazine. This includes book reviews, which should be 200-450 words about a soon-to-be-released or recently released book, and reviews of videos, movies, aerospace-related recreational products, or software. They also publish features (averaging 2,500 words) and other departments. They want queries, not complete articles. Rates vary, and they offer kill fees. Details here.
Slightly Foxed
This is the literary magazine for nonconformists, “for people who don’t want to read only what the big publishers are hyping and the newspapers are reviewing.” Also, “Contributors are encouraged to discuss their chosen books with passion and wit, to air arcane knowledge, to delight in eccentricity and to share the joys of exploring the extraordinary, the little-known and the downright peculiar.” Writers should check their index first to make sure they have not already covered their chosen book. Articles are 1,000-2,000 words. Past contributors include Robert Macfarlane and P. D. James. They also say their issues are full up for the coming year, so anything accepted for publication is unlikely to appear immediately. Details here and here.
Poetry
Apart from poems, they also publish reviews of poetry books and other poetry-related prose of up to 10 pages. Pay is $150/page for prose, and $10 per line for poetry ($300 minimum). Submissions are open until 22 December 2019 for this year, then resume again early next year. Also look at the $7,500 Pegasus Award for Poetry Criticism for full-length published prose work, with a deadline of 16 January 2020. Details here.
Contemporary Verse 2
This quarterly literary journal publishes poetry (in English and French, as well as translations from French to English and vice-versa) and critical writing about poetry, including interviews, articles, essays, and reviews. Reviews should be 600-1,000 words, and pay $50-80. They pay $30 per poem, $50-100 for interviews and articles, and $40-150 for essays. Unsolicited overseas contributors from outside of Canada and the US whose fee is $40 or less (one poem or review) will receive only two contributor copies as payment. Apart from submission guidelines, their website has a section on tips for publishing. They are reading submissions till 31 May 2020. Details here.
Poetry Ireland Review
They welcome poetry, and while articles and reviews are usually commissioned by editors, they accept proposals for these from Ireland and abroad. They particularly want work from women and writers of diverse ethnicities. The payment for an article or a review is a minimum of €100, and for poems is €40, plus a copy of the journal. Submissions must be mailed. Details here.
Los Angeles Review of Books
They want pitches on all topics from journalists, authors, professional and freelance writers – book reviews, hard news journalism, a feature article or an op-ed. Pitches must be 200-500 words. They offer an honorarium, say that writers can choose to be paid, or donate their pay back to the magazine. Details here.
The Bloomsbury Review
They publish book reviews, essays, poetry, interviews, and other book-related articles. They ask writers to never contact the publisher or the author of a book when they have submitted a review to TBR. They publish 1,200 reviews in a good year. Their website has several points on how they want their reviews written – style, length, format and tips on what makes a good review. Reviewers may opt for gift subscriptions in lieu of cash payment. Their pay scale is: book reviews of 600 or more words, $10 to $15 (1-year subscription) — reviews of less than 600 words are not paid; poetry $5 to $10 per poem (1-year subscription); essays, features, and interviews, $20 to $50 (2- to 4-year subscription). Details here.
The Malahat Review
Apart from fiction, creative non-fiction, translations, and poetry, this Canadian literary magazine also publishes reviews. They review Canadian-authored books of poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction in every issue – writers wishing to contribute reviews should query first. Most reviews are 800 to 1,000 words in length. The magazine rarely publishes articles and interviews. They also have a ‘Publishing Tips’ column. Pay is CAD65/page, and CAD50 for the ‘Publishing Tips’ column. Details here.
The Georgia Review
The editors mostly assign reviews, but they also welcome submissions from outside reviewers. They publish standard reviews (3-5 pages), book briefs (up to 2 pages), both usually focusing on only one book. They also publish essay-reviews, which almost always discuss more than one book. The essays should develop a strong thesis that not only link the books under consideration but also reaches out to comment on literature or culture beyond the texts at hand. These are 2-4 pages per book reviewed. The Georgia Review also publishes fiction, poetry, essays and visual art. Book-briefs are paid $50, essay-reviews and standard reviews are $50/page, as are all other prose submissions. Poetry pays $4/line. There is no fee for mailed submissions. Their submission period ends in mid-May 2020. Details here.
West Branch
This literary magazine from Bucknell University publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. For reviews their guidelines say, “Book reviews are typically arranged by assignment, and we publish only poetry reviews. If you are interested in writing reviews, please query with a sample. We currently pay $200 per assigned review.” Pay for poetry is $50 and for other prose, it is up to $100. Details here.
London Review of Books
This venerable magazine accepts unsolicited submissions as well as proposals. Apart from reviews, writers can send poems, reportage, memoir, articles for their Short Cuts and Diary slots, and blog posts. Details here.
