If you love the great outdoors and are passionate about conservation, you can get paid for writing about it! Hiking and climbing enthusiasts are welcome to share their adventures, as are those who are dedicated to preserving wild habitats and the creatures that live in them.
Magazines focusing on the environment have a dedicated readership, and some pay quite well for a thoroughly researched feature. But even if your only interest is writing about your hiking adventures, there is plenty of opportunity to get published.
NOTE: For more paying markets, including markets for humor, poetry, speculative fiction, personal essays, parenting, and more see: Paying Markets.
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Alpinist Magazine is committed to "celebrating world alpinism and adventure climbing in the simplest, most beautiful manner possible. The heart of Alpinist lies in first-person accounts of long routes from around the world, investigative reports of subjects compelling to climbing aficionados, and documentary pieces that capture the spirit of ascent in any of its myriad forms. We welcome queries on article ideas from our readers, and encourage contact prior to the submission of articles." Payment is $.25 per word for feature articles.
Alternative Journal is Canada's environmental voice. They invite proposals for investigative features, shorter reports and notes, interviews and profiles, resource guides, research findings, cultural commentary and compelling photography, illustration and graphics. Payment 10 cents/word.
AMC Outdoors is the publication of the Appalachian Mountain Club. "In each issue of AMC Outdoors, two compelling features tell stories about people and places that stimulate readers' curiosity and engage their passion for the outdoors. Features typically are assigned to professional writers six months to a year in advance and are due four months before publication date. We are always on the lookout for stories that showcase an outdoor activity in a new and exciting way, offer a tangible sense of place and meaning, or profile individuals with unique approaches to conservation in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We are interested in stories that lend themselves to stunning imagery and that feature people of diverse backgrounds and ages sharing their connections to the outdoors and recreation. Departments are designed to be short, in-depth articles that provide readers with news and advice on a variety of outdoor recreation and conservation topics." Features range from 2,000 to 2,500 words. Payment: "We generally pay $750 for features and $150 to $350 for departments."
Anthropocene is looking for stories that "investigate novel and innovative solutions to longstanding environmental and sustainability problems. Solutions journalism is a craft unto itself—it requires more than adding a “wait, there’s hope” paragraph at the end of a story." Payment is negotiated.
Backcountry Magazine wants "researched, original ideas with a strong backcountry hook, from current events to prolific characters to unique destinations. We are always looking for Feature ideas, as well as Destination stories for our Route Finding Department. Pitch us Profiles and Newsworthy items, Mountain Skills pieces, and Accounts of avalanches and other mountain mishaps as well." Payment is 35 cents/word.
BirdWatching magazine is all about, um, watching birds. It’s a good idea to send a query or story proposal before you go to the trouble of finishing a manuscript. Payment is not specified.
Mother Earth Living is a magazine that strives to be "entertaining and informative for readers interested in living a healthy, environmentally conscious lifestyle." Various sections of the magazine have different requirements. Articles in the four departments—Home, Health, Food and Garden—should be succinct and shorter than features. Features are longer and frequently require vendor resources—information on where you can buy certain products. Payment is negotiated.
Earth Island Journal is always looking for compelling and distinctive stories that anticipate environmental concerns before they become pressing problems, stories that scan the horizon for the next big issue. "We want stories that will surprise, provoke, and entertain our readers and that explore new territory overlooked by other publications. We cover the entire spectrum of environmental issues, including, wildlife and lands conservation; innovations in science and technology; public policy and the politics of environmental protection; climate and energy; animal rights; public health; environmental justice and cultural survival; and environmentally related film, music, and books." Payment is 25 cents/word for print stories. You can expect to earn about $750-$1000 for an in-depth feature story (about 4,000 words). For online reports, the fee ranges from $50 to $100. "Online reports are a great way to get into the Journal, especially if you are new to reporting and writing. We publish online five days a week and are always looking for fresh ideas."
Outside is a monthly national magazine "dedicated to covering the people, sports and activities, politics, art, literature, and hardware of the outdoors." They are looking for articles on outdoor events, regions, and activities; informative seasonal service pieces; sports and adventure travel pieces; profiles of engaging outdoor characters; and investigative stories on environmental issues. Payment is not specified.
Sierra is the storytelling arm of the Sierra Club, the United States’ oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental group. "We are a national print and digital magazine publishing award-winning journalism and cutting-edge photography, art, and video dedicated to protecting the natural world. Combining features on green living and outdoor adventure with reporting about threats to the environment, Sierra brings together leading journalists, photographers, and filmmakers to convey the ideals at the heart of the Sierra Club’s mission." Payment is not specified.
Northern Woodlands’ audience consists of conservation-minded people with an interest in all aspects of the forests of the Northeast. "Our articles and columns range in scope, and may include subjects such as woodlot management, wildlife species, scat, chainsaw maintenance, woodworking, and reflections on natural landscapes. We like to surprise our readers with stories they won't find anywhere else. We are not a trade magazine for the forest products industry or an advocacy magazine for preservationists." Payment varies.
Fiction and nonfiction
Bear Deluxe. The Bear Deluxe Magazine is the flagship project of Orlo and is published semi-annually from our headquarters in Portland, Oregon. "The magazine aims to enrich the cultural dialogue about the environment through creative nonfiction, interviews, reportage, essays, reviews, poetry, fiction and visual art published in the soy-based inky, recycled pages of the magazine and online." Payment is negotiated.
The Future Fire publishes "beautiful and useful fiction and poetry that focuses on the social-political elements of imaginary, futuristic, fantastic, horrifying, surreal or otherwise speculative universes. We are particularly interested in feminist, queer, postcolonial and ecological themes, writing by under-represented voices, and stories from outside the Anglophone world." Payment not specified.
