80 Best Magazines & Websites That Publish Personal Essays

Well, you’re in luck because you’ve just found a list of magazines that accept essay submissions around pop culture, personal finance, personal stories, and many other topics. If you’re passionate about crafting personal essays and your work typically falls within a range of 600 to 10,000 words, consider submitting your essays to the organizations listed below. They generally offer compensation of $50-$250 for each accepted essay. After this guide, you may also want to check my list of the best essays of all time .

Here are the top magazines and publications that publish thought-provoking essays:

1. the new york times – modern love, 2. the new york times – opinion essays.

To submit an essay to this publication, fill out the provided submission form with the essay and a brief explanation of your professional or personal connection to its argument or idea. The essay should include sources for key assertions (either as hyperlinks or parenthetical citations). Although all submissions are reviewed, the publication may not be able to respond individually due to the high volume of entries. If there’s no response within three business days, authors are free to submit their work elsewhere. Submission info .

3. Dame Magazine

DAME is a women’s magazine that prioritizes accessible and intersectional journalism that dives into context rather than breaking news. Their stories are unexpected, emotional, straightforward, illuminating, and focused on people rather than policy. They aim to reveal new or surprising information, provoke action or empathy, simplify complex issues, introduce fresh ideas, and foreground the people most affected by discussed topics. Submission info .

4. The New Yorker

The New Yorker welcomes letters to the editor sent to [email protected] and includes your postal address and phone number. For fiction submissions, send your work as a PDF to [email protected] or mail it to their New York address. They review all submissions within ninety days and will only contact you if they decide to publish your work. Submission info .

5. The Atlantic

6. the globe and mail.

The Globe and Mail welcomes your original experiences, viewpoints, and unique perspectives for your daily first-person essay. A good essay should have an original voice, an unexpected view, humor, vivid details, and anecdotes that illuminate a wider theme. While a successful essay could be funny, surprising, touching, or enlightening, it should always be personal and truthful, rather than political or fictional. Submission info .

7. The Guardian

To contribute to this publication, you should identify the most relevant section and contact the commissioning editor with a brief outline of your idea. You may be invited to submit your work speculatively, meaning payment will only be provided if your contribution is published. It’s important to note that your contribution should be sent electronically and will be published under standard copyright terms with payment at normal rates unless agreed otherwise before publication. Submission info .

8. Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times is open to opinion articles on any subject, with most published pieces being about 750 words long. Submissions must be exclusive to them and not published elsewhere, including personal blogs or social media. Full drafts of articles are required for consideration and should include the author’s name, the topic, the full text, a short author biography, and contact information. Submission info .

9. The Sun Magazine

Slate invites pitches that are fresh, and original, and propose strong arguments. They appreciate ideas that challenge conventional wisdom and encourage you to clearly articulate the insights your reporting can uncover. A concise pitch is preferred, even if a full draft is already written. You should include a short bio and any relevant published work. They advise waiting a week before pitching to other publications, and if an editor passes, refrain from sending it to another editor at Slate. Submission info .

VICE is primarily interested in mid-length original reports, reported essays, narrative features, and service journalism related to contemporary living and interpersonal relationships. They welcome stories informed by personal experiences and insight but advise writers to consider what makes their story unique, why they’re the right person to tell it, and why it should be on VICE. While all stories don’t need to be tied to current events, a timely element can distinguish a pitch. They also accept quick-turnaround blogs and longer features. Submission info .

12. Vox Culture

14. buzzfeed reader.

This platform welcomes freelance pitches on cultural criticism, focusing on current or timeless topics in various categories like books, technology, sports, etc. Essays should offer a unique perspective on how these subjects reflect our society. The content must be relevant, advance ongoing dialogues, and add value to the existing discourse. Submission info .

15. The Boston Globe

16. the bold italic.

Before pitching to a Medium Publication, thoroughly understand its unique style by reviewing published content and submission guidelines. This ensures your work aligns with their preferences. With numerous Medium Publications available, persist in your submissions until you find a fitting outlet. Submission info .

18. Refinery29

Refinery29 Australia is committed to empowering women and underrepresented groups, with a particular focus on Australian women and trans and gender-diverse individuals, primarily Gen-Z and millennials. We publish a diverse array of content, from timely personal essays to reports on race, reproductive rights, and pop culture, all with a distinctly local perspective. They aim to shed light on the world around us, and highly value pieces that capture the unique Australian experience, be it in subject matter or authorial voice. Submission info .

ELLE’s annual talent competition is back for, seeking out the next superstar in writing. The winner will have their 500-word piece, inspired by the hashtag #RelationshipGoals and focusing on a significant relationship in their life. Submission info .

20. Cosmopolitan

22. the walrus.

The Walrus seeks short essays (up to 1,200 words) that are timely, focused, and sourced from Canada and globally. These can be reported narratives, memoirs, or mini-features on specific topics. Each essay should exhibit a distinct argument, a strong writing voice, and present an original and significant viewpoint. Writers new to The Walrus or those without long-form journalism experience are particularly encouraged to contribute to this section. Submission info .

23. Autostraddle

Autostraddle welcomes pitches, works in progress, and completed submissions. Any issues with the submission form should be emailed to Laneia Jones with the subject line “SUBMISSION ERROR”. Questions about the submission process can be directed to Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya with “SUBMISSION PROCESS” in the subject line. Please note that pitches or submissions sent via email will not be accepted. Submission info .

24. Narratively

25. catapult, 26. jezebel.

At Jezebel, the high volume of daily emails (over 500), including tips and questions from readers, makes it impossible to respond to all of them, even though they are all read and appreciated. Their primary job involves posting 60+ items a day, and due to workload constraints, they may not always be able to reply to your email. Submission info .

27. Bitch Media

Bitch Media seeks pitches offering feminist analysis of culture, covering a wide array of topics including social trends, politics, science, health, life aspects, and popular culture phenomena. They publish critical essays, reported features, interviews, reviews, and analyses. First-person essays should balance personal perspectives with larger themes. Both finished work and query letters are welcome. However, due to the volume of submissions, they cannot guarantee a response or that every pitch will be read. Submission info .

28. Broadview

29. briarpatch magazine, 30. maisonneuve.

Maisonneuve Magazine welcomes non-fiction writing submissions in various forms (reporting, essays, memoirs, humor, reviews) and visual art (illustration, photography, comics). They do not accept fiction, poetry, or previously published work. They prefer well-developed, well-researched pitches, but also accept polished drafts if the writer is open to edits. To understand what the magazine is looking for, it’s recommended to read some recent issues or check their website. Submission info .

31. Room Magazine

32. hazlitt.

Hazlitt is currently not accepting submissions but it might reopen soon. They seek original journalism, investigative features, international reporting, profiles, essays, and humor pieces, but they are not considering unsolicited fiction. Pitches with proposed word counts are preferred, and they have a section called “Hazlitt Firsts” for reviews of experiencing mundane things for the first time as adults. Submission info .

33. This Magazine

34. geist magazine.

Geist magazine seeks submissions with a literary focus, including short non-fiction for the Notes & Dispatches section (around 800-1200 words) with a sense of place, historical narrative, humor, and personal essays on art, music, and culture. They encourage submissions from diverse writers and will pay writers $300-500 for accepted pieces. Submission info .

35. Discover Magazine

36. eater voices.

Eater Voices accepts personal essays from chefs, restaurateurs, writers, and industry insiders about the food world. To pitch, email a brief explanation of the topic and why you are the right person to write about it to [email protected]. Submission info .

37. The Temper

The Temper is an online publication focused on sobriety, addiction, and recovery, challenging drinking culture. They seek diverse and intersectional stories written through the lens of addiction, covering various topics like sex, food, relationships, and more. Submissions are currently closed, but they are especially interested in amplifying voices from marginalized and underrepresented groups. Submission info .

38. Chatelaine

39. conde nast traveler, 40. boston globe ideas.

Globe Ideas is dedicating an entire issue to young people’s voices and stories. Teens are invited to share their aspirations, concerns, and experiences about mental health, school, social media, and more, up to 700 words or through short notes, videos, or illustrations. This is a chance for teens to set the record straight and tell the world what matters most to them. Submission info .

41. Babbel Magazine

42. huffpost personal.

HuffPost seeks to amplify voices from underrepresented communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities. They accept freelance pitches on a wide range of topics, providing clear guidelines for submissions. They also encourage visual creatives to submit their work, and all published contributors are paid for their work. Please note that due to the volume of submissions, individual responses may not be possible. Submission info .

43. Adelaide Literary Magazine

44. biostories.

BioStories welcomes nonfiction prose submissions of 500 to 7500 words, with the typical piece being around 2500 words. Submit via email to [email protected], pasting the submission in the email body with the subject line “biostories submission” and your last name. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but immediate notification is required if accepted elsewhere. Multiple submissions are allowed at a one-month interval, and the work must be previously unpublished in print and online. Noncompliant submissions will not receive a response. Submission info .

45. Quarter After Eight

Quarter After Eight welcomes innovative writing submissions in any genre from both new and established writers. To withdraw work, use the “withdraw” option on Submittable for the entire submission or the “note” function to specify which pieces to withdraw; do not email about withdrawals. Submission info .

46. The Rappahannock Review

The Rappahannock Review accepts original and innovative writing in various genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and audio pieces. They encourage experimentation and creativity, seeking enthralling voices and compelling narratives. Additionally, the magazine showcases a variety of visual artists and welcomes submissions for consideration in each new issue. Submission info .

Allure is seeking writers to contribute pieces that explore beauty, style, self-expression, and liberation. They are looking for writers with relevant credentials and experience in the field, and they offer compensation of $350 for reported stories and $300 for personal essays. Submission info .

48. MLA Style Center

49. marie claire.

SELF magazine is actively seeking new writers, particularly from marginalized communities, to contribute to their health and wellness content. They are interested in pitches that offer helpful insights on topics related to health, fitness, food, beauty, love, and lifestyle. The focus should be on improving personal or public health clearly and straightforwardly. Submission info .

51. Her Story

HerStry is a platform that focuses on the experiences of women-identifying persons, including cisgender women, transgender women, non-binary persons, and more. They accept personal essays that are true stories about the author, with a length between 500 to 3,000 words. They pay $10 for each published personal essay here, but there is a $3 submission fee (with limited free submission periods). Stories are read blind, and explicit or offensive content is not accepted. Submission info .

52. Griffith Review

Griffith Review accepts submissions based on specific themes for each edition. They welcome new and creative ideas, allowing writers to express their voices in essays, creative and narrative nonfiction-fiction, and analytical pieces. Submissions should generally range from 2,000 to 5,000 words, with up to four poems allowed on theme. Submission info .

53. Literary Review of Canada

54. harper’s magazine.

For Harper’s Magazine, nonfiction writers should send queries accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Ideas for the Readings section can be sent to [email protected], but individual acknowledgment is not guaranteed due to volume. All submissions and queries must be sent by mail to their New York address. Submission info .

55. Virginia Quarterly Review

56. the new england review.

New England Review is open for submissions in all genres during specific periods. They accept fiction, poetry, nonfiction, dramatic writing, and translations. The magazine only considers previously unpublished work, and simultaneous submissions are allowed. They welcome submissions from writers of all backgrounds and encourage diverse perspectives. Submission info .

57. One Story

One Story seeks literary fiction between 3,000 and 8,000 words, any style, and subject. They pay $500 and provide 25 contributor copies for First Serial North American rights. Only unpublished material is accepted, except for stories published in print outside North America. Simultaneous submissions allowed; prompt withdrawals upon acceptance elsewhere. Accepts DOC, DOCX, PDF, and RTF files via Submittable. No comments on individual stories. No revisions of previously rejected work. Translations are accepted with proper attribution. No emailed or paper submissions, except for incarcerated individuals. Submission info .

58. The Threepenny Review

59. zoetrope: all-story, 60. american short fiction.

American Short Fiction accepts regular submissions of short fiction from September to December. The magazine publishes both established and new authors , and submissions must be original and previously unpublished. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced, and accompanied by the author’s contact information. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but authors must withdraw their work if accepted elsewhere. Payment is competitive and upon publication, with all rights reverting to the author. American Short Fiction does not accept poetry, plays, nonfiction, or reviews. Submission info .

61. The Southern Review

62. boulevard magazine.

Boulevard seeks to publish exceptional fiction, poetry, and non-fiction from both experienced and emerging writers. They accept works of up to 8,000 words for prose and up to five poems of up to 200 lines. They do not consider genres like science fiction, erotica, horror, romance, or children’s stories. Payment for prose ranges from $100 to $300, while payment for poetry ranges from $50 to $250. Natural Bridge Online publication offers a flat rate of $50. Submission info .

63. The Cincinnati Review

64. the antioch review.

The Antioch Review seeks nonfiction essays that appeal to educated citizens, covering various social science and humanities topics of current importance. They aim for interpretive essays that draw on scholarly materials and revive literary journalism. The best way to understand their preferences is to read previous issues and get a sense of their treatment, lengths, and subjects used in the publication. Submission info .

AGNI’s online Submission Manager is open from September 1st to midnight December 15th, and again from February 15th to midnight May 31st. Manuscripts can also be submitted by mail between September 1st and May 31st. AGNI considers prose in various genres, including personal essays, short stories, prose poems, and more. They do not publish academic essays or genre romance, horror, mystery, or science fiction. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, and sending through the online portal incurs a $3 fee, but regular mail submissions can be made to avoid the fee. Submission info .

66. Barrelhouse

Barrelhouse accepts unsolicited submissions for book reviews through their Submittable online submissions manager. They pay $50 to each contributor and accept simultaneous submissions. There is no maximum length, but most published pieces are shorter than 8,000 words. They only accept Word or rich-text (.rtf) files and prefer poetry to be submitted as a single document. Submissions for their print and online issues are currently closed, but book reviews are open. Response time is approximately six months. Submission info .

67. Tin House Online

Tin House is a good company that offers a two-day submission period three times a year for writers without a current agent and no previous book publication (chapbooks accepted). They accept fiction, literary nonfiction, and poetry, both in English and in translation (with formal permission). Completed drafts are required. They are particularly interested in engaging with writers from historically underrepresented communities. Submission info .

68. One Teen Story

69. bennington review, 70. epoch literary.

