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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personal essay magazines

29 Publishers that Pay for Personal Essays

personal essay magazines

For those who have a true story to share, this list is for you. It’s a list of publishers that pay for personal essays.

I’ve included a wide variety of publications here. All of them pay for the essays they publish. You’ll find contact information, as well.

For those interested in learning more about writing and publishing personal essays, I highly recommend watching my hour long discussion with the editor of HuffPost Personal. (Essays published in HuffPost often reach millions of readers.)

Also, for those looking for even more options, you may want to look into literary journals that publish creative nonfiction. Literary journals tend to want submissions of complete drafts, and are less likely to pay, but are still a good option for many writers. Authors Publish has an older list of such journals here.

For paid subscribers, if you have any requests, in terms of future lists you would like me to put together, please let me know! (This list was requested by a subscriber.)

Open Secrets is an online magazine (hosted by Substack) that publishes memorable and revealing personal essays on the topics we are taught to keep “secret.” They are open to essays (1,000 to 1,500 words) on all personal experiences. They pay authors $100 per essay. For more information, refer to this page .

The Doe is a digital publication that shares anonymous, verified personal narratives to promote civil discourse. They are accepting pitches for stories from voices across the spectrum, including first-time writers. They publish anonymous, first-person narrative pieces and personal, verified non-fiction pieces full of vivid anecdotes. They want writers to keep their drafts to 500-700 words. According to their Twitter post, they pay around $100-300 per story. To learn more, visit this page .

HuffPost Personal is a personal stories section in HuffPost (a news and opinion website). Their personal stories are “original, authentic, compelling and told in the first person.” To pitch, refer to this page . Watch our interview with the editor here.

Oh Reader is a print and online magazine about reading. They are “looking for stories about your experiences as a reader, insight into the effect of reading on humans, humorous takes on the world of words, and anything else you as a reader or writer might be interested in sharing.” They pay a flat rate of $200 per published article. Details here .

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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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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

personal essay magazines

Free Talk: Manuscript Publishing for Novelists

Emily Harstone is the author of The 2024 Guide to Manuscript Publishers, The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submission, and a founding editor for Authors Publish Magazine. Download the Slides.

Available to watch right now, completely free.

June 11, 2024

personal essay magazines

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

You can download the slides here, and take a look at the sample submission tracker here. Shannan Mann is the Founding Editor of ONLY POEMS. She has been awarded or placed for the Palette Love and Eros Prize, Rattle Poetry Prize, and Auburn Witness Poetry Prize among others. Her poems appear in Poetry Daily, EPOCH,…

August 15, 2024

personal essay magazines

Dulcet: Now Seeking Submissions

A new literary journal accepting fiction, poetry, and visual art.

personal essay magazines

78 Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Authors in August 2024

Opportunities open to writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, writers with disabilities, and more.

personal essay magazines

My Agent Failed to Sell My Book. So I Landed a 3 Book Deal on My Own. Here’s What Happened.

How parting ways with an agent led to a book deal.

August 12, 2024

personal essay magazines

28 Literary Journals Focused on Limited Demographics

This list focuses on a wide variety of journals that are seeking specific kinds of writers, including older writers, writers attending university, working class writers, the incarcerated, veterans and their families, women writers, and Southern writers. Some of these limitations are geographic, some are not. Some publications have stricter guidelines than others. Not all are…

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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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5 places to submit your personal essays

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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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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.

personal essay magazines

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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For our website, we accept short fiction, flash/micro fiction, nonfiction (personal essays, memoir and travel dispatches, politics, reportage), features on literature, arts and culture, reviews, short stories, columns, interviews, and blog posts. Works translated into English are also welcome.

We do not accept poetry at this time. Contact [email protected] with questions.

Completed Pieces If you have a finished piece that can fit into any of our existing categories, please choose a category and submit below. It is best to submit to us a completed piece if you haven’t build up many writing samples yet. If we publish it, you can start pitching to us.

