While literary journals generally offer modest compensation (if any), there are some magazines that pay handsome professional rates.
Many of these specialize in niche markets, which means they have a loyal readership.
If you happen to have expertise or a background that would appeal to their audiences, these magazines will be happy to read your pitch. Quite a few accept poetry.
All information is taken from the journals’ websites.
Also see:
225 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction: These magazines represent everything from speculative fiction, to poetry, to gardening. Payments range from $1.25 to $1,000. You will find a home for your work in this list.
Speculative Fiction Magazines Accepting Submissions: If you write science fiction, fantasy, or horror you will want to pore over this list. I have included pay ranges as well as whether they accept simultaneous submissions and/or reprints.
163 Literary Magazines Accepting Reprints: Most magazines do not accept reprints, but some welcome them. I have indicated which markets are currently paying writers.
____________________
1. Tai Chi Magazine
Tai Chi Magazine focuses on self-defense, internal skills, health, meditation, fitness, self-improvement, ch'i cultivation, Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, herbs, massage, etc.) and spiritual growth.
"Articles may be a feature or interview about a style, self-defense techniques, principles and philosophy, training methods, weapons, case histories of benefits, or new or unusual uses for T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Interviews with teachers or personalities should focus on their unique or individual insights into T'ai Chi Ch'uan, internal martial arts, qigong, or Traditional Chinese Medicine rather than on their personal achievement or ability, although their background can be woven into the article."
Length: Articles range from 500 to 3,500 words.
Payment: Tai Chi Magazine pay $75 to $500 per article depending on the length and quality of the article. It usually pays within 90 days of publication.
____________________
2. Catholic Digest
"We are a lifestyle magazine that encourages and supports Catholics in a variety of life stages and circumstances. Our writers speak with the authority of experience, but always with an encouraging and positive voice. We recognize the importance of beauty and use beauty and truth to inspire our readers, but we also recognize real-life limitations. None of us is perfect. We are real-life Catholics who care deeply about our faith and our family."
Length: Approximately 550-700 words for Last Word. Features are approximately 1500 words and cover marriage, parenting, spirituality, and relationships, along with parish and work life.
Payment: $500 for features and Last Word, upon publication.
____________________
3. Earth Island Journal
"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.
Whenever possible, we seek to tell the stories of individuals and communities who are successfully defending and restoring the Earth. On-the-ground reports from outside North America are especially welcomed. These pieces should be appropriate for an educated, environmentally savvy readership. We do not consider technical or academic reports."
Length and Payment: 25 cents/word for shorter dispatches (1,200-1,500 words) and for longer investigative features (2,500-3,000 words). You can expect to earn about $750-$1000 for an in-depth feature story. For online reports, the fee ranges from $50 to $100.
____________________
4. VQR
"VQR strives to publish the best writing we can find. While we have a long history of publishing accomplished and award-winning authors, we also seek and support emerging writers. We read unsolicited fiction, poetry, and nonfiction submissions June 15 to July 15, and October 1 to November 1 each year through our Submittable portal. We read nonfiction pitches from June 15 to December 1." Note: No genre fiction.
Payment: $200 per poem, up to 4 poems; for a suite of 5 or more poems, payment is $1,000. For short fiction, $1,000. For other prose, such as personal essays and literary criticism, $1,000 and above, at approximately 25 cents per word, depending on length. Online content is generally paid at $100-$200, depending upon genre and length.
_________________
5. AMC Outdoors Magazine
"AMC Outdoors inspires readers to get outside and get involved by providing high-quality coverage of outdoor recreation, education, and conservation topics throughout the Northern Appalachian region, from Maine to Virginia. Our goal is to provide a balance of coverage that appeals to people new to the outdoors as well as experienced backcountry users. Our primary focus is recreation, but we also work to educate our more than 90,000 members on environmental issues that could affect the activities and natural areas they love. AMC Outdoors is published six times per year."
Payment and Length: $500 – $700 for features, which usually range from 2,000 to 2,500 words.
____________________
6. The Sun Magazine
"We publish essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry. We tend to favor personal writing, but we’re also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues."
Payment: From $300 to $2,000 for essays and interviews, $300 to $1,500 for fiction, and $100 to $200 for poetry. Reprints considered at half the rate.