Epoch Literary accepts poetry submissions of up to five poems, short fiction or essay submissions as a single piece or a suite of smaller pieces, and visual art and comics for the cover. They do not publish literary criticism or writing for children and young adults. Electronic submissions are open in August and January, with a $3 fee, part of which supports the Cornell Prison Education Program. Submission info .

71. The Gettysburg Review

The Gettysburg Review accepts poetry, fiction, essays, and essay reviews from September 1 to May 31, with a focus on quality writing. Full-color graphics submissions are accepted year-round. It’s recommended to read previous issues before submitting, and sample copies are available for purchase. The journal stays open during the summer for mailed submissions or those using Submittable and purchasing a subscription or the current issue. Submission info .

72. Alaska Quarterly Review

The publication accepts submissions of fiction, poetry, drama, literary nonfiction, and photo essays in traditional and experimental styles. Fiction can be short stories, novellas, or novel excerpts up to 70 pages, and poetry submissions can include up to 6 poems. They aim to respond within 4 to 12 weeks, but authors can inquire about their manuscript status after 4 weeks if needed. Submission info .

73. Colorado Review

74. the georgia review.

The Georgia Review accepts submissions both online and by post, but not via email. Submissions are free for current subscribers. They do not consider unsolicited manuscripts between May 15 and August 15 and aim to respond within eight months. Previously published work will not be considered, and simultaneous submissions are allowed if noted in the cover letter. They offer different prizes for poetry and prose and accept submissions in fiction, poetry, essays, and book reviews. Submission info .

75. New Letters

New Letters accepts submissions year-round through Submittable, with a small fee waived for current subscribers. They welcome up to six poems, one chapbook, one piece of nonfiction, one short story (graphic or traditional), or one novella per submission. Simultaneous submissions are allowed if notified, and response time is approximately six months. They publish short stories up to 5,000 words, novellas up to 30,000 words, graphic short stories up to ten pages in color or black and white, and chapbooks up to 30 pages. Submission info .

76. Shenandoah

77. triquarterly.

TriQuarterly, the literary journal of Northwestern University, welcomes submissions in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, video essays, short drama, and hybrid work from both established and emerging writers. They are especially interested in work that engages with global cultural and societal conversations. Submissions are accepted through Submittable, and they charge a small reading fee. Submission windows vary by genre. Submission info .

78. E-International Relations

79. longreads.

Longreads publishes the best long-form nonfiction storytelling and accepts pitches for original work. They pay competitive rates and prefer pitches via email to [email protected]. Fiction is not accepted, and submissions using generative AI tools will be rejected. You can also nominate published stories by tweeting with the #longreads hashtag. Submission info .

80. Education Week

If you want to get your essays published in a print magazine or an online publication, it’s time to approach the appropriate section editor or send your work via a submissions page. Even in a world where so much content is produced by AI, publications are still interested in receiving great writing written in a conversational tone. Just make sure to follow the guidelines (especially those around word count) and show off your flamboyant writing style in a prestigious online magazine. Next up, you might want to check a list of the top sites that will pay you to write,  or my extensive list of publishing companies .

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7 publications that pay well for personal narrative essays

Despite The New Yorker declaring that the personal essay boom was over in 2017, I’ve seen the opposite. Whenever I look on Twitter, I see callouts from editors for candid, revealing and thought-provoking first person pieces. For freelance writers, the advantage of writing a personal narrative essay is that you are drawing on your own experience, so there is very little need for external research or case studies. Many writers also say that writing down their own experience and sharing it with others feels validating, affirming and therapeutic.

Before I became a full time freelancer , I wrote quite a few personal narrative essays.

Why? Because personal narrative essays are one of the fastest and easiest ways to get published.

When I was writing my first-person pieces, I found numerous articles about how to sell personal essays in the age of over-sharing   and how to write compelling first person pieces for major publications.

I quickly learnt that if you are willing to open up and share your own experience, you can be compensated well for it.

And if you’re interested to learn more about how to write a personal essay (and how to get paid for it!) I’ve created the ultimate guide to step you through the process.

It takes you through:

  • Choosing the perfect topic for a personal essay
  • How to start a personal essay (including what to do and not to do and examples of banging beginnings)
  • Common mistakes people make when writing first-person narratives
  • How to write a compelling personal essay that keeps people reading right to the end
  • Examples of great personal narrative essays
  • How to pitching your story to an editor
  • And lots more!

personal narrative essay guide

The guide also includes 15+ paying markets for personal narrative essays, but I know that it can be tricky to find publications that accept freelance submissions.

The good news is that there are plenty of online and print publications looking for personal essays.

So if you have a personal story you want to share, where can you pitch it?

If you’re a writer who has had a book published, it’s definitely worth pitching to Allure (a magazine predominantly for women about beauty) as they pay up to $3,000 for personal essays up to 2000 words.

For those mere mortals among us who haven’t written a book, the rate for personal essays seems to be more like $250 – $500.

Glamour is another women’s magazine that heavily focuses on beauty, fashion and entertainment stories. Personal essays published by Glamour are reported to fetch around $2/word.

3. The Guardian

You have to love an editor who puts what she wants from writers out there and Jessica Reed from The Guardian certainly delivers. For beautifully written personal essays, The Guardian reportedly pays 60c/word.

4. Marie Claire

If you’ve got something compelling, insightful, intimate, funny, relatable or awkward to say about your love or sex life, then a personal essay directed to Marie Claire might be just the ticket. Writers report that Marie Claire pays $2/word.

Are you spotting a theme here? Women’s magazines love personal essays. If you want to write first hand experience about fitness, food, health or culture, it’s worth pitching to SELF magazine, who pay up to $700 for 2000 words.

A dynamic site covering world affairs, pop culture, science, business, politics and more, Vox pay around $500 for personal narrative essays. What’s even better is their clear pitching guidelines for their First Person section .

7. News.com.au

If you feel like a sharing a real life story like this one , you can pitch to the lifestyle vertical on the Australian website news.com.au. Writers are reportedly paid around $500 for a post.

Great examples of personal essays

You could spend years reading all the personal narrative essays that get published, but here are my picks for some of the best:

My washing line is heavy with the weight of our ash-ridden tent hung out to air. I wonder if the smell of smoke will ever be gone. I have no recollection of the tent being packed away – I was focused on the children, keeping them calm. All I know is that we’d never packed up a campsite so damn quickly. But then, we’d never fled a bushfire.  You can read the rest of the article here.

  “I love you so much.” Those whispered words make everything better – and when my soul mate and husband died, five years ago, I truly believed I would never hear them again.  You can read the rest of the article here.

My epiphany came, like many of them do, while I was taking a dump. Specifically, it came while I was trying to take a dump in the woods after three years of struggling with gastrointestinal issues. It went something like this: you don’t need to be gluten-free anymore. You just need to relax.  You can read the rest of the article here.

The rules for pitching a personal essay are much the same as when you query an editor for any other kind of writing assignment.

You just need a strong hook and engaging writing style.

The writers I know who create personal narrative essays love it.

They feel free and are absolutely thrilled when readers respond to their articles with “me too!”

After all, isn’t the point of writing to reach and connect with others? Personal essays tend to do that in a very special way.

Do you write personal narrative essays? Have you found other well-paying markets?

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After weeks of deliberating over the right words and fine-tuning your creative nonfiction piece , you’re ready to begin submitting to literary nonfiction journals. The only problem is finding the right home for your creative nonfiction submission. What journals or literary nonfiction magazines should you prioritize submitting your work to?

Find your answer here: we’ve searched the net for great creative nonfiction journals, and any of the following 24 publications is a wonderful home for creative nonfiction—guaranteed.

If you’re looking to submit multiple genres of work, take a look at the best places to submit poetry and the best places to submit fiction , too!

24 Creative Nonfiction Magazines to Submit To

Just like our other guides on the best literary journals to submit to, we’ve divided this article into three different categories:

  • Great journals to secure your first publications in
  • Competitive journals for writers with previous publications
  • High-tier creative nonfiction journals at the summit of publishing

Any publication in the following 24 journals is sure to jumpstart your literary career. So, let’s explore the best nonfiction magazines and journals!

Creative Nonfiction Magazines: Great First Publications

The following eight journals sponsor creative nonfiction from both emerging and established writers, making them great opportunities for writers in any stage of their journey.

1. Sundog Lit

Sundog Lit loves the weird and experimental, and it regularly seeks innovative nonfiction for its biannual journal. All submitted works should be well-researched and play with both form and content. Submit your hybrid content to this great creative nonfiction journal!

2. River Teeth Journal

River Teeth Journal specializes in narrative nonfiction. The journal operates with the motto “Good Writing Counts and Facts Matter,” which captures their preference for well-researched and thoughtfully composed CNF. Literary nonfiction submissions are open twice a year, typically between September and May.

3. Atticus Review

Atticus Review posts daily nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. They publish work that is unabashed and resilient, finding hope in even the toughest of situations. All published works after September 19th, 2020 receive a $10 award from this creative nonfiction journal!

4. Barren Magazine

Barren Magazine publishes nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and photography, preferring works with grit and muster. Each publication of this creative nonfiction magazine includes prompts: for their 17th issue, the prompts are “unorthodox, sensational, kinetic, quixotic, & transcendent.”

5. The Offing

The editors at The Offing look for work that’s innovative, genre-bending, and challenges conventions. The Offing is especially keen to support both new and established authors, making them a welcome home for your creative nonfiction submissions.

6. Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse sponsors emerging and diverse voices in its biannual publication. Submissions for this journal remain open between September and May, and they typically range between 2,500 and 5,000 words. This is a great literary journal to submit to for writers of all styles and narratives!

7. Dogwood: a Journal of Poetry and Prose

Dogwood is a journal of poetry and prose based out of Fairfield University. This annual publication only opens for submissions in the Fall, and each edition includes prizes for top pieces. Literary nonfiction from all walks of life are welcome here.

8. Montana Mouthful

Straight out of the Treasure State, Montana Mouthful seeks “just a mouthful” of fiction and nonfiction. Creative nonfiction submissions should not exceed 2,000 words but should still deliver a cogent, memorable story.

Creative Nonfiction Magazines: Reputable Literary Journals to Submit To

The following literary magazines and creative nonfiction journals can be tough competition, but with a few previous publications under your belt and a special story ready for print, the following journals could jumpstart your literary career. All of these journals have fantastic literary nonfiction examples!

9. Conjunctions

Conjunctions publishes daring works of poetry and prose, living by its motto to “Read Dangerously!” Submitted works should provoke, excite, and linger with the reader. Conjunctions publishes both a biannual magazine and a weekly online journal, both of which house fantastic literary journalism.

10. Black Warrior Review

Black Warrior Review is a biannual literary journal run by the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. This Whiting Awarded journal nurtures groundbreaking literary nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, with many of its authors going on to win Pushcarts and Best of the Net prizes!

11. Hippocampus

Hippocampus Magazine is one of the best creative nonfiction magazines out there, as it focuses solely on the publication of personal essays and nonfiction stories. Their strictly digital publication is highly literary and has many great creative nonfiction examples and pieces. Despite being a highly competitive journal, both new and emerging writers can find a home at Hippocampus .

12. American Literary Review

The American Literary Review , run out of the University of North Texas, publishes engaging and precise stories and poetry. The journal is currently on hiatus, but read some of its back issues and you’ll understand why it’s a great literary journal to submit to.

13. Fourth Genre

Fourth Genre is a biannual creative nonfiction journal published through Michigan State University. The journal amplifies diverse and powerful voices, seeking stories that are refreshing, earnest, and imaginative. Fourth Genre only publishes nonfiction, so read its back issues for some great creative nonfiction examples!

14. The Cincinnati Review

The Cincinnati Review is interested in literary nonfiction that can “knock your socks off.” Submissions for personal essays are open between September and January; writers can also submit flash nonfiction year-round to its miCRo series.

15. Creative Nonfiction

“True stories, well told” is the motto of Creative Nonfiction , the aptly-named journal of all things CNF. Creative Nonfiction celebrates a diverse range of voices and experiences, championing both new and established essayists. Between its literary publications and its creative nonfiction blog, writers can learn a lot from this journal. Send your creative nonfiction submissions to Creative Nonfiction !

16. Witness

Witness publishes prose and poetry that examines and analyzes the modern day. They seek stories about modern issues and events, often publishing bold and eclectic takes on serious issues. Witness is a more politically-oriented journal, making it a leader in contemporary literary journalism.

Creative Nonfiction Magazines: The Summit of Literary Nonfiction

The following journals are notoriously difficult to publish in, as writers often have to have a name built for themselves in the literary world. Nonetheless, the following publications exist at the summit of CNF, so keep these publications on your radar as top literary journals to submit to.

AGNI , a highly literary publication run at Boston University, publishes fiery, transformative prose and poetry. Creative nonfiction submissions should be polished, inventive, and highly original. Be sure to read their previous publications for an idea of what they look for!

18. The Atlantic

The Atlantic is well-respected for its literary journalism, making it a premier publisher of creative nonfiction. Though many of its published pieces are solicited, The Atlantic is always looking for fresh, bold stories and poetry, so it’s a premier place for nonfiction magazine submissions.

Salon does not present itself as a creative nonfiction journal, but many of its previous magazine issues are highly literary in nature, examining current issues with a sharp, educated lens. If you have nonfiction stories that are both personal and global in nature, Salon accepts queries for articles and editorials, so check them out!

20. The Antioch Review

The Antioch Review is a real page-turner, as their past publications can attest to. This highly literary journal publishes fantastic prose and poetry, and if you have a creative nonfiction piece that’s riveting and influential, The Antioch Review is looking for your creative nonfiction submissions.

21. The Colorado Review

The Colorado Review is a tri-annual publication steeped in history, with original issues featuring poetry and prose from Langston Hughes, E. E. Cummings, Henry Miller, etc. The journal is committed to contemporary literature, seeking voices that are transformative and capture today’s (or tomorrow’s) zeitgeist. The Colorado Review is a fantastic space for literary journalism and will certainly welcome your creative nonfiction.

22. The Virginia Quarterly

The Virginia Quarterly publishes a wide array of literary nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, promising both ample readership and ample pay. VQR seeks inventive and imaginative stories, and it accepts both personal essays and nonfiction pieces on literary and cultural criticism. Submissions are generally open in July, but keep tuned for any special announcements or brief reading periods!

