Good news! Today we’re sharing an up-to-date list of publications that pay for parenting and family features. A few even pay as much as $1-$2/word.

I've included lots of information on pay rates, editorial guidelines, and submission links. Everything you need to pitch your latest ideas and earn that next commission!

Never written about parenting or family before? That’s okay. Everyone has a family, whether it’s the one you were born into, the one you chose, or the one you’ve built. We all carry stories about our parents, our children, or the families of people around us, and these outlets want to hear your stories.

In fact, this collection is broad enough that just reading through might spark your next idea. Many of these publications accept more beyond the parenting & family theme, so there are plenty of new places to pitch your work.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you've been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

41 Publications Paying for Family & Parenting Writing

Parents’ mission is simple: to provide you with trustworthy advice and a supportive community as you raise the next generation of confident and compassionate kids. Pays around $250 for shorter pieces, rising for longer work. Editorial guidelines here.

Family Traveller is a family travel brand producing both a print magazine and website aimed at parents looking to explore the world with their kids, covering everything from practical destination guides to trend-driven roundups on family-friendly hotels and trips. Online pieces pay a flat $50 per post, while print pieces pay $0.25/word. Guidelines here.

Scary Mommy is open to pitches relating to parenting. In general, they’ll consider first-person pieces and personal essays, as well as reported lifestyle ideas (think health and wellness, sex and relationships, pregnancy and TTC, and general parenting content). They’ll also consider entertainment pitches, how a certain show reflects your parenting style, roundups and more. Pay is usually $100. Pitch guidelines here.

Business Insider welcome pitches from writers of all backgrounds, and many of the personal essays they publish relate to stories about parenthood and family (I have personally written for BI about a something from my family). Business Insider generally pays around $230. Guidelines here. If you’re interested in writing about lifestyle, travel, parenting, or health, find that guide here.

The Fuller Project is an award-winning newsroom dedicated to reporting on issues that impact women worldwide. Their journalism spans health, labor, education, politics, and social justice. While they do not explicitly cover parenting as a publication, their coverage often intersects with family and caregiving, such as maternal health, childcare access, and the systemic challenges faced by parents globally. Pays $500-$1,500. Guidelines here.

Fatherly is the leading digital media brand for dads. Their mission is to empower men to raise great kids and lead more fulfilling adult lives. They do this by helping readers wade through the constant barrage of information and see a real path to being a better man, person, and parent. I understand that pay usually works out to $200-$250 for completed work. Guidelines here.

Read more

These are some of the most universal beats in the media. Every human alive has navigated desire, rejection, intimacy, or loneliness in some form. There really is no barrier to entry here for any writer willing to talk about their experiences or cover the topic in some detail.

And here’s the part most writers don’t realize: this topic really can pay. Guess what AI will never be able to do? Have a real relationship. Date someone. Have sex. (Despite what I’m sure some tech bros will tell you). You can get paid for your writing and your expertise.

Outlets vary from major publications to niche newsletters are actively commissioning and paying for these stories, often from writers with no prior bylines.

Below are 45 publications currently paying for essays, reporting, and advice on love, sex, and relationships, with what they’re looking for and how to pitch them.

As always, please read submission guidelines thoroughly and ensure you verify payment details with editors before you write. If you think any information here is incorrect, please do message me to let me know.

Ready to grow your writing career?

Members at the Freelance Writing Network get access to premium content designed to help writers grow sustainable, successful careers.

🔓 Become a FWN member and unlock…

• 📋 A writing job board that shares 200+ high-paying pitch calls and freelance writing jobs weekly, with new updates daily.

• 🎯 Roundups of themed and high-paying pitch calls.

• 💰 Exclusive funding resources for writers.

• 🗂️ Twice-monthly live sessions & 50% off masterclass sessions.

• ✍️ Creative resources, including monthly and themed literary magazine roundups, plus where to get paid for your creative writing.

Access everything today with a 7-day free trial!