No electronic submissions.
____________________
7. The Nation
"We are a weekly journal of left/liberal opinion, covering national and international affairs as well as the arts publishing in both print and digitally. On the domestic front, we are particularly interested in civil liberties, civil rights, labor, economics, environmental, privacy and policing and feminist issues and politics. Because we have readers all over the country, it’s important that stories have national significance. In our foreign affairs coverage, we are interested in pieces on international political, economic and social developments. We are strongly committed to investigative reporting."
Payment: $250 for short comments of about 750 words and $500 for articles, 1,500-2,500 words.
Accepts poetry.
____________________
8. The American Gardener
"The American Gardener is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society. The 64-page, four-color magazine goes out bimonthly to nearly 20,000 members. We stress environmentally responsible gardening practices, including minimizing use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, preventing illegal collection of plants from the wild, and avoiding plants with the potential to escape and damage natural ecosystems."
Payment: Payment for feature articles ranges from $300 to $600 on publication, depending on the article’s length and complexity, and the author’s background and publishing experience. Reimbursement for travel and other expenses can sometimes be negotiated at the time an article is accepted.
____________________
9. One Story
One Story is seeking literary short stories. "They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone." Single stories are sent to email subscribers every month.
Length: Between 3,000 and 8,000 words.
Payment: $500 and 25 contributors copies.
Simultaneous submissions okay.
____________________
10. The American Scholar
The American Scholar is a quarterly magazine of essays, fiction, poetry, and articles covering public affairs, literature, science, history, and culture. Published since 1932 for the general reader by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the Scholar considers nonfiction by known and unknown writers, but unsolicited fiction, poetry, and book reviews are not accepted.
Payment: Up to $500 for accepted pieces and up to $250 for pieces taken only for their website.
____________________
11. Herizons
"Herizons' audience is a feminist readership. Articles about applying feminist principles in work, in relationships and organizations, and in social justice are welcome. Our readers are interested in health issues, social and political issues, environmental issues, equality issues, justice issues, spiritual issues; parenting issues and all issues informed by diverse racial and cultural experiences. Articles in which the writer is engaged with the material work best; personal experiences, journalism style articles, interviews, articles which bring in current research and a clear feminist perspective are all things we look for."
Payment and length: Features - 1,000 to 3,000 words. In depth articles on feminist debates, current social/ political/legal/environmental/culture emerging issues or personal stories with a broader social relevance. Can be interview style, essay style or journalism style. Non academic. $250-$750 depending on length. Also publishes short new pieces for $175 and reviews for $65.
_____________________
12. The New Haven Review
"We like to see submissions from writers who can claim some connection to Greater New Haven, no matter how spurious, though it's not mandatory. We also like to see book reviews that are better than the book reviews you usually see out there, for whatever reason. But that said, we mostly publish essays, fiction (of any genre), poetry, and occasionally photojournalism."
Payment: At least $500 for prose pieces, fiction or nonfiction. $25 per poem, will publish more than one of an author's poems.
_____________________
13. One Teen Story
"One Teen Story is looking for great short stories written for the young adult audience ages 13 and up. These stories should deal with the teen experience (issues of identity, friendship, family, coming-of-age, etc.) and should be geared primarily toward an audience of teen readers. With that in mind, gratuitous profanity, sex and drug use are best avoided. We’re open to all genres of literary fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words."
Payment: $500
_____________________
14. Oregon Humanities
"As a publication of ideas and perspectives, Oregon Humanities magazine offers a forum through which Oregon writers, scholars, and readers can use the humanities to explore timeless and timely ideas and themes. We only accept submissions of nonfiction writing and artwork when we announce each issue’s theme. All personal essays and features focus on a particular issue’s theme."
Payment: $50 to $200 for shorter department pieces and $300 to $800 for personal essays and features; payment varies depending on the length and complexity of the piece.
______________________
15. Poets & Writers Magazine
"Poets & Writers Magazine reaches a national audience of 100,000 readers from emerging to established literary writers. The magazine has a strong following among both students and faculty in creative writing programs across the country. In addition, many of its readers pursue creative writing as an avocation, often pairing their literary lives with other careers."