  • Not more than 4,000 words
  • Works translated into English also welcome.
  • Stories do not need to fit our monthly themes, although you are welcome to submit work that does. 
  • Please also note that we have a rough policy of not publishing another piece by the same author within six months.
  • Not more than 800 words
  • Personal essays, memoir and travel dispatches, the more creative you are with the term “essay” the better.
  • We’re looking for stories that go deeper, that scratch beneath the surface of a tale, finding its wider meanings to give our readers something to think about. 
  • No more than 2,000 words, although this is negotiable in certain circumstances.
  • Personal essays and stories on global affairs, travel, reportage, design that deal with the fascinating aspects of everyday life. 
  • No more than 2,000 words
  • Stories on literature, arts, and culture
  • Writing that explore the grey areas between literature and art, and also literature and culture, i.e. the connections between literature & travel, literary & fashion, literature & food, etc. that help us “see” literature in our real world.
  • No literary criticism, but we do welcome informed and reflective, even personal, commentary
  • No more than 1,500 words
  • Reviews on books, films, art and design exhibitions, performance, festivals and events.
  • View our rolling calls for submissions page for a list of books, live performance and films we’re looking for reviews on.
  • Reviews on fiction and nonfiction—in the widest sense, including young adult, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, travel, graphic novels, memoirs & biographies, translated works, short story anthologies, etc.
  • Reviews on books relating to the monthly themes.
  • Reviews of “old” books—and not only those that warrant renewed attention due to a new film/stage adaptation etc.
  • We will also consider accepting review copies in electronic form.
  • No reviews on poetry, romance, erotica, children’s books, instructional books (cookbooks, for example), self-help.
  • No more than 1,000 words
  • A short personal essay on your experience of a short story: how you came upon it, why you loved it, why everyone else should read it.
  • Comments/opinions/personal essays on anything that falls under the word ‘political’
  • Stories from LGBT rights to sexism, racism to human rights, war to education
  • No more than 2,000 words
  • No more than 20 photographs
  • Optional accompanying essay no more than 2,000 words.
  • Minimum commitment: three months, every other week
  • Articles on literature/writing, travel, film, music, or art 

PITCH YOUR IDEA

  • Interviews can be done in person, via Skype, phone, or email—or any other means
  • Minimum commitment: three months, once a week
  • Between 400-800 words long
  • Email samples of your writing and three blog pitches

Contributors’ Mailing List Every month, we also have some specific events and book reviews we’d like covered. If you’d like to receive an email from us every month calling for particular submissions, please sign-up below.

The Author grants Litro the exclusive license to publish the English language Work, in print, audio and electronic form, throughout the world. The Author retains the right to publish the Work in a book-length collection of the Author’s works, or as part of a volume from which the Work is an extract. If you are submitting short fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction or poetry, and we choose to publish it on our website, you also afford us the right to reprint your work in possible print, audio or digital anthologies in the future—subject to due notification to the author. Regrettably, we are unable to pay our contributors at present.

Pitches Got an idea for a story? Pitch it to us!

Literature and culture SUBMIT

Reviews or author interviews SUBMIT

Theater, arts or live events SUBMIT

Film-related SUBMIT

*Please attach a brief biography and CV with your pitches to better reflect your fields of expertise.

Litro Lab Podcast

For our podcast, we sometimes feature standalone stories—fiction and nonfiction. It can follow the month’s theme, or not, and must be no longer than five minutes.

You can submit an MP3 recording of your short story; it must be your story, but someone else may read it if you’d prefer (please credit them with a link). Please also submit a written version of your piece. Contact podcasts@ litro.co.uk with questions.

*You can submit MP3s of pieces previously published elsewhere in written form, but please make sure you have the right to let us publish it in audio form. We are not responsible for the copyright infringement of work submitted to us.

**We also run audio interviews and readings with authors, episodes exploring a particular theme/subject such as Japanese folk tales, and even real-world reportage. If you’d like to participate — either as a guest or a producer — or if you just have a bright idea, please get in touch with Interviews.

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Do you accept audio essays?

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Jennifer – we do. Just submit as much info as the Submittable form allows, and we’ll get back in touch. Thanks!

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How do I get to submit my works please?

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Hi Achi, please visit; https://www.litromagazine.com/submit and follow the instructions.