Get 7 day free trial

45 Publications Paying for Writing About Love, Relationships, & Sex

Narratively is devoted to original and untold human stories. They are always interested in adding new, diverse voices to the mix. They are currently accepting full submissions for The Personals, a series of bite-sized sharply focused first-person stories that capture a single surprising unforgettable moment or event. Pays $300. Guidelines here.

Stylist is a UK-based brand leading the charge for women, whose features editor looks for smart, original, newsworthy journalism, covering women's lifestyle, feminism, current affairs, social trends, culture, health, careers, relationships, dating, sex and tech. Pays £150-£180. Pitching guidelines here.

The New York Times has a column called ‘Modern Love’. The editors of Modern Love are interested in receiving deeply personal essays about contemporary relationships, marriage, dating, parenthood. Any subject that might reasonably fit under the heading. Pay is usually $300. Guidelines here. Opens again in September.

Autostraddle is an LGBTQ+ online publication for women, non-binary and trans people, with a dedicated Love + Sex vertical covering dating, relationships, sex positions and queer culture. Reported pay for personal essays and features has ranged from $100-$300 per piece. Submission page here.

Business Insider welcomes pitches relating to love and relationships year round. Personal essays, interviews and more are welcomed. Business Insider generally pays in the $200-$300 range for this kind of work. Guidelines here.

Read more

Hey again, writers!

Today I’m sharing a brand new themed pitch roundup: 30 publications paying for your writing about crime, justice, and punishment.

The content these are looking for varies drastically from detailed investigations to true crime stories to even a little fiction. Whatever you’re looking to do in this professional space, I can assure you there is something in this list that you’ll find valuable.

And even if this isn’t a topic you’ve thought of writing for before, many of these outlets do cover adjacent as well as alternative topics, so you might find a new space you were unaware of until now.

As always, please read submission guidelines thoroughly and ensure you verify payment details with editors before you write. If you think any information here is incorrect, please do message me to let me know.

See you again soon!

~ George

Ready to grow your writing career?

Members at the Freelance Writing Network get exclusive access to premium content designed to help writers thrive in their careers.

🔓 Become a FWN member and unlock…

• 📋 A writing job board that shares 200+ high-paying pitch calls and freelance writing jobs weekly, with new updates daily.

• 🎯 Roundups of themed pitch calls, with many paying the very top rates for freelance writers.

• 💰 Exclusive funding resources for writers, offering thousands of dollars to help you grow your writing career or business.

• 🗂️ Twice-monthly live sessions & 50% off masterclasses, plus access to an entire archive of classes, insight and insider resources.

• ✍️ Creative resources, including monthly and themed literary magazine roundups, plus all the opportunities to help you get paid for your creative writing.

Access everything today with a 7-day free trial!

Get 7 day free trial

30 Publications Paying for Crime, Justice, & Punishment Writing

New York Focus is a nonprofit newsroom investigating power in New York State, with a focus on Albany, state agencies, and carceral institutions. Politics and current‑affairs pitches need a clear “who is wielding power and who is affected” angle, plus a tangible scoop or revelation. Standard freelance fees are $800/story. Pitch guidelines here.

Prism is an independent, nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of colour, covering voting rights, criminal justice, racial and economic justice, immigration, the environment, and LGBTQIA+ issues across the U.S. It especially encourages pitches from BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and those from historically oppressed communities. They pay $0.50/word. Pitch guidelines here.

Truly Adventurous is a digital magazine publishing longform stories by established and powerful nonfiction writers, with no topical mandates but a strong track record in true-crime and real-life horror alongside wild adventures, clashing cultures, and unsung heroes. Payment starts at $1,000, according to writers. Pitch guidelines here.

Read more

Today we’re sharing 18 publications that accept pitches from, and pay, new and early-career freelance writers.

One question we hear all the time is: “How do I get my first byline without any prior experience?”

You can pitch any outlet at any time of course, but a straightforward way to start is by looking for outlets structured to work with newer writers, not just seasoned journalists. Thankfully, there are more of these than you might think.