23. New England Review

New England Review is a quarterly publication of all things literary. The journal is dedicated to publishing both emerging and established voices, though it remains a highly competitive journal for creative nonfiction. NER is a great literary journal to submit to for stories that are engaged, critical, and sparkling.

24. North American Review

The North American Review is the oldest literary magazine in the United States. Since its inception in 1815, it remains one of the best nonfiction magazines to submit to, publishing strong literary voices with imaginative story arcs and moving messages. Nonfiction magazine submissions at North American Review are always spectacular—go check them out!

Tips for Publishing Your Creative Nonfiction Submissions

“How do I get my nonfiction published with so many other voices in the room?” This is a question we hear often, and as writers in the modern day, we can’t help but notice how diverse the publishing world is, and how everything “has already been written.” How can you make sure your story gets published in the right creative nonfiction magazines?

Of course, no story is guaranteed publication, but if you’ve written an earnest, sparkling story with grit, character, and truth, then the right literary journals to submit to are in this list. Additionally, you can boost your chances of success with the following publishing tips:

Start With a Powerful Title

Your creative nonfiction submissions should draw the reader in right away, which means starting with an attention-grabbing title. Your title could be a singular and obscure word, or it could be a long description, or anything in-between—the goal is to stand out while representing your story faithfully.

Here are some great titles we saw from a brief glance at the literary nonfiction examples from Hippocampus :

  • Bar Bathroom Graffiti in New Orleans: A One Year Catalog by Kirsten Reneau
  • Necrokedeia for Children by Mark Hall
  • Ford Motor Company Tells Me About Perseverance by Alexis Annunziata

These titles give you an idea about the story itself while also drawing you in with wit, humor, or obscurity. Literary editors have thousands of stories to read each year; give them something to notice so you can stand out among the rest!

Follow the Creative Nonfiction Journal’s Formatting Guidelines

A surefire way to receive rejections on your literary nonfiction is to ignore the formatting guidelines. Each journal has its own requirements, though they often align with MLA formatting requirements, but be sure you follow the journal’s instructions faithfully, or else they may discard your submission without even reading it.

Read the Creative Nonfiction Magazine’s Past Issues

The 24 publications mentioned in this article are some of the best nonfiction magazines in the world, in part because they adhere so strongly to their tastes and preferences. As such, no two journals are alike, and each publication has its own expectations for the nonfiction they read and publish. Before you submit your creative nonfiction, be sure to read some past publications and gauge whether your essay will fit in with the journal’s literary tastes.

Keep Track of Your Submissions

Many creative nonfiction journals allow simultaneous submissions, meaning you can submit the same piece to multiple journals. However, if one journal accepts your work, you need to notify the other journals that it has been accepted and is no longer available for consideration.

Keeping track of your creative nonfiction submissions in a spreadsheet or personal organizer is essential: if multiple journals publish your story, it could harm your chances of getting published in the future.

Aim High—But Not Too High

Your personal essay deserves to be read, but if you’re only submitting to journals like VQR or The Atlantic, it might never see the light of day. Part of the publishing process means building your publication history and portfolio.

Your literary journalism will one day get published in Salon or the New York Times, but until then, focus on getting recognized in smaller and medium sized journals—and don’t let rejections bring you down, because it’s only up from here!

Fine-Tune Your Creative Nonfiction Submissions with Writers.com

Looking for extra help on writing your personal essay, lyric essay, or hybrid nonfiction piece? The instructors at Writers.com are ready to assist you. Gain valuable insight and diverse perspectives on your nonfiction stories before submitting them to the 24 creative nonfiction magazines we’ve listed.

Good luck, and happy writing!

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Written by S. Kalekar January 16th, 2023

30 Magazines Accepting Creative Nonfiction and Essays

These literary magazines and other outlets publish a variety of nonfiction/essays. A few are looking for themed submissions. Some of them pay writers. Most, but not all, of them are open for submissions now. They’re in no particular order.

TOLKA Journal Their website says, “Tolka is a biannual literary journal of non-fiction: publishing essays, reportage, travel writing, auto-fiction, individual stories and the writing that flows in between. We are a journal for writers to express themselves beyond the limits of fixed genres, forms or subjects. … We encourage writers to test the creative boundaries of non-fiction.” They publish work by Irish and international writers, of 2,000-4,000 words. Pay is €500. The deadline is 22 January 2023. Details here .

Vast Chasm They publish “bold work that explores the expansive human experience, including flash and short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and other nonconforming work.” Pay is $50 for prose up to 5,000 words. They read submissions on an ongoing basis. Details here .

Porkbelly Press They read for their chapbook series in January – these can be creative nonfiction such as lyric essays & flash, poetry or prose poems, collections of flash or micro fiction, graphic narratives, sequential artwork, or combinations of the above (tightly linked by theme, image, voice, etc.). Please submit 12 – 26 pages for chapbooks. They are queer friendly and feminist. “Our catalog favors lit & poetry leaning heavily toward fabulism, folklore, & magic—often confessional or intimate poems or personal lyric essay. All work should be tightly linked.” For nonfiction chapbooks, “We particularly enjoy multiple short essays, but will consider a one-essay chap if the essay is just that good. We lean toward braided forms (narratives with 3 or more threads tied together), and also consider things like character sketches, travel narratives, and collections of vignettes.” See guidelines and Submittable pages for further details. Pay is author copies. The deadline for chapbook submissions is 31 January 2023. Also see their reading periods for works in other genres. Details here and here .

The Christian Science Monitor: The Home Forum This news organization accepts pitches from freelancers and writers, and submissions for The Home Forum , where they want “upbeat personal essays of from 600 to 800 words. … For time-sensitive material (seasonal, news-related, holiday- or event-themed), you must submit at least SIX WEEKS in advance.” Also, “These are first-person, nonfiction explorations of how you responded to a place, a person, a situation, an event, or happenings in everyday life. Tell a story with a point; share a funny true tale. Describe a self-discovery. The humor should be gentle. We accept essays on a wide variety of subjects and encourage timely, newsy topics. However, we don’t deal with the topics of death, aging, medicine, or disease. We do not publish work that presents people in helpless or hopeless states.” They pay $250 for these essays. Details here .

The Every Animal Project This is an anthology about courageous animals, and they also will publish work on their website. “Stories must be true (non-fiction). They must relate to non-human animals (of any species) and can be about your personal experiences/growth because of an animal, an issue threatening animals today, or other aspects of the human/non-human animal relationship. For the upcoming anthology, please weave the theme of courage/bravery into your story. We are particularly interested in spotlighting species less familiar to people, like insects, marine animals, and reptiles.” One writer will get an award of $300, another will be awarded $200, and other writers whose work is chosen for the print anthology get $50; writers whose work features online get $20. The deadline is 31 March 2023. Details here .

The Lumiere Review Their website says, “We are intrigued by the inextinguishable sparks of truth and connection, the effervescent meddling of narrative, and the luminous creations that expand on perceptions of genre, language, and form.” They have a call for BIPOC creatives on the Justice theme (deadline – 15 February 2023). For general submissions, they publish creative nonfiction (up to 3,000 words), fiction, and poetry. They publish quarterly, pay $10, and read submissions on an ongoing basis. Details here .

The Four Faced Liar This is a new print journal; they published their first issue in January 2023. They publish creative nonfiction (up to 4,000 words), fiction, poetry, and art. Pay is €200 for short creative nonfiction and fiction, €100 for a poem or piece of flash, and €100 for art. Watch for their next submission period on Twitter . Details here .

Gray’s Sporting Journal This is a magazine about hunting and fishing, and they publish articles on those topics. They also have a feature called Yarns, which is campfire tales – fact or fiction, of 750-1,500 words. They also publish some poetry. Pay is an average of $600 for Yarns, and poems pay $100. Features for the magazine pay more. Details here .

Narrative This magazine publishes work in various genres – nonfiction (including written, audio, and video), fiction, poetry, and drama. They charge a submission fee through the year but during the first two weeks of April, they offer fee-free submissions made specifically in the Open Reading category. They pay $100-500. Details here .

MudRoom Magazine Their website says, “our mission is to provide every writer, emerging and established, the opportunity to both see their work published, and engage with a larger literary community.” They publish essays, essays in translation, fiction, and poetry. Send prose of up to 6,000 words. Pay is $15, and the deadline is 25 January 2023 for their Winter issue. Details here .

The Fieldstone Review This is the literary journal of the University of Saskatchewan. They accept submissions of creative nonfiction (up to 2,500 words), literature & book reviews (of Canadian literature), fiction and poetry, for its 2023 issue. They are reading submissions on the Reversals theme. “Turning points. Twists. Changing fortunes and shifting gears. We want your clever, surprising and dizzying reversals––be it through character, plot or formal elements!” One contributor will get awarded CAD100. The deadline is 1 March 2023. Details here .

The Meadowlark Review This journal is associated with the University of Wyoming. “Based in Laramie, Wyoming, we’re inspired by the American West, but we love work that pushes against the traditional Western narrative, as well as new perspectives, unexpected twists, and pieces that have absolutely nothing to do with the West. We are especially interested in hybrid works and works that break the mold and push the boundaries of today’s literature.” They publish nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Send work of 10-5,000 words. The deadline is 31 January 2023. Details here .

The Forge Literary Magazine They accept creative nonfiction (up to 3,000 words, but can accept up to 5,000) and fiction. They open on the 1 st of most months for fee-free submissions, and close when the cap is reached. They pay $75. Details here .

fron//tera This is a bilingual print magazine, in Spanish and English. They publish nonfiction (up to 5,000 words), fiction, poetry, art, and submissions can be in Spanish or English; they’ll also publish a couple of short dual-language English and Spanish pieces side by side (see guidelines). They pay $25-50. They’re reading work on the Phantoms theme till 1 February 2023. Details here .

The Healing Muse This is the annual journal of literary and visual art published by SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Center for Bioethics & Humanities. They publish narratives, memoirs, fiction, poetry, and art, particularly but not exclusively focusing on themes of medicine, illness, disability and healing. They accept prose up to 2,500 words. The deadline is 15 April 2023. They also have a poetry prize for medical students and physicians , of $250. Details here .

The Lascaux Review They publish creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry of literary quality, as well as essays on the craft and business of writing. “Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Creative nonfiction should be written in a nonacademic style. For the Bistro (our blog), we’re looking for posts about writing, literature, agents, publishing, hangover recipes—anything to do with the craft and business of writing. Topics must be relevant to our audience, which consists of sophisticated journeyman writers and poets.” Submissions are open year-round. Details here .

The Paris Review They will reopen for prose submissions in March 2023. Currently, they are accepting poetry submissions; the Submittable cap is reached but they will read postal submissions, postmarked till 31 January 2023. They pay. Details here .

Nashville Review This magazine is associated with Vanderbilt University. They publish creative nonfiction (across the spectrum, including memoir excerpts, essays, imaginative meditations, of up to 8,000 words), fiction (including flash and novel excerpts), poetry, translations, and art. They accept submissions of art and comics year-round, and other genres are accepted in January, May, and September. Submissions may close earlier than scheduled if the cap is reached. Pay is $25 for poetry, and $100 for prose. The deadline is 31 January 2023, or until filled. Details here .

Porridge They publish a variety of genres, and are open for online and print issues occasionally. They are always open for their Comfort Food section – “The COMFORT FOODS series publishes creative responses to the relationship between food and culture, identity and cuisine, from people in diaspora or those from various marginalised identities. From eating away exile to 2,000 word philosophical treatises on biryani, we’re here for it. … We’ll accept creative non-fiction, food writing, poetry, and artwork on this theme.” Details here .

Electric Lit They are always open for detailed essay pitches. “Electric Literature’s essays examine books and culture through a personal and critical lens. … Pitches should describe the subject matter of the essay (which must be about books, writing, or narrative media like movies, games, and TV) and give a sense of the argument you plan to make or the story you plan to tell. We welcome thoughtful considerations of new releases, overlooked classics, childhood favorites—anything that can illuminate or be illuminated by the human experience.” They will open for other genres in February ( Recommended Reading – longer fiction, pays $300, open 1-12 February; and The Commuter – poetry, flash, graphic, and experimental narratives, pays $100, open 13-19 February 2023). Details here . Sojournal This is a travel journal, and their tagline is ‘One Image One Story’. “At present we only publish non-fiction travel stories that tell us about the black and white image you have supplied. We have a bias toward clear, concise, understandable work that communicates, surprises or disturbs – writing that bears witness to the world we live in.” Send work of up to 800 words. Details here .

Chicken Soup for the Soul They publish uplifting, true stories and poems. They regularly post themes they are accepting submissions on (currently, these are: Angels ; How stepping outside my comfort zone changed me ; Miracles ; and The power of positive thinking ). They pay $250 for work up to 1,200 words, as well as 10 contributor copies. Details here (also see tabs on the page – Possible book topics, Submissions FAQ, and Submit your story).

Unfortunately, Literary Magazine For nonfiction, “We’re interested in memoir/personal essays, feature articles, and any mix thereof. Shameless navel-gazing is fine by us.” Also, “Send us your work that’s too quirky, too dark, too queer, not the right kind of queer, too female-driven, too literary, not literary enough. Too much, too little, we want to see it all. Our only requirement is that you get your piece rejected elsewhere at least once before submitting to us.” They also publish fiction, art, and poetry. They read submissions in January, April, July, and October. See this Twitter thread to see the kind of work they’d like to see more of. Details here and here .

Miracle Monocle This magazine is associated with the University of Louisville. “For creative nonfiction, please submit one piece of 500-10,000 words. We’re looking for essays with aspects of personal narrative, reporting, and the lyric; we’re also interested in flash. Please do not send excerpts of longer works unless the piece can stand alone.” They also publish fiction, hybrid, poetry, art, and have an award for young Black writers , which pays $200 – for this award, writers must be 25 years old or younger and identify as Black. The deadline is 31 January 2023, or until a submission cap is reached. Details here .

Round Table Literary Journal Their website says, this is “an award-winning, historic print literary journal now in our fifty-sixth year of existence. We publish literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art once a year.” They are associated with Hopkinsville Community College. The deadline is 15 February 2023. Payment is contributor copies. Details here and here .