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25 magazines & websites that pay for first-person narratives and essays.

Here’s a list of 25 publishers that accept submissions and/or pitches of first-person essays, narratives, and stories. Note, this is not for fiction. Please study each publication carefully before contacting them.

HuffPost Personal is a personal stories section in HuffPost (a news and opinion website). Their personal stories are “original, authentic, compelling and told in the first person.” They pay for all personal stories that they publish. Payment reports indicate that they pay up to $0.08 per word. To pitch, refer to this page .

Guideposts is an inspiration-focused magazines about “people who have attained a goal, surmounted an obstacles, or learned a helpful lesson through their faith.” They typically publish first-person narratives. They pay $250 or more for stories. To learn more, read their submission guidelines.

Sasee is a women’s lifestyle magazine. They are interested in 500-1,000 word non-fiction submissions for and about women: essays, humor, satire and first-person experiences. Previous writers have reported payment from $100 to $200 per essay. Details here .

You and Me Magazine publishes personal essays about experiences as a medical patient. They also publish some articles from provider’s perspectives. They pay 4-5 cents per word for articles 1,000-2,500 words. To learn more, read their submission guidelines.

4W is “a publication for the next generation of feminist writing.” They are always looking to expand their base of contributors. They only accept female writers. They want “original reporting on the issues affecting women and girls around the globe”, “feminist analysis of the local, national, or global news affecting women and girls”, “well-researched and cited 101-level pieces exploring a particular feminist topic with accessible language”, “first-person essays and personal stories”, and “interviews or profiles of feminists and female thought-leaders.” Their articles are typically 1,000 to 2,000 words. Their rate is $0.05 per word. To learn more, refer to this page .

Public Discourse is the online journal of the Witherspoon Institute (a research center in Princeton, New Jersey). They pay an honorarium of $200 for original essays (1,500 to 2,000 words), first-person stories (800 to 2,000 words), and review/response essays (1,500 to 2,000 words). They pay $50 for book notes (300 to 500 words). For details, visit this page .

The War Horse is a nonprofit newsroom that educates people on war and national security. They publish “stories that are engaging and insightful to veterans and civilians.” They pay a flat rate of $300 for first-person reflections of 800 to 1,300 words. To learn more, refer to this page .

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization that reports on education in poor communities across America. They elevate the “voices of educators, students, parents, advocates, and others on the front lines of trying to improve public education.” They are looking for personal essays (around 800 words) centered around a personal experience or observation. They publish these essays in a series called First Person. According to their story editor , they pay $100 per personal essay. If interested, send your pitches or drafts to [email protected] . For more information, read their first person guidelines .

Alpinist Magazine is a print magazine about “alpinism and adventure climbing in the simplest, most beautiful manner possible.” They publish first person accounts from alpine adventures from around the world, as well as investigative reports, documentaries, and photography. They generally pay $0.25 per word. To learn more, read their submission guidelines.

Six Hens publishes first-person nonfiction stories about “moments that define and redefine.” They only accept submissions from women writers but the topic of the essay does not have to be about feminist or women’s issues. Pay is $50 for stories of up to 2,000 words. To learn more, read their submission guidelines .

The Los Angeles Times Travel section includes original sophisticated and compelling destination articles that evoke “a strong sense of place (sounds, colors, smells, tastes), time (when did you go?), expertise and personal perspective.” Trips must be taken within the previous two years. Editors look for first person experiential pieces (about 2,000 words) and Guidebooks (about 500 to 700 words). Payment is $200-$750 for print stories and $500 for online only stories. To learn more, read writers’ guidelines: http://www.latimes.com/la-trw-guidelines-story-story.html .

BirdWatching Magazine is a bimonthly magazine for people with an interest in wild birds and bird watching. They accept article proposals from freelance writers and pay $400 for most features. They accept submissions on a variety of topics, including “first-person accounts”, birds in the news, hotspots near you, and photo essays. For more information, and to submit, be sure to read their full submission guidelines.

