As a contract author, it may be a wrestle to discover high-quality paying work. But it surely’s potential, 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 may really feel like the one choices out there 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 laborious work provides up into actual earnings.
Making a dwelling as a contract author means you’ll have to grasp the best way 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 under pay $500 US and up, which can look like a dream to you (particularly should 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 stage that may enable you receives a commission these charges. However you possibly can take solace in the truth that writing work exists past content material mills and low-paying gigs.
Whereas there are most likely tens of hundreds of magazines that pay writers, a a lot smaller quantity compensate writers actually effectively. We’re right here to make a dwelling writing moderately than fall sufferer to the outdated adage of ravenous artist.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 model, adorning, and traditions publishes seven occasions yearly and welcomes the contemporary voices of latest writers.
You possibly can submit each shorter tales and options, which run about 2,500 phrases. The editors estimate a $500 cost for “a primary function from a brand new author,” with the chance for larger earnings as your expertise develop.
2. Earth Island Journal
Earth Island Journal needs “compelling and distinctive tales that anticipate environmental considerations earlier than they grow to be urgent issues.” It covers all kinds of environmental points together with wildlife and land conservation, environmental public coverage, local weather and power, animal rights, and environmental justice.
When you’re a world traveler, it’s an important alternative. Earth Island is particularly hungry for, “on-the-ground stories 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 may also pitch a shorter on-line report, particularly should 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 “at all times in search of contemporary concepts.”
3. VQR
VQR is a journal of literature and dialogue with a deal with publishing the very best writing they’ll 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 opinions earn $500 for two,000 to 2,400 phrases. VQR has restricted studying intervals, so test the schedule on-line earlier than you submit.
4. The Solar Journal
The Solar Journal is in search of 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 certainly one 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 every little thing from skilled sports activities to American historical past to the best way to pack a canoe,” learn the submission tips. Most of all, it needs to be entertaining to the scouts it’s geared toward.
“Write for a boy you already know who’s 12,” the editors counsel.
6. The American Gardener
The American Gardener is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society, and it caters to “skilled beginner gardeners.”
It seeks writers for horticulturalist profiles, and articles about revolutionary approaches to backyard design, plant conservation, horticultural remedy, and biodiversity, amongst others.
It pays $300 to $600 for function articles, which normally run 1,500 to 2,500 phrases. The journal typically presents journey and expense reimbursement.
7. One Story
One Story is a literary journal that options one story per situation, and it’s mailed to subscribers each three to 4 weeks.
One Story seems for literary fiction within the vary of three,000 to eight,000 phrases, and tales could 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 will not be at all times open.
8. The American Scholar
Quarterly journal The American Scholar publishes every little thing from essays to fiction to poetry on public affairs, literature, science, historical past, and tradition.
It’ll 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 would pay as much as $250 for web-only items. Word, nevertheless, that The American Scholar doesn’t settle for pitches by e-mail—solely by 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 assume “sure,” know this: These tales can contain a number of reporting journeys, sources, and in-depth analysis. And whereas they don’t essentially have to cope with present occasions, “they need to have a wonderful sense of story and objective and be capable of maintain a reader’s consideration with a compelling premise.”
Base cost begins at $500, and so they’ll even work with you to pay you a strong charge and in addition cowl bills.
10. Nationwide Geographic Traveler
it. You’ve learn it. And now, you possibly can 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 resort or product opinions 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 in search of 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 lady who took on gun violence by confronting gangs and her native mayor in avenue rallies, or the group that helps households of homicide victims struggle again in opposition to 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 in search of writing with vivid visible photographs, anecdotes and a powerful narrative stream. 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 concerned about fiction, poetry, or e-book opinions.
13. Curbed
Curbed’s focus is residence: 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 matters, whether or not they’re analyses of in style developments, reported items, private essays, or a mix of all the above.
The submission tips verify (however don’t specify) aggressive charges for options between 3,000 and 6,000 phrases—Who Pays Writers stories 20 and 54 cents per phrase funds, which implies, on the very least, you stand to make $600.
14. JSTOR Day by day
JSTOR Day by day is happy by tales that tease out the small print or that have a look at the plain in a non-obvious means; “topics which might be newsworthy, entertaining, quirky, shocking, and enlightening are proper up our alley.” For publication in summer time and fall 2020, they’re concerned about a studying checklist or annotated bibliography about structural racism, or work that highlights scholarship by BIPOC.
Function tales usually vary from 1,800 to 2,000 phrases. The submission tips verify (however don’t specify) that contributors are paid, so Who Pays Writers stories the typical pay is 31 cents per phrase.
15. Sierra
Ever heard of Sierra? It’s america’ 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.” Whenever 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 information of latest points and matters.
Function articles vary from 2,000 phrases to (not often) 4,000 phrases or extra with cost 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 may also write for certainly one of their departments, which they are saying is open to freelancers. Articles are 250 to 1,000 phrases in size; cost is $250 to $1,000 except 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
