Freelance Writing Opportunities — Call For Submissions
Freelance Writing — 42 Writing Calls For Submissions (as of 03/14/22) — 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 42 different publications and websites currently looking for writers. These could be magazines that recently opened their submissions up, deadlines that are fast approaching or 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 42 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.
Starting this week and going forward, you will also see some writing opportunities that are coming to a close. I publish these articles on Mondays, and I will be including any opportunities that the deadline is within 7–13 days of the day I post.
I am doing this for a few reasons. First, in case anyone started working on this particular call for submission, but time got away from them. This will be a good reminder of just how much time they have left. Secondly, I am including them for anyone who missed my original call out of these calls for submissions. In some cases, people will still be able to participate before the deadline.
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! In this week’s article, there are only 4 of these. However, there could easily be a dozen or more as many calls for submissions in some articles end in the middle or at the end of the month.
Good luck finding the perfect writing market for your nonfiction, fiction, and poetry!
Best Women’s Erotica of the Year Volume 9
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $225.00 and 2 copies of the book
Deadline: June 1
The theme of Volume 9 is temptation. They are open to stories that explore temptation as the main plot point or in some other way. They do not want stories set during Covid19 lockdowns or anything referencing COVID. This is partly because this volume will not be published until December 2023.
Stories should be 2,000–4,000 words in length, unpublished, and unique to this anthology. Payment for accepted stories is $225.00, and two copies of the book. They only pay through Venmo, Paypay (preferred), or US Check to US addresses.
The guideline page is specific to what they are looking for and what they do not want in their stories.
Brilliant Flash Fiction Contest
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $20.00–200.00
Deadline: April 15
The Brilliant Flash Fiction Contest is open to everyone, and there is no entry fee. The story must be 500 words or less (not counting the title. All entries must be original and unpublished. The prizes are as follows:
- 1st Place — $200.00
- 2nd Place — $100.00
- 3rd Place — $50.00
- Shortlisted Stories — $20.00 and Publication on their website
Byrdie
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Erica Harwood, the Senior Style Editor for Byrdie, tweeted that she is looking for style pitches. She is especially interested in plus-sized, nonbinary, and disabled fashion pitches.
Rates start at $200.00. Email pitches to [email protected] and put Byrdie Pitch in your subject line.
Chestnut Review
Looking For: Poetry, Prose, Flash Fiction, Visual Art & Photography, Mixed-Genre/Mixed Media
Payment: $120.00
Deadline: March 31
The Chestnut Review is a quarterly magazine, and they also publish an annual anthology. Their current reading period is open until March 31. This reading period is for material for their summer issue which will be published in July.
Although they publish many categories, you can only submit one category per reading period.
- Poetry: They prefer longer poems and multiple submissions. You can submit up to 6 poems at a time, and they absolutely discourage you from only submitting one poem.
- Flash Fiction and Flash Creative nonfiction: You can submit one story of fewer than 1,000 words.
- Prose: Prose can either be nonfiction or fiction, and it must be a stand-alone piece, with no excerpts of longer works. The length should be between 1,000–5,000 words.
- Visual Art or Photography: You can submit up to 20 pieces.
- Mixed-genre/Mixed Media: They love this type a lot. If you feel you have work that does not fit into a standard category, they would love to see it.
Chicken Soup For The Soul — Angels
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: April 15
Chicken Soup For The Soul is always looking for personal nonfiction stories for upcoming books and projects. They pay $200.00 for each accepted story.
You have up to April 15th to submit stories about how angels have touched your life personally. They want stories and poems that tell a story. These submissions can be from writers of any faith or no faith at all.
The link under Details/Website is their possible upcoming themes. You will also want to check out story guidelines and their submit your story link.
Chicken Soup For The Soul — Messages From Heaven
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: April 15
Chicken Soup For The Soul is always looking for personal nonfiction stories for upcoming books and projects. They pay $200.00 for each accepted story.
You have up to April 15th to submit stories about messages from heaven. This can include stories and poems that show how connections with our loved ones do not end once they leave this world.