Horse Illustrated is a magazine for horse lovers. They offer horse health and care advice, training tips, lifestyle features, and more. They are seeking “reader-friendly pieces with a conversational tone, shorter word counts (500 to 1,200) and topics to add dimension to the magazine’s regular training and horse care features—human interest, lifestyle, fashion, travel, equestrian issues—both large (welfare) and small (boarding barn drama!)—plus humor, first person stories, and more.” They previously indicated payment of $25-$150 per article. To learn more, read their writer’s guidelines .

LightHouse seeks to publish first person stories and essays by blind and visually impaired writers. They want to hear stories “not merely about blindness, but about what it takes to survive and strive as a human.” Read their submission guidelines.

Trains — They want photographs, news stories and feature articles covering railroading’s past and present, including first-person recollections. They do not buy travel stories, poetry, or fiction. Each issue contains 80-100 photos and 27,000 words. Pay is $15-300 for photos, and begins at $0.10/word for text. Query first. Details here .

Let’s Travel is a bi-monthly travel magazine that focuses on “articles with a twist that offer first person accounts of travel in New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific Islands.” They also publish a few stories from far flung places like, South East Asia, Europe and Americas. Their “readership demographics is luxury”, so if the pitch is about getting by on a few dollars, they would probably not be interested in it. Their feature articles are of 800 to 1,200 words. They pay a flat fee of NZ$300 per story to unpublished writers. While, to previously published writers, they pay NZ$500. To find out more, refer to this page .

The Boston Globe Magazine is published weekly inside the Sunday paper of The Boston Globe (a newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts). For new writers, the best places to start with the magazine are the Perspective column (which includes opinionated essays of 800 words on timely local news topics) and Connections (which includes first-person essays of 650 words on relationships of any kind). According to payment reports, they pay up to $1.33 per word. To learn more, visit this page

The Wheeler Centre is a Melbourne-based publisher “dedicated to original writing that celebrates strong ideas, surprising perspectives and generous conversations.” A few times each year, they publish Notes- “a collection of new work, supported by writing and recordings from our archive, exploring a broad idea or theme.” They are currently accepting pitches for the Face theme of their Notes. They are looking for work related to culture, technology, society and/or the natural world. They “encourage first-person pieces, creative non-fiction, Q&A-style interviews and researched, feature-style culture pieces (ideally with an Australian angle).” Their commissions usually run 600 to 1,200 words. They normally pay about $0.50 per word. For details, read their contributor guidelines .

Chron is the website of the Houston Chronicle (the largest daily newspaper in Houston). They are seeking feature pitches as they increase their culture and lifestyle reporting. They are looking for profiles, first-person essays, cultural commentaries, listicles, trend coverage, and more. Their rates start at $0.50 per word. For more information, refer to their guidelines .

Broadview is a Canadian print magazine and website about spirituality, justice, and ethical living. The print magazine is published 10 times a year and the website showcases new content daily. They serve a niche audience of progressive Christians and those who share similar core values. They are looking for stories about “spirituality, ethical living, social justice, and the United Church.” They can be “investigative features, engaging profiles, first-person narratives, reported news stories, essays, photo essays, opinion pieces, blogs, interviews or reviews of books or film.” Rate : $0.65 per word for reported pieces and $0.40 per word for Q&As, blogs, and personal essays. To learn more, read their submission guidelines .

Arkansas Soul is a digital media publication that publishes content for BIPOC by BIPOC in Arkansas. They accept pitches from writers. “Topics can include politics, arts, music, culture, history, fashion, business, news, personal essay, and interviews – all centered on the Black or minority experience in Arkansas.” Pay is $150 to $300 for Reimagine Arkansas stories and content (500 to 2,000 words), $100 to $250 for personal essays, first-person accounts, and op-eds (750 to 2,000 words), $150 to $250 for reported news stories (500 to 1,000 words), $150 to $250 for feature stories (1,000 to 2,000 words), and $150 to $250 for profiles and interviews (flexible word count). To learn more, refer to their submission guidelines ..

Orato World Media is a non-profit digital publication that publishes true stories from real people. They welcome non-fiction, first-person story ideas. They publish 5 long-read (at least 2,000 words) stories per month and 3 standard-length (at least 500 words) stories per day. They pay $100 for long-read stories and $25 for standard-length stories. For details, refer to this page .

