As a contract author, it may be a battle to discover high-quality paying work. Nevertheless it’s attainable, and we’ll introduce you to fifteen publications to pitch so you will get paid to put in writing articles.
When trying to find alternatives, it might really feel like the one choices obtainable are $5-per-article scams and work from content material mills, which may look like good alternatives—till you test your checking account stability and notice it’ll take ages earlier than your arduous work provides up into actual earnings.
Making a residing as a contract author means you’ll must grasp tips on how to receives a commission to put in writing articles. The excellent news? There are publications that may pay you a premium to put in writing for them.
The publications beneath pay $500 US and up, which can look like a dream to you (particularly when you’re new to the sector).
It isn’t essentially straightforward to get into these publications, and it could take time and expertise to construct up your writing to a degree that may enable you to receives a commission these charges. However you may take solace in the truth that writing work exists past content material mills and low-paying gigs.
Whereas there are in all probability tens of hundreds of magazines that pay writers, a a lot smaller quantity compensate writers actually nicely. We’re right here to make a residing writing reasonably than fall sufferer to the outdated adage of ravenous artist.
Able to receives a commission to put in writing articles?
Get Paid to Write Articles from These 15 Platforms
1. Early American Life
Historical past buffs, take heed. Early American Life is a print magazine specializing in early American type, adorning, and traditions publishes seven instances yearly and welcomes the contemporary voices of recent writers.
You possibly can submit each shorter tales and options, which run about 2,500 phrases. The editors estimate a $500 fee for “a primary characteristic from a brand new author,” with the chance for greater earnings as your expertise develop.
2. Earth Island Journal
Earth Island Journal needs “compelling and distinctive tales that anticipate environmental considerations earlier than they turn into urgent issues.” It covers all kinds of environmental points together with wildlife and land conservation, environmental public coverage, local weather and vitality, animal rights, and environmental justice.
When you’re a world traveler, it’s an excellent alternative. Earth Island is very hungry for, “on-the-ground studies from exterior North America.” The journal pays 25 cents per phrase for its print tales, which equates to about $750 to $1,000 for in-depth options (between 2,800 and 4,000 phrases).
You can even pitch a shorter on-line report, particularly when you’re a more recent author. Whereas they solely pay $200 apiece for tales printed on-line, the journal publishes 5 days per week and is “all the time searching for contemporary concepts.”
3. VQR
VQR is a journal of literature and dialogue with a concentrate on publishing the most effective writing they will discover, from award-winning authors to rising writers.
For poetry, it pays $200 per poem (as much as 4). In the event that they settle for a gaggle of 5 or extra poems, you’ll earn $1,000. Prose pays round 25 cents per phrase, and an accepted brief story receives $1,000 or extra. Ebook critiques earn $500 for two,000 to 2,400 phrases. VQR has restricted studying durations, so test the schedule on-line earlier than you submit.
4. The Solar Journal
The Solar Journal is searching for essays, interviews, fiction and poetry. They like private writing however additionally they settle for items about political and cultural points.
The Solar pays $300 to $2,000 for fiction, essays and interviews, and $100 to $250 for poetry. In case your work is accepted, you’ll additionally get a complimentary one-year subscription.
5. Boys’ Life
Boys’ Life is a general-interest month-to-month journal has been printed by the Boy Scouts of America since 1911. It pays its writers between $500 to $1,200 for nonfiction articles as much as 1,200 phrases. Writing for one in every of its departments can be an choice, the place you’d make $100 to $600 for a 600-word article.
So far as what to put in writing about, there aren’t too many limits. “We cowl the whole lot from skilled sports activities to American historical past to tips on how to pack a canoe,” learn the submission pointers. Most of all, it ought to be entertaining to the scouts it’s geared toward.
“Write for a boy you already know who’s 12,” the editors recommend.
6. The American Gardener
The American Gardener is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society, and it caters to “skilled novice gardeners.”
It seeks writers for horticulturalist profiles, and articles about progressive approaches to backyard design, plant conservation, horticultural remedy, and biodiversity, amongst others.
It pays $300 to $600 for characteristic articles, which normally run 1,500 to 2,500 phrases. The journal generally presents journey and expense reimbursement.
7. One Story
One Story is a literary journal that options one story per problem, and it’s mailed to subscribers each three to 4 weeks.
One Story appears for literary fiction within the vary of three,000 to eight,000 phrases, and tales may be on any topic “so long as they’re good.” It presents $500 and 25 copies of the journal for each accepted contribution, however submissions usually are not all the time open.