Booklist
This is the American Library Association’s prepublication review journal for public and school librarians. They primarily publish book reviews (about 8,000 a year) to help librarians with selection, collection development, and readers’ advisory. They also publish top 10 lists, read-alikes, core collections, author interviews, and other features. They assign freelance book reviews, and pay $15 for book reviews, $12.50 for blog posts. Fees are negotiated for feature articles. They value multicultural perspectives. Details here.
The Lifted Brow
Australian magazine The Lifted Brow accepts online work in two categories: The Lifted Brow Review of Books and Commentary. According to their guidelines, they “want to see what you can do when the usual confines of book reviewing are removed” and want reviews “that are weird, that break boundaries (technical, artistic, moral…), that you couldn’t get published anywhere else.” Pitches for reviews are accepted on an ongoing basis. Pay for online pieces is AUD100. The flagship print magazine also publishes fiction, non-fiction, poetry, translations, interviews and commentary, as well as comics/visual art, and rates range from AUD100-300. Details here.
Australian Book Review
They accept queries and welcome new contributors for reviewing books and the arts (film, theatre, music, dance, art exhibitions, festivals, etc.) as well as established ones. They have sections on Advice for ABR Contributors, Advice for New Reviewers, and Advice for New ABR Arts Contributors. They pay for everything they publish. Details here.
The Big Issue
This Australian organization helps people who have experienced homelessness, marginalisation and disadvantage. They accept book, film, small screen and music reviews, for which they pay a flat rate of AUD40, and accept articles of 850-1,800 words on current affairs, social issues, street culture and quirky, humorous or unusual topics for their magazine, which pay AUD0.20/word. Details here.
The Gay & Lesbian Review
They publish reviews, primarily of books, but also on the arts (film, theatre, visual arts, etc) – assignments are made by editors, so query first. Also, for book reviews, writers are encouraged to request the current list of “targeted books” for guidance. Proposals for reviews of books that are not on this list are welcome. These are 600-1,200 words, and a few are also of 250 words. Apart from these they publish features (see website for current themes), interviews, artists’ profiles, and other columns, and poetry. Both proposals and completed pieces are welcome. Features pay $100, and full-length book reviews pay $50. Details here.
Plenitude Magazine
They want literature and arts created by LGBTIQ people in Canada and abroad. Apart from book reviews, they also publish literary fiction, non-fiction, and poetry – work that focuses on queer histories, cultures, experiences, and sensibilities. Query the editors for reviews. They pay $80 per prose contribution, including reviews, and $35 per poem. Details here.
Parabola
This is a quarterly journal devoted to the exploration of the quest for meaning as it is expressed in the world’s myths, symbols, and religious traditions, with particular emphasis on the relationship between this store of wisdom and our modern life. Each issue is themed. Apart from articles, translations and poetry, they occasionally publish extended reviews of books, movies, videos, performances, art exhibitions, and other current programs or events in a section called “Tangents.” These reviews are intended as a bridge between the theme-related front half of the magazine and the reviews in the back. Tangents should bear some connection to the theme of the issue, although it does not have to be as direct as an article. Pay rates are unspecified. Details here.
Briarpatch
This magazine publishes writing and artwork on a wide range of topics, including current events, grassroots activism, electoral politics, economic justice, ecology, labour, food security, gender equity, indigenous struggles, international solidarity, and other issues of political importance. Apart from features, interviews, and columns, they also publish reviews (300-1,000 word) of recent books, music, films, and other forms of political media. “Your review should give readers a clear sense of what to expect from the work and provide a brief critical appraisal of its merits.
We prioritize reviews of recently published material, small or independent publishers, and/or Canadian publications. We welcome unsolicited reviews, but if you pitch us first we’ll do what we can to arrange a complimentary review copy of the book/album/film for you”, according to their guidelines. Pay is $100 for reviews, and $100-300 for other writing. Details here.
Northern Woodlands
The audience for this magazine consists of conservation-minded people with an interest in all aspects of the forests of the Northeast. Their articles and columns range in scope, and may include subjects such as woodlot management, wildlife species, scat, chainsaw maintenance, woodworking, and reflections on natural landscapes. Book reviews (400-800 words) pay $50, poems pay $25, columns pay $50-150, and features pay $0.10/word for writers new to the magazine – these rates are subject to various factors (see guidelines). Details here.
Woods Reader
This is a publication for those who love woodland areas – public preserves, forests, tree farms, etc. They want work pertaining to locations within the US and Canada. Writers should query before submitting book reviews. They also publish personal experience, philosophy, personal opinion, fiction, educational articles, humor, poetry, destination pieces, assigned topics, as well as photographs and illustrations. They usually publish work of 500-1,000 words and occasionally may accept longer. Pay is $25 to $150. Details here.
Kaleidoscope
They publish work on disability, and accept work from writers with and without disabilities. For reviews their guidelines say, “Reviews that are substantive, timely, powerful works about publications in the field of disability and/or the arts. The writer’s opinion of the work being reviewed should be clear. The review should be literary work in its own right – 5,000 words maximum each/two reviews maximum.” They also publish poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, articles, and visual art. Pay is $10-100. Details here.