Chaos+Comrades is “a publication run by minorities who seek to break down identities by fostering unity and understanding through multimedia storytelling.” They are seeking POC or queer doctors/nurses to write a first-person essay about the COVID-19 pandemic. They pay $125 per piece. You can find contact information here . Read their Twitter thread  here . Read their pitching guidelines page here .

The Word Among Us is a print and digital Catholic devotional magazine. They are looking for first-person testimony narratives of 1,200 words. They want “stories that focus on a significant experience of conversion, change, or spiritual insight in a simple, anecdotal style.” They pay $150 per story. Details here .

The Christian Century is a Chicago-based Christian magazine that “explores what it means to believe and live out the Christian faith in our time.” They invite readers to contribute first-person narratives (of less than 1,000 words) on the topics of lapse and feet. They pay $100 per essay. For details, visit this page .

AnswersForMe is a website that “offers support and encouragement for every-day life.” They’re currently offering $35 for short articles about how COVID-19 has affected you. for For more information, refer to their writer’s guidelines .

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Submissions

Memoir magazine is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and disability. all writers are encouraged to submit., click here to submit work to memoir magazine ., word. sound. power..

Because pictures tell stories as well as words, Memoir welcomes submissions of visual artwork, (including photography, illustrations and word art) and sound projects (audible projects, podcasts, spoken word), as well as short form memoir and Creative Nonfiction essays, interviews and book reviews.

Essays should be under 3,000 words.

WORD: Personal Essays, Interviews, Reviews

We are proud to be humans and citizens of the world. It’s a broad category, we know. But life is broad and nobody gets out alive. That’s why we read memoir. We aim to be inclusive. This is not an intellectual or political magazine, because we feel that if you are breathing in these changing times, you already are a political condition. Therefore, all true (and creatively true) stories are welcome regardless of the subject matter, educational level or achievement or sexual orientation of the author.

We want real stories. We want to feel something and we want to share that feeling with the world. Send us your blood, your sweat, your laughter, and your tears.

We encouraged the exchange of alternative points of view traditionally overlooked by mainstream media.

SOUND: Audible projects, podcasts, video, and spoken word

Power: art, photography and illustration.

At Memoir Magazine, we believe readers should feast with their eyes first and foremost. To this end, we will welcome young innovative artists, photographers, and graphic designers and photographers and new media creators who are storytellers to submit their works for consideration.

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Note:   Response time can vary from a few days to a few months. Please allow three months before sending submission status queries. We appreciate your patience.

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personal essay magazines

Submissions

Current calls for submissions:.

Parenting and Food. Our ongoing column, we are looking for stories that delve into all the ways in which these two areas of life can intersect. Interpretations might include: cultivating cooking skills with your kids; body image around pregnancy; raising picky or limited eaters; managing food allergies; coping with weight concerns, at either end of the spectrum. Completed essays only and please include word count (we tend to cap at 1,200).

Motherwell Books. We’re currently looking for posts related to reading and writing, themed book lists (e.g. for new moms, parenting teens, empowering girls), and articles and essays that are centered around a parenting book (or books) that aren’t your own. Please familiarize yourself with our site and the vertical before submitting and include word count (we tend to cap at 1,200).

Holidays as a Parent. We’d love to invite submissions about what the holidays (e.g. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving) mean to you and your family. Or anything regarding how they make you feel about being a parent. We are open to a range of formats and lengths: personal essays, humor pieces, listicles, anecdotes, etc. All formats welcome and please include a word count (we tend to cap at 1,200).

For all other submissions:

Motherwell is a publication that tells all sides of the parenting story. We accept work on a variety of parenting-related themes—culture, family life, obstacles and the process of overcoming them. We have two streams of writing on the site:

Paid opportunities for selected, original articles—either personal essays or perspective pieces.

An additional platform where we collect other pieces: syndicated and sponsored posts, shorter essays and alternative formats, including videos, graphic memoirs, lists, poetry, etc. These are unpaid.