Every one of the 18 publications on this list:

• Is open to freelance pitches on an ongoing basis

• Is known to work with writers who have few (or no) bylines

• Will pay you for the work you do

You’ll find a mix of topics, from personal essays and parenting to travel, tech, science, and mental health.

Many of these outlets accept first‑person stories alongside more straightforward reported pieces, which makes them especially accessible if you’re still building interviewing chops or reporting confidence. One of them is even where I landed my very first byline!

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

18 Publications Commissioning Early‑Career Writers

Business Insider publishes a steady stream of freelance essays, as-told-to stories, trend pieces, and personal narratives across lifestyle, careers, travel, and personal finance. Editors actively encourage first-time contributors. Rates start at $230–$260 for pieces around 600–700 words. Full pitch guide here.

HuffPost (Personal) is the first-person essays vertical of one of the world’s most-read news sites, covering everything from relationships and health to identity, money, and career, the only rule is that you have a genuinely human story to tell. They pay a minimum of $150 per story, and often more, with most pieces running 1,000–2,000 words. Read the full guide here.

The Personals is the short-form offshoot of Narratively’s celebrated human-interest storytelling platform, specifically designed for first-person pieces that are tighter and more narrowly focused than a full feature. They explicitly say that being a published writer is not required. They pay $300 per piece. Submit via Submittable here and read their pitching details here.

Refinery29 Money Diaries is the massively popular personal finance series where writers can document their spending over seven days alongside full financial disclosure, salary, savings, debt, daily costs. There are no clips required and no experience required. They pay $150 per published diary. The submission form is live and rolling here.

Read more

Politics here is broad. It’s about power, policy, and institutions, but also the people, places, and struggles that make those forces visible on the ground.

Each listing includes pay details, links to guidelines, and an idea of what editors are actually commissioning right now.

Whether you’re looking to delve into new investigations, explore the policies affecting real people, or write argument‑led essays, you’ll find outlets here that value rigorous, original work on how the world is being governed, and how it might change.

Inclusion here is not an endorsement of any outlet’s politics or coverage. This is a neutral roundup, though I’ve left out explicitly extremist publications.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

48 Publications Paying for Politics & Current Affairs Writing

Hammer & Hope is a magazine of Black politics and culture, rooted in Black radical traditions and contemporary movements. It takes commentary, reported features, and cultural criticism that treat Black life as central to questions of democracy, policy, and liberation. Politics and current‑affairs pitches might cover elections, abolitionist campaigns, organising, or international solidarity. They pay $1/word for commentary and $1.33/word for reported features. Guidelines here.

In These Times is a progressive magazine focused on stories that expose corporate influence over government and advance movements for social, environmental, gender, economic, and racial justice. Politics pieces work best when they show how power operates and how organisers respond, not just what a bill says. Major investigations are paid $5,000 plus expenses, with legal and editorial support. Guidelines here.

Prism is an independent, nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of colour, covering voting rights, criminal justice, racial and economic justice, immigration, the environment, and LGBTQIA+ issues across the U.S. It especially encourages pitches from BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and those from historically oppressed communities. They pay $0.50/word. Pitch guidelines here.

DAME Magazine runs reported features and essays on politics, policy, science, and culture through an explicitly feminist and intersectional lens. Politics pieces often centre reproductive justice, extremism, disinformation, climate, and economic justice with a focus on individual stories. Rates are $350–$750 per story. Pitch here.

Read more

You're in the right place. Today we’re sharing an up-to-date list of publications that pay for food, drink and cooking features, some as much as $2/word.

We’ve included lots of information on pay rates, editorial guidelines, and submission links. Everything you need to pitch your latest ideas and earn that next commission!

And if you’ve never written about the subject? Well, we all think about food and drink every single day. This collection of publications is extremely broad, so even a read through might spark a new idea.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you've been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know via email at thefreelancewritingnetwork@gmail.com or by messaging me on Substack.

Publications Paying for Food, Drink & Cooking Writing

Earn up to $2/word from your next pitches.

The Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) is the first independent, nonprofit news organization that produces award-winning, high-impact investigative and explanatory reporting on food, agriculture, and environmental health through exclusive partnerships with regional and national media outlets. Pay is usually $1-$2/word up and pitch guidelines can be found here.

Wine Enthusiast is, shockingly, a magazine that’s passionate about wine. They’re open to pitches from freelancers and digital rates begin at $0.50/word, though they are known to pay as much as $1/word. Pitch guidelines here.

SAVEUR aim to broaden readers’ perspectives on food through rigorous, lively, and culturally sensitive journalism. Their favorite stories don’t just report or explain—they have a thesis and move conversations forward. Pay is around $0.33/word. Guidelines here.

Read more

Today we’re sharing a new and comprehensive list: 50 publications actively paying writers for personal essays, from literary journals and national newspapers to major consumer magazines and independent digital outlets.

Whether you have a finished essay sitting in a drawer waiting for the right home, a half-formed idea you’ve been meaning to pitch, or a story only you can tell, this list has something for you.

We’re talking outlets covering everything from nature writing and LGBTQ+ life to criminal justice, wellness, parenting, and culture, with rates $1/word and beyond.

Some of these want a full draft. Some want a pitch only. Some open their doors for just a few weeks a year; others are rolling year-round. I’ve tried to flag all of that so you can match the right opportunity to wherever you are in your writing process.

If you have insights into specific details, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

50 Publications Paying for Personal Essays

Longreads is dedicated to finding and sharing the best longform nonfiction storytelling on the web. We look for smart, unexpected angles and compelling voices across a wide range of topics. Their personal essay rate is $500. Check their submission guidelines here.

The New York Times has a column called ‘Modern Love’. The editors of Modern Love are interested in receiving deeply personal essays about contemporary relationships, marriage, dating, parenthood, any subject that might reasonably fit under the heading. Modern Love only accepts submissions during two windows per year: September–December and March–June. Pay is around $300. Submission details here.

Business Insider welcome pitches of personal essays year round. Their best advice for deciding what to pitch: Read the site. Get a feel for the types of stories they run. Don’t pitch stories we’ve already written. Be creative, and use a Business Insider-style headline in the subject line of your email. Business Insider generally pay $230+, but rates vary by section. Guidelines here.

Motherwell is a publication that tells all sides of the parenting story. They accept personal essays and there are paid opportunities for selected, featured content—either personal essays or perspective pieces. Generally pays around $50. Keep an eye on their page on Submittable for submission themes.

The Sun Magazine publishes personal essays, short stories, poems, and black-and-white photography in print and online in a monthly magazine. Pays $200 and up for personal essays, based on length. Submission guidelines here.

Read more

Today we’re sharing a roundup of publications that pay for science writin, spanning everything from physics and climate to psychology, space, health, and the weird, wonderful edges of human knowledge.

And here’s the thing: you don’t need a PhD, a lab coat, or a decade of specialist bylines to pitch these outlets. Many of the publications on this list are actively looking for curious, skilled writers who can take complex ideas and make them vivid, accessible, and genuinely compelling for a broad audience.

If you can ask sharp questions, find the human story inside the research, and write clearly about things that matter, there’s a place for you here.

Each listing includes pay rates (sourced directly from published guidelines or noted as writer reports where applicable), direct links to pitch guidelines or editorial contact pages, and a clear breakdown of what each outlet actually commissions.

If you have insights into specific details, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

50 Publications Paying for Science Writing

MIT Technology Review is a digitally oriented independent media company that explains the social and political impacts of the newest technologies. The magazine is wholly owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and published bi-monthly. The magazine accepts pitches for news, features, profiles, op-eds, and more (related to a specific publication theme). They pay $1-$2/word for reported pieces. Pitch details here.

STAT News covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery. Think labs, hospitals, biotech companies, patient experiences, and the ideas changing how we think about science and medicine. They do not want consumer wellness or breaking news. Pay is $1/word, and can go higher for deeply reported pieces. Pitch guidelines here.

New Scientist is looking for science and technology stories from around the world that will intrigue, entertain and inform the widest possible audience—be they physicists, biologists or people with no science background at all. Pay rates are often in the $0.70-$1/word range. Full details here.

