If writers are the backbone to the internet’s success, then they are the heart of any magazine worth reading or buying. Magazines are constantly searching for feature and filler articles on every subject imaginable, but it is not always easy to find magazines willing to pay good article writers what they may be worth, and even the most passionate hard core writer that claims to write out of the sheer love of writing appreciates some compensation from time to time. Many writers depend on these small writing gigs to eat while others may use this meager income as their “mad money.” Whatever your reason may be for jotting down meaningful jargon onto paper, it is comforting to know that there are literally thousands of magazines out there not only seeking content for their magazines, but they are actually willing to pay writers to get their hands on it.
If you happen to be serious about making a nice return on your work, and you should be as you have more than likely spent a few hours not only researching, you have also given yourself a good dose of carpel tunnel, possible headaches, and maybe even drained the last of your creative juices that were being held on reserve, then you should know what to reasonably expect when it comes to payment. Magazines typically pay anywhere from .10 to $1.50 per word or they may have a flat fee of $100.00 to $3,000 per article. A lot rides on your familiarity with the magazine and their needs, so if you really want to see your name in print, then buy a few of your favorite magazines, read some of their articles, check out and meet the criteria for their guidelines, and get busy writing.
Articles submitted with photographs will probably receive a higher return as does an article that has made the status of “feature article,” and if you have written something that is being considered for a magazine’s feature article, please pat yourself on the back or jog around your computer, clicking your heels in the air as this is no easy task. Now, where do you start on your path to success? Below I have listed some top magazines and sites that actually pay writers quite well. Good luck!
1. EATINGWELL
EatingWell contains a mix of solid journalistic profiles, science reports, investigative articles and travel pieces in combination with several cooking/recipe-oriented service features. They expect thorough, accurate research and thought-provoking writing. At the same time, articles must be filled with details and the creative use of anecdotes. Feature stories range from 1,500 to 3,000 words, and pay $1.00 to $1.50 per word. Recipes’ rates range from $100 to $175 per recipe. Rates for stock photography are Cover: $500 One-half page: $150 Spread (2-page): $325 Less than one-half page: $100 Full Page: $225. Contact Eating Well, Inc., P.O. Box 1010, 823A Ferry Road, Charlotte, VT 05445 or call 802-425-5700. For more information on this site, go to: http://www.eatingwell.com/about/guidelines.php.
2. MAMM-Women, Cancer & Community
Send a query with clips and complete mss to Elsie Hsieh, associate editor. Pay is $75 for a 200-word article, and $100 for a 250-word article, on acceptance, and you keep all rights. Content is used in one to two weeks. Guidelines available by e-mail. Mail to: http://[email protected].
3. Gorp
A travel writer haven that pays $100-400/feature; $75-250/column or department, on acceptance. Buys permanent, nonexclusive electronic rights. http://gorp.away.com/index.html. Send complete mss to [email protected].
4. Women’s Enews
This site features women’s issues, and they accept articles from 750 words to 900 words for cover stories. They pay a minimum of $300 per article on acceptance, and they buy all rights. Guidelines available at [email protected].
5. Mad Magazine
Articles needed on anything or everything that catches your fancy and is funny. Especially prized are articles on current trends. Send us a paragraph or two explaining the premise of your article with three or four examples of how you intend to carry it through, describing the action and visual content of each example. Pay is up to $400.00 per article. Send submissions along with a SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED ENVELOPE to MAD Submissions Editor, 1700 Broadway, New York, NY 10011. Allow 8-12 weeks for a response.
6. MyBusinessMag.com
The most successful queries are tightly focused and contain unique information about the small-business experience. Send proposals in writing to Editorial Department c/o MyBusiness magazine, 3322 West End Ave., Ste. 700, Nashville, TN 37203, or e-mail to [email protected]. Include your resume and two to four clips, preferably business-related. Pay is up to $1,000 per article.
7. Nail Pro Magazine
They need writers who can cover industry trends, new products, fashion, beauty, profile different businesses, and flesh out business topics. The pay ranges from $300 to $500 per article. To check out their style go too http: //www.nailpro.com/ If you like what you see then send your submission, resume, cover letter and writing samples to Karie L. Frost, Nailpro Managing Editor at [email protected].
8. Nuts & Volts
Full-length articles should be 1,500-2,500 words (not including sidebars). The entire article, including sidebars, photos, or other supporting material, should not exceed four printed pages without consulting the editor. Pay is $100.00 to $450.00, and they buy one time rights. For submitting articles & more information, go to: http://www.nutsvolts.com/writers.htm.