We are unfortunately unable to give individual feedback on submissions, but we do offer personally tailored  editorial services .

For time-sensitive articles, please continue to use Submittable but indicate ‘timely’ in the subject line. 

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personal essay magazines

The War on History Is a War on Democracy

A scholar of totalitarianism argues that new laws restricting the discussion of race in American schools have dire precedents in Europe.

An anti-integration demonstration at a Montgomery, Ala., high school in 1963. Credit...

Supported by

By Timothy Snyder

  • June 29, 2021

Listen to This Article

To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android .

In March 1932, the cover of Fortune magazine featured a painting of Red Square by Diego Rivera. A numberless crowd of faceless men marched with red banners, surrounding a locomotive engine emblazoned with hammer and sickle. This was the image of communist modernization the Soviets wished to transmit during Stalin’s first five-year plan: The achievement was impersonal, technical, unquestionable. The Soviet Union was transforming itself from an agrarian backwater into an industrial power through sheer disciplined understanding of the objective realities of history. Its citizens celebrated the revolution, as Rivera’s painting suggested, even as it molded them into a new kind of people.

But by March 1932, hundreds of thousands of people were already starving to death in Soviet Ukraine, the breadbasket of the country. Rapid industrialization was financed by destroying traditional agrarian life. The five-year plan had brought “dekulakization,” the deportation of peasants deemed more prosperous than others, and “collectivization,” the appropriation of agrarian land by the state. A result was mass famine: first in Kazakhstan, then in southern Russia and especially in Soviet Ukraine . Soviet leaders were aware in 1932 of what was happening but insisted on requisitions in Ukraine anyway. Grain that people needed to survive was forcibly confiscated and exported. The writer Arthur Koestler, who was living in Soviet Ukraine at the time, recalled propaganda that presented the starving as provocateurs who preferred to see their own bellies bloat rather than accept Soviet achievement.

Ukraine was the most important Soviet republic beyond Russia, and Stalin understood it as wayward and disloyal . When the collectivization of agriculture in Ukraine failed to produce the yields that Stalin expected, his response was to blame local party authorities, the Ukrainian people and foreign spies. As foodstuffs were extracted amid famine, it was chiefly Ukrainians who suffered and died — some 3.9 million people in the republic , by the best reckoning, well over 10 percent of the total population. In communications with trusted comrades, Stalin did not conceal that he was directing specific policies against Ukraine. Inhabitants of the republic were banned from leaving it; peasants were prevented from going to the cities to beg; communities that failed to make grain targets were cut off from the rest of the economy; families were deprived of their livestock. Above all, grain from Ukraine was ruthlessly seized, well beyond anything reason could command. Even the seed corn was confiscated.

The Soviet Union took drastic action to ensure that these events went unnoticed. Foreign journalists were banned from Ukraine. The one person who did report on the famine in English under his own byline, the Welsh journalist Gareth Jones, was later murdered . The Moscow correspondent of The New York Times, Walter Duranty, explained away the famine as the price of progress. Tens of thousands of hunger refugees made it across the border to Poland, but Polish authorities chose not to publicize their plight: A treaty with the U.S.S.R. was under negotiation. In Moscow, the disaster was presented, at the 1934 party congress, as a triumphant second revolution. Deaths were recategorized from “starvation” to “exhaustion.” When the next census counted millions fewer people than expected, the statisticians were executed. Inhabitants of other republics, meanwhile, mostly Russians, moved into Ukrainians’ abandoned houses. As beneficiaries of the calamity, they were not interested in its sources.

After the Soviet Union came to an end in 1991, citizens of a newly independent Ukraine began commemorating the dead of the 1932-33 famine, which they call the Holodomor. In 2006, the Ukrainian Parliament recognized the events in question as a genocide. In 2008, the Russian Duma responded with a resolution that provided a very different account of the famine. Even as Russian legislators seemed to acknowledge the catastrophe, they turned it against the main victims. The resolution stated that “there is no historical proof that the famine was organized along ethnic lines,” and pointedly mentioned six regions in Russia before mentioning Ukraine.

This inability to recognize a tragedy led to an inability to recognize a people.