The Sunlight Press They publish personal essays (750-1,000 words), artists on craft series (up to 1,000 words), fiction, poetry, reviews, and photos. They pay $15-40. Details here .

Terrain.org This is a magazine that focuses on place, climate, and justice. They publish nonfiction (up to 5,000 words), fiction, poetry, and pay a minimum of $50. Submissions by marginalized creators are considered for an annual prize of $500. The deadline is 30 April 2023. Details here .

Motherwell This is a parenting magazine, and they take personal essays on parenting, as well as work on other themes and genres. For personal essays, “We are looking for evocative first-person narratives that have a unique focus, or take a novel angle, on a slice of the parenting experience. We are open to a range of styles and tones: the only requirement is that the essay works on its own terms—be it lyrical, humorous, research-oriented, etc—and conveys something fundamental about its writer. Up to 1,200 words.“ Some of the work they publish is paid, and some is unpaid (see guidelines). Details here . Masque & Spectacle They publish nonfiction essays, literary analysis pieces, and personal essay/memoirs of up to 7,500 words. They also accept fiction, poetry, drama, reviews, art, audio, and video submissions. The deadline is 31 January 2023. Details here .

The Sun This venerable magazine charges for online submissions via Submittable, but not for submissions by post, of essays, fiction, and poetry. Online submission of photos is not charged. Payment for regular essays starts at $300. And online submissions for themed short nonfiction pieces for the Readers Write section are fee-free – their upcoming themes are Idols , due 1 February, and Privacy , due 1 March 2023; payment for Readers Write is magazine subscription. Details here and here .

Bio:  S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached  here .

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August 9, 2024

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June 11, 2024

magazines that publish personal essays

Free Talk: An Introduction to Publishing Your Writing in Literary Journals

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August 22, 2024

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The Garlic Press: Now Seeking Submissions

An online magazine seeking poetry and prose.

magazines that publish personal essays

The Other Side of the Desk: Isabelle Stillman

An interview with the editor of december magazine.

magazines that publish personal essays

How to Actually Stay Focused On Your Writing in the Age of Distraction

11 tips to keep you focused on writing.

August 19, 2024

magazines that publish personal essays

72 Manuscript Publishers With Geographic Limitations

We generally only review presses that accept work without geographic limitations on who can submit, but this list includes many publishers who do have geographic requirements. We have never fully reviewed most of these presses because of their geographic limitations, but they are still good presses. Most of the presses on this list accept work…

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magazines that publish personal essays

magazines that publish personal essays

The Freelance Writing Network

magazines that publish personal essays

20 Publications Paying for Personal Essays!

For fwnn premium, i've compiled a list of publications that will pay writers for their personal essays. got a story to tell check this one out.

magazines that publish personal essays

Welcome to the latest premium edition of the Freelance Writing Network. This week, I’ve chatted to writers and researched a list of publications that are paying for personal essays.

Have a personal essay or essay idea you want to submit to somewhere? Not found a home for it yet? This is the resource for you.

And don’t forget, there’s lots of other Premium Opportunity posts available for premium subscribers. That’s on top of the early opportunities each week!

Longreads is dedicated to finding and sharing the best longform nonfiction storytelling on the web. We look for smart, unexpected angles and compelling voices across a wide range of topics. Their personal essay rate is $500. Check their submission guidelines here .

The Sun Magazine publish personal essays, short stories, poems, and black-and-white photography in print and online in a monthly magazine. They pay $1 a word for their commissions. Check out the details here .

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The Fab Five and Hair That Does the Talking

How I Proposed to My Girlfriend

How I Proposed to My Girlfriend

When Williamsburg Was on the Wrong Side of the River

When Williamsburg Was on the Wrong Side of the River

Mayfield, Before and After

Mayfield, Before and After

Sunday Reading: Personal Reflections

Sunday Reading: Personal Reflections

My Failed Attempts to Hoard Anything at All

My Failed Attempts to Hoard Anything at All

Stalking a Rustically Hip Family on Instagram

Stalking a Rustically Hip Family on Instagram

A Dark Ride

A Dark Ride

Julius: The Story of a Premature Birth

Julius: The Story of a Premature Birth

The Nick Cave Song That Changed My Life

The Nick Cave Song That Changed My Life

Nearby and Familiar: A Strategy for Picking Restaurants

Nearby and Familiar: A Strategy for Picking Restaurants

Two Sister-Poets Gone Too Soon: Ntozake Shange and My Sister

Two Sister-Poets Gone Too Soon: Ntozake Shange and My Sister

The Sordid Necessity of Living for Others

The Sordid Necessity of Living for Others

Memories of V. S. Naipaul

Memories of V. S. Naipaul

I’ve Quit Writing Personal Essays About Quitting Things: A Personal Essay

I’ve Quit Writing Personal Essays About Quitting Things: A Personal Essay

My Father and Sandy Koufax

My Father and Sandy Koufax

The Personal-Essay Boom Is Over

The Personal-Essay Boom Is Over

One child’s life.

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5 places to submit your personal essays

where to submit personal essays blog 1200

The best stories often come from real-life experiences. If you enjoy writing personal essays, consider submitting your work to one of the publications on this list. (Fiction writers and poets, there are some gems for you here too.) All the journals on our list are currently open for submissions and none charge fees.

Note: We are a creative writing school and compile these lists for the benefit of our students. Please don’t send us your publishing queries or submissions :). Click on the links to go to the publication’s website and look for their submissions page.

Adelaide Literary Magazine accepts personal essays and narrative nonfiction (up to 5,000 words) written in English and Portuguese. You can also submit short stories (up to 5,000 words) and poetry (up to 5 pieces per submission). They publish online once per month and generally respond within two months.

bioStories focuses exclusively on personal essays (500-7500 words). They publish essays on nearly any topic and are especially interested in work that celebrates the extraordinary within the ordinary. Pieces are published as they are accepted, and the editors generally respond to submissions within two months.

HuffPost Personal wants personal stories from writers of diverse experiences and welcomes essays on nearly any topic so long as they’re told with an authentic voice and point of view. There are no specific word limits, but writers are asked to pitch the editors before submitting their piece for consideration.

Quarter After Eight is an online literary journal published once per year. The editors are seeking work that ‘directly challenges the conventions of language, style, voice, or idea’. In addition to essays and creative nonfiction (no specific word limits), they also accept flash fiction, short stories (up to 7,500 words), and poetry (up to 4 pieces per submission). Submissions are open through 15 April 2021, and the average response time is 2-3 months.

The Rappahannock Review is an online literary magazine that publishes twice per year. In addition to essays and creative nonfiction (up to 8,000 words), they’re also looking for flash fiction, short stories (up to 7,500 words), and poetry (up to 5 poems per submission). They generally respond within one month.

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Just found this- Thanks for the info!

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Hi, thank you very much for sharing this useful information. Now, I know where I can submit my personal essays. Writing essays make me occupied with writing and reading everyday.

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List by Interest

The Giant List of Magazines That Pay Writers

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Interested in getting paid for your writing?

You love to write, but you’re having  a hard time finding places that pay writers .

Well, did you know that there are magazines that pay writers ? Yes!! Some of them pay up to $1.25/word for 3000 words!

The Giant List of Magazines That Pay Writers

Yikes, pay all your bills and have some leftover for some extra spending cash with that magazine rate.

You can write for magazines even as a beginner.

So, whether you’re a stay at home mom wanting to flex your writing muscles, or a workaholic that wants to try something creative or the college student that doesn’t want to be in debt for most of  your twenty’s, why not try these magazines that pay?

Check out these 43 magazines that pay  – from the best magazines for travel writers to popular magazines that pay for parenting and more.

The Best Magazines for Travel Writers

magazines that publish personal essays

Looking to write about epic road trips?

ROVA accepts articles about road-tripping, RV living and traveling, van life, and general U.S. travel.

According to their submissions page, they pay a $200 flat fee for article and photo essay submissions. This is a great place to start for writers to write for magazines that don’t have a ton of experience and want to gain credibility.

magazines that publish personal essays

Outpost is a Canadian publication that focuses on long-form travel journalism.

As a print and online magazine, their submission lengths vary from 800 to 5,000 words and Outpost states that payments are negotiated on an individual basis by the editorial board.

They look for submissions that can be used for feature stories, wild adventure pieces, insider guides, field notes, and even the occasional international recipe.

National Geographic Traveler

magazines that publish personal essays

If you are looking for a well-known magazine to add to your portfolio, then look no further.

National Geographic Traveler is published 8 times per year and accepts features on both U.S. and international travel topics that are affordable to the general public.

Think mainstream and adventure travel topics. According to National Geographic Traveler, pay is competitive and published articles run between 750 and 2,500 words.

magazines that publish personal essays

RV living is huge right now!

MotorHome accepts articles about the activities involving motorhomes such as recreation and the lifestyle of living in a motorhome, and technical articles.

Submissions can be as small as 100 words to full technical articles of 1,800 words with pay ranging from $100 to $900, according to MotorHome’s rate chart. You can also make an extra $50 to $600 for high-quality, relevant photos .

magazines that publish personal essays

A travel publication geared towards the African American community, Pathfinder encourages fresh and informational ideas about travel.

The editorial team looks for articles that give its audience advice on what to do, where to go, where to eat, all with a cultural perspective.

Pathfinder’s submission guidelines state articles should range from 500 to 1,000 words and pay $150 with an additional $20 per accepted photo .

Transitions Abroad

magazines that publish personal essays

Transitions abroad is a magazine geared towards individuals who work, volunteer, intern, teach, and study abroad.

Writers can make submissions to a number of different categories that include topics such as high school abroad programs.

They look for informational and in-depth articles about abroad related topics. Transitions abroad states they look for articles between 1,250 and 2,000+ words and pay ranges from $75 to $150 .

Top Magazines for Outdoors Writers

Alternatives journal.

magazines that publish personal essays

One of the best magazines that pay is a Canadian based outdoor magazine that has been in production since 1977, Alternatives Journal combines both academic pieces and general interest topics.

Feature articles range from 1,000 to 4,000 words and are written in a journalistic or academic style, while reports range from 500 to 1200 words and are written in a story format.

According to Writers in Charge, Alternatives Journal pays about $0.10 per word .

AMC Outdoors

magazines that publish personal essays

AMC is unique in that they look for feature story writers that they contract six to 12 months in advance for 2,000 to 2,500 word pieces.

Freelancers can make submissions for current event topics, how to guides, and personal essay type reflection pieces.

According to AMC Outdoors, you can expect to earn $750 for a feature piece and $150 to $350 for smaller pieces .

Boy’s Life

magazines that publish personal essays

Boy’s Life is more than just a magazine for scouts, it’s a general-interest publication for boys ages 6 to 17 that covers a wide range of topics.

From how to properly pack a canoe to history lessons, there is a very strong outdoors theme in this monthly publication.

Writing for this magazine can open the doors for amazing outdoor adventure clients.

Articles run from 500 to 1,500 words and pay about $1 per word , according to their submission guidelines.

magazines that publish personal essays

The Alpinist is a unique magazine that celebrates all things adventure climbing. The magazine is made up of feature articles and departments, which include topics like local hero and tool user.

Articles range from 250 words to 1,000 words and according to Writers in Charge, they pay $0.25 per word . Be sure to familiarize yourself with the content before making a submission.

Backcountry Magazine

magazines that publish personal essays

Backcountry Magazine focuses on articles that are timely and well researched. From uncommon destinations to inspiring characters, this magazine has several departments writers can make submissions to.

Articles include features, destinations, and on location.

According to their submission guidelines , they pay $0.35 per published word and reserve the right to pay less if the submission is not up to standards.

There is no preferred word count listed.

Popular Magazines That Pay in the Parenting Niche

Carolina parent.

magazines that publish personal essays

Carolina Parent, has been around since 1988 and publishes in print and digital.

Essay with local relevance are strongly encouraged and word count runs around 600 to 1,200 words. Carolina Parent’s submissions guidelines state that they pay $100 to $300 depending word count .

They also accept submissions for their website WhereTraveler.com . Articles should focus on the triangle of Wake, Durham, and Orange counties in North Carolina.

magazines that publish personal essays

Family Fun magazine is one of the popular magazines that pay since it’s been around since 1991 and is geared towards families with children ages 3 to 12.

They look for submissions related to food, crafts, home organization, and creative solutions to household problems for parents that have children ages 3-12. According to their submission guidelines , articles should be between 850 and 3,000 words and pay up to $1.25 per word for features .

Minnesota Parent

magazines that publish personal essays

A print magazine distributed to families within the Twin Cities, Minnesota Parent looks for on-trend pieces from involved parents.

They cover the whole gamut of parenting related topics and have a number of different types or articles, such as long and short features and essays.

Per their submission guidelines, Minnesota Parent pays a fixed rate per story , which is negotiated on a case by case basis by the editor.

Her View From Home

magazines that publish personal essays

Her View From Home is an online magazine that pays it writers a little differently.

According to their submission guidelines , they pay based on the number of pageviews your article gets within the first 30 days of publication.

Ranging from $5 for up to 499 pageview to $100 for 4,000 or more pageviews . It is the writer’s responsibility to send an invoice for payment.

Stork Guide

magazines that publish personal essays

Stork Guide is all about babies designed for new and expectant moms.

They really focus on content that new moms would find helpful.

Writers don’t have to be a mom to contribute, if a writer is knowledgeable in the topics that they are looking for, they should send a pitch!

According to their submission guidelines, a minimum of about 700 words will get you a payment of $50 .

magazines that publish personal essays

Food and Drink Magazines that Pay Writers

Eating well.

magazines that publish personal essays

If you’re a food writer looking for magazines that pay, why not write for a food magazine that focuses on healthful eating?

Eating Well is a well known publication with over one million readers.

They encourage freelancers to write for several different columns, such as Good Life, which includes trends, travel and thinking and Good Health.

According to their submission guidelines they pay $1 per word and have a lead time of three to six months.

magazines that publish personal essays

Radish’s motto is “healthy living from the ground up.”

This magazine focuses on natural foods and a healthy lifestyle, specifically products and services that are offered in areas of Iowa and Illinois.

Some of their departments include Eating Right, Body, Mind & Soul, Outdoors, and Health & Fitness. As stated on their website , Radish pays between $50 and $150 for accepted freelancer articles dependent upon length.