Science is a leading outlet for scientific news, commentary, and research. Science covers news in all areas of science, from geology to genetics, as well as science policy and issues important to the scientific community, such as science, technology, engineering, and math education and sexual harassment. They make it a priority to include women and people of color as quoted sources in their work to capture a range of perspectives. Starts at $1/word for online-only stories and $1.25/word for print-only stories. Details here.

Read more

These outlets span queer culture, politics, identity, trans experience, BIPOC queer perspectives, relationships, health, literary fiction, and investigative journalism, from regional indie platforms to major national brands worldwide.

Whether you want to write sharp reported features on queer communities, craft first-person essays rooted in lived experience, cover LGBTQ+ politics and activism with authority, or produce cultural criticism on queer film, TV, and the arts, here you’ll find outlets commissioning fresh voices and original perspectives.

Each listing includes pay rates (sourced directly from published guidelines or noted as writer reports where applicable), direct links to pitch guidelines or editorial contact pages, and a clear breakdown of what each outlet actually commissions.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

22 Publications Paying for LGBTQ+ Writing

Xtra Magazine is an LGBTQ-focused digital publication and former print newspaper published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They accept personal essays and have paid around $250 (325 ish CAD) for commissioned work. Contribution guidelines can be found here.

Gay Times is a UK-based LGBTQ+ media brand with a decades-long history as the definitive magazine for queer culture, news, politics, and identity. Their features editor actively seeks pitches on queer culture, communities, internet trends, and investigative pieces, paying between £150 and £250 per feature. Pitches can be sent to editorial@gaytimes.co.uk, as detailed here.

Queerbeat is a collaborative journalism publication covering authentic, longform stories of LGBTQIA+ lives in India, with a focus on underreported identities, communities, and intersectional queer experiences. They give preference to LGBTQIA+ journalists and writers, paying flat rates ranging from a few hundred to several hundred rupees depending on length and format. Their pitching guide and submission details can be found here.

Read more

We recently shared 65 new pitch calls & freelance writing jobs.

Three writing gigs from the latest board, all paying writers properly:

✍️ $1.25/word (+ $750 flat for essays) — pitches to a science history magazine uncovering little-told stories and historical angles on today's topics
✍️ $500–$600+ — essays, columns, and features for The Cut's ongoing conversation with women about politics, work, relationships, and equality
✍️ $75–$125/hour — freelance copywriting/design work for a voiceover artist's website

Looking to pitch your next sports feature, adventure narrative, or gear investigation?

Today we’re sharing a brand new roundup of publications that pay for sports and outdoor adventure writing. These outlets span football, cycling, triathlon, golf, climbing, running, sailing, surf, and well beyond.

Whether you cover elite athletics with a sharp analytical edge, write vivid first-person adventure stories from the trail or the water, break down tactical football with authority, or profile the characters that make sport worth watching, you’ll find outlets here that are actively commissioning fresh voices and original perspectives.

Each listing includes pay rates (sourced directly from published guidelines or noted as writer reports where applicable), direct links to pitch guidelines or editorial contact pages, and a clear breakdown of what each outlet actually commissions.

If you have insights into specific details, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

42 Publications Paying for Sports & Outdoor Adventure Writing

CYCLING & ADVENTURE: Adventure Cyclist is devoted to bicycle travel, publishing longform narratives, gear‑and‑route features, and service pieces for touring and bikepacking enthusiasts. Pay usually runs at a little less, but some writers have reported $1/word and up for more substantial work. Pitch guidelines here.

FISHING: Sport Fishing is open to pitches. This magazine is geared to serious saltwater fishing around North America and at times beyond. That means bluewater and reefs; nearshore (inlets and off beaches) and inshore (bays, flats and backcountry). We publish nine regular issues per year (monthly January-June; bimonthly July-December). Material in Sport Fishing should provide useful information about saltwater fishing, which is new/fresh/different; specific/in-depth and accurate. Pays as much as $1500 for print features, though only $200-$300 for digital. Guidelines here.

RUNNING: Runner’s World publishes stories about every aspect of running, from tips on how to get started to training plans for competitive runners aiming for a new PR and everything in between. They speak to all runners: beginners, high school athletes, joggers, experienced competitors, casual runners, sprinters, trail runners, and those who run ultra distances. Their audiences respond best to stories that explain how to better themselves as runners. Pay is consistently $1/word, and you can find pitching guidelines here.

BACKPACKING: The focus of Trails is on backpacking and other human/naturally-powered means of sleeping outdoors: bikepacking, canoe camping, even things like rafting or mountaineering are fair game (feel free to be creative with those criteria---they covered “skatepacking” in Issue One). Articles where the geography is really just the setting of a different story (profiles, adventure stories, etc.) have flexibility with place, but North America is their preference. Features range from $0.50-$2/word. Guidelines here.

MEN’S HEALTH & LIFESTYLE: Men’s Health publishes features, service packages, and narratives about fitness, nutrition, mental health, style, relationships, and culture. They are known to pay between $1--$2/word for print features that blend expert‑backed advice with engaging storytelling. Masthead and contacts here.

Read more

Today we’re sharing a brand new roundup of publications that pay for reviews, including film, TV, books, music, games, theatre, and more. From major print titles and prestige digital outlets to specialist journals and niche cultural platforms, there’s something here for every kind of critic.

Whether you write punchy album reviews, long-form film essays, book criticism, or thoughtful takes on the latest TV seasons, you’ll find outlets here that actively want fresh voices and sharp cultural perspectives, not just staff writers recycling press releases.

Each listing includes pay (sourced directly or via reports), direct links to guidelines or contact pages, and a clear sense of what each outlet actually commissions, so you can start pitching with confidence.

If you have insights into specific details, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

34 publications paying for reviews

🎬 Film, Cinema & TV 📺

Read more

Today we’re sharing a HUGE new roundup of 70 publications that pay for travel writing, from prestigious print magazines and major digital platforms to niche adventure titles and regional outlets.

Whether you write destination features, personal essays, reported pieces, or practical guides, you’ll find outlets here that value fresh voices and original perspectives on travel, culture, and the world around us.

Each listing includes pay details, links to guidelines or mastheads, and insight into what editors are actually looking for, so you can send smarter pitches instead of guessing in the dark.

Use this as a working document: open a few tabs, build a pitching shortlist, and start matching your best ideas to the outlets that actually have a budget. This roundup is designed to help you move towards better‑paying and more creatively satisfying travel work.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

70 publications paying for travel writing

Travel + Leisure aims to inform and inspire passionate travelers by offering both inspiration and practical service journalism across all stages of a trip, from early planning to logistics. Print rates can reach up to $2 per word, while online rates are negotiated individually, with pitching information available here.

BBC Travel is a feature section within BBC.com, publishing high-quality stories about destinations around the world that aim to amaze, immerse, inspire, and connect readers. The section commissions a wide range of travel features, with pay typically ranging from £0.30 to £1 per word depending on scope and complexity, and a full author brief available here.

AFAR is a print and digital publication focused on experiential travel, with magazine rates starting at $1 per word and website rates around $0.50 per word. Full pitch guidelines are available here.

Hemispheres is the award-winning onboard magazine for United Airlines, published by Ink and produced by a dedicated staff out of an Ink satellite office in Brooklyn, New York. Freelance writers typically earn around $1 per word for accepted work, and current editors can be found here.

Backpacker is interested in creative, high‑quality pitches on backpacking, hiking, and the outdoors, and prefers pitches over completed manuscripts. Pay can reach as much as $1 per word, often starting lower but open to negotiation with editors, with basic guidelines available here.

Men’s Journal is a lifestyle and adventure magazine that publishes longform storytelling and daily coverage of travel, gear, health and fitness, food and drink, and style. Freelance pay often begins at around $1 per word, and details of the editorial team are available here.

Canadian Geographic is a publication of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, dedicated to helping make Canada better known to Canadians and to the world. Freelance features can pay as much as $1 per word, and writers are encouraged to study back issues and submission guidelines available here.

National Geographic focuses on documenting the wonder of the world—including its beauty, mystery, and the threats it faces—and inspiring people to care and act, with its Travel section open to freelance pitches. Travel features often start around the $1 per word mark, and writers can find the current masthead and key contacts here.

Rest of World covers the impact of technology outside the West, with its Features section focusing on longform narrative journalism about technology and its social, political, and cultural consequences. The outlet looks for local stories with global implications from countries outside the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Western Europe, and Australia, with pay likely to fall in the $0.50–$1‑per‑word range and detailed guidelines available here.

Read more

This new roundup pulls together 37 active publications that pay for work on the spaces we live in and the land we care for.

Here, ‘home & garden’ is broad. It stretches from glossy interior design features and renovation deep‑dives to practical service pieces on DIY and organisation, through to gardening, homesteading, wildlife‑friendly yards, and property or landscape stories that sit at the edge of environment and place.

Each listing includes what the outlet commissions, specific pay details where they’re available, and a direct link to guidelines, mastheads, or contacts.

Whether you looking to write service‑driven how‑tos, richly reported features, profiles of designers and growers, or personal essays rooted in domestic life, you’ll find markets here for everything from small‑space apartment styling and big structural remodels to regenerative gardens, working homesteads, and design‑led stories about how people shape their homes and land.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

37 publications paying for home & garden writing

AARP The Magazine is the world’s largest‑circulation magazine, focused on helping readers aged 50+ live healthier, happier, more financially secure lives. They commission health, lifestyle, money, work, and features that speak directly to an over‑50 audience, and writer reports put rates at around $2/word and up for print pieces. Guidelines here.​​

Dwell is a design and technology brand. Dwell promotes good design for everyone. They publish home tours, reported pieces, interviews, and essays, all focused on the power of smart design and new ideas about where and how we live. They pay $1/word for print and $0.50/word for web content. Check out their detailed pitch guidelines.

Good Housekeeping are interested in long-form narratives, deeply reported service pieces and personal essays that offer a compelling point of view, a personal story behind the news, a unique story rooted in the ideas of house/home or a deep-dive guide into a topic that will help improve readers’ everyday lives. Pay is often at $2/word, so even more than just $1/word, and all the details about what they want can be found here.

Read more

This latest roundup covers publications paying up to $2/word across diverse subjects, from politics and culture to science, travel, health, fashion, and investigative journalism.​

The rates listed represent what these outlets can pay at the top end, based on writer reports, industry research, and direct conversations with freelancers.

It’s worth noting that many publications offer varying rates depending on article length, reporting depth, platform (print vs. digital), and writer experience. Always verify current rates with editors when pitching, as these figures show what’s possible, not what’s guaranteed!

Each listing includes details about the publication, reported payment rates, and links to pitch guidelines or mastheads where available. Some outlets require extra work to find the right editor or submission contact (this guide can help when formal guidelines don’t exist).​

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please reach out to let me know.

44 publications paying up to $2/word

FOOD & ENVIRONMENT: FERN (Food & Environment Reporting Network) provides independent, non-profit journalism at the intersection of food, agriculture, and the environment. Reports from multiple writers suggest they pay as much as $2/word depending on the complexity and depth of the project. Check out their pitch details here.

PARENTING & FAMILY: Parents is a trusted parenting resource with a mission to provide trustworthy advice and a supportive community as readers raise the next generation of confident and compassionate kids. Writer reports suggest fees range between $1-2/word depending on the section and level of reporting required. Editorial guidelines here.

BACKPACKING & ADVENTURE: Trails focuses on backpacking and other human/naturally-powered means of sleeping outdoors, including bikepacking, canoe camping, rafting, and mountaineering, with a preference for stories set in North America. Feature rates range from $0.50-$2/word depending on the depth of reporting and storytelling. Contributor guidelines here.

WOMEN’S LIFESTYLE: Marie Claire is committed to celebrating the richness and scope of women’s lives through features on fashion, beauty, careers, and culture. Writers report being paid as much as $2/word for their contributions, particularly for well-reported features and personal essays. Contact information here.

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE: MIT Technology Review is a digitally oriented independent media company owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that explains the social and political impacts of the newest technologies. They accept pitches for news, features, profiles, and op-eds, paying between $1-2/word for reported pieces depending on complexity and experience. Pitch details here.

Read more

These kinds of rates don’t come around as often as we’d like, but this list is packed with outlets known to pay well based on a mix writer reports, editor guidance, and conversations I’ve had with freelancers.

Each entry includes pay details, editorial guidelines (where available), and links to editors. Everything you need to pitch your next idea and land a commission.

If editorial guidelines aren’t listed, be sure to research the publication thoroughly and check Contact or Masthead pages for the right editor to pitch. Read my guide to pitching outlets without guidelines here.

120 publications paying $1/word

Read more

Today we’re sharing a fresh roundup of publications that pay for strong reporting and thoughtful writing on wildlife, pets, conservation, veterinary topics, equestrianism, and the many ways humans interact with animals.

Whether you want to cover behaviour, welfare, science, ecology, culture, policy, or the pet industry, you’ll find outlets here that value clear storytelling, solid facts, and pitches with a sharp angle.

Each listing includes pay details, links to pitching guidelines or mastheads. As always, some outlets may require a little extra digging to find the right section editor or commissioning contact.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

23 publications paying for writing about animals & pets

Read more

Today we’re sharing a new roundup of publications that pay for deep, rigorous reporting, from major magazines and digital investigations units to nonprofit newsrooms and specialist outlets.

Whether you focus on systems, institutions, labour, culture, tech, or politics, you’ll find places here that value original reporting, sharp analysis and stories that hold power to account.

Each listing includes pay details, links to guidelines or mastheads, and insight into what editors are actually looking for. Though you should note, for some publications you may still need to dig to find the correct editor or reporting desk contact.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

35 publications paying for investigative reporting & journalism

Read more

Want to pitch a feature on fashion, beauty or style but not sure where to start?

Today we’re sharing a huge new roundup of publications that pay for fashion, beauty and style writing, from glossy magazines and digital platforms to industry titles and niche outlets.

Whether you write essays, interviews, or reported features, you’ll find outlets here that value fresh voices and original takes on fashion, beauty and personal style.

Each listing includes pay details, links to guidelines or mastheads, and insight into what editors are actually looking for. Though you should note, for some publications you will have to do some digging to find the correct editor and contact details.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

30 publications paying for fashion & beauty writing

Read more

Today’s roundup is all about publications that pay for humor writing. From satire and parody to witty essays, greeting-card lines and absurdist short stories, these publishers are all looking for work that makes their readers laugh.

It’s worth noting that humor rates tend to be lower than other genres, but each of these publications does pay writers for their contributions.

Each listing includes pay details, links to guidelines, and a short description of what editors are looking for.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

Missed the latest opportunities?

We’ve shared more than 100 new pitch calls and freelance writing jobs in the last two days alone, so be sure to check them out while they’re still active!

Fresh updates are coming at you later today.

20 publications paying for humor writing

Read more

Today I’m sharing a new roundup of publications that pay for culture writing. That covers anything from criticism and commentary on film, TV, art and media to essays and reported pieces about how we live, think and connect.

Culture here is broad. It’s the stories, identities and ideas that shape everyday life; the way politics, technology, and creativity reflect who we are.

Each listing includes pay details, links to guidelines or mastheads and shares what editors are actually looking for.

Whether you write criticism, reportage, or personal essays, you’ll find outlets here that value smart, original takes on the world around us.

If you have insights into specific pay rates, or if you’ve been offered different terms than those listed here, please let me know by replying to this email or by messaging me on Substack.

The complete roundup of culture publications is for paid subscribers only, so make sure you’re on the premium list to access them all!

Subscribe now

42 publications paying for culture writing

Read more