Payment: Up to $500, query first
Many of these specialize in niche markets, which means they have a loyal readership.
If you happen to have expertise or a background that would appeal to their audiences, these magazines will be happy to read your pitch. Quite a few accept poetry.
All information is taken from the journals’ websites.
Also see:
225 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction: These magazines represent everything from speculative fiction, to poetry, to gardening. Payments range from $1.25 to $1,000. You will find a home for your work in this list.
Speculative Fiction Magazines Accepting Submissions: If you write science fiction, fantasy, or horror you will want to pore over this list. I have included pay ranges as well as whether they accept simultaneous submissions and/or reprints.
163 Literary Magazines Accepting Reprints: Most magazines do not accept reprints, but some welcome them. I have indicated which markets are currently paying writers.
____________________
1. Tai Chi Magazine
Tai Chi Magazine focuses on self-defense, internal skills, health, meditation, fitness, self-improvement, ch'i cultivation, Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, herbs, massage, etc.) and spiritual growth.
"Articles may be a feature or interview about a style, self-defense techniques, principles and philosophy, training methods, weapons, case histories of benefits, or new or unusual uses for T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Interviews with teachers or personalities should focus on their unique or individual insights into T'ai Chi Ch'uan, internal martial arts, qigong, or Traditional Chinese Medicine rather than on their personal achievement or ability, although their background can be woven into the article."
Length: Articles range from 500 to 3,500 words.
Payment: Tai Chi Magazine pay $75 to $500 per article depending on the length and quality of the article. It usually pays within 90 days of publication.
____________________
2. Catholic Digest
"We are a lifestyle magazine that encourages and supports Catholics in a variety of life stages and circumstances. Our writers speak with the authority of experience, but always with an encouraging and positive voice. We recognize the importance of beauty and use beauty and truth to inspire our readers, but we also recognize real-life limitations. None of us is perfect. We are real-life Catholics who care deeply about our faith and our family."
Length: Approximately 550-700 words for Last Word. Features are approximately 1500 words and cover marriage, parenting, spirituality, and relationships, along with parish and work life.
Payment: $500 for features and Last Word, upon publication.
____________________
3. Earth Island Journal
"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.
Whenever possible, we seek to tell the stories of individuals and communities who are successfully defending and restoring the Earth. On-the-ground reports from outside North America are especially welcomed. These pieces should be appropriate for an educated, environmentally savvy readership. We do not consider technical or academic reports."
Length and Payment: 25 cents/word for shorter dispatches (1,200-1,500 words) and for longer investigative features (2,500-3,000 words). You can expect to earn about $750-$1000 for an in-depth feature story. For online reports, the fee ranges from $50 to $100.
____________________
4. VQR
"VQR strives to publish the best writing we can find. While we have a long history of publishing accomplished and award-winning authors, we also seek and support emerging writers. We read unsolicited fiction, poetry, and nonfiction submissions June 15 to July 15, and October 1 to November 1 each year through our Submittable portal. We read nonfiction pitches from June 15 to December 1." Note: No genre fiction.
Payment: $200 per poem, up to 4 poems; for a suite of 5 or more poems, payment is $1,000. For short fiction, $1,000. For other prose, such as personal essays and literary criticism, $1,000 and above, at approximately 25 cents per word, depending on length. Online content is generally paid at $100-$200, depending upon genre and length.
_________________
5. AMC Outdoors Magazine
"AMC Outdoors inspires readers to get outside and get involved by providing high-quality coverage of outdoor recreation, education, and conservation topics throughout the Northern Appalachian region, from Maine to Virginia. Our goal is to provide a balance of coverage that appeals to people new to the outdoors as well as experienced backcountry users. Our primary focus is recreation, but we also work to educate our more than 90,000 members on environmental issues that could affect the activities and natural areas they love. AMC Outdoors is published six times per year."
Payment and Length: $500 – $700 for features, which usually range from 2,000 to 2,500 words.
____________________
6. The Sun Magazine
"We publish essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry. We tend to favor personal writing, but we’re also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues."
Payment: From $300 to $2,000 for essays and interviews, $300 to $1,500 for fiction, and $100 to $200 for poetry. Reprints considered at half the rate.