The link under Details/Website is their possible upcoming themes. You will also want to check out story guidelines and their submit your story link.
Chicken Soup For The Soul — Miracles
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: April 15
Chicken Soup For The Soul is always looking for personal nonfiction stories for upcoming books and projects. They pay $200.00 for each accepted story.
You have up to April 15th to submit stories about miracles. They are looking for true stories, religious and non-religious. These stories should be inspirational or awe-inspiring.
The link under Details/Website is their possible upcoming themes. You will also want to check out story guidelines and their submit your story link.
Chicken Soup For The Soul — Crazy, eccentric, wacky, lovable, fun families
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: April 30
Chicken Soup For The Soul is always looking for personal nonfiction stories for upcoming books and projects. They pay $200.00 for each accepted story.
You have up to April 30th to submit stories about your crazy, eccentric, wacky, loveable, fun families. These stories can be about immediate family, your young children, or anyone you are related to, great-grandparents, grown children, in-laws, etc. They are looking for poems and stories that show love and appreciation — no mean-spirited stories, please!
The link under Details/Website is their possible upcoming themes. You will also want to check out story guidelines and their submit your story link.
Consequence Forum
Looking For: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Visual Art
Payment: $20.00–200.00
Deadline: April 15
Consequence Forum is looking for poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual arts for their print magazine and website. Submissions are open until April 15th. All submissions need to address the human consequences of war and geopolitical violence. Here is what they are looking for and how much they pay:
- Fiction: Flash (can submit up to 3 pieces or 1,000 words), short stories, or book excerpts (both up to 5,000 words). Online prose pays $80.00 per piece. Print Prose pays $40.00 for 1–4 printed pages, $60.00 for 5–10 printed pages and $80.00 for 11+ printed pages.
- Nonfiction: Interviews, reviews, essays, and narrative nonfiction (up to 5,000 words). Online prose pays $80.00 except for reviews which pay $20.00 for short-form reviews and $40.00 for long-form reviews. Reviews are only printed online. Print Prose pays $40.00 for 1–4 printed pages, $60.00 for 5–10 printed pages and $80.00 for 11+ printed pages.
- Poetry: You can submit up to 5 poems of any form. Both online and print poetry pay $40.00.
- Visual Art: Artwork, video essays, graphic narratives, and photo essays. Online art pays $40.00 per piece. Print art pays $200.00 for an eight-page spread (the number of pieces in an 8-page spread varies).
Coppice Prize
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $100.00–500.00
Deadline: March 31
The Redbud Writing Project has announced the Coppice Prizee for an excellent piece of fiction. This is the third year of this contest. Anyone 18 years and older can submit a work of fiction for consideration, but the story must be 4,000 words or less. The prizes are as follows:
- 1st Place: $500.00
- 2nd Place: $200.00
- 3rd Place: $100.00
Cryptid Carnage
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $25.00
Deadline: April 1
Splatter Ink Publishing has an open call for their upcoming anthology called Cryptid Carnage. They are looking for original, unpublished stories from 2,000 to 10,000 words in length. They want horror stories that have to do with cryptids.
Dungeon Masters Guild
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $0.10 a word
Deadline: Ongoing
AshleyMayWrites tweeted that there is an open call for artists and writers familiar with D&D and Food.
Check out the Twitter feed for more info, but they are making a sourcebook and a cookbook related to food, monsters, and magic items. Send pitches to Issac A.L. May — contact info here.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Edge Effects
https://edgeeffects.net/cfp-unpure-imagination/
Details/Website
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $250.00
Deadline: March 21
Edge Effects is looking for submissions through March 21. All accepted pieces will be paid $250.00. Edge Effects is a digital magazine focusing on environmental issues.
Fan Byte
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $200.00+
Deadline: March 31 or sooner (tweet just says this month)
Merritt K, podcasts and editorial for Fanbyte, tweeted that she is accepting a small number of pitches for reported pieces this month. Pitches should be for articles where some research is needed. Rates start at $200.00. email [email protected].
