34 Publications That Will Pay for Your Personal Essay
Get your story out there
Personal essays have been growing in journalistic popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. We’ve become distanced from each other, particularly now, and reading a story that is relatable, accessible, and hits your emotional points helps span the connection gap.
Everyone wants to read a story that is true, inspiring, and thought-provoking, and editors know this.
As a new writer (or even seasoned), finding a publication that will publish your personal essay can be harder than actually writing it.
Each publication generally has a theme or angle they’re looking for. Not every publication will be the right fit for your personal masterpiece. Make sure you read what they’re all about first.
Here’s a place to start:
Autostraddle
Autostraddle accepts pitches on a rolling basis “from a queer perspective, on the fight for Black lives and Black futures, and the end of white supremacy. They also also “looking for submissions on the joy, humor, creativity and pleasure queer people of color experience.”
Pitch form and guidelines here.
Babbel Magazine
Babbel is looking for articles that “communicate ideas about language in a way that is accessible and stimulating.”
Contributors’ guidelines here.
Bitch Media
Bitch Media is a feminist magazine whose “mission is to provide and encourage an engaged, thoughtful feminist response to mainstream media and popular culture.”
Submission guidelines here.
Boston Globe Ideas
Boston Globe Ideas accepts “pitches and submissions for the following: op-eds; reported stories; book excerpts/adaptations; first-person essays; and Q&A features.”
For first-person essays, they prefer the full submission pasted in the body of the email, not as an attachment.
Submission guidelines here.
Briarpatch Magazine
Briatpath Magazine publishes on the topics of “current events, grassroots activism, electoral politics, economic justice, ecology, labour, food security, gender equity, Indigenous struggles, international solidarity, and other issues of political importance.”
Pitch guidelines here.
Broadview
Broadview “exists to serve a niche audience of progressive Christians, as well as those who share similar core values. Our three editorial pillars are: spirituality, justice and ethical living.”
Submission guidelines here.
Bustle
Bustle accepts pitches, so don’t submit a full draft. They “consider timely first-person pieces and personal essays, experiments and trials, and interviews and profiles.”
Pitch guidelines here.
BuzzFeed — Reader
READER is the personal essay section of Buzzfeed and accepts pitches about “cultural criticism, personal essays, fiction and poetry.”
Submission guidelines here.
Catapult
Catapult publishes American and international fiction and narrative nonfiction that is insightful, stirring, and surprising by way of unique voices — whether emerging or established — that honor the craft of writing.”
Submission guidelines here.
Chatelaine (CAD)
“Chatelaine is Canada’s biggest, best women’s magazine. For over 80 years we’ve been delivering all the content Canadian women want, whether it’s about health, current events, food, social issues, decor or fashion and beauty.”
Pitch guidelines here.
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan is “passionate about surfacing stories from a diverse range of people, using our brand to highlight underrepresented voices and topics in particular. Everyone is welcome on the pages of Cosmopolitan.”
Pitch guidelines here.
Condé Nast Traveller
“Condé Nast Traveller is committed to telling a broad variety of travel stories from many different perspectives, with inclusive coverage that includes BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities.”
Pitch guidelines here.
Discover Magazine
Discover Magazine wants “stories that enlighten, inform and get readers excited about science; we capture science that’s relevant to them. Our stories are grounded in the research, but are driven by strong narratives, high reader interest and a conversational tone. Our audience is broad: Science should be for everyone.”
Pitch guidelines here.
Elle
Elle is committed to publishing on the topics of fashion, beauty, culture, and life and love. Elle commissions through their editorial masthead.
Editorial information here.
Eater Voices
“Eater Voices personal essays tackle a wide range of topics, and provide a unique glimpse into the world of restaurants and bars written by people working within the industry.”
Pitch details here.
Geist Magazine
Geist “is a magazine of ideas and culture with a strong literary focus and a sense of humour. The Geist tone is intelligent, plain-talking, inclusive and offbeat.”
Submission guidelines here.
Hazlitt
“Hazlitt accepts robust queries for works of original journalism, investigative features, international reporting, profiles, essays and humour pieces.”
Submissions on a rolling basis. More details here.
HuffPost Personal
HuffPost’s mission is“to write for, and not just about, those left out of traditional power structures,” HuffPost is seeking to elevate writers from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who are BIPOC, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and writers from other underrepresented communities.”
Pitch guidelines here.