8. The American Scholar
Quarterly journal The American Scholar publishes the whole lot from essays to fiction to poetry on public affairs, literature, science, historical past, and tradition.
It’s going to pay as much as $500 for accepted items of not more than 6,000 phrases, and if you wish to go the digital route, it’ll pay as much as $250 for web-only items. Be aware, nevertheless, that The American Scholar doesn’t settle for pitches by way of electronic mail—solely by way of on-line submissions supervisor system Submittable.
9. Longreads
Need to write a 2,000- to six,000-word long-form article for Longreads? Earlier than you suppose “sure,” know this: These tales can contain a number of reporting journeys, sources, and in-depth analysis. And whereas they don’t essentially must cope with present occasions, “they need to have a wonderful sense of story and function and be capable of maintain a reader’s consideration with a compelling premise.”
Base fee begins at $500, and so they’ll even work with you to pay you a stable payment and in addition cowl bills.
10. Nationwide Geographic Traveler
You already know it. You’ve learn it. And now, you may write for it. Because the world’s main model in client journey, Nationwide Geographic Traveler states their publishing objectives are to, “discover the brand new, to showcase contemporary journey alternatives, to be an advocate for vacationers.” No lodge or product critiques right here, of us.
Nat Geo Traveler pays, however their web site doesn’t verify how a lot. However based on Who Pays Writers, they provide 50 cents per phrase for 1,000-word options.
11. NationSwell
Based mostly in NYC, NationSwell is searching for freelance writers to inform impactful significant options narrative and have tales between 800 to 1,500 phrases about folks or organizations fixing for America’s points—like “the girl who took on gun violence by confronting gangs and her native mayor in road rallies, or the group that helps households of homicide victims combat again towards a system that unfairly punishes them.”
Pay is 50 to 65 cents per phrase relying on expertise and material.
12. Alaska Past Journal
Alaska Past Journal is the month-to-month in-flight journal for Alaska Airways, and it’s searching for writing with vivid visible photographs, anecdotes and a powerful narrative circulation. When you can write with a humorousness, cowl enterprise with perception and elegance, and lend inside perspective to the vacation spot and journey columns, you’re good as gold.
Charges start at $150 to $250 for brief articles within the Journal part (200 to 600 phrases); $150 for enterprise shorts (500 phrases); $500 for columns (1,600 phrases); and $700 for options (2,000 to 2,500 phrases). At the moment, they’re not desirous about fiction, poetry, or guide critiques.
13. Curbed
Curbed’s focus is house: structure, design, actual property, and concrete planning. It’s looking for pitches for long-form and narrative tales from freelance writers, and these pitches ought to dig deep on their most popular subjects, whether or not they’re analyses of well-liked tendencies, reported items, private essays, or a mixture of the entire above.
The submission pointers verify (however don’t specify) aggressive charges for options between 3,000 and 6,000 phrases—Who Pays Writers studies 20 and 54 cents per phrase funds, which implies, on the very least, you stand to make $600.
14. JSTOR Each day
JSTOR Each day is happy by tales that tease out the small print or that take a look at the apparent in a non-obvious manner; “topics which might be newsworthy, entertaining, quirky, stunning, and enlightening are proper up our alley.” For publication in summer season and fall 2020, they’re desirous about a studying listing or annotated bibliography about structural racism, or work that highlights scholarship by BIPOC.
Characteristic tales sometimes vary from 1,800 to 2,000 phrases. The submission pointers verify (however don’t specify) that contributors are paid, so Who Pays Writers studies the typical pay is 31 cents per phrase.
15. Sierra
Ever heard of Sierra? It’s the US’ oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental group. It welcomes concepts from writing professionals who can “write good, enjoyable, incisive, and well-researched tales for a various and politically knowledgeable nationwide readership.” If you pitch, be certain it displays an understanding of the Sierra Membership’s motto—“Discover, get pleasure from, and shield the planet”—in addition to data of current points and subjects.
Characteristic articles vary from 2,000 phrases to (not often) 4,000 phrases or extra with fee beginning at $1 per phrase, rising to $1.50 phrase for extra well-known writers with “crackerjack credentials.” In some circumstances, bills can be paid.
You can even write for one in every of their departments, which they are saying is open to freelancers. Articles are 250 to 1,000 phrases in size; fee is $250 to $1,000 until in any other case famous.
The unique model of this story was written by Bamidele Onibalusi. We up to date the publish so it’s extra helpful for our readers.
Photograph by way of Federico Rostagno/ Shutterstock