Edible Seattle

magazines that publish personal essays

Edible Seattle is a local, community-based publication that is published quarterly for those living in Washington state.

Freelance writers are encouraged to submit a pitch for any of their departments; features, one ingredient-three ways, origins, liquid assets, on the water, in the kitchen, farm to table, road trip, and final course.

According to their contributor guidelines, they pay $0.20 to $0.30 per word .

Brew Your Own

magazines that publish personal essays

Look – a magazine for those passionate about home brewing!

In circulation since 1995, this magazine is a reliable source for home brewers everywhere. They cover topics from troubleshooting to building your own brewing gadgets.

Both a print and online magazine, they happily accept submissions from freelance writers .

According to Writers in Charge, they require articles to be between 1,500 and 3,000 and pay $200 upon publication.

Historical Magazines That Pay Writers

Early american life.

magazines that publish personal essays

Hey! Magazines that pay historic writers!

Early American Life is a publication that focuses on the history, antiques, travel, studio crafts, architecture, and decorating all geared towards the mid-1800s all the way back to the founding of the United States.

According to their submission guidelines , articles should runs between 750 and 2,500 words and they pay $500 for a first time writer with the potential for future assigned stories.

History Magazine

magazines that publish personal essays

History Magazine is not a strictly academic historical publication, they also aim to publish features that their readers will find interesting.

Writers should consider answering the question “how did we get here,” in their submissions rather than focusing on a particular historical figure.

According to History Magazine’s submission guidelines, articles should be approximately 2,000 words in length and pay is $0.08 per word .

magazines that publish personal essays

True West is a historical magazine that started in 1953 and focuses on the history of the Old West, generally between the years of 1800 to 1912.

Writers are encouraged to submit articles based on a specific person or event in American Western history.

They also accept book reviews and according to their submission guidelines , they pay $0.25 per word . Writers should submit a 300 word query for acceptance.

Western Pennsylvania History Magazine

magazines that publish personal essays

Writers that are up on current and historical events and enjoy reading and writing about original analysis should submit their query!

The Western Pennsylvania Magazine is a well-respected publication that accepts feature articles between 3,000 to 4,000 words.

Writers may pitch their ideas to the editorial board prior to writing and will receive compensation of $250 , according to their contributor guidelines.

magazines that publish personal essays

Wartime is geared towards readers that share an interest in Australian history and topics about military affairs.

The work is strictly non fiction and is edited by a board of historians.

Writers can submit a proposal for articles of 1,000 to 2,000 words in length and according to Wartime’s submission guidelines , published articles make $300 per 1,000 words .

Religious Magazines That Pay Writers

Catholic digest.

magazines that publish personal essays

Catholic Digest focuses on both personal faith topics and work, life, family, and relationships from a Catholic perspective.

Submissions should cover one of the three topics; personal, communal and global faith. Print articles run around 1,500 words, while web based articles are generally 1,000 words.

Write for magazines in the religious “niche” is fulfilling and can help you land clients in this niche.

While it is not published on their site, The Write Life states that they pay about $500 for a feature publication .

magazines that publish personal essays

Clubhouse is a Christian magazine geared towards kids ages 8 to 12 that want to learn more about what is means to be Christian.

Fiction and nonfiction articles focus on a wide range of topics from choose-your-own-adventure stories to fun quizzes.

Depending on the type of article, writers can expect to earn $0.15 to $0.25 per word for 400 to 2,000 word pieces , per their guidelines .

InSite Magazine

magazines that publish personal essays

Focusing on individuals that are involved in Christian camping and ministries, InSite Magazine includes how-to pieces and all things related to Christian camping, from food safety to fundraising. InSite is all about in-depth articles that help to really show readers, rather than tell them.

According to InSite’s writers’ guidelines (that are quickly downloaded to your computer), articles and sidebars range from 250 to 1,500 words and pay $0.20 per published word .

Group Magazine

magazines that publish personal essays

Group Magazine is a publication for churches working with people to help further their religious relationship.

They focus on resources for educating people by providing sermon and worship ideas, crafts, Bible studies, retreats, volunteer management, and mentoring, just to name a few.

According to their submission guidelines, articles range from 300 to 1,000 words and pay is a straight $80 per printed submission .

magazines that publish personal essays

Connect is geared towards those people that work in ministries with young people.

Connect seeks to challenge its readers to continually grow their skills.

Articles come in two lengths, sidebars which are 200 to 450 words and features, which range from 1,500 to 2,200 words.

According to their writers’ guidelines, sidebar articles pay $50 and features pay $200 when printed .

The Best Magazines for Personal Essay Writers

magazines that publish personal essays

The Sun is a very prestigious, prize winning publication with a strong and dedicated reader base.

In addition to personal essays, they also publish fiction pieces and works of poetry.

There is no minimum length, but they often don’t publish works above 7,000 words. According to their submissions page , fiction and personal essays can range in pay from $300 to $2,000 and poetry between $100 and $250 .

New York Times

magazines that publish personal essays

Looking for a publication that could potentially land a book deal?

The New York Times Modern Love column is a perfect place to start making submissions .

Tell your personal marriage, parenting, relationship, or dating story in 1500 to 1700 words, don’t leave out any of the juicy details (although, beware, you do have to use your real name)!

According to their Facebook page , they pay $300 per published article .

magazines that publish personal essays

SLICE looks for short stories in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry categories.

The really neat thing about SLICE is that they seek out emerging voices to publish side-by-side with already established authors.

In each issue of the magazine there is a cultural theme which surrounds each article. According to SLICE’s guidelines , submissions should not be longer than 5,000 words and pay between $100 to $400 .

magazines that publish personal essays

A prestigious publication, VQR focuses on poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction which includes topics from political or literary analysis to travel essays.

Word count can range from 2,000 to 9,000 words.

While VQR might be a little more difficult for writers to get their submissions accepted, they pay very well.

According to their submission guidelines, the pay for online content starts around $100, while personal essays pay $1,000 or more .

Popular Health and Fitness Magazines That Pay Writers

Vibrant life.

magazines that publish personal essays

Vibrant Life focuses on articles about physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual balance.

How can writers help Vibrant Life’s readers lead a happier, healthier life?

The magazine publishes topics on health, exercise, nutrition, self-help, family, spiritual balance, challenges and triumphs, as well as environmental stewardship and interviews from health experts.

According to their submission guidelines , articles range from 450 to 1,000 words and pay $100 to $300 .

Healthy Living

magazines that publish personal essays

Healthy Living is a popular magazine in the wellness space. Probably one of the quickest turnaround times, writers can submit their full article and expect to hear back from the editorial staff within 6 days.

There are many different chapters in which writers can make submissions to, such as, health bites and beauty picks.

Articles range from 450 to 3,000 words and according to Writers in Charge, pay is $150 .

Common Ground

magazines that publish personal essays

Common Ground is a Canadian publication that focuses on not only health and wellness topics, but also personal growth and ecology.

While they prefer Canadian authors, it is not a requirement.

It is also suggested that writers submit their inquiry before writing the full article.

Published articles range between 600 and 2,500 words and according to Writers in Charge pays $0.10 per word .

magazines that publish personal essays

An Australian based publication, Wellbeing has both an online and offline presence.

While they cover a wide variety of topics, such as natural solutions and raising healthy children; writers can make submissions to four different types of articles; features, travel articles, special reports, and real life experiences.

Article length varies up to 2,000 words and according to their contributor guidelines, pay ranges from $150 to $1700 (AU) .

Whole Life Times

magazines that publish personal essays

Whole Life Times relies on freelancers to publish content on holistic community topics.

They look for stories of holistic and integrated health, sustainability, green living, conscious living, yoga, and organic food, just to name a few.

Full manuscripts should be submitted to the editorial staff and range from 800 to 1,000 words. According to their writer’s guidelines , the pay ranges from $75 to $150 .

Magazines that Pay IoT Writers

Iot for all.

magazines that publish personal essays

IoT for All is an online magazine that publishes high-quality and unbiased content all about the Internet of Things.

This includes educational and informative topics related to virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

Content should either be evergreen, target current events, or attract readers to click and share on social media.

According to their submission guidelines, articles should be 500 to 2,000 words and it is not specified how much they pay .

News Magazines that Pay Writers

magazines that publish personal essays

VOX is an extremely well-known online news magazine that features top stories from around the world.

While VOX does not reveal their specific payment, according to The International Freelancer, VOX pays $500 for a personal essay .

They accept personal stories written in first person that focus on a wide range of topics from vaccines to student debt. Word count is not specified but accepted pitches are able to discuss pay specifics.

magazines that publish personal essays

WIRED is another well known online and print magazine that focuses on the news of emerging technologies and how they are affecting our culture, the political landscape, and the economy.

Submissions are limited to 1,000 words and should focus on a specific and opinionated point of view.

While WIRED does not directly state their rates, The International Freelancers states that they pay $1 to $2 per word .

Douglas Magazine

magazines that publish personal essays

Douglas Magazine focuses on news and hot tips from Vancouver Island.

As there is a lead time of a few months, writers should make a submission early !

Once their submission is accepted, the editorial team works out a deadline and fee for the writer.

While Douglas Magazine does not specifically state their pay rates, this article in Medium states they pay $0.40 per word .

Magazines that Pay!

There you go! Write for magazines with 40 magazines that pay writers in different niche topics.

If you’re a new freelance writer, consider submitting your piece to a magazine while you are also looking for freelance gigs .

Over to you – share with me which magazines you’re going to pitch to!

magazines that publish personal essays

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Hippocampus Magazine

Submissions

Hippocampus wants to publish and promote your truth., what do we publish in our magazine.

During our regular submissions periods we accept previously unpublished work in the following categories:

  • Personal Essays & Memoir Excerpts, max 4,000 words. Submit here (we reopen 9/1) .
  • Flash Creative Nonfiction, max 800 words. Submit here (we reopen 9/1) .

(You can also view our main Hippocampus Magazine Submittable landing page here, which will highlight all current opportunities, including sub-free periods in December.)

Reviews, interviews, craft articles, and writing life articles by invitation/pitch to section editors.

What we publish elsewhere:

  • Memoirs, Essay Collections, Craft Books: View our Books by Hippocampus manuscript submission guidelines . (note: reopens Dec. 1, 2024)
  • Anthologies: Open anthology calls are also listed at our Books by Hippocampus submissions page .

When can I submit to Hippocampus Magazine?

We have two regular submission periods per year:

  • March 1 through May 31
  • Additionally, our 2024 submission-fee free period is Dec. 1–14, 2024

Occasionally, we may open a call for special theme issues and other magazine-related projects.

What are we looking for in creative nonfiction submissions?

True tales from your life. Honesty that possesses both the situation AND the story. Intensely personal experiences that reflect universal truths about what it means to be human. Firsthand accounts from the FULL spectrum of humanity – folx from the LGBTQIA+ community, Black writers, Indigenous writers, and writers of Color, disabled writers, writers of all ages, genders, backgrounds, experiences, lifestyles, and identities.

About our reading process: we generally read submissions in the order received and we use a concealed reading process; this means that our reading panel does not see a name or cover letter. The work is read and considered independent of identifying information and author bio.

What isn’t right for us?

Story pitches. Fiction, poetry, academic works, editorials, social/political commentary, satire, criticism. Timely pieces responding to a current event. Pieces that require special formatting/coding, including pieces that use footnotes/subscript. Pieces that are prescriptive or come with a lesson. Pieces that undermine, judge, marginalize, or “other” the voices and experiences of different individuals or communities.

Please note that we also do not solicit essays, and we do not accept essay placements from PR agencies. Everything we do comes through our standard queue, and all submissions are treated equally.

What will you get out of publishing with us? 

Hippocampus runs on volunteer energy, submission fees, and generous support from our Friends . We also believe that writing should be valued, and the labor of writers should be compensated.

We offer a $40 honorarium to authors who publish Memoir Excerpts, Personal Essays, and Flash Nonfiction with us. Honoraria are paid via PayPal or Venmo within about 90 days of publication.

Writers who contribute to our Book Reviews, Interviews, Craft Column, and Writing Life Column are considered volunteer contributors and are not compensated.

All pieces are shared via our social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) after publication. All magazine contributors are also eligible for a discount to our annual creative nonfiction conference, HippoCamp (currently on hiatus).

What do we need from you?

  • Formatting Requirements: Your submission should be double-spaced and in a 12-point readable font (ex: Times/Arial/Calibri)
  • Why this matters: We have a concealed reading process, which means your work is judged on the work itself. Our reading panel members do not see your name, cover letter, or any other submission details: they only see the manuscript.

Other requests:

  • Regular submissions come with a $3 submission fee. However, for those unable to cover the fee, we maintain a Submission Fund. To access the fund, contact us here .
  • Please only send us one piece for submission at a time. If you want to send us something else, wait until you hear from us about the first piece you sent.
  • Please be patient. We review pieces as we receive them, and we’re all volunteers, so it might take us a minute. Our typical turnaround time is 4 months.
  • You can submit an excerpt, essay, or flash piece if you have an outstanding query with Books by Hippocampus.
  • We’re happy to accept simultaneous submissions, but if your piece gets accepted by someone else, please withdraw it through Submittable as soon as possible!
  • Take your time. We generally only publish each author once a year. We want to give everyone a chance to be heard.

Want to get in touch about an existing submission? It’s best to send an email to [email protected]; you may also use this contact form . We can’t guarantee that if you DM us on Twitter or send a Facebook message that we’ll see it and respond.

Publishing Info & Editorial Calendar

  • We publish 6 regular issues per year: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/December.
  • New issues typically go live the Monday of first full week of the month.
  • Reviews, interviews, and articles typically come out the first week of each month.

Remember that publishing is inherently subjective, and therefore, inherently imperfect. Like every other literary publication out there, we do our best to assume best intentions and publish and promote the work we’re moved and inspired by. Just because your piece wasn’t a fit for us doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable and worthy of publication at any one of these amazing platforms for creative nonfiction . Keep writing, keep editing, keep submitting.

These guidelines were updated on Aug. 22, 2023. We can’t wait to read your work!

