Eight Magazines That Pay $1 a Word for Articles

NOTE: The information below was valid at the time it was posted. Magazines, however, go in and out of business all the time, so be sure to visit a publication’s website and check its guidelines before submitting anything to them. Also, check with sites like mr.magazine.com to find out about new start-up magazines).

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Beginning freelancers often sell to low-paying markets when trying to break into the field. Sooner or later, however, they begin to realize that more money can be made by sellling to higher-end publications. $1 a word is a good goal to have — sell a 1,000 word article and make $1,000. Surely beats writing for publications that pay a pittance — or sometimes nothing at all.

To start you on your way to selling to higher-paying markets, check out the following group of publications that pay at least $1 a word for articles. Some pay much more.

American Forests, which is produced by the nation’s oldest citizen conservation group, welcomes new writers. Looks for topics that profile the group’s work, including its Global ReLeaf Forest plantings, and examples of urban forestry, small community-based forestry projects that benefit local land and landowners. Writers are advised to study a few issues before submitting queries. Payment ranges from $100 for clipping items (to 300 words) to up to $2,000 for feature-length articles with photos supplied. Writers can also submit samples of their work and ask to be considered for assignment. Specify your specialty: (education topics, policy, science stories, etc.). Guidelines are online here.

Major articles for Boy’s Life run from 500 to 1,500 words and payment is $400 to $1,500. “We cover everything from professional sports to American history to how to pack a canoe,” according to their writer’s guidelines. Articles must interest and entertain boys ages 6 to 18. Editors want to see queries by mail (with SASE). Buys first-time rights. Click here for complete guidelines.

Scrap Magazine pays $800-1200 for articles ranging from 2000-3000 words in length. Pays $600-$1200 for photo shoots. Scrap is the preeminent magazine for the scrap recycling industry, which is NOT the same as curbside recycling. The magazine provides news and feature articles on topics to help scrap recyclers operate better, more profitable businesses. According to the writer’s guidelines, “The best way to understand the scrap industry is to visit our website and the site of our related trade association and review a sample copy of Scrap.” Buys all rights, including electronic. Guidelines are online here.

enRoute is Canada’s upscale, award-winning bilingual (English/French) inflight magazine for people who work and play on a global scale. It’s read by nearly 1 million passengers a month. The publication’s base rate if $1 a word Canadian upon acceptance. Short profiles, feature profiles, roundup service features, essays, cultural trend stories, short and long travel features and front-of-the-book roundup of short pieces on global travel/lifestyle trends. Read the guidelines for editorial requirements plus some back issues before you pitch the publication.

Coastal Living Magazine is a lifestyle publication that covers homes, destinations, activities and people along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coast of North America, including Hawaii and Alaska, as well as coastal Canada and Mexico and, from time to time, the Caribbean islands and the U.S. Great Lakes. Stories are planned a year in advance during editorial meetings from November through January, so you can research a story now to pitch for issues to be published in 2010. Pays $1 a word, plus reasonable expenses (such as transportation, lodging and dining for travel stories). Be sure to check out the extensive writer’s guidelines before approaching the publication.

The mission of EdTech: Focus on Higher Education is to help college and university IT managers, directors, practitioners, and others to better serve their institutions. The magazine uses features, best practices, case studies, reviews, columns and tech trends. 90% of the publication is written by freelancers. Payment is $1 a word for 500-1500 words. Currently the publication needs story pitches, including specific technologies and schools that would make a good fit for the story. You can request complete guidelines by email. Some advice from the guidelines: “Make sure stories include a technology angle and are relevant to higher education.”

Eating Well is a bimonthly national food magazine that focuses on eating healthfully. Readers are interested not only in cooking and nutrition, but also the origins of food and social issues related to food. The guidelines state: “We welcome ideas from new writers. If you haven’t worked with us before, it’s best to start off pitching front-of-the-book ideas, even if you’re an established writer. Consider it an audition for a longer piece.” The pay rate is up to $1 a word and the magazine purchases all rights, including Web rights. Check out the guidelines for freelance-friendly columns and tips to help you pitch to the publication.

Midwest Living is a bi-monthly lifestyle magazine that focuses on travel, food, home and garden. Most articles take a service approach and run between 300 and 1,000 words. They coverage area is Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesote, Iowa, Missouri, North and South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas, and sometimes Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee. The guidelines detail what makes successful pitches to them, what they’re not interested in, and how to submit an idea. According to the guidelines: “Our rates vary depending on the article, the writer and the amount of research involved, but we are generally in the range of 80 cents to $1 a word, plus expenses.” Go here to read complete guidelines.

If you pitch one of these publications and receive a go-ahead, please come back here and share the news with everyone. And we’d be delighted to read your articles when they are published. Please let us know.

Use the listed information at your own risk. Words into Print gives no warranty to
completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, although research is done to the best of our ability.

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© 2008 by Laverne Daley

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