“We are enclosing a contract for your manuscript…” –Letter from a publishing company
Who’s Looking for Manuscripts?
Lots of indie publishers are looking for the next new voice. Is it yours?
Is your manuscript complete? Was it professionally edited? Have you shared it with trusted readers? If so, it’s probably time to plunge into publishing. Maybe you want to self-publish, and that is certainly a reputable choice. If you’re looking for a known company for your book, take a look at what’s below. Each link leads to multiple submissions opportunities.
Already read this page? Scroll down. I found several new opportunities on Wow–Women on Writing. I’m having trouble finding the exact page on their site. If you locate it, please send me the URL. Please consider signing up for their newsletter. They offer a lot to writers. Thanks!
Want to publish your short story?
Try this collection of 17 publishers collecting unagented short story collections:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/17-publishers-accepting-unagented-short-story-erica-verrillo/
Or try
https://writingtipsoasis.com/short-story-anthology-publishers/
Want to publish your romance novel?
Try these 21 publishers:
https://writingtipsoasis.com/romance-publishers-accepting-submissions/
Or try those listed at
https://www.bryndonovan.com/2021/01/19/romance-publishers-a-list/
Looking for a place that publishes speculative fiction?
Try https://internationalwriterscollective.com/top-20-places-to-submit-speculative-fiction/
Prefer to publish a science fiction or fantasy story?
Try the list at https://authorspublish.com/28-publishers-that-accept-science-fiction-or-fantasy-novels/
Seeking a placement for literary fiction?
Take a look at https://writingcooperative.com/11-literary-fiction-publishers-accepting-unagented-manuscripts-3a21b0b54c71
Do you have a children’s book that needs a publisher?
There’s a good list at https://jerichowriters.com/best-childrens-book-publishers/
Do you have some women’s fiction in need of a publisher?
Consider https://writingtipsoasis.com/publishers-looking-for-womens-fiction/
Are you shopping a mystery or thriller?
Look at https://authorspublish.com/23-mystery-publishers-that-accept-direct-submissions-no-agent-required/
You can research any genre by typing Publishers seeking (your genre) in your search box. Always read all information before you submit. Most publishing companies are honorable. Most. Not all. You know how to read and analyze or you wouldn’t be looking here. A word to the wise is sufficient.
Editors Seeking Pitches & Submissions, Opportunities–found in the WOW—Women on Writing Newsletter,
What fits your needs, interests, and skills?
SheKnows – Sex and Relationship Essays
SheKnows is a community for moms/parents and publishes articles on parenting, health, food, entertainment, and product guides. Health/sex editor Katherine Speller is looking for sex and relationship essays. “I particularly love stuff that intersects with health, bodies, mental health, etc. But a good love story never hurts either.” Pay is $175 per essay. Send pitches (not full drafts) to kspeller@shemedia.com.
Cosmopolitan – Pride
Cosmopolitan is a women’s magazine for dating tips, relationship advice, fashion, and celebrity news. Features director Erin Quinlan is seeking reported features for the Pride Issue. “As an editor and moreover as a queer, I welcome lively departures from the well-meaning yet starchy LGBTQ+ Content media outlets tend to generate in June. Let’s be ungovernable.” Pay is $1.50-$2/word. Pitches by February 3 to erin.quinlan@hearst.com.
MIT Technology Review – Accessibility
A national and print magazine that publishes analysis, reviews, interviews, news, and essays to explain the newest technologies and their commercial, social and political impacts. Editor Rachel Courtland is seeking pitches for their upcoming issue on accessibility. “We’re looking for big swings: narrative features, investigations, essential profiles, and sharp essays at the intersection of accessibility + technology.” Pay is $1-$2 per word. Check out their pitch guide, and send your pitch by February 3 to rachel.courtland@technologyreview.com.
Cunning Folk – Theme: The Vampire
Cunning Folk is an independent magazine covering magic, mythology, folklore and the occult. The editors are seeking pitches and submissions on the theme: The Vampire. They want your articles, essays, interviews, rituals, poetry and short fiction pertaining to the vampiric, that shine light on what lies behind the vampire’s shiny façade – and what that tells us about the current age, the unconscious shadow and humanity. This question can be explored via journalism, art, literature, science, pop culture and the personal. Pay is £100 per article, interview or short story, and £50 for poetry and rituals. Pitch personal essays, articles, recipes and how-tos, interviews with interesting people. Check out their writer’s guidelines and send your pitches to cunningfolkmagazine@gmail.com by March 1.