Magazines focusing on the environment have a dedicated readership, and some pay quite well for a thoroughly researched feature. But even if your only interest is writing about your hiking adventures, there is plenty of opportunity to get published.
NOTE: For more paying markets, including markets for humor, poetry, speculative fiction, personal essays, parenting, and more see: Paying Markets.
______________________
Alpinist Magazine is committed to "celebrating world alpinism and adventure climbing in the simplest, most beautiful manner possible. The heart of Alpinist lies in first-person accounts of long routes from around the world, investigative reports of subjects compelling to climbing aficionados, and documentary pieces that capture the spirit of ascent in any of its myriad forms. We welcome queries on article ideas from our readers, and encourage contact prior to the submission of articles." Payment is $.25 per word for feature articles.
Alternative Journal is Canada's environmental voice. They invite proposals for investigative features, shorter reports and notes, interviews and profiles, resource guides, research findings, cultural commentary and compelling photography, illustration and graphics. Payment 10 cents/word.
AMC Outdoors is the publication of the Appalachian Mountain Club. "In each issue of AMC Outdoors, two compelling features tell stories about people and places that stimulate readers' curiosity and engage their passion for the outdoors. Features typically are assigned to professional writers six months to a year in advance and are due four months before publication date. We are always on the lookout for stories that showcase an outdoor activity in a new and exciting way, offer a tangible sense of place and meaning, or profile individuals with unique approaches to conservation in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We are interested in stories that lend themselves to stunning imagery and that feature people of diverse backgrounds and ages sharing their connections to the outdoors and recreation. Departments are designed to be short, in-depth articles that provide readers with news and advice on a variety of outdoor recreation and conservation topics." Features range from 2,000 to 2,500 words. Payment: "We generally pay $750 for features and $150 to $350 for departments."
Anthropocene is looking for stories that "investigate novel and innovative solutions to longstanding environmental and sustainability problems. Solutions journalism is a craft unto itself—it requires more than adding a “wait, there’s hope” paragraph at the end of a story." Payment is negotiated.
Backcountry Magazine wants "researched, original ideas with a strong backcountry hook, from current events to prolific characters to unique destinations. We are always looking for Feature ideas, as well as Destination stories for our Route Finding Department. Pitch us Profiles and Newsworthy items, Mountain Skills pieces, and Accounts of avalanches and other mountain mishaps as well." Payment is 35 cents/word.
BirdWatching magazine is all about, um, watching birds. It’s a good idea to send a query or story proposal before you go to the trouble of finishing a manuscript. Payment is not specified.
Mother Earth Living is a magazine that strives to be "entertaining and informative for readers interested in living a healthy, environmentally conscious lifestyle." Various sections of the magazine have different requirements. Articles in the four departments—Home, Health, Food and Garden—should be succinct and shorter than features. Features are longer and frequently require vendor resources—information on where you can buy certain products. Payment is negotiated.
Earth Island Journal is always looking for compelling and distinctive stories that anticipate environmental concerns before they become pressing problems, stories that scan the horizon for the next big issue. "We want stories that will surprise, provoke, and entertain our readers and that explore new territory overlooked by other publications. We cover the entire spectrum of environmental issues, including, wildlife and lands conservation; innovations in science and technology; public policy and the politics of environmental protection; climate and energy; animal rights; public health; environmental justice and cultural survival; and environmentally related film, music, and books." Payment is 25 cents/word for print stories. You can expect to earn about $750-$1000 for an in-depth feature story (about 4,000 words). For online reports, the fee ranges from $50 to $100. "Online reports are a great way to get into the Journal, especially if you are new to reporting and writing. We publish online five days a week and are always looking for fresh ideas."
Outside is a monthly national magazine "dedicated to covering the people, sports and activities, politics, art, literature, and hardware of the outdoors." They are looking for articles on outdoor events, regions, and activities; informative seasonal service pieces; sports and adventure travel pieces; profiles of engaging outdoor characters; and investigative stories on environmental issues. Payment is not specified.
Sierra is the storytelling arm of the Sierra Club, the United States’ oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental group. "We are a national print and digital magazine publishing award-winning journalism and cutting-edge photography, art, and video dedicated to protecting the natural world. Combining features on green living and outdoor adventure with reporting about threats to the environment, Sierra brings together leading journalists, photographers, and filmmakers to convey the ideals at the heart of the Sierra Club’s mission." Payment is not specified.
Northern Woodlands’ audience consists of conservation-minded people with an interest in all aspects of the forests of the Northeast. "Our articles and columns range in scope, and may include subjects such as woodlot management, wildlife species, scat, chainsaw maintenance, woodworking, and reflections on natural landscapes. We like to surprise our readers with stories they won't find anywhere else. We are not a trade magazine for the forest products industry or an advocacy magazine for preservationists." Payment varies.
Fiction and nonfiction
Bear Deluxe. The Bear Deluxe Magazine is the flagship project of Orlo and is published semi-annually from our headquarters in Portland, Oregon. "The magazine aims to enrich the cultural dialogue about the environment through creative nonfiction, interviews, reportage, essays, reviews, poetry, fiction and visual art published in the soy-based inky, recycled pages of the magazine and online." Payment is negotiated.
The Future Fire publishes "beautiful and useful fiction and poetry that focuses on the social-political elements of imaginary, futuristic, fantastic, horrifying, surreal or otherwise speculative universes. We are particularly interested in feminist, queer, postcolonial and ecological themes, writing by under-represented voices, and stories from outside the Anglophone world." Payment not specified.
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