Contributor Updates

contributor update banner with image of two writers in back

Alumni & Contributor Updates: Summer 2024

Alumni & Contributor Updates: Early 2024

Contributor Updates: Fall 2023

Contributor & Alumni Updates: Spring 2023

magazines that publish personal essays

Memoir Magazine

magazines that publish personal essays

The 2024 Memoir Prize Winners

Groundbreaking, Innovative, Cathartic, Transformative: A new crop of memoirs masterfully weaves the historical, the present, and the personal. This year we pres...

magazines that publish personal essays

My Aunt Who Changed Her Name by Cecilia Donohoe

To my friends, I tell the story as a joke. If Sarafina comes up in conversation, she — who bought me a beautiful pink tutu when I was nine and gave me beads and...

magazines that publish personal essays

The Day My Mother Lost Her Looks by Jenelle Boucher

I lived with my mom and grandma. Just the three of us. No siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles. Everyone I knew was one of our ages: adolescent, middle-aged...

magazines that publish personal essays

Hypostasis by Amy Bailey

When Amy’s mother dies, there will be an autopsy. The report’s first paragraph will detail long black hairs protruding from her chin. It will be a commentary, a...

magazines that publish personal essays

Hon by Laurie Harriton

 *Featured Art: A TEAR by Carolyn Schlam, Ink and Watercolor, 14″ x 11″, 2020 I am lying on the Murphy bed in Herb’s dark living room, having finall...

magazines that publish personal essays

Ditch Days by Kase Johnstun

And then there were days when the ditch was full but no one to play with. My cousins weren’t around, and my brother didn’t want anything to do with me, so I put...

magazines that publish personal essays

This Is Not Some Story About a Kid That Got Molested — Gary Smothers

with Featured artwork “Summer Shapes” by Norton Pease This, this is the memory that awoke in me one night while showering before bed. And let’s just...

magazines that publish personal essays

First and Last Easter by S. Severin

First Easter It was our first Easter together.  I was in a good mood, springtime in Chicago can do that to a person. The Easter displays were up and I decided t...

magazines that publish personal essays

Misconstrued by Karen DeBonis

In the beginning.             My father married my mother and they begat six children, loving each of us unconditionally. Dad played the organ at church, Mom sa...

magazines that publish personal essays

You Can Call Me Betty by Allison Wehrle

I do remember going to visit shortly after the stroke. As a preschooler, and through no great accomplishment of my own, I was suddenly more articulate than the ...

magazines that publish personal essays

The War is Over by Deborah Adelman

...at least when you are not lying awake at night in your bed in the living room, feeling the enormity of the world’s violence and wondering how your family mig...

magazines that publish personal essays

Main Street Madness by Mary McBeth

But I don’t say that, instead I will say that I’m going to build a Tiny House, and ditch the double-wide. That way they will be awed instead by my quirky ingenu...

magazines that publish personal essays

How Can Black People Go Camping at a Time Like This? by Debra Stone

We bought the trailer after Trump became president, a safety net, in the probability of needing a means of escape. Maybe Canada then on to Cuba? At least it eas...

magazines that publish personal essays

Dinner In Apartment 4N by Nancy Reckler

*Artwork by Elisa Peterson This time, their argument began in the kitchen. I sat next to my sister as my parents stood over us yelling and cursing across the bl...

magazines that publish personal essays

Passenger Trains and Other Forbidden Loves by Jonathan Odell

People are quick to ask me when I discovered I was gay, like one day I got a registered letter in the mail. Or maybe they are fishing for a steamy sex story exp...

magazines that publish personal essays

What Love Looks Like in Public by Jacqueline St. Joan

The urge to move is nameless, both voluntary and involuntary. The trick is to get that far and then get out of the way. Follow it to the first words and then ...

magazines that publish personal essays

Vigil by Shirlee Jellum

*Featured Artwork by Tara Koger/Columbus Community Deathcare “…when the time comes to let it go…” —Mary Oliver I Outside the door I linger, close my eyes, breat...

magazines that publish personal essays

A Lunchtime by Kate Dowling

*Featured Artwork: “Rain” by Ann Marie Sekeres I had to go out that lunchtime. Some DVDs were due back at Blockbuster, we were nearly out of milk an...

magazines that publish personal essays

Along Came Bobby by Jordan Midgley

Every now and again, Bobby will call me, or I’ll call him. We talk about politics, drama, scandal, funny stories, old friends, his son’s service in the Navy, my...

magazines that publish personal essays

The Sweetness of His Breath by Kristen Lambertin

My son looked so small in the hospital bed. “Will this change my life? Will I still be able to play soccer?” he asked. “Yes and yes,” I said, “but not necess...

Short, sweet and infrequent! Stay up-to-date with curated content, links to book reviews, interviews, craft essays, contest and submission announcements, and other excellent resources for memoir writers! All for FREE!

Harvard Kennedy School Library & Research Services

  • Harvard Library
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Publishing Your Scholarship

  • Essays & Op-Eds
  • Academic Journal Submissions & Rankings
  • Publisher Directories

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  • Harvard & HKS Resources
  • Open Access Publishing
  • Citation Management & Collaboration
  • Op-Ed Project Op-ed writing resources and submission advice for specific newspapers and online news sites.
  • 19 Websites and Magazines That Want to Publish Your Personal Essays Compiled by Lisa Rowan, this site provides links to websites and their submission guidelines for personal essays.
  • 20 Great Places to Publish Personal Essays Compiled by freelance writer, Meghan Ward, a list of popular magazines and websites that accept personal essays.
  • Tips to Help You Publish Your Personal Essays Authored by Sheila Bender, discusses strategies for identifying popular press, small presses and regional/local publishers to publish your essay in.
  • The Conversation To author an article on this site, you must be currently employed as a researcher or academic with a university or research institution. PhD candidates under supervision by an academic can submit articles to the site. Articles from Masters students are not accepted.
  • Medium Anyone can publish on this social media platform.Select the curated option for wider distribution to readers based on their selected topics of interest.
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  • Last Updated: Aug 1, 2023 2:20 PM
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magazines that publish personal essays

29 Magazines & Website that Pay for History Writing

magazines that publish personal essays

Writers! Today for you, I have a list of 29 publications that pay for writing on history.

We’ve researched payment rates and contact information for these publishers, so you can easily contact the right editor.

I’m sending this a day later than usual — as I had to take a sick day yesterday. Sorry about that!

Also, if you’re a paid subscriber, and want early access to the upcoming database of publishers, please let me know, and I’ll add you to the list for when it’s ready. (It includes over 2,000 listings, just like the ones below, across a huge variety of categories.)

If you’re new to pitching, I encourage you to spend time carefully studying the publications you would like to write for. Learn their style, how they’re organized, the types of writing they publish, and even the general lengths of the articles they publish. Also, pay special attention to the way they write article titles, as this is often vital to the pitch writing process.

Once you’re familiar with the publication, you can brainstorm ideas, and then carefully craft a short pitch to the appropriate editor at the publication. For paid subscribers, feel free to send me a draft pitch, and I’ll give you my feedback.

LitWorth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Today I Found Out publishes interesting history facts. They do not want dry material and the article must appeal to a wide range of readers. No length is listed on their website, but a word count check on recently published articles shows that they typically published articles that are 1,500 to 1,800 words. If they are interested in your articles, they will buy it from you. To learn more, read their Writers’ Guidelines.

The Smithsonian accepts proposals from “established freelance writers.” When sending in your pitch for a history article, you must supply links to previously published works. Length is  around 800 to 1,800 words. While no pay is listed on their website, other sources say they pay $0.17/word or more. According to one payment report , they paid $0.23 per word. To learn more, read their Print Magazine Pitches and Website Pitches.

Atlas Obscura publishes "secret histories, dispatches from odd gatherings, on-the-ground coverage of overlooked locales, profiles of fascinating characters, and anything with an element of surprise and a sense of place." Expect payment of around $0.50 cents per word. Word length is 800 to 1,500 words. To learn more, read their submission guidelines.

Chronicle is the official publication of the Historical Society of Michigan. They welcome queries for features, educational history pieces, and articles for other departments, which they list on their site. The payment range for members is $75 to $125. The payment range for non-members is $50 to $100. To learn more, read Chronicle’s submission guidelines .

Liber is a feminist magazine focused on feminist writing, culture, theory, and history. They accept reviews and essays on upcoming books of all genres, along with poetry, comics, personal or hybrid essays, photo essays, and long-form features related to feminist history and publishing. Reviews range from 1,000 to 2,000 words, and features average 2,000 to 4,000 words. They pay $100 per book review, $50 per poem, and $100-$300 for features based on length and complexity. To learn more, read their pitching guidelines .

American Spirit Magazine is a print magazine published by the Daughters of the American Revolution. They want articles that focus on American history, from the Colonial period to the 1820s. They are particularly interested in history that focuses on women and they accept queries that offer unique perspectives into the past. Pay is on acceptance for the amount agreed upon.To learn more, read their Writers’ Guidelines.

Archaeology is a print magazine that publishes articles about new historical discoveries and reevaluations of old theories relating to ancient and recent history. Most of their contributions come from freelance writers and they prefer to receive story pitches. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Pay is on acceptance for the amount agreed upon. Writers’ Guidelines.

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magazines that publish personal essays

Sign Up For Paid Writing Opportunities

30 publications that pay writers for personal essays.

Compiled By H. Lovelyn Bettison

The following is a list of 30 magazines, newspapers, and websites that pay for personal essays. Included is a wide variety of publishers, covering many specialties and topics. For even more publishers seeking submissions, grab a copy of the Paid Publishing Guidebook.

  • The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe accepts personal essays about relationships for their Connections section. The essays should be about 650 words. Please send an email with “Query” as the subject line to [email protected] to pitch your essay.

  • Extra Crispy

Extra Crispy pays for personal essays about food. The articles they publish have a conversational tone with a bit of humor. http://www.extracrispy.com/culture/185/how-to-pitch-extra-crispy

Dame is a women’s magazine. They don’t have a submissions page, but do provide an email address for pitches: [email protected] http://www.damemagazine.com/

Kveller is a parenting magazine that accepts personal essays about parenting and women’s issues as seen through a Jewish lens. http://www.kveller.com/article/submission-guidelines/   They pay $25 per post.

  • The New York Times: Modern Love

The New York Times Modern Love is looking for essays about love and relationships in modern times payment $300. The desired length for essays is 1500 to 1700. The submission page is old, but still up to date.  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/fashion/howtosubmit_modernlove.html?_r=1&

  • The New York Times: Lives

New York Times Lives accepts essays about meaningful life experiences. http://www.nytimes.com/column/lives Read the section to get an idea of what they want and send pitches to [email protected]

Salon publishes personal essays. Send your pitches in the body of the email not as an attachment. They also would like to know about your background and what makes you qualified to write the piece you’re proposing.  http://www.salon.com/about/submissions/

Slate is an online magazine about news, politics, and culture. Please indicate which section you’re pitching to in the subject line of your email. http://www.slate.com/articles/briefing/contact_us/2006/08/whereto_find_slate_staff.html

Slice is a print magazine based in Brooklyn. They accept short fiction and personal essays. Submissions will open again on April 1. They pay $250

https://slicemagazine.org/submit/

  • The Smart Set

The Smart Set is an online magazine about arts and culture, science, and global and national affairs.  http://thesmartset.com/about-us/#submissions

  • The Billfold

The Billfold is a publication about money. They accept personal essays about your experiences with money, saving, and debt. https://thebillfold.com/about

  • MotherwellMotherwell is a parenting magazine that looks for personal essays that take a novel angle on parenting. Essays should be up to 1200 words. https://motherwellmag.com/submissions/

Tin House is a literary journal that publishes personal essays up to 10,000 words. They have themed issues and only accept unsolicited submissions in September and March. http://www.tinhouse.com/magazine/submission-guidelines.html

  • Narratively

Narratively is devoted to untold human stories. They accept pitches and completed essays.   http://narrative.ly/contribute/

Guideposts is looking for your true stories of inspiration and hope. Submit completed essays via the submission form on their website. https://www.guideposts.org/tell-us-your-story

  • The Christian Science Monitor: Home Forum

Home Forum publishes upbeat personal essays that are 600 to 800 words in length. The payment is $75.  http://www.csmonitor.com/About/Contributor- guidelines/Contributor-Guidelines-The-Home-Forum

  • The Establishment

The Establishment is a multimedia publication that encourages diversity. They accept essays 800 to 1,500 words long and pay $125. https://theestablishment.co/pitch-us-b0788d803a0b#.34no26v7l

The Sun is a literary journal that is mainly interested in personal stories. They pay $300-$2000 for personal essays up to 7,000 words.  http://thesunmagazine.org/about/submission_guidelines/writing

Skirt is a women’s magazine that publishes essays that are about 800 to 1100 words long. Each issue of the magazine has a theme. Look at their editorial calender for subjects. They pays $200 per essay. http://www.skirt.com/contribute/

  • Travels’ Tales

Travels’ Tales publishes your travel essays in their anthologies. They pay $100 per essay. http://travelerstales.com/submission-guidelines/

  • Brain, Child

Brain, Child is an award-winning literary magazine for mothers. They pay for personal essays on parenting. https://www.brainchildmag.com/about/writers-guidelines/

  • Chicken Soup for the Soul

Chicken Soup for the Soul releases themed books throughout the year. They accept uplifting essays that are less than 1200 words. The pay is $200. http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

Backpacker has a Destinations section where they publish first person accounts of outdoor experiences. The pay is $0.40-$1 per word http://www.backpacker.com/backpacker-contributor-s-guidelines/

  • Paste Magazine

Paste Magazine focuses on music, movies, TV, videogames, comedy, books and more. They do accept personal essays. Read past essays to get an idea about what they are looking for. Pay varies. https://www.pastemagazine.com/paste/2012/03/writer-guidelines.html

True Story is published by Creative Nonfiction. They accept personal essay between 5000-10000 words and pay $300. https://www.creativenonfiction.org/submissions/true-story

  • Good Old Days

Good Old Days accepts personal essays about growing up between 1935 and 1960. They should be informal and conversational in tone. Payment varies. http://www.goodolddaysmagazine.com/contributor_guidelines.php

  • AARP Magazine

AARP Magazine publishes thoughtful, timely personal essays that are relevant to people over 50. Payment varies.  http://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/info-05-2010/writers-guidelines-aarp-magazine.html

Broadly is a website devoted to representing a wide variety of women’s experiences. They publish personal essays. https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/page/about

  • The Three Penny Review

The Three Penny Review is a literary magazine that publishes both fiction and creative nonfiction. They pay $400 per story or article.  http://www.threepennyreview.com/submissions.html

  • Vox First Person

Vox First Person is dedicated to publishing thoughtful, in-depth first person narratives. They pay, but don’t list the rates on their site. http://www.vox.com/2015/6/12/8767221/vox-first-person-explained

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magazines that publish personal essays

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  • Social Entrepreneurship

Aspiring writers, these 9 online magazines want to publish your work!

