|
 |
 |
Articles Freelance Writing The Top 10 NWU Member-Recommended Markets
|
| WOL Search |
|---|
| WOL Partners |
|---|
|
JustMarkets  |
| Articles - Freelance Writing | |
| Written by Sharon Pettis | |
| 2003-07-28 | |
The Top 10 NWU Member-Recommended Marketsby Sharon Pettis
According to the National Writer's Union (NWU), freelance writers need to make at least $1 a word to bring in $40,000 a year BEFORE taxes and work-related expenses. They also released a list of publications that pay $1 a word and up. Cracking these markets could lead to a steady stream of high-paying assignments! For the full report, go to www.nwu.org/journ/minrate.htm American Baby Magazine covering health, medical and childcare issues for expectant and new parents with children under 2 years old. Pays on acceptance, buys First North American serial rights. Guidelines for SASE. Expect a response in 3 months. This market is looking for quick, easy-to-read, and practical advice. Query or send manuscript. Length: 1,000–2,000 words.Pays $750-1,200 for assignments; $600-800 for unsolicited articles, $200–1,000 for columns. Columns: Personal Experience, 700-1,000 words, Short Items, Crib Notes (news and feature items) and Medical Update, 50-250 words. Body and Soul Holistic magazine covering natural health (think "mind-body connection"). Guidelines on website. Consider the title before you come to the plate with a pitch. They accept snail-mail queries only (1-2 paragraphs), with a resume and clips. Expect a response in about 12 weeks. Pays $50 (for columns) to over $1500 (for features). Pitch short items first. Country Home This magazine is for those who are into rural decorating and believe that "country" is more than what they put on their walls. They are fond of decorating with a flair for American history, simplicity, and charm. Query by mail only with writing samples, SASE, and photographs (low-quality are acceptable). Email countryh@meredith.com for contributor guidelines (they are extremely specific as to what they need). Expect a response in 4-6 weeks. Esquire Feel the burn...this is market is sizzling! A great one for your portfolio, considering they have won both editorial and design awards. Buys first wordwide periodical rights, and pays on acceptance. Guidelines for SASE. Query with published clips; try to find an idea with national appeal that requires your expertise and contacts. Also publishes fiction (send manuscript). Hemispheres I can't get enough of these inflight magazines. This one is written for United Airlines passengers, and the focus here is global. Primary readers are affluent, and you definitely need to add some "take-away" information here that will make the reader feel they have gained some inside knowledge. Guidelines for SASE, query by mail only. Expect a response in about two months; pays on acceptance and buys first worldwide rights. Ms. Magazine Feminist magazine devoted to women's issues. Ms. is very interersted in investigative reporting, as well as personal narratives. Pays $1 a word on acceptance, buys FNASR. Query with published clips, expect a response in two months. Lengths range from 500-3500 words. Pays expenses of writers on assignment. National Wildlife Magazine with readers who are interested in wildlife conservation and nature photography. Pays $800-3000 for up to 2500 words. Buys all rights; expect a response in 6 weeks. Guidelines available for SASE. Query with published clips via email or snail mail. Break in by starting with short features, as they rarely give assignments from a query. Southwest Airlines Spirit Another high-paying inflight magazine. Make sure that destinations you write about are ones that are accessible through a southwest airlines flight. Think trendy, as the income level is pretty high for their readers. This magazine likes info-packed articles with sidebars and charts. Query by mail only with published clips. Pays one dollar a word on acceptance. Expect a response in one month. Buys FNASR and electronic rights. Smithsonian Magazine Prefers 250-300 word query via snail mail with supporting material or clips. Email submissions to articles@simag.si.edu. Pays on acceptance, buys First North American Serial Rights only. Article length: 700-4,000 words. Guidelines available online. Pays $1000-1500 for 700 word humor column (see separate guidelines online). "We consider focused subjects that fall within the general range of Smithsonian Institution interests, such as: cultural history, physical science, art and natural history." Vogue I think it goes without saying that this could definitely be one of the best markets to break into. Competition is fierce, and the magazine is looking for queries that stand out. Guidelines for #10 SASE, expect a response in 3 months. Pays on acceptance, $1-2 a word. Query with published clips, max. article length 2500 words. Sharon Pettis is a freelance writer and graphic designer in Northern Virginia. She has written a variety of articles for the web, and is a nonfiction slush pile reader for Writer Online. She specializes in customized marketing communications solutions for small business. Email her at slpettis@yahoo.com or visit her website at www.geocities.com/slpettis. |
|
| WOL Login |
|---|
| No account yet? Create one |
|
|