In this collection of freelance writing markets, we'll look at print publications that pay writers $500 per article and more. Some of these markets may include both print and digital versions of their publications, and project types and payments may vary between the two.
Please note, while these markets advertise rates of $500 or more for at least one project type, they may also have shorter or lower-paying project types open to freelancers.
This post will be automatically updated when new print markets in this pay range are added to the writers' market database, when those market listings are updated, or when markets are removed. So check back periodically to see what's new and what's changed.
Print Publications that Pay Writers $500+
Here are examples of print publications that pay writers $500, and sometimes more, for at least one type of freelance writing assignment they offer.
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.
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 stories over 7500 words (though they rarely buy stories over 20,000 words or shorter than 1000 words). Poems under 40 lines are also accepted and pay is $1 per line.
Central Coast Farm & Ranch
Central Coast Farm & Ranch is a quarterly magazine covering the agricultural community in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in California. They cover local food, agriculture, edible gardening, agri-tourism, and more. Pay is $.50 - $1.00 per word for features, and $350 for departments.
Earth Island Journal
Earth Island Journal covers environmental issues such as wildlife conservation,land conversation,public policy, climate and energy, and more. Contributors are paid $.25 per word for print stories up to 4000 words, with 2800 words being most common. Online reports pay $200 and are a good way for new writers to break into the market.
Edible Seattle
Edible Seattle is a quarterly community-based food publication. Pay is $.30 per word with a max rate per article. Features run 1000-1500 words.
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine publishes all types of mystery short stories. They prefer stories in the 2500-8000 word range but sometimes publish longer works. Flash fiction "minute mysteries" of around 250 words are also considered. They pay $.05 - $.08 per word for original stories. They don't accept reprints.
Gray's Sporting Journal
Gray's Sporting Journal accepts freelance submissions on sporting topics such as shooting / hunting and angling / fishing. They publish seven times per year, with four themed issues covering fly fishing, upland bird hunting, big game hunting, and their "Expeditions and Guides Annual." They're open to a wide range of word counts, but prefer shorter to too long (12,000 is okay if necessary, but 3000 is preferable, and 1500 words preferable even to that). In addition to articles and yarns (750-1500 word campfire tales -- can be factual or fiction), they also accept poetry up to 1000 words. They pay $600-1250 for features, $600 average for yarns, and $100 for poems. Longer "expeditions" travel pieces run 2500-3000 words and pay $850-1000 plus $75 for each picture published.
Herizons
Herizons is a Canadian feminist magazine. They pay $125 for 350-word book reviews, $250 for 600-word guest columns, $175 for a film or art review of around 500 words, and a flat fee of $600 for 1500-2000 word features. Pay is in CAD.
High Country News
High Country News is a nonprofit news magazine covering the Western U.S. They pay $.50 - 1.00 per word. They accept in-depth news and analyses, features, short-form reported stories, and essays about life in the West.
Lightspeed
This monthly magazine features science fiction and fantasy stories. They pay $0.08/word for original fiction (it should be between 1,500 and 10,000 words; stories under 5000 words are preferred).
Model Railroad Hobbyist
Model Railroad Hobbyist publishes articles and videos "on all aspects of model railroading and on prototype (real) railroading as a subject for modeling." Articles typically run around 3000 words with 10 photos and a short video clip (payments being $230 for these). $200-600 per feature is typical, though they've paid over $1000 for longer articles as well (such as through their website where length isn't an issue).
One Story
One Story publishes literary fiction. They pay $500 and 25 contributor copies for stories between 3000 and 8000 words.
Popular Woodworking
Popular Woodworking Magazine accepts pitches for features that typically run around 2500 words. Pay is generally $1000-3000 per article.
PTO Today
PTO Today magazine icovers issues related to parent-teacher organizations such as leadership, fundraising, education, and working with school staff. While freelance assignments aren't common, when they do occur they run 600-1500 words and generally pay $125-500. The publication buys all rights.
Sierra
Sierra is a bimonthly national magazine from the Sierra Club. They accept freelance submissions for both features and departments on conservation and other environmental issues. Features range from 3000-4500+ words with payments starting at $1.00 / word (and going to $1.50 / word for well-known writers). Only select departments are open to freelance contributions.
Sport Fishing
Sport Fishing magazine publishes 9 issues per year and focuses on saltwater fishing mostly around North America. They accept features of 1800-2400 words, including sidebars, though their departments are usually staff-written. They pay $750 for print features. Digital features pay $200 for up to 1000 words and $300 for over 1000 words.
The American Gardener
The American Gardener is a bi-monthly magazine published by the American Horticultural Society. The publication accepts both feature articles and departments. Payment for features (1500-2500 words) is $300 - 600, while payment for departments is $150 - 200. They offer a 25% kill fee.
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
This magazine is published six times a year and feature fiction that appeals to fans of fantasy and science fiction. The pay is $0.08-0.12/word and the length can be up to 25,000 words.
Writer's Digest
Writer's Digest is a magazine for writers. They accept a variety of freelance submissions including for the Inkwell upfront section (1600-word lead stories and shorter 1200-word stories), 800-1200 word author profiles, and writing technique articles of 1200-2500 words. Writer's Digest pays $.50 per word on acceptance. They do not pay for unsolicited online-only contributions and guest posts (and when they do in rare cases, they pay $50-100).
If you're seeking more print publications like magazines or newspapers that accept freelance contributions, or if you're interested in other types of freelance writing markets, you can browse the full writers' market database at any time. If you know of, or run, another market you'd like to see added to this list, you can submit a market for free as long as they publicly post their writer's guidelines on their own site, and as long as it's a paying market.
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