Good Old Boat
They publish articles focused on pride of ownership and articles that discuss upgrades, maintenance, refits, and restoration of good old boats, sailing stories in which the writer messed up and lived to tell the tale, thoughtful ruminations on the sailing life, and histories of the companies and personalities associated with the sailing industry. Pay for columns varies widely ($100-700) and for comprehensive reviews of good old boats, they pay $700. For reviews their guidelines say, “We have a stable of eager readers to whom we assign reviews. We do not want unsolicited book reviews. Our reviews usually run 200 – 450 words and we pay $50 for each.” Details here.
Cineaste
This quarterly publication on the art and politics of cinema offers social, political and aesthetic perspective on all areas of cinema – Hollywood films (old and new), American independent cinema, quality European films, and the cinema of developing nations. Book reviews should deal with newly published books (or up to two years old), and may be single-book or multiple-book reviews. They encourage review-essays in which the discussion serves as a vehicle for a broader treatment of ideas or issues, and individual book reviews should be 1,000-1,500 words. They also publish feature articles, interviews, film reviews, DVD and Blu-Ray reviews, and columns. Pay is $18 for Short Take reviews, $36 for book or DVD reviews (in the case of book or DVD reviews posted on their website as Web Exclusives, no cash payment is offered), $45 for film reviews and short articles, columns, sidebar interviews, or essays, and $90 for feature articles or interviews. Details here.
Women in Higher Education
They are interested in pitches on the following topics for their newsletter: advice from successful women on campus, communication techniques, leadership, career strategies, ethical values, using intuition, research on gender differences, mentors and role models, problems facing women chairs, and ending sexual harassment. Departments include Moveable type, which is a synopsis of a useful book, of 800-1100 words. They also publish essays, features and interviews, and pay $150 for solicited guest contributions. Details here.
Canadian Women in the Literary Arts
They want writing by women, trans, genderqueer, and two-spirit Canadian writers on topics relating to literary arts. Apart from book reviews, possible genres include creative non-fiction, interviews, literary criticism, essays, and any innovative, alternative or hybrid genres. Submissions should explore topics related to women and other marginalized groups in literary arts. Submissions can be in English or French, of up to 4,000 words. They pay CAD200. Details here.
First Things
This magazine is published by the Institute on Religion and Public Life, an interreligious, nonpartisan research and educational organization. Apart from book reviews (1,250-1,500 words), they also publish opinion pieces and features for their magazine, articles for the web, and poetry. Contributors are paid an honorarium. Details here.
The Horn Book
The Horn Book Magazine is a distinguished journal in the field of children’s and young adult literature. They also review audiobooks. Articles, of up to 2,000 words, should be of a critical nature on some aspect of children’s literature. The magazine publishes reviews selectively. They also accept ‘Cadenza’ submissions — witty commentaries, send-ups, poems, sketches, comics, cartoons, etc. They do not accept fiction, or work by children. Payment is upon publication. Submission details are unspecified for the semiannual The Horn Book Guide, which only publishes reviews of children’s literature. Details here.
Abilities
This is a Canadian cross-disabilities lifestyle magazine. Apart from book and movie reviews, they also publish articles on several other topics, including travel, health, sport, recreation, careers, education and relationships. Articles are 500-2,000 words and pay CAD50-325. They prefer queries. Details here.
OutLook by the Bay
This is a magazine for the active Chesapeake Bay senior. The reader is typically over 50, retired or a part-timer. They publish book reviews of interest to seniors. They also publish articles of 500-1,500 words with sidebar information on lifestyle, finances, health, nutrition and housing. Articles need to be upbeat, motivational, conversational, entertaining and informative. Their guidelines have several topics potential contributors can consider, including mastering the computer for the late beginner, investment strategies for the late beginner, five most common medical complaints of the active senior, container gardening, volunteer opportunities abroad, travel deals for the senior citizen and educational opportunities for seniors. They do not want profiles of local personalities, stories or poems. Payment is upon publication, and they accept reprints. Details here.
Tough
This is a crime fiction journal and they publish occasional book reviews and essays, of 1,500 words or fewer. They publish thrice a month, on Mondays. Query the editor before sending in reviews. Pay is $35 for reviews, essays, and fiction. Details here.
Strange Horizons
This science fiction and fantasy magazine publishes in-depth reviews of speculative art and entertainment, especially books, films, and television. They prefer reviews of 1,500-2,000 words, and pay $40 for reviews of at least 1,000 words. They also publish speculative fiction, non-fiction, poetry, columns and roundtables, for which rates vary. Details here.
Tor.com
They are a science fiction and fantasy publisher and accept pitches for essays, think pieces, list posts, reaction pieces, and reviews in the 1,000-2,000 word range for their blog. All original content for blogs is paid. They have occasional calls for novels and novellas on their website. Details here.
Author Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She is the author of 182 Short Fiction Publishers. She can be reached here.