Once you’ve written your short story or poem, what next? Who will publish it? Fret not, there are actually plenty of well-known online publications that welcome submissions by emerging Indian writers, and will showcase your writing on their platforms and to a wide readership.

Here’s a selection of online magazines and journals to help you get started:

1) Spark The Magazine

Conceptualised in November 2009, the first issue of Spark appeared in January 2010. This online literary magazine explores 3 W’s – Word, World and Wisdom. They accept fiction, non-fiction, poetry, art and photography submissions based on the theme of the month.

For more information: http://www.sparkthemagazine.com

2) Out of Print Magazine

First published in 2010, Out of Print magazine is an online platform for short fiction with a connection to the Indian subcontinent . Their list of contributors range from well established writers to those publishing for the first time.

For more information: http://www.outofprintmagazine.co.in

3) Muse India

The Muse India, a literary e-journal published bi-monthly online, aims to showcase Indian writing in English and in English translation . The e-journal publishes a variety of literary work, including essays and book reviews, and welcomes submissions that are India-focused.

For more information: http://www.museindia.com

4) The Bombay Literary Magazine

The magazine largely publishes literary fiction, as well as some poetry and book reviews, and welcomes submissions on subjects not usually encountered in Indian writing. If you’re interested in reviewing a book, please note that it should be fiction, preferably literary fiction.

For more information: http://bombayliterarymagazine.com/

5) eFiction India

eFiction India is an independent magazine devoted to showcase exciting new writing focused on the Indian subcontinent. They publish essays, fiction, poetry, art and criticism and also have a special feature has full-length plays and screenplays, complete with camera/stage directions .

For more information: http://www.efictionindia.in

6) Helter Skelter

This online magazine is dedicated to publishing personal essays, social commentary, human interest pieces, interviews, features, reviews, and photography, mainly focusing on independent and alternative culture in India.

For more information: helterskelter.in

7) The Bangalore Review

The Bangalore Review is a monthly online magazine aimed at promoting literature, arts, culture, criticism and philosophy at a deeper level. With every edition, they seek to strike a balance between the published and unpublished work.

For more information: http://bangalorereview.com

8)  Indus Women Writing

Although Indus Women Writing is primarily for emerging and established Indian women writers from across the globe to share their writing, it welcomes stories, articles and poetry submissions from Indian men too. Children above 13 can also submit their work.

For more information: http://www.induswomanwriting.com/

9) The Lookout Journal

A collaborative quaterly arts and culture web-zine, they look for the slightly evocative, more whimsical sort of narratives, specific to the theme, with each issue.

For more information: https://www.thelookoutjournal.com

We hope this list helps take you one step closer to publishing your writing. Feel free to share it with friends who are writers to help spread the word!

Do you know any other publishing sites that aren’t on the list? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll add it above.

Featured image source: Oz Typewriter

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I have e-mailed to all the above mentioned magazines but didn’t receive any reply from them. Hopefully their contact addresses are fake.

Hey there, did you get any response of any sort from the above mentioned magazines?

Killer post Nikhil! If you’re intending to update it at any point, I’d love to put forward Ash Tales for inclusion.

Based in the UK, we publish original post apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, exploring the end of the world in short stories (up to 2,000 words in length, with shorter flash fiction encouraged) and 20-minute narrated podcast episodes. Ash Tales accepts submissions year-round, and there’s no cost for submission 🙂

Here’s the site: https://ashtales.com

Thanks in advance!

Sky Island Journal is another fine option for those seeking to publish poetry, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction: https://www.skyislandjournal.com/

Much Respect and Many Thanks, Jason

can we also send poem written by kids ( 6 year old) in hindi

You can always try 🙂

Yes! Country Tales. Here is a link to their website: https://www.coutales.com All sort of stories, both short and series

Hello, we at Feminism in India are also accepting articles, essays, reviews and much more. Please check us out at https://feminisminindia.com/ .

Thanks. If there are any other websites/ initiatives that accept novice writers articles pls let me know.

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  • Culture 204
  • Social Entrepreneurship 65

The Craft of Magazine Writing

Learn the skills and insights you will need to jump-start your career as a magazine writer. This course will teach you how to get your work published and turn your writing skills into an easy source of extra income.

Details + Objectives

Course code: mw1.

Have you ever thought about writing for magazines? Turn your dreams into bylines and help yourself to a bright future as a magazine writer. It is fun, easy, and a great source of extra income. If you are a determined new writer, or if you haven't written for magazines in years, this class will jump-start your career. You will learn plenty of powerful brainstorming techniques designed to get those creative juices flowing with articles that practically write themselves.

What you will learn

  • Learn how to find ideas for articles
  • Understand how to use your market guidebook
  • Get an overview of production tips and grammar rules
  • Learn how to interview various subjects
  • Understand how to write for a reader in a clear crisp way
  • Learn how to do research for your writing

How you will benefit

  • Become more confident in your ability to build a career as a magazine writer
  • Learn ways to keep the creative juices flowing so you're never without new ideas
  • Understand the magazine writing world so you can be more successful

How the course is taught

  • Instructor-Moderated or Self-Guided online course
  • 6 Weeks or 3 Months access
  • 24 course hours

Did you know that you don't have to be an expert on a topic to write a magazine article about it? You don't need a wall of diplomas to be a writer, either. If you think it's necessary to have taken formal courses in writing, journalism, or communications to write, reconsider that idea. In this lesson, you'll discover where ideas originate and get started as a writer of nonfiction magazine articles.

Ask a magazine writer about the genres available to this profession and you'll learn about consumer topics, informational pieces, question-and-answer formats, true crime articles, and a bunch more. You'll hear about how-to articles, too. If you've been seriously thinking about writing for magazines, then you need to know about the categories. You'll begin that investigation in this lesson.

You've just purchased the latest market guidebook with the writing guidelines for oodles of magazines. It's awesome, complex, and exciting. If you feel overwhelmed, you're not alone. Some new writers get copies of market guidebooks and, once they've thumbed through them, put them aside. The books can be intimidating. But after this lesson, you'll be a pro at selecting magazines that want articles from you. By the end of it, you'll be able to use an innovative outlining tool, called The Bubble Method, which will help you make every single topic a potential article.

What is a query letter? Do nonfiction article writers really need them? How can you write one that will capture the interest of editors? That's what this lesson will discuss: giving you a foundation for writing a query that sells your ideas.

In this lesson, you'll get a quick review of production tips and grammar rules. But the gem is a section on how to interview the people, experts, and celebrities that you'll be writing about. Whatever type of article you write, you may have occasion to interview someone. Not being an effective interviewer will diminish your chances of success. However, what you learn in this lesson will make interviewing fun and easy.

Money. It's the topic of this lesson and will be discussed in depth. The lesson will then debunk that bugaboo, "writer's block". Yes, writer's block is out there, waiting to get your attention and stop you in your tracks, but in this lesson you'll learn how to simply acknowledge it and then get writing once again.

Do you know your reader? Most new writers say, "Hey, of course I do". But unless you know who you're writing for and write in a fashion that captures and sustains a reader's interest, you'll find writing for magazines a huge challenge. So, this lesson will talk about writing for a reader, ways to create clear and crisp writing, and writing fillers and essays.

Have you ever wondered how magazine writers know how many words are right for a specific topic? Have you thought about where sidebars come from? Do you want to gain credibility for a nonfiction book and further your profession, cause, or company? You'll get answers to those questions and much more here in this lesson.

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to research topics for articles and understand how to get yourself into the research picture. It's nearly painless and really fun once you know the techniques professional magazine writers use.

Do you need to interview an expert or get a quote from one to make your article sparkle? You probably have a book in your house right now that would supply what you're looking for. This lesson will talk more about finding experts to make your articles sizzle. Then you'll examine the tools you need to self-edit. Self-editing is the polish that turns okay writing into publishable words.

Recycle your research and you'll be able to sell and resell ideas without reinventing the wheel. That's the focus of this lesson. The lesson will also discuss writing about theme and seasonal articles, locating regional publications that would be crazy not to have you write for them, and networking with others to increase the number of articles you sell.

Imagine you're about to print an article that you've been working on for a week. It's dynamite and headed for publication in a major magazine. This is your lucky break. As weird as it seems to a cyber-savvy writer like you, the editor wants a printed manuscript. After thinking, "this magazine is still in the dark ages", you smile and comply. However, you've run out of paper (or need a printer cartridge) or stamps or some other indispensable writing supply. If this hasn't happened to you yet, it may, unless you realize that time is money. Time management is the final topic and since there's only so much time in the day, you'll learn how to use what you have, and use it well.

Instructors & Support

Eva Shaw, Ph.D., is a full-time working writer. She has authored thousands of articles, essays, short stories, and more than 70 books, including "Writing the Nonfiction Book," "Insider's Guide to San Diego," and her latest release, "The Pursuer." Her work has been featured in USA Today, San Diego Union Tribune, Publisher's Weekly, and others. She has won several awards, including the Book of the Year Award from the American Journal of Nursing, the Benjamin Franklin Award, and the Woman of Merit Award.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Requirements

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 8 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader .
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

When can I get started?

Instructor-Moderated: A new session of each course begins each month. Please refer to the session start dates for scheduling.​ Self-Guided: Your course begins immediately after you enroll.​

How does it work?

Instructor-Moderated: Once a course session starts, two lessons will be released each week for the 6 week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends. You will interact with the instructor through the online discussion area. There are no live sessions or online meetings with the instructor. Self-Guided: You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

How long do I have to complete each lesson?

Instructor-Moderated: The interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes two weeks after each lesson is released, so you're encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release. However, you will have access to all lessons from the time they are released until the course ends.​ Self-Guided: There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within the allotted access period. Discussion areas for each lesson are open for the entire duration of the course.

What if I need an extension?

Instructor-Moderated: Students enrolled in a six-week online class benefit from a one-time, 10-day extension for each course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.​ Self-Guided: Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

Dr. Shaw is a wonderful instructor. From the start of the course she made a comfortable environment which encouraged students to submit their assignments and participate in the discussion areas. I will definitely be taking another one of her classes.

It may sound corny, but I feel that someday I'll look back and know "this is the course that got me started". Thanks to Eva.

I took this course because I wanted to improve my chances of getting published. I had already read a book by Dr. Eva Shaw and had found it the most practical book on writing I had ever read. Consequently, I was excited to take this course. This class has not only given me new insight but renewed confidence as well. I would highly recommend any class taught by Eva Shaw.

Thanks so much for your inspiration. I have learned so much. Thanks for getting me so jazzed about writing.

There is great news: I got the job! My future boss loved my writing (many of the samples I gave him were from your courses). Thank you so much for helping me put my future back on track. I am so excited about this new start, and I wanted to thank you again for helping me to make it possible!

This class was all that I had hoped and so much more. The instructor made it a pleasure, and the information was extremely helpful.

This class was the kick in the pants that I needed to get started as a freelance writer.

What a unique class! This was my first-ever online class. And I did not expect the whole process of learning to write for magazines to feel so natural. This was sooo cool! Many thanks to Eva and all the classmates. I printed and saved several of the discussions because they had such useful ideas.

The editor of a magazine has asked me to proceed with my article on discrimination for their upcoming issue. I am so excited!!! Thank you so much, Eva. This would never have happened if I had not taken your class.

Eva, at your suggestion, while I was in your Writeriffic class that ended in October, I submitted an article to my local newspaper when they put in a call for guest writers. I just received confirmation that I will be one of three guest columnists for 2011—I will have 4 articles published! I spent time yesterday talking with the editor and she got me in touch with a writer's group in this area. This new world of writing is opening up to me. I'm very excited and I have you to thank for the nudge! This course will help me to refine my work and the feedback will give me the confidence to turn it in, not just to the newspapers, but also to magazines.

Related Courses

Top 7 Digital Publishing Platforms for 2025

August 16, 2024.

working on laptop

Are you preparing to publish your catalog for the upcoming year? Is it finally the right moment to self-publish that book you’ve worked so hard on? Or maybe it’s time to digitize your magazine and transform it into the spectacular mobile-friendly experience you know it can be.

Whatever the reason, choosing the right platform for your digital publications can really make a difference in terms of reader engagement.

In this guide, we provide the top digital publishing platforms across a variety of content formats. We considered blogs, magazines, catalogs, ebooks, and more. Keep reading to find the right publishing platform for your digital content. 

1. eMagazines

emagazines

Platform type: digital magazine publisher

eMagazines is the top online publishing platform for producing and delivering stunning digital magazines. Not only can you make captivating digital editions, but you can choose how to deliver them, get help setting up subscription order pages, and offer subscriber access to back issues. This makes eMagazines an ideal choice for publishers of all sizes.

  • Turn-key production
  • Automated high-quality audio generation
  • Mobile-optimized reader
  • Apple News + delivery
  • Subscription order pages
  • Expert assistance with magazine production and subscriber delivery
  • Subscriber back issue access
  • Native app building and maintenance
  • PDF converter
  • Partner network for new customer acquisition
  • End-user customer support
  • Password-free and download-free digital magazine delivery
  • Analytics and reporting 

Working with eMagazines gives you the software and services that power many of the world’s most popular digital magazines, including People, Cosmopolitan, TIME, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, Fortune, Bazaar, Outside, and Bloomberg. 

eMagazines is an ideal solution for digital magazines for mobile phones and tablets, but if you want to publish standard articles that are readily available on your website, look elsewhere.

Example publication: Better Homes & Gardens

magazines that publish personal essays

Better Homes & Gardens is a great digital magazine example. In addition to the clean mobile display of articles, they utilize our automated audio generation feature to include audio for every article. This feature expands access to the content and caters to those who prefer to listen. 