No electronic submissions.
____________________
7. The Nation
"We are a weekly journal of left/liberal opinion, covering national and international affairs as well as the arts publishing in both print and digitally. On the domestic front, we are particularly interested in civil liberties, civil rights, labor, economics, environmental, privacy and policing and feminist issues and politics. Because we have readers all over the country, it’s important that stories have national significance. In our foreign affairs coverage, we are interested in pieces on international political, economic and social developments. We are strongly committed to investigative reporting."
Payment: $250 for short comments of about 750 words and $500 for articles, 1,500-2,500 words.
Accepts poetry.
____________________
8. The American Gardener
"The American Gardener is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society. The 64-page, four-color magazine goes out bimonthly to nearly 20,000 members. We stress environmentally responsible gardening practices, including minimizing use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, preventing illegal collection of plants from the wild, and avoiding plants with the potential to escape and damage natural ecosystems."
Payment: Payment for feature articles ranges from $300 to $600 on publication, depending on the article’s length and complexity, and the author’s background and publishing experience. Reimbursement for travel and other expenses can sometimes be negotiated at the time an article is accepted.
____________________
9. One Story
One Story is seeking literary short stories. "They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone." Single stories are sent to email subscribers every month.
Length: Between 3,000 and 8,000 words.
Payment: $500 and 25 contributors copies.
Simultaneous submissions okay.
____________________
10. The American Scholar
The American Scholar is a quarterly magazine of essays, fiction, poetry, and articles covering public affairs, literature, science, history, and culture. Published since 1932 for the general reader by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the Scholar considers nonfiction by known and unknown writers, but unsolicited fiction, poetry, and book reviews are not accepted.
Payment: Up to $500 for accepted pieces and up to $250 for pieces taken only for their website.
____________________
11. Herizons
"Herizons' audience is a feminist readership. Articles about applying feminist principles in work, in relationships and organizations, and in social justice are welcome. Our readers are interested in health issues, social and political issues, environmental issues, equality issues, justice issues, spiritual issues; parenting issues and all issues informed by diverse racial and cultural experiences. Articles in which the writer is engaged with the material work best; personal experiences, journalism style articles, interviews, articles which bring in current research and a clear feminist perspective are all things we look for."
Payment and length: Features - 1,000 to 3,000 words. In depth articles on feminist debates, current social/ political/legal/environmental/culture emerging issues or personal stories with a broader social relevance. Can be interview style, essay style or journalism style. Non academic. $250-$750 depending on length. Also publishes short new pieces for $175 and reviews for $65.
_____________________
12. The New Haven Review
"We like to see submissions from writers who can claim some connection to Greater New Haven, no matter how spurious, though it's not mandatory. We also like to see book reviews that are better than the book reviews you usually see out there, for whatever reason. But that said, we mostly publish essays, fiction (of any genre), poetry, and occasionally photojournalism."
Payment: At least $500 for prose pieces, fiction or nonfiction. $25 per poem, will publish more than one of an author's poems.
_____________________
13. One Teen Story
"One Teen Story is looking for great short stories written for the young adult audience ages 13 and up. These stories should deal with the teen experience (issues of identity, friendship, family, coming-of-age, etc.) and should be geared primarily toward an audience of teen readers. With that in mind, gratuitous profanity, sex and drug use are best avoided. We’re open to all genres of literary fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words."
Payment: $500
_____________________
14. Oregon Humanities
"As a publication of ideas and perspectives, Oregon Humanities magazine offers a forum through which Oregon writers, scholars, and readers can use the humanities to explore timeless and timely ideas and themes. We only accept submissions of nonfiction writing and artwork when we announce each issue’s theme. All personal essays and features focus on a particular issue’s theme."
Payment: $50 to $200 for shorter department pieces and $300 to $800 for personal essays and features; payment varies depending on the length and complexity of the piece.
______________________
15. Poets & Writers Magazine
"Poets & Writers Magazine reaches a national audience of 100,000 readers from emerging to established literary writers. The magazine has a strong following among both students and faculty in creative writing programs across the country. In addition, many of its readers pursue creative writing as an avocation, often pairing their literary lives with other careers."
Payment: Up to $500, query first
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