Herizons Magazine – Columnists
Herizons Magazinepublishes social commentary on art, culture, and legal/political/community affairs related to gender, race, and sexuality. Each issue includes feminist-informed essays, news, and reviews, prioritizing writers based in Canada. They are accepting applications for one-year columnist positions. “Do you have experience writing opinion pieces? Do you have a distinct viewpoint and knowledge of contemporary feminist issues and events?” Columns are 650 words. Pay is $250/issue. Send a short summary of the focus for your column, along with two writing samples (at least one opinion piece) to senior editor Christina Hajjar, christina@herizons.ca, with subject line “Call for columnists” by March 1.
Herizons is also open for ongoing pitches for features ($600 for 1,500-2,000 words), news ($175 for 500 words), film/art reviews ($175 for 500 words), and book reviews ($125 for 350 words) via this form. Additionally, if you’d like to become a regular reviewer and get books sent to you for a paid review, fill out their book reviewer bank form.
Mangoprism
Mangoprism is a publication for emerging writers and veterans who want to try something new. Pieces run every other Tuesday. The editors welcome pitches and submissions, and they are seeking personal essays, short fiction, cultural criticism, long-form interviews, movie and book reviews, reporting, political screeds, and unexpected recipes. Pieces are 1,000 – 3,000 words. Pay is $0.10 per word and up. Check out their pitch guide and send your pitch or submission to editors@mangoprism.com.
The Vegan
The Vegan is a quarterly magazine for vegans by the Vegan Society. They provide ideas, motivation and resources for vegans of all ages. They are looking for pitches from vegan writers, journalists, and recipe developers. Pay is £250 per piece. Pitches to editor@vegansociety.com.
Passionfruit
Passionfruit is the Daily Dot’s creator economy newsletter. They cover business trends, Zoom with influencers, and highlight the best tips for today’s rising creators. They just celebrated their 100th newsletter, and are looking for writers with a great story to contribute. Pay starts at $250 for think pieces, $300 for interviews, and $450 for reported features. Pitches to editor Grace Stanley (they/them) at grace.stanley@dailydot.com.
WeAreTeachers
An online media brand for educators. Do you have an inspirational, funny or practical teacher story to tell? WeAreTeachers welcomes submissions on a wide range of topics pertaining to education and teacher life. Before submitting, they recommend reviewing their blog to understand their style, format, and tone. Most blog posts are 500 to 700 words long. Pay is $100 per post. You can pitch or submit on this page. They are also seeking a full-time associate editor/content manager (remote, US only). You can apply here.
Sports Illustrated News/Trends Writer (Remote)
Sports Illustrated is seeking a writer who will focus on writing and editing breaking news articles on what’s trending in the sports world. Anticipated salary for this remote position is $64,000. Apply here.
Yoga Journal
Yoga Journal is a source for yoga poses, sequences, philosophy, & more. The editors are seeking pitches about and for the yoga and wellness community. Articles are 500 to 1000 words and could be focused on recent research, anatomy hacks, soulful first-person sharing, reporting on a recent happening or trend, or a larger feature that explores some aspect of the practice or industry of yoga. Pay is $125 – $400 for columns, $1 per word for features (1,500 to 4,000 words), and $200 – $250 for reported stories (400 to 800 words). For article pitches related to yoga philosophy, meditation, or mindfulness, send your pitch to Tamara Jeffries at tjeffries@outsideinc.com. For pitches related to the physical practice of yoga or yoga teacher-related content, contact Renee Schettler at rschettler@outsideinc.com. For pitches related to general health, wellness, or culture-minded topics, reach out to Ellen O’Brien at eobrien@outsideinc.com.
On Parenting
washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/on-parenting
On Parenting is a parenting blog of The Washington Post. They are looking for pieces with an interesting angle to parenting. The editors welcome fully-written pieces of no more than 1,200 words. They are looking for reported pieces and personal essays. Pay is reported at $2 per word. Send your submissions to onparenting@washpost.com.
