Magazines That Accept Freelance Articles (and What They Pay)

Last checked: November 2026. Magazines open and close to submissions often, so always read the official guidelines (linked below) before you pitch.

Getting your writing published online has never been easier, but plenty of freelance writers still want a magazine byline, and a paycheck to go with it. Magazines need a steady stream of original content, yet many rely on in-house staff and never hire freelancers. Others have folded or quietly stopped paying since we first published this list in 2014.

So we went back and checked every magazine on it. The ones below were still accepting freelance work when we last looked, and wherever the publication publishes its rates, we've listed them. If a magazine doesn't publish a rate, we say so rather than guess.

Fiction and poetry

Asimov's Science Fiction

Asimov's publishes science fiction (and some fantasy) short stories from 1,000 to 20,000 words, plus short poems. It pays 8–10 cents a word for stories up to 7,500 words and 8 cents a word beyond that. Poems of up to 40 lines earn $1 a line. Submissions go through its online system only, and it doesn't accept AI-written or AI-assisted work.

Clarkesworld

Clarkesworld is one of the best-paying science fiction and fantasy magazines around. It pays 15 cents a word for stories of 1,000–22,000 words, 12 cents a word for nonfiction about the genre (up to 2,500 words), and $700 for cover art. No simultaneous submissions and no AI-generated work.

Vestal Review

Vestal Review has been publishing flash fiction since 2000. Stories must be 500 words or fewer, and accepted pieces earn $75. It reads during two windows each year, February 1–May 15 and August 1–November 15, and charges a $3 reading fee for general submissions.

Essays and nonfiction

Longreads

Longreads publishes essays, personal essays and reported features. Essays start at $500, personal essays pay $500 (send the full draft, not a pitch), and reported features start at 50 cents a word. It's nonfiction only and replies only if interested.

National Parks Magazine

National Parks, published by the National Parks Conservation Association, reaches about 325,000 readers. Email a query with two or three writing samples to the editors. The magazine buys first North American serial rights but doesn't publish its rates.

Cineaste

Cineaste covers film criticism and the politics of cinema. It publishes its rates: $18 for a Short Take, $36 for a book or DVD review, $45 for a film review, short article or column, and $90 for a feature or interview. Query first for features, and include clips if you haven't written for it before.

Home, rural and DIY

Popular Woodworking

Popular Woodworking pays $1,000–$3,000 for a full feature project, typically around 2,500 words with photos and illustrations. Pitch the editor by email. Got a clever shop tip? Tricks of the Trade pays $50–$100 for published tips, and the best trick in each issue wins a $250 Lee Valley gift certificate.

Backwoods Home

Backwoods Home focuses on self-reliant, rural living: gardening, building, preserving food and the like. Articles have to be based on something you've actually done. New writers earn about $75 or more per printed page, paid on acceptance. It won't take previously published work (including blog posts) or AI-written articles.

GRIT

GRIT covers rural lifestyle and small-farm living. It works from queries only, so email the editors with "Query" in the subject line rather than sending a finished article. Pay varies with the writer's experience and is paid on publication.

Mother Earth News

Mother Earth News covers homesteading, gardening and DIY. Send a one-page query for features. Its "Country Lore" section pays $25–$100 for short how-to tips of 100–300 words. Feature rates aren't published.

Humor

The Funny Times

The Funny Times buys cartoons and humor stories of 500–700 words. It pays $30–$50 per cartoon and $75 per story on publication, plus a free subscription.

Reader's Digest

Reader's Digest still accepts jokes, funny quotes and true humorous stories from readers through its online form, and takes cartoon submissions separately. Check the form for current payment terms.

Writing about writing

Writer's Digest

Writer's Digest covers the craft and business of writing. It pays 50 cents a word on acceptance for print manuscripts. Web-only pieces are usually unpaid. Expect a reply in two to four months.

FundsforWriters

FundsforWriters publishes 550–650-word articles about earning a living as a writer (not craft). It pays $100 for original articles and $25 for reprints, via PayPal.

WritersWeekly

WritersWeekly wants articles of about 600 words on selling and marketing your writing. It pays $60 on acceptance for first rights ($30 for reprints), via PayPal.

Lifestyle and family

Parents

Parents is now digital-only, but it still invites experienced writers to pitch by email (the address is on its About page). It doesn't publish its rates.

Girls' Life

Girls' Life is still publishing for teen and tween girls. Writers interested in contributing can email the editors with their interests, clips and portfolio links (details on the FAQ page). It doesn't publish its rates.

Mountain Gazette

Mountain Gazette is a twice-yearly print magazine about mountain life and culture. Email a pitch of 100 words or less. It doesn't pay by the word but agrees a fee per piece. No reply means it's a pass.

Field & Stream

Field & Stream is back in print twice a year (for members of its 1871 Club). It doesn't publish pitch guidelines or rates, but its contact page lists an email address for editorial submissions.

Currently closed, but worth watching

These children's magazines are well known for buying freelance work, but both were closed to submissions when we checked:

• Highlights for Children: Highlights, High Five and Hello are closed for now. When open, Highlights pays on acceptance and buys all rights.
• Cricket Media: Cricket and its sister magazines post open calls a few times a year, online only.

Before you pitch

A few habits will save you time and get you paid faster:

• Read the guidelines every time. Rates, reading periods and submission systems change, and many magazines now reject AI-written work outright.
• Read the magazine. Editors can tell when a pitch comes from someone who has never read an issue.
• Know what rights you're selling. "First North American serial rights" and "all rights" are very different deals.
• Keep track of what you're owed. Some magazines pay on acceptance, others on publication or net-60. If you're freelancing for several publications at once, an invoicing tool makes it easy to see who has paid and who needs a reminder.

For a bigger directory, Writer's Market was the classic reference for years, but its last edition came out in 2021, so its listings are increasingly out of date. Writer's Digest still publishes market roundups, and databases like Duotrope track open calls for fiction and poetry.