2. FlipHTML5

flipHTML5

Platform type: digital flipbook publisher

FlipHTML5 is a digital publishing software for creating and distributing flipbooks. Their platform allows you to convert any PDF, PPT, or JPG into a digital flipbook. You can also start with one of their many templates and create custom flipbooks with their powerful editors. And, with their trigger actions, elements, and widgets you can create interactive publications that engage your readers. 

  • 300+ templates
  • Merge files and batch convert options
  • Customization tools
  • Rich media and animation integrations
  • AI enhancement options
  • All-channel distribution
  • Content strategy
  • Brand marketing
  • Content monetization

FlipHTML5 is easy to use and is known for their great customer service.

Sometimes the load times lag on certain devices. And, revising content after publishing can be difficult.

Example publication: Tallahassee Community College

Tallahassee Community College student handbook

Tallahassee Community College has utilized FlipHTML5 for publishing their student handbooks as digital flipbooks. This has improved engagement as the text can be broken up with images and videos. And, the endless scrolling of a PDF is avoided. Sharing the handbook is as simple as sharing a URL. 

3. WordPress

magazines that publish personal essays

Platform type: digital blog publishing

With over 34 million websites operating on the platform in 2024, it is safe to say that WordPress is one of the top digital platforms for publishing. The content management system (CMS) offers blog publishing, SEO optimization, advanced categorization, media libraries, and user permissions and roles—which is great if you’re managing large or diverse teams.

  • Design with block components
  • 12,000+ themes available
  • Intuitive editing
  • Extended functionality through 59,000+ plugins
  • SEO optimization
  • Advanced design & editing tools
  • Marketing tools
  • Monetization tools
  • Statistics, insights, and analytics

The vast popularity of WordPress speaks for itself.

With so many plugins, you have to be really careful about the ones you choose to use. Some are poorly coded and others are even intentionally malicious.

Example publication: DesignFiles

DesignFiles

The interior design software DesignFiles utilizes WordPress to manage and publish their blogs, videos, case studies, and other content. Their utilization of the platform has created a clean and elegant display of their content.

4. DCatalog

DCatalog

Platform type: digital catalog publisher

DCatalog is a great option If you are publishing long-form digital media such as catalogs, ebooks, and emanuals. The simple digital publishing system allows you to easily create, publish, and manage digital catalogs with interactive enhancements to help level up sales.

  • Shopping cart integration
  • B2B wholesale with quotes requests
  • Fully brandable
  • Automatic linking
  • Rich media and link management
  • Advanced analytics and tracking
  • Polygon linking

DCatalog makes creating digital catalogs easy and its ability to integrate with your shopping cart is a definite plus.

The specialty of DCatalog is catalogs, and some users comment on the sticker shock. If you want to publish other digital content you might want to explore your options.

Example publication: Staples

Staples catalog

Staples utilizes DCatalog to create an ultra-organized catalog. The internal table of contents links allows you to easily navigate to product categories and selecting a product takes you to the eStore where you can add the item to your cart.

issuu

Platform type: digital brochure publisher

If you are a small business or an organization that publishes brochures or an infrequent magazine, then Issuu is a great digital publishing software to consider. They have a free plan to get you started and for $44 a month, you can get most of their available features. 

  • Create digital magazines and catalogs
  • Third-party system integrations
  • Workflow management and team collaboration
  • SEO optimization 
  • In-depth analytics
  • Fullscreen viewing
  • Sales and subscriptions management

Issuu is easy to use and super affordable. Also, embedded brochures, personalized guides and marketing catalogs can be optimized on your website to improve search engine rankings.

Obtaining phone support or uploading large files sends the price tag up significantly. If you are publishing regularly, you’ll want to consider a fully featured platform designed for major publications (and the customer support that comes with it).

Example publication: TB Realty Group

TB Realty Group market update

The TB realty group utilizes Issuu to create their market updates and property brochures. In addition to reducing costs associated with printed content, they can easily update their listings and track consumer engagement and audience reach.

6. Adobe Experience Manager

Adobe Experience Manager

Platform type: multichannel digital publishing

Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) combines digital asset management with CMS to create highly effective digital publishing. With AEM you can build and publish branded apps, websites, and other forms of interactive digital content.

  • Site performance
  • Content creation
  • Testing and optimization
  • Rapid development
  • Omnichannel experiences
  • Headless CMS
  • Scalable asset management
  • Intelligent automation
  • Integrated ecosystem
  • Dynamic media delivery
  • Digital enrollment and forms

AEM is known for its user-friendly interface and easy publishing and scheduling. Another plus is the scalability of the software with other Adobe products.

The biggest drawback of AEM is its complexity and high learning curve. Getting the most out of the platform and understanding its more intricate features takes time and a lot of effort.

Example publication: Dicks Sporting Goods

Dicks Sporting Goods

Dick’s Sporting Goods has taken advantage of the scalability, performance and security features of AEM for both content and digital asset management. They utilize content fragments and experience fragments to deliver both consistent and personalized content at scale. This has created a highly dynamic publishing system that individually connects with users while staying on brand.

7. IngramSpark

IngramSpark

Platform type: digital self-published book publishing

IngramSpark is the best platform for creating digital (and printed) copies of your self-published books. In addition to ebook publishing, they offer free resources to help you succeed in the self-publishing sphere.

  • Availability to Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble
  • Guaranteed e-reader compatibility at all retailers
  • Online sales reporting
  • Optimization for legibility, download speeds, and consistency
  • Free publisher education

IngramSpark makes self-publishing ebooks simple and affordable. Plus their free educational support is a great help for all those do-it-yourselfers.

Self-publishing does require a bit of work outside the writing process. So, be prepared to follow the creation specs carefully.

Example publication: Pepper Zhang: Artist Extraordinaire!

Pepper Zhang: Artist Extraordinaire! book

Author Jerry Zhang utilized IngramSpark and Kickstarter to create a book inspired by his daughter. Pepper Zhang: Artist Extraordinaire! is an illustrated kids book about a quirky and imaginative Asian girl. With an outpouring of support Mr. Zhang is making this dream book for his daughter a reality.

Ready to publish and distribute the most stunning digital edition of your magazine? Learn more about eMagazines.

magazines that publish personal essays

eMagazines partners with Amazon Polly to voice articles

magazines that publish personal essays

12 Best Publishing Software: Top Picks By Category

magazines that publish personal essays

Top 13 iOS Magazine Apps for Readers & Publishers

Published on 

From bestselling novels to unpublished manuscripts, what is the secret to literary success?

Social media, celebrity book clubs and the conglomeration of publishing houses all make publishing tricky to navigate for writers old and new.

headshot of Erin Kayata

You might think releasing 20 books — including four American Girl books — carries some weight in the publishing world. Yet, Kathryn Reiss still has four books, including a thriller for adults, in her repertoire that remain unpublished.

Reiss, an associate teaching professor in creative writing at Northeastern University’s Oakland campus , has made her name writing suspense novels for kids and teens; she published her first novel, “Time Windows,” in 1991 after writing it while on a Fulbright Scholarship in Germany. But she’s bumped up against a wall when trying to branch outside her niche.

“(Publishers) have to think they can market it,” Reiss said. “So if I want to do an adult book, or if I want to do some literary fiction that’s not a typical Kathryn Reiss suspense novel … they go ‘Well, how will we market that?’ You almost get stuck.”

Creative writing is an art, but writers face the same problem many artists do: how they can create something they like that people will also want to buy. Like any other business, book publishers want to sell a good product that they can easily market, Reiss said. But this makes it hard for writers to break out of their shell, if they can even break into the industry at all.

“For a new writer, you have to prove to them you have a very marketable book,” Reiss said. “What people don’t understand is once you’ve had a book published, it doesn’t mean you’re a shoo-in for your next book. It means your publisher will look at your next book. 

“You have a one-up on someone who hasn’t published anything, but it isn’t a given. They have to think they can market it. … Publishers are really about making money. They care about their readers, but they want to sell books at the end of the day. That’s what they’re in the business to do.”

Lesser-known authors have a hard time

Public figures like Prince Harry will automatically generate intrigue and sales when they write something. Popular authors like Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry are also guaranteed hitmakers. 

But debut or lesser-known authors find they have a harder time. In 2021, there were only 15 novels by debut authors on the New York Times’ list of best-selling hardcover fiction books . Of these, 10 were celebrity authors or were part of a celebrity book club and benefited from the endorsement.

The evolution of publishing has created this scenario. In his recent book, “Big Fiction,” Dan Sinykin explores how publishing has changed since the 1960s when book publishers began conglomerating and becoming more corporate. The publishers of mass market books were acquired and larger publishers took over, focusing on sales over everything else. This led to the creation of “best-selling” authors who could churn out hit after hit.

Book production increased in the 2000s when publishing shifted from manual to digital production, added Juliana Spahr , an English professor at Northeastern’s Oakland campus. Making a book became a faster and cheaper endeavor and publishing houses went from publishing a few thousand fiction titles a year to churning out tens of thousands.

Publishing more books increases the odds

Both small and large presses alike started publishing more books to increase their odds of producing a commercial hit that would offset the costs of their other works, Spahr said. At the same time, major New York publishing companies continued to gobble up smaller presses. “The Big Five” remaining companies now have a stranglehold on the publishing world.

“They’ve had control for many years over major media things like the New York Times Book Review,” Spahr said. “It’s a very different landscape. … Publishing has always been hit or miss. Nobody knows what’s going to hit. So for larger publishers, it often made sense for them to publish more titles hoping that one of them will subsidize the costs of the other titles and a bestseller. There’s no more first books. It’s really hard.”

It also makes it harder for new titles to stand out.

“The internet is a wonderful thing,” Reiss said. “But it means there’s just so much out there all the time. You can’t keep up with new books. It’s not just the 10 big publishers with their 20 new books. So much is just coming out all the time.” 

There’s also the pressure to follow publishing trends. Spahr said certain topics and genres like vampire novels or romantasy (romance-fantasy) or books dealing with race have become popular at certain times and it can be hard for writers who work outside those trends.

‘I was as edgy as Jello’

Tanita Davis , who earned a master of fine arts from Northeastern’s Oakland campus and studied under Reiss, had published several books when she had a breakout hit with “Mare’s War,” a young adult historical fiction novel about two girls who find out their eccentric grandmother was in the African American battalion of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. “Mare’s War” won Davis the Coretta Scott King Award and a nomination for the NAACP Image Award. 

But Davis found her editor had a different vision for her work going forward, wanting her to write something along the lines of “The Hate U Give,” Angie Thomas’ best-selling young adult novel about a young Black girl who sees her friend killed by a police officer.

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“My editor at the time kept saying ‘We want you to be an edgy writer,’” said Davis, who is Black. “I was as edgy as Jello. I felt like a lot of what people were looking for was a certain type of Black character. Part of being a writer for me was wanting to express my own thoughts. Not everybody has the same experiences or can write believably about the things and there are myriad experiences of Blackness in America, (just like) there’s nearly a myriad of experiences being an American.”

Davis ended up leaving that editor and finding another who lets her write in a way that she says is more true to herself. Her recent work has been middle grade novels, with her latest, “The Science of Friendship,” coming out this month.

Davis said many agents and editors look for “comp titles.” These are other books (or other types of media) that are similar to the one being pitched; the idea is to give editors and agents an idea of how to market a new work and whether there’s a demand for it.

“The regrettable part of publishing is that it’s always looking for something that is echoing something else,” Davis said. “It’s always the next thing, and similarities are what sells and so people always say when you write your pitches, you want to say something that is like ‘Mean Girls’ meets ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’ Publishing always reacts better if they look at it and say, ‘OK, that was a really high-grossing movie, so I will feel comfortable looking over this project.’” 

How to break outside existing molds

This makes it difficult, though not impossible, for writers to pitch works that break outside existing molds. Reiss’ daughter, Isabel Strychacz , followed in her mother’s footsteps and turned her thesis from her undergraduate from her time at Northeastern’s Oakland campus into her debut novel, “Starling,”   a young adult novel with fantasy, sci-fi and romance elements woven together. Her second novel, “House of Thorns ,” which is advertised as being “in the vein of The Haunting of Hill House” comes out this month.

But Strychacz’s experience selling her books is different from her mother’s first brushes with publishings. When Reiss published her first book in 1991, marketing was done by the publishing house and writers weren’t expected to get involved, she said. Instead, publishers would put out lists of their new titles each season. Authors would have events and signings. There’d be interviews and reviews in the local paper or on TV.

Strychacz said there’s now an understanding that writers will promote their work on social media, creating a “brand” through their posts.

“It’s almost not even mentioned because they’re just expecting that you will,” she said. “You can do as much as you want … but it’s definitely something I’ve had to think about. The reality of the industry is that like everyone wants their book to do well, so that they get another book deal and just the reality is that to do that, you almost have to be on social media to some degree and it always helps to be active in marketing your books.” 

Agent system isn’t as powerful

TikTok especially has been noted for its effects on book sales. Colleen Hoover’s novel “It Ends with Us” became a New York Times bestseller and made her a household name years after it came out, thanks to users promoting it on TikTok.

In addition to facing fewer publishing options, there’s also fewer direct paths to getting published, Spahr added. People who wanted to write literary fiction would get a master of fine arts degree and their program adviser would connect them with their literary agent who would place the student’s work at a publishing house. 

Now, Spahr said, the agent system isn’t as powerful and there are many writers competing for a few representatives working the market. Over the years, Reiss has taught noted writers like Nina Lacour and Aiden Thomas. But she’s struggled to place anyone she’s taught with her agent.

“Whenever I speak at conferences, people always have this question of ‘How did you break into publishing?’ That’s what everybody who wants to be a writer wants to know, as if that will be the magic key for them,” Reiss said. “Living in Germany, writing a book because I had nothing else to read, that’s not the way you’re going to break into writing. There isn’t one way.”

Erin Kayata is a Northeastern Global News reporter. Email her at [email protected] . Follow her on X/Twitter @erin_kayata .

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    Lesser-known authors have a hard time. Public figures like Prince Harry will automatically generate intrigue and sales when they write something. Popular authors like Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry are also guaranteed hitmakers.. But debut or lesser-known authors find they have a harder time. In 2021, there were only 15 novels by debut authors on the New York Times' list of best-selling ...