The Fiddlehead
Looking For: Fiction, Poetry and Creative Nonfiction
Payment: $60.00 CAD per published page
Deadline: March 31
The Fiddlehead has two reading periods a year, one which ends on March 31. They accept creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Even though they have two reading periods a year, they only want writers to submit once per genre a year. This means if you submit fiction for consideration now, in their second reading period, you can only submit poetry or creative nonfiction. However, this does not apply to contests.
All work must be previously unpublished to submit. For fiction and creative nonfiction, they want works of 6,000 words or less. They will also take up to two flash fiction stories, each 1,000 words or less. If you submit poetry, you can only submit up to 6 poems.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Flash Fiction Online
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $80.00 for new stories, $0.02 a word for reprints
Deadline: March 21
Flash Fiction Online has a monthly reading period from the 1st to the 21st every month except December. They publish fiction stories 500–1,000 words: literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, or horror.
Gaming Intel
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $15.00–40.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Callum Self (writer and content strategist for Gaming Intel) has tweeted that he is looking for writers. Send over relevant experience and CV to [email protected].
They are specifically looking for writers for CoD Mobile and Pokemon Go. Payment is $15.00 for news, $25.00 for 500 word guides and $40.00 for 1,000 word guides.
Geminga 2022 Contest For Tiny Prose, Poem, or Art
Looking For: Prose (fiction or nonfiction), Poetry and Artwork
Payment: $250.00
Deadline: March 31
The Geminga 2022 contest (the name is based on a neutron star so tiny it was difficult to detect) is a contest for tiny artwork, poetry, and prose. The winner of each category will get $250.00. There is a $5.00 entry fee for participating in this contest.
- Prose entries are limited to 100 words.
- Poetry is limited to 140 characters, and spaces and punctuation count as characters.
- Artwork is limited to a 25 inch square or 25 inches in any dimension for 3d artwork such as a sculpture.
Great Wars Fall 2022 Anthology
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $50.00
Deadline: April 1
Lost Boys Press is looking for short stories for the Great Wars Anthology, which is planned for Fall 2022. They only want previously unpublished work. Each story must be between 3,000 to 9,000 words and be based on the following prompt:
“Write a about a historical war of any culture and any era and change one aspect of it to see how the war might change and explore from there!”
Heroic Fantasy Quarterly
Looking For: Fiction and Poetry
Payment: $12.50–100.00
Deadline: March 31
Heroic Fantasy Quarterly has 4 submission periods a year. Their current submission period is ending on March 31. They state that they do not have iron-clad rules for payment, but typically it is based on word count.
Here is how they generally pay:
- Fiction (under 1,000 words): $25.00
- Fiction (1,000–5,000 words): $50.00
- Fiction (5,001–7,500 words): $75.00
- Fiction (7,500 words and more): $100.00
- Very short poems: $12.50
- Poems under 40 lines: $15.00
- Poems over 40 lines: $25.00
- Poems more than 1,000 words — will follow fiction payment schedule
As the title indicates, they are looking for poetry and prose based on heroic fantasy.
Hidden Compass
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $500.00–800.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Hidden Compass is a journalistic magazine covering destinations and the unique stories of those places. They cover places and stories globally; this is an award-winning, woman-run digital magazine and media company. They have recently tweeted that they are looking for pitches and submissions. This was just a reminder tweet, as they accept submissions and pitches year-round.
They are especially interested in photo features. Features pay $500.00, and photo features pay $800.00. They also pay an additional 50% of fundraising generated by your story. Check out the contributor’s guidelines here.
Immerse
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $250.00
Deadline: April 1
Immerse Now tweeted that they are looking for pitches for their upcoming issue Avatars, Assets & Access. The link will take you to their call for submissions, which includes exactly what they are looking for.
Proposals should be 200 words or less and submitters to [email protected] by Friday, April 1. Their standard fee is $250.00.
Lackington’s
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $25.00–50.00
Deadline: March 31
Lackington’s is looking for speculative fiction 1,500–5,000 words. They pay $0.01 CAD a word, but the minimum payout is $25.00. They do not take reprints, nor do they allow simultaneous submissions.