9. Diabetes self management
This is a self-help magazine for people managing their own diabetes or for care givers of diabetics. Topics needed include pharmacology, nutrition, exercise, medical advances, psychology and disabilities. Articles run 2000-3000 words. Departments include news, parenting, and food shopping ideas, and run 1500-2000 words. The pay is $400 to $700 per article. Query via standard mail and include either clips or writing samples to Suite 800, 150 West 22nd St., New York, NY 1001. http: //www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/.
10. FamilyFun.com is seeking writers with children ages three to 12. This magazine emphasizes activities and ideas and needs simple, clever ideas that solve common household problems, but in the form of brief letters from writers and readers.” These letters run 100-150 words and pay $75 on publication. The “Family Ties” section features reader essays providing “insight into the emotional relationship between the writer and his or her children.” Submit query or full manuscript. Essays run 1,300 words and the pay is $1,625 on acceptance. Specific photographers’ guidelines and travel writers’ guidelines available online at http: //familyfun.go.com/ or http: //familyfun.go.com/Resources/familyfun/writer-guidelines.pdf.
11. Magazine Guidelines Database
This site is filled with hundreds of paying markets for magazine article writers, and there is a contest link on the site with the newest listings. It offers an alphabetical listing from health, travel, history, and religion to writing gigs available. There is also a link for Morning Coffee that offers the newest writing jobs available to writers. The pay varies for each job. For more on this site, go to: http://www.freelancewriting.com/guidelines/pages/index.html.
Terms for Writers
Cover Letter: Cover letters are simply the letter that a writer sends along with an article submission that includes your name, address, the date, a greeting to the editor, your publishing credentials, the title of the article, a summary of the article, and a thank you.
Query Letter: A formal letter that should contain the magazines address, along with the editor’s address that will be reading your query. Write a catchy first paragraph description of your article, include interviews that were conducted and contribute to the articles content, tell the editor why you feel that the article would be perfect for their magazine. Give a brief description of your qualifications, and end by thanking the editor.
.rtf-Rich Text Format
.doc-Microsoft Word
.wpd-Corel WordPerfect
Rejection Letter: A nasty gram that finds its way to all writers, get over it and keep submitting!
E-mail Submissions: Never submit via email unless an editor specifically requests it or it is clearly spelled out in the guidelines.
Writer’s Digest: The magazine that prints new writing markets, instruction columns, writing tips, and a classified section.
Generated Content: This refers to html code that is generated automatically in the course of displaying documents. Generated content can also refer to text generated to bait search engines without real creative content.
Content: Any form of information, referring mainly to text, or text and images together that form a coherent work, referred to as an article.
National Writers Union: By joining the NWU writers benefit from services that include grievance assistance, fair compensation, contract advice, a job hotline, health and professional liability insurance for writers, and a current list of magazines that pay writers $1.00 per word and up.www.NWU.com
General Writing Guideline Fees
General Interest/Consumer Magazines
$1.00 to $2 per word
$500 to $10,000 per article
$400 to $1,500 per column
Trade/Special Interest Magazines
$0.30 to $2 per word
$500 to $4,000 per article
$300 to $1,000 per column
Newspapers
Large Daily Newspapers
$0.30 to $1.00 per word
$250 to $2,500 per article
$330 to $1,250 per column
Smaller Community Newspapers
$0.10 to $0.50 per word
$75 to $1,000 per article
$75 to $500 per column
Online/Web sites
Varies widely; “business” sites pay higher
$1,00 to $3 per word
$60 to $100 per hour
Advertising
Copy/Scripts/News Releases
$350 to $500 per page
$750 to $1,000 per project for brochures
$75 to $150 per hour
Corporate/Business
Reports/Marketing Plans/Technical Writing $3.00 to $5 per word
$500 to $15,000
$75 to $150 per hour
Ghost Writing
Negotiable, based on the publishing and writing experiences of the author/co-author/ghost.
Books
$25,000 to $75,000 flat fee
Entire advance + 50% of royalties
Radio (highly variable)
$75 to $150 per minute of script
Television (highly variable)
$100 to $150 per minute of script
Newsletters
Writing only; layouts extra
$1.00 to $2.00 per word
$400 to $8,000 per issue
$75 to $150 per hour