Jezebel
Jezebel describes themselves as a “Supposedly Feminist Website” that features politics, culture, features, books, and “sheroes.”
Pitches go directly to the editorial masthead, which can be found here.
Los Angelas Times Opinion
Los Angelas Times Opinion seeks to “to provide provocative, thoughtful commentary that is reasoned yet opinionated on a wide variety of subjects. The page itself has no ideological bent or political agenda; we want to provide the broadest possible range of opinions — from the left, from the right and, we hope, from authors whose politics are much harder to pigeonhole.”
Submissions must be sent by e-mail to oped@latimes.com.
Maisonneuve
Maisonneuve provides “a diverse range of commentary across the arts, sciences, daily and social life. The magazine has a balanced perspective, and “brings the news” in a wide variety of ways. At its core, Maisonneuve asks questions about our lives and provides answers free of cant and cool.”
Contributor guidelines here.
Medium / The Bold Italic — San Francisco
“The Bold Italic is an online magazine that celebrates the character and free-wheeling spirit of San Francisco and the Bay Area.”
Send pitches to info@thebolditalic.com.
Narratively
“Narratively is devoted to original and untold human stories, delivered in the most appropriate format for each piece, from writing to short documentary films, photo essays, audio stories and comics journalism. We are always interested in adding new, diverse voices to the mix and we pay for stories.”
They accept both pitches and completed submissions. Contributor guidelines here.
Refinery29 (CAD)
“Refinery29’s mission is to help women see, feel, and claim their power… We are inclusive, ahead-of-the-curve, and always represent the unique experiences and perspectives of young Canadian women. We are committed to uplifting the stories and experiences of racialized and marginalized women and gender non-binary people of all abilities, socio-economic statuses, identities, and sizes.”
Pitch guidelines here.
Room Magazine (CAD)
Room Magazine is looking for “original short stories, poems, creative non-fiction, or art. Room publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and art by folks of marginalized genders, including but not limited to women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people.”
Submission guidelines here.
Slate
Slate is a daily magazine that publishes politics, culture, technology, human interest, and a podcast.
Pitches should be directed to the appropriate section editor. Masthead can be found here.
The Globe and Mail Opinion (CAD)
The Globe and Mail Opinion publishes op-eds and essays (including personal) about a range of topics that hit on current news or themes.
Pitches guidelines here.
The New York Times Modern Love
Along with digital publications, The New York Times Modern Love section has now become a podcast and a series on Crave. They are looking for “honest personal essays about contemporary relationships.”
Submission guidelines here.
The New York Times Opinion
The New York Times “accepts opinion essays on any topic for both the daily print page and online section as well as the Sunday Review, the International edition (which is edited out of London and Hong Kong), and other themed series. Published pieces typically run from 400 to 1,200 words, but drafts of any length within the bounds of reason will be considered.”
Submissions may be sent to opinion@nytimes.com.
The Sun Magazine
The Sun Magazine is looking for “personal essays, fiction, and poetry. Personal stories that touch on political and cultural issues are welcome… Surprise us; we often don’t know what we’ll like until we read it.”
Submission guidelines here.
The Temper
“The Temper is a multi-contributor online publication dedicated to dismantling the mainstream assumption that drinking is the only way to do anything worth doing. We explore life through the lens of sobriety, addiction, and recovery.”
Pitch guidelines here.
The Walrus (CAD)
“The Walrus publishes timely short essays (maximum 1,200 words) reported from Canada and around the world. These take the form of reported narratives, memoirs, or small features focusing on a specific topic or issue. They demand a singular, focused argument and a strong writing voice — the author should have something original and significant to say. Our essays differ from newspaper op-eds in their breadth, depth of research, and quality of prose.”
Pitch guidelines here.
This Magazine (CAD)
This Magazine describes themselves as “fiercely independent and proudly subversive, the modern-day This acts as a critical, gutsy voice in today’s media landscape, dedicated to exposing under-the-radar stories and to publishing smart, progressive commentary and reporting on Canadian politics, pop culture, social issues, and the arts.”
Pitches on a rolling basis. Guidelines can be found here.
Vox First Person
Vox First Person is looking for “a wide range of perspectives from writers of every age, gender, race, sexual orientation, and political leaning. We also happily accept pitches from previously unpublished writers — or, for that matter, from non-writers who may have an important story to tell but need help turning it into a piece; we’re here to provide that help.”
Pitch details here.