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Limp Wrist Glitter Bomb Award
Looking For: Poetry
Payment: $50.00–600.00
Deadline: March 24
This is a no-entry-fee poetry contest. This contest is open to LGBTQ and non-binary poets and their allies. There will be one winner and 3 honorable mentions.
The winner of this contest will receive $600.00. Each of the three honorable mentions will receive $50.00.
Madam President Themed Writing
Looking For: Poetry, Essays, and Fiction
Payment: $0.03 a word (up to $220.00)
Deadline: March 30
B Cubed Press is looking for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction (essays) for an upcoming anthology called Madam President. One of the fun things about this anthology is that Madam President could mean many things, not just the POTUS. She could be the POTUS, or the PTA president, or president of another planet or a company.
B Cubed Press is looking for imagination, good writing, and humor. They want fiction, poetry, and essays with at least 100 words but fewer than 7,5000 words.
They will consider reprints, but these submissions will be held to a higher standard.
The Mic
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $400.00+ — can pay up to $0.50 a word for longer, reported stories
Deadline: Ongoing
The Senior Editor at The Mic, Kimberly Alters, has tweeted that she is open to pitches. Their pitching guidelines are linked in under details/website, including many examples of the types of stories they publish.
Mic is about the intersection of culture, impact, and identity. Stories should be told in your own voice and follow your passion. Features are typically between 1,200 to 2,500 words. Rates start at $400.00 for short essays and longer, reported features can pay as much as $0.50 per word depending on the writer’s experience and expertise.
Midnight in the Stagecoach Anthology
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.04 a word ($150.00–360.00)
Deadline: April 30
Silver Shamrock Publishing has announced that they are again looking for submissions for their Midnight in the Stagecoach Anthology. They want original, unpublished splatterpunk western short stories set in the late 1800s Old West. Any type of horror is acceptable. The Word count of these stories is between 2,500–6,000 words.
Moonflowers & Nightshade
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.06 a word (up to $200.00)
Deadline: April 1
Moonflowers & Nightshade is an upcoming anthology of sapphic horror short fiction. They are looking for all types of horror stories, but they must have prominent sapphic themes and content. Sapphic fiction is fiction that includes lesbians, bisexuals, or nonbinary people.
This anthology pays $0.04 a word, and they want stories between 2,000 to 5,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Motionbox
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $100.00
Deadline: Ongoing
Michael Aubry of Motionbox.io recently tweeted that he is looking for writers in the tech space for 2–3 articles a week. The typical payment is $100.00 per article. Articles will be focused on using motionbox.io to enhance creator’s video production. You can DM him if you are interested.
Mythulu Magazine Issue 5 — Wildly Original Fairy Tales
Looking For: Fiction, comics, and Nonfiction
Payment: $30.00 a page, up to $150.00 for comics, $0.08 a word for nonfiction, fiction pays $.04 a word caped at $75.00
Deadline: June 17
For issue 5, Mythulu Magazine is looking for original fairy tales. They do not want reimagined fairytales — must be completely original. These stories can be set in any era and world.
- Short stories are 500–2,800 words.
- Nonfiction articles are 200–1,200 words.
- Graphic-style stories and comics are up to 8 pages, submitted in full color. Storyboard pitches are welcome for this type of submission but are due April 7th.
Mythulu Magazine Issue 6 — Symbiosis
Looking For: Fiction, comics, and Nonfiction
Payment: $30.00 a page, up to $150.00 for comics, $0.08 a word for nonfiction, fiction pays $.04 a word caped at $75.00
Deadline: October 2
For issue 6, they are looking for co-authored stories, nonfiction articles and commentary, and comics.
- Short stories are 500–2,800 words.
- Nonfiction articles are 200–1,200 words.
- Graphic-style stories and comics are up to 8 pages, submitted in full color. Storyboard pitches are welcome for this type of submission but are due April 7th.
Neon Door Column — The Immersive Future
Looking For: Nonfiction
Payment: $250.00
Deadline: April 5
Neon Door Lit is accepting pitches for essays on the immersive future. They want essays that explore the potentials of the metaverse, virtual reality, and immersive technologies.
The Quiet Ones
Looking For: Fiction and Poetry
Payment: $25.00
Deadline: April 14
The Quiet Ones is a tri-annual literary zine, and they are looking for pieces for their June 2022 issue. The theme of this issue is post-apocalyptic pride. The work submitted needs to contain horror elements. They are looking for flash and micro fiction (up to 1,000 words), short stories (up to 3,000 words), and poetry. Each selected piece is paid $25.00. Authors can submit up to 2 pieces for consideration.
Scott’s Planet
Looking For: Fiction and Poetry
Payment: $0.03 a word ($15.00–150.00)
Deadline: May 30
Moksha has issued a call for submissions for a shared world anthology based on a story called Scott’s Planet. The story is published on the announcement page (linked under Details/Website).
They want stories between 500–5,000 words, and the payment is $0.03 a word. Poetry will be considered.
Six-Word Wonder
Looking For: Fiction, poetry
Payment: $100.00
Deadline: November 30
This is a short and sweet and, of course, the best part, free contest. The winner will get $100.00. If you are unsure what a 6-word story/poem looks like — check out this link.
Snafu: Dead or Alive
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.05 a word AU ($100.00–500.00)
Deadline: March 31
Cohesion Press has issued a call for submission for their upcoming anthology Snafu: Dead or Alive. They are looking for Fantasy, Horror, and Science fiction stories 2,000–10,000 words based in the wild west.
Terrain — Theme: Wildfire
Looking For: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Multimedia and Mixed-Genre
Payment: $200.00
Deadline: April 4
Terrain.org has an open call for submissions through April 4th for their wildfire-themed issue. They accept all forms of poetry, nonfiction up to 5,000 words, fiction up to 5,000 words, artwork up to 12 pieces, and multimedia or mixed genre submissions. Payment is $200.00 per accepted writer or artist, regardless of how many pieces they publish.
Third Flatiron
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.08 a word. ($48.00–240.00)
Deadline: Opens March 15, Closes April 1
Third Flatiron is looking for flash fiction (600–1,000 words) and fiction (1,500–3,000 words). Payment is the professional rate of $0.08 a word.
Transformations
Looking For: Nonfiction,
Payment: $100.00
Deadline: April 15
Transformations has tweeted that they are looking for nonfiction narrative essays on their newest prompt — courageous acts. These essays should be about bravery you have witnessed or embodied, and they should be between 600–750 words in length. Email your submission to [email protected].
**UPCOMING DEADLINE**
Uncanny
Looking For: Nonfiction, Fiction, Art, and Poetry
Payment: $40.00–4,000.00 (high end payments are for novellas)
Deadline: Opens March 14, Closes March 21
Uncanny is a science fiction and fantasy magazine, and their submission period opens on March 14 and lasts for one week. They are looking for short stories, novellas, poetry, essays, and reprint art submissions. Here is how much they pay for each type of piece:
- Reprint Artwork: $125.00
- Essays: $100.00
- Poetry: $40.00 — you may submit up to 5 at a time but in separate submissions
- Short Fiction: $0.10 per word, between 750–6,000 words (up to $600.00).
- Novellas: $0.10 per word, between 17,500–40,000 words (up to $4,000.00).
War-Torn
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $20.00
Deadline: April 1
War-Torn is an upcoming anthology being published by Shackle Bound Books. They are looking for reprint stories only. These stories should be 4,000–6,000 words. They should be in the following genres: military fantasy, military science fiction, or fantasy stories that feature war in a big way.
Weird Horror
Looking For: Fiction
Payment: $0.015 per word, minimum $25.00, maximum $90.00.
Deadline: March 31
Weird Horror has two submission periods a year, and their current reading period ends March 31. They are looking for weird fiction and horror stories 500–6,000 words. Payment is $0.015 per word plus 2 copies of the print edition that your work appears in.
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