This is a directory of paying freelance writer's markets. You can browse the writer's markets by category below or search if you're looking for something specific. All markets included in this directory are paying markets. Payment details are included in summaries where possible.
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AARP The Magazine
AARP The Magazine claims to be the "world's largest circulation magazine." Catering to the over-50 crowd, the magazine accepts freelance submissions in the following categories: finance, health, food, travel, consumerism, general interest, and relationships. Rate of pay is not currently included in their published writers' guidelines.
Abyss & Apex
Abyss & Apex is a magazine specializing in speculative fiction. They accept submissions only during open reading periods. They accept flash fiction (up to 1000 words) and short stories (up to 10,000 words). The publication pays $.08 per word for up to 1000 words and an $80 flat payment for longer works. The magazine also accepts poetry.
Adirondack Life
Adirondack Life is a regional magazine serving readers in areas surrounding the Adirondack Mountains. Departments run from 1000-1800 words and features are 1500-2500 words. The best way for new contributors to break into the publication is via departments.
Adventure Cycling
The Adventure Cycling blog accepts submissions of how-to articles, trip reports, bike overnights, and "inspiring, historical, or amusing stories" related to bicycle travel. Pay is $150-250 per article, with first-time writers paid on the lower end and repeat writers paid on the higher end. The print magazine pays $.30-60 per word (with separate guidelines linked in the site footer).
AGNI
AGNI accepts stories, essays, and poems that are previously-unpublished. There are no word limits "though space is at a premium and length sometimes affects decisions." They do not publish romance, horror, mystery, or science fiction but are open to fiction borrowing elements of them. They don't publish academic essays or purely journalistic pieces, and they pay $30 per printed page for accepted prose and $50 per page for accepted poetry, up to a maximum of $300. Submissions are considered for both print and online publication. Free submissions may be made via mail.
Alaska Parent
Alaska Parent magazine accepts freelance submissions covering parenting topics such as education, pregnancy and babies, holidays, nutrition, special needs, family travel, and more. They accept both original content and reprints. Pay is $40-45 for smaller pieces running 300-500 words, $50-200 for longer articles running 600-1200 words, and $35-40 for reprints.
American Educator
American Educator is a professional journal published by the American Federation of Teachers. It covers "research and ideas from early childhood through higher education," such as essays explaining the significance of a research project and its findings. International affairs and labor issues of interest to AFT members may also be accepted. Articles run 1000-5000 words.
Analog
This magazine features science fiction stories, art and poetry as well as some fact based articles. Pay is 8-10 cents per word for short stories up to 20,000 words, 6 cents per word for serials of 40,000-80,000 words, and 9 cents per word for "fact articles" of around 4000 words. Payment is $1 per line for poetry.
Animal Wellness
Animal Wellness is a publication focused on natural pet care. They accept articles from 500 - 1500 words long. It's a paying publication, but they pay only for contributions where they can obtain unlimited rights.
AOPA Pilot
AOPA Pilots is an aviation magazine accepting freelance submissions for briefings, profiles (500-1000 words), and features (1500-2100 words). Their pay rate isn't disclosed in the guidelines, but they are a paying market and they pay on acceptance.
Arc
Arc publishes contemporary poetry and invites submissions from poets at all levels in their careers. All submissions must be made online. Poets may submit once per calendar year. Submissions shouldn't exceed 3 poems or 360 lines. Pay is $50 per page for First Canadian Serial Rights, with all rights reverting to the author on publication.
Asimov's Science Fiction
Asimov's is a magazine for science fiction writers. They pay 8-10 cents per word for stories up to 7500 words and 8 cents per word for for each word over 7500 words (though they rarely buy stories over 20,000 words or shorter than 1000 words). Poems up to 40 lines are also accepted and pay is $1 per line.
Astronomy
While Astronomy's editors commission most of their content, they do accept freelance pitches as well for both science features and hobby features.
Atlanta Parent
Atlanta Parent is a locally-owned print and digital magazine for Atlanta area parents. They accept personal essays of 400-500 words, practical articles of 400-600 words, short articles of 300-600 words, and longer feature articles of 800-1200 words. Payments vary with the writer's experience.
Audubon
The National Audubon Society accepts freelance contributions for Audubon magazine and its website. They accept shorter pieces up to 1200 words for both print and online publication in addition to some longer investigations, profiles, features, and essays from 1500-4000 words. They prefer these to run around 3000 words. Online and other shorter pieces pay $.50 / word. Longer essays pay $1.00 / word. Features, print and online, typically pay $1.50 / word. A feature package (equivalent to a six-page print story) starts at $2500 per project.
Aurealis
Aurealis is an Australian science fiction, horror and fantasy magazine. They look for science fiction, fantasy, and horror of a speculative nature. Horror must have a supernatural element. They pay between AUD $20-60 per 1000 words. They also accept nonfiction articles of 500-2000 words and pay AUD $40 per article.
AuthorMAG
AuthorMAG accepts articles related to publishing and self-publishing based on the writer's first-hand experience. Articles are a minimum of 2000 words and should be evergreen in nature.
Autostraddle
Autostraddle is a progressively feminist online publication catering to lesbian, bisexual, and queer trans women. They also include content about and by non-binary individuals. Payments are negotiable and start at $200.
Backwoods Home Magazine
Backwoods Home Magazine is a how-to magazine focused on readers living in the country. Stories are about topics such as how to build your own home, grow your own food, etc. Pay is $40-200, and writers are paid on acceptance.
Bank Foreclosures Sale
BankForclosuresSale.com, online since 1998, accepts contributions from freelance writers. Payment goes up to $100 per post.
Bee Culture
Bee Culture is a magazine focused on American beekeeping. Articles can be serious or cover the humorous side of beekeeping and fall in the realm of how-tos, the history of beekeeping, equipment of beekeepers, political effects, gardening with bees, and other related topics. Payments start at $50 per article. Articles run 800-850 words.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Beneath Ceaseless Skies seeks short stories under 15,000 words. They publish "literary adventure fantasy" with secondary-world settings. They pay 8 cents per word.
Briarpatch Magazine
Briarpatch Magazine publishing work of political importance on topics such as grassroots activism, electoral politics, economic justice, labour, gender equity, indigenous struggles, and more. They accept submissions from new and experienced freelance writers alike. Pay is $150 for profiles, short essays, reviews, blog posts, and "parting shots" under 1500 words. Pay is $250 for feature stories and photo essays generally running 1500-2000 words. And pay is $350 for research-based articles and investigative reporting typically running 2000-2500 words.
Broad Street Review
"Broad Street Review is an online arts and culture journal serving the greater Philadelphia area." They publish reviews, features, previews, profiles, and essays around theater, music, visual art, exhibitions, dance, books, film, television, and design. This includes pitches for personal essays tied to life in the Philadelphia area and those related to grassroots social and political efforts, the creative economy, and public spaces. Reviews run 500-850 words, essays 750-1000 words, and previews run 300-500 words. Fees are $50 for previews, profiles, and reviews up to $100 for some longer profiles and features. Payment covers first publication rights (exclusive for 30 days), then non-exclusive rights to maintain pieces in the publication's archive.
BustMold.com
BustMold.com is an online publication / blog run by Mold Busters, a licensed mold removal company in Canada. They accept articles related to environmental services, mold removal, asbestos testing, water damage restoration, air duct cleaning, pollution inspection, and building inspections. Articles should be 2000+ words and pay $200 each. They also accept "ultimate guides" of 3000-4000 words, for which they pay $300-400.
More About the Writers' Markets
All freelance writers' markets listed here include a link to writer's guidelines offered on the publication's website. All Freelance Writing does not currently accept writers' markets without this information published. This is to protect the freelance writers using the directory, ensuring that they're accessing the latest publicly advertised rates and writer's guidelines released by the hiring publications.
If you run or are associated with a paying writers' market, and you'd like it to be considered for the directory, please use the market submission form.