Allrecipes
A community built by and for home cooks and kitchen experts. They publish a print magazine six times a year. The editors are accepting pitches for recipes, news and trending articles, and features (especially personal essays and food histories). Pay starts at $250 per piece. Pitch them via pitch form.
Poynter
Poynter is a school for journalism. The editors are accepting pitches for pieces on LGBTQ+ issues in journalism. Reporting is preferred, but they’ll consider columns and opinion pieces. Pay starts at $0.50 per word. Pitches to pitch@poynter.org.
The Chronicle of the Horse
A national magazine that focuses on horse news and the equestrian lifestyle, primarily on dressage, hunters and jumpers, eventing, foxhunting and steeplechase racing. Pay is $165-$220 for news stories (approx. 1,500 words), and $150-$400 for features (approx. 1,500-2,500 words). Pitches to executive editor Beth Rasin at brasin@coth.com.
Insider
Insider features business, financial, technology, and lifestyle pieces. Their senior editor Alyse Kalish is seeking writers. “Journalism layoffs suck, especially at publications I love reading. I really wish I could do more to help. I’m always looking for writers who want to freelance for our business section — we’re open to a variety of story ideas.” Pay starts at $300 per piece. Check out their writer’s guidelines and send your pitch to akalish@insider.com.
Bolts Magazine
Bolts editors encourage pitches that fit their mission to grow coverage of the local and state politics, elections, policymaking, and organizing that shape these issues—think of county prosecutors and sheriffs, secretaries of state and local election administrators, state legislators, municipal officials, and the activism brewing around them. Pay is $800+ per piece. Check out their pitch guide, and send your pitch to pitches@boltsmag.org.
BuzzFeed News
Tech desk editor Mark Yarm is seeking Gen Z-related tech pitches. Profiles, trends, etc. Pay is $0.33 per word for essays and $0.50 per word for reported pieces. No deadline. Pitches to mark.yarm@buzzfeed.com.
LGBTQ Nation
They publish LGBTQ news stories. Editor-in-Chief Bil Browning is seeking queer-specific pitches. Black History Month content, international stories, interviews, and reported pieces are all welcome. Pay is between $100-$500. Pitches to bil@lgbtqnation.com.
Parade Magazine Associate Editor (Remote)
Parade is seeking an associate editor who is fluent in SEO best practices, with impeccable attention to detail and a drive for pushing their lifestyle and entertainment content to #1. The associate editor should be on top of what’s trending in pop culture, lifestyle and entertainment, and can spin up engaging posts quickly to ride those trends. Anticipated salary for this remote position is $55,000 – $70,000. Apply here.
The Gutter Review
The Gutter Review uses long-form essays and interviews to offer unique perspectives on forgotten, unsung, and subversive comics books, film, genre history, and pop culture. Editors are accepting pitches to fill the first quarter of the year. They publish essays and opinion pieces, theories and discussions, and long-form interviews. The pieces range from 1,500 to 6,000 words. Pay starts at $150 per essay. Check out their pitch guide and send your pitches to editor-in-chief Chloe Maveal via their email at chloe@thegutterreview.com with the subject line “Gutter Review Pitch.”
Thread – Nonfiction Manuscripts
Thread is a new nonfiction imprint from Bookouture, which is owned by Hachette. They aim to publish books and authors that reflect the world we live in, and to break down barriers between publishers, writers and readers. They’re particularly looking for nonfiction manuscripts in inspirational memoir, self development and personal growth, parenting, health, nutrition & fitness, and personal finance. Writers can be unagented, and should have their complete manuscript ready for submission. Check out the type of books they publish, their submission guidelines, and submit here.
Roxane Gay Books – Unagented Manuscripts
Roxane Gay Books is a new imprint of Grove Atlantic. They are open to unagented submissions, and will publish novels, short fiction, memoir, essay collections, and nonfiction. Roxane says, “I am looking for beautifully written, compelling books that challenge, delight, and entertain readers. I love literary fiction but your story has to have an interesting plot. Things have to happen. I love stories about difficult women. I welcome your so-called unlikable protagonists. I enjoy dark, gritty stories but I am also open to happy, joyful but unsentimental stories that reflect faith in the overall goodness of humanity.” Please submit a cover letter, and as a PDF, a 1-3 page summary of your book, and the first three (3) chapters of your manuscript. Submissions will be responded to between three and six months. Check out their guidelines and submit via Submittable.