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COMMENTS

  1. Publish Your Personal Essay: 22 Magazines and Websites

    To help you find the right fit, we've compiled a list of 22 publications that will consider your personal narrative essay, as well as tips on how to pitch the editor, who to contact and, whenever possible, how much the outlet pays. Here are 22 places to submit your personal essay. 1. Boston Globe. The Boston Globe Magazine Connections section ...

  2. 80 Best Magazines & Websites That Publish Personal Essays

    Here are the top magazines and publications that publish thought-provoking essays: 1. The New York Times - Modern Love. "Modern Love" accepts essay submissions via email at [email protected] with the essay subject or potential title as the email subject line.

  3. 29 Publishers that Pay for Personal Essays

    Open Secrets is an online magazine (hosted by Substack) that publishes memorable and revealing personal essays on the topics we are taught to keep "secret.". They are open to essays (1,000 to 1,500 words) on all personal experiences. They pay authors $100 per essay.

  4. 7 publications that pay well for personal narrative essays

    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. 6. VOX. A dynamic site covering world affairs, pop culture, science, business, politics and more, Vox pay around $500 for personal narrative essays.

  5. » 30 Magazines Accepting Creative Nonfiction and Essays

    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. ... 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 ...

  6. 24 of the Best Places to Submit Creative Nonfiction Online

    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.

  7. Personal Essays

    From the magazine's archive: a selection of memorable personal essays and explorations. By Erin Overbey. December 19, 2021. Culture Desk. My Failed Attempts to Hoard Anything at All.

  8. 70 Publishers that Pay for Personal Essays & Memoir

    Oregon Humanities Magazine is a triannual publication that "offers a forum through which Oregon writers, scholars, and readers can use the humanities to explore timeless and timely ideas and themes.". For shorter department pieces, they pay $50 to $200 and for personal essays and features, they pay $300 to $800.

  9. 5 places to submit your personal essays

    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).

  10. 20 Publications Paying for Personal Essays!

    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. Noema is an award-winning magazine exploring the transformations sweeping our world. They publish essays, interviews, reportage, videos ...

  11. 30 Publications that Pay Writers for Personal Essays

    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. ... 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 ...

  12. Submit Your Work

    Personal essays, memoir and travel dispatches, the more creative you are with the term "essay" the better. We're looking for stories that go deeper, that scratch beneath the surface of a tale, finding its wider meanings to give our readers something to think about. No more than 2,000 words, although this is negotiable in certain ...

  13. 25 Magazines & Websites that Pay for First-Person Narratives and Essays

    According to their story editor, they pay $100 per personal essay. If interested, send your pitches or drafts to [email protected]. For more information, read their first person guidelines. Alpinist Magazine is a print magazine about "alpinism and adventure climbing in the simplest, most beautiful manner possible." They publish ...

  14. Lives

    For more than 20 years, The Times Magazine has published Lives, a series of incisive personal essays or as-told-to accounts. Here are some of our favorites. By The New York Times Magazine

  15. Magazines That Pay for Your Writing

    Agni is a literary magazine that especially looks for original, unconventional, and honest writing from writers. They are heavily based on unsolicited submissions that can make your chance to get published with them higher. They are interested in personal essays, memoirs, prose poetry, think pieces, short stories, and more.

  16. Where to Submit Your Personal Essay in 2024

    An annually updated list of magazines, newspapers, and literary journals seeking personal essays. This is a curated list, focusing on the best markets. At present, the list contains 43 publications, and is current for 2024. Ranging from the big ones (NYT — and not just Modern Love) to fairly small literary magazines, including several that ...

  17. 10 Great Sites For Publishing Your Personal Essays

    Try The Way Of The Horse by Monica Devine. Compelling Stories On A Theme ($) Slice Magazine — "Slice magazine welcomes submissions for short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. We're looking ...

  18. 9 Publications That Pay for Personal Essays

    It's an online system that some publications use to manage submissions —and in my opinion, it's far easier than email. 1. Slate. Slate specialises in news, politics, and culture, but they take pitches on a wide range of topics including personal essays. