Freelance Writing Opportunities — Call For Pitches and Call For Submissions
Freelance Writing — 41 Writing Calls For Submissions (as of 05/02/22) — Paid Writing Opportunities For Nonfiction, Journalism, Art, Poetry, and Fiction
Here are the latest calls for submission, pitches, and expiring writing opportunities.
Welcome to this week’s roundup of writing calls for pitches and submissions. This week I have 41 different publications and websites currently looking for writers. These could be magazines that recently opened their submissions up, fast-approaching deadlines, shout out from editors looking for something specific right now, or just reminders that they are always open for pitches.
I cover all kinds of writing opportunities. These markets could be fiction, nonfiction, reported pieces, or poetry. Sometimes, these markets are also looking for artwork or photography.
All 41 markets in this article pay their contributors. A good portion of them either pay more than $100.00 minimum, or writers have the potential to make at least $100.00. Although, I do include some lower-paying opportunities as well.
Each of the freelance writing listings in this article will contain the following:
- The name of the publication, anthology, or contest.
- Some way to contact them (at least one of the following — a link to their published guidelines, Twitter handle, or email address).
- What type of writing they are looking for.
- How much they pay.
- Deadline, if any.
I am now including opportunities that I have mentioned before, and the deadline is within 7–13 days which I published the article.
When you scroll through these listings, you may notice this:
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
That is how I am indicating that less than 2 weeks are left on that writing opportunity!
Good luck finding the perfect writing market for your nonfiction, fiction, and poetry!
A Writer’s Notebook
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $250.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Summer Brennan, owner of the Substack newsletter, A Writer’s Notebook, tweeted that she is looking to work with previously unpublished emerging writers of essays. Writers will be paid $250.00. You can submit one essay of 500–5000 words.
Agni
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $20.00–40.00 per page
Deadline: May 31
You can send one story, or one essay, or five poems for consideration. If published, they pay $20.00 per published page of fiction or nonfiction, and they pay $40.00 per page of poetry. The maximum they pay is $300.00.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Alan Squire Publishing Anthology
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $30.00 and 2 Print Copies of the Anthology
Deadline: May 9
Alan Squire Publishing has an open call for submissions for a new anthology. The theme for this anthology is running away. They are looking for prose of 500–3,000 words. They are especially interested in pieces from BIPOC and LGBTQIA writers. You can submit one story of up to 3,000 words or up to 3 flash fiction stories totaling no more than 3,000 words.
Apparition Lit — Issue Omen
Looking For: Fiction and Poetry
Payment: $50.00
Deadline: Opens 05/15, Closes 05/31
Apparition Lit will accept submissions for their issue Omen between May 15 and May 31.
Short Fiction pays $50.00 per story. They are looking for previously unpublished speculative stories between 1,000–5,000 words.
Poetry pays $50.00 per poem. Writers can submit up to 5 poems per submission. These poems should be speculative — meaning science fiction and fantasy.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Apparition Lit Flash Fiction
Looking For: Flash Fiction Contest
Payment: $30.00
Deadline: Opens 05/01, Closes 05/14
Every month between the 1st and the 14th of the month, Apparition Lit has a flash fiction contest. They are looking for flash speculative fiction stories that are 1,000 words or less. These stories must be unpublished and inspired by a monthly photography prompt. The winner will receive $30.00.
The Assembly
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $1.00 a word
Deadline: Ongoing
Kate Sheppard tweeted a call for pitches of all North Carolina stories. The pitch guide notes that they usually run long-form stories of 2,500–5,000 words, and payment is generally at least $1.00 a word, sometimes more.
Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.05 a word
Deadline: July 31
The Ghoulish Times has announced that they are looking for entries for an Anthology called Bound in Flesh. The stories they are looking for must be body horror; however, the writer defines that definition. Humor is appreciated too. You can submit up to 2 unpublished stories. They will consider stories of 3,000–5,000 words. Payment is $0.05 a word ($150.00–250.00).
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Brink
Looking For: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry
Payment: $25.00–100.00
Deadline: April 15 — May 15
Brink is a literary magazine and its next reading period opens on April 15. It will remain open for one month until May 15. They pay $25.00 for poetry, $50.00 for work less than 1,500 words, and $100.00 for work over 1,500 words.
The Business of Business
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $0.35 a word
Deadline: Ongoing
Zack Abrams, the data editor at The Business of Business Magazine, tweeted is looking for data-oriented articles in trends in tech, business, and crypto. If interested, you can reach him through DM on Twitter or send him an email at [email protected].
Cars Against Humanity
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $50.00
Deadline: June 1
Cars Against Humanity is looking for nonfiction essays of 500–4,500 words on “deadly automotive ecologies that have emerged around the world over the past century.” The submissions page gives examples of what they do want and what they do not want.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Contingent Magazine
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $250.00
Deadline: May 10
Sacred Writes tweeted that Contingent Magazine is looking for pitches from non-tenure-track scholars. They want essays that cover the intersections of women, history, and religion. Payment is $250.00, and pitches are due by May 10.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Dark Recess Press
Looking For: Fiction and Nonfiction
Payment: $0.05 a word ($25.00–250.00) for print; online magazine is $10.00–25.00
Deadline: May 15
The quarterly magazine publishes 8 fiction pieces and 3–5 nonfiction pieces. Here is the breakdown of their publishing formula:
Fiction:
- 1x — 5,000 word story
- 1x — 3,000 word story
- 1x — 2,500 word story
- 2x — 1,500 word story
- 3x — 500 word story
Nonfiction:
- 1 article
- 1–2 briefs
- 1 interview or review
The print magazine pays $0.05 a word.
They publish fiction online, but it is at a substantially lower rate. Here are what they are looking for and the corresponding rates:
- Flash Fiction (up to 1,000 words) — $10.00
- Very Short Fiction (1,000–2,000 words) — $15.00
- Short Fiction (2,000–3,000+ words) — $25.00
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Eggplant Emoji Volume 2
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $25.00
Deadline: May 10
Eggplant Emoji has issued a call for submission for their second volume of hilarious short fiction. They want funny stories that are culturally striking and character-driven. Submissions should be 1,000–5,000 words in length, but they will accept stories up to 7,000 words. The intended audience is 17+.
FoodPrint
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $550.00–700.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Jerusha Klemperer, Director of FoodPrint, tweeted, that they are in the market for some freelancers. They are looking for pitches as well as writers to assign work to. They cover a wide range of topics centered around food, especially sustainability. This is an assignment only for America-based writers.
Fresh Cup Magazine
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Fresh Cup Magazine tweeted that they are looking for writers to submit their pitches. They want writers who are tea and coffee writers, thinkers, and leaders. Payment is $200.00 per article.
The Gamer
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $75.00–250.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Stacey Henley, Editor-in-chief of The Gamer, tweeted, that The Gamer now has a budget for freelancers to write feature-length articles. Payment is between $75.00–250.00 depending on the work involved. They are specifically looking for timely and social-related op-eds and reported stories. If interested, email [email protected] or [email protected] with pitches.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Geez
Looking For: Nonfiction, Poetry, and Photography
Payment: $50.00–100.00
Deadline: May 12
They are looking for flash nonfiction (500–300 words), long-form nonfiction (600, 1,200, and 1,800 words), poetry (submit 2), and photos or illustrations. Geez is looking for pitches for global solidarity and resistance issue.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
The Georgia Review
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $50.00–150.00+
Deadline: May 14
The Georgia Review has open submissions through May 14. They publish prose, poetry, and book reviews. Payment is a year subscription and a monetary payment.
Poetry — you can submit 6–10 poems for review. Payment is $4.00 per published line.
Fiction and Nonfiction– They are willing to read any length; however, they rarely publish prose longer than 9,000 words. Fiction is paid at $50.00 per printed page.
Book Reviews — Typically, they assign book reviews, but they accept submissions. Reviews are either standard reviews (1,400–1,600 words) or essay reviews with a strong thesis (4,000–6,000 words). Reviews are paid a flat rate of $150.00.
Green Prints — The Weeder’s Digest
Looking For: Fiction and Poetry
Payment: $20.00–150.00
Deadline: May 31
Green Prints is looking for good stories with strong endings and 2,000 words or less. They also publish one poem per issue about gardening. They are looking for clever and innovative poetry. Poetry is paid at $20.00 a poem, and fiction is paid between $100.00–150.00 per published story.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Hawaii Speculative Short Story Anthology
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $50.00
Deadline: May 15
Sam Fletcher has announced a call for submissions for an upcoming Hawaii Speculative Short Story Anthology. They are looking for writers who live in Hawaii or have some significant connection to the island. The word count is 2,000–5,000 words, and they even will consider reprints.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Healthy Rich
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: May 13
Healthy Rich tweeted a call for pitches. They are looking for money stories. Payment is $200.00 and most articles are 1,000–1,500 words.
Hell Notes
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.05 a word ($250.00–350.00)
Deadline: May 31
Hell Notes has an open call for an Anthology called Azathoth: Ordo ab Chao. This anthology is a project based on The Gods of HP Lovecraft, and this anthology specifically will focus on the God Azathoth. They are looking for stories of 5,000–7,000 words. The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2022.
Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $100.00
Deadline: May 31
The Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest accepts entries until May 31, and there is no entry fee. You can only submit one entry, but simultaneous submissions are accepted. They are looking for the best original, previously unpublished work of short fiction. They want stories of 3,000 words and less but will sometimes consider stories up to 4,000 words. The winner will receive $100.00.
Your story should appeal to the readers of the Jerry Jazz Musician. These readers are interested in social history, music, literature, arts, film, theater, and politics.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $120.00
Deadline: May 15
James Aquilone has put out a call for submissions for the Kolchak 50th Anniversary Prose Stories Anthology. They are looking for prose short stories between 1,500–5,000 words, and accepted stories are paid $120.00.
They heavily prefer stories told in the first person. The stories will be set throughout Kolchak’s life from the late 1930s to the late 1990s. They are looking for stories to keep the focus on investigation, just like in the TV Shows.
The Librarian Anthology
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.08 a word
Deadline: June 30
Air and Nothingness Press is seeking submissions for an upcoming anthology called The Librarian. They are looking for short stories about a librarian traveling the multiverse. All stories must have a positive ending. They want stories between 1,000–3,500 words, and the payment is $0.08 a word ($80.00–280.00).
Midway Journal — 1,000 Below: Flash Prose and Poetry Contest
Looking For: Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry
Payment: $50.00–500.00
Deadline: June 1
This is a paid contest. The entry fee is $10.00 but covers more than one entry. All entries must be under 1,000 words. Although they accept poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, there are only three winners, not based on genre. The prizes are as follows:
- First Place Prize: $500.00 and publication in Midway Journal
- Second Place Prize: $250.00 and publication in Midway Journal
- Third Place Prize: $50.00 and publication in Midway Journal
Nashville Review
Looking For: Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Translation
Payment: $25.00–100.00
Deadline: May 31
The Nashville Review accepts submissions in the months of January, May, and September. They pay $25.00 for poetry pieces and $100.00 for prose and art pieces. They only accept unpublished works; however, they encourage simultaneous submissions as long as you alert them as soon as you are accepted elsewhere.
One Story
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $500.00
Deadline: May 31
One Story is looking for works of literary fiction of 3,000–8,000 words. They do not have any style or subject limitations. They are looking for stories that are good and leave the reader feeling satisfied. These stories must be strong enough to stand alone.
They only publish unpublished works. However, they accept simultaneous submissions as long as you alert them when they are accepted elsewhere.
Quill & Crow Publishing House — Tales From Brackish Harbor Anthology
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $40.00
Deadline: June 1
Quill & Crow Publishing House is publishing an Anthology set in brackish Harbor, an anthology of Eldritch Horror. Brackish Harbor was settled in the 1920s, and it was once a booming fishing town, but now it is mostly a ghost town filled with dilapidated buildings. Tell stories of this town. They are looking for dark themes, literary horror, cosmic/eldritch horror, Gothic elements, and historical sci-fi/horror blends. They want 5,000–8,000 words stories, and the payment is $40.00.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Riddlebird
Looking For: Nonfiction and Fiction
Payment: $100.00
Deadline: May 9
Riddlebird is looking for submissions of literary fiction, literary genre fiction, and personal essays for their next issue. You can submit one piece of up to 6,000 words. The payment is $100.00.
She Knows
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $150.00–200.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Kenzie Mastroe, an editor at SheKnows, has tweeted that she is looking for food-related essay pitches during AAPI Heritage Month. You can email your pitches to [email protected].
She Media
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $175.00+
Deadline: Ongoing
Katherine Speller, health and sex editor at She Knows / She Media, has tweeted that she is looking to meet new essayists covering sex, wellness, and relationships. Rates start at $175.00. Send pitches to [email protected].
Slate
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00+
Deadline: Ongoing
Rebecca Onion, a senior editor at Slate, tweeted that she is now a senior editor at Slate and that she has updated her pitch page. She is looking for articles covering culture, history, and life.
Space Fantasy Magazine
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.08 a word
Deadline: May 30
Space Fantasy Magazine is looking for stories for their first issue called “Is There Anybody Out There?”
They want stories that challenge a reader’s relationship with space. These stories can be set in the present, past, or future. They are looking for flash fiction and short-short fiction of no more than 1,250 words.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Special Interest Magazine
Looking For: Nonfiction, fiction
Payment: $0.20 per word
Deadline: May 15
Special Interest Magazine tweeted https://twitter.com/SpecialMagizine/status/1513537408444239877 that they are doing an open call for pitches for their first issue. They are looking for pieces between 250–1,400 words. They will also consider longer pieces. They accept reporting, articles, essays, and fiction.
Split Lip Magazine
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $20.00–50.00
Deadline: May 31
Split Lip has six free submission periods a year, and its most recent submission period will end on March 31. You can only send one submission at a time, but they are looking for the following types of content:
- Memoir — under 2,000 words
- Flash Fiction — under 1,000 words
- Poetry — send only one
- Fiction — 1,000–3,000 words
- Interviews and Reviews
- Photography and Art — 1 piece or a link to a portfolio
They pay $25.00 for interviews and reviews for their website. They pay $50.00 for poetry, memoirs, flash fiction, and art for online publication. For print, they pay $5.00 per page with a minimum of $20.00 and 2 contributor copies.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
True Story Competition
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $750.00
Deadline: May 15
There is a $3.00 entry fee for the True Story nonfiction competition. This is an international competition, and multiple submissions can be entered, but each submission requires an entry fee. One story is chosen for publication per issue. The chosen story is paid $750.00, and the author will also receive ten copies of the issue your story appears in.
Essays can be 5,000–10,000 words on any subject and in any style. However, they must be previously unpublished.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Uncanny — Novella Submissions
Looking For: Fiction — Novella
Payment: $0.10 a word ($1,750.00–4,000.00)
Deadline: May 1 — May 15
Uncanny is opening submissions for novellas between 17,500 words and up to 40,000 words opening on May 1. All submissions are due by May 15. Novellas are paid at $0.10 a word. Uncanny publishes science fiction and fantasy fiction.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Visual Arts News
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $0.15+ per word
Deadline: May 15
Visual Arts News tweeted that they have an open call for pitches due May 15, 2022. The guidelines state they are looking for pitches for features between 1,000–3,000 words, exhibition reviews of 500–750 words, and artist profiles of 500–1,500 words. Artist profiles are the most popular stories they accept. Pitches should be sent to [email protected].
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Well + Good
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $0.15+ per word
Deadline: May 10
Well and Good tweeted that they are looking for personal essays about body hair acceptance and celebration, body and swimsuit sizes, mobility and disability, and more. They are also looking for content that includes trans and nonbinary bodies and swimsuits. Payment starts at $200.00. If interested, send your pitch to [email protected].
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Wide Open Eats
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $0.15+ per word
Deadline: May 10
Lyndsay Cordell, the Managing Editor of Wide Open Eats, tweeted that she is currently looking for freelance writers to join the team and write about BBQ, grill, and smokers. They only hire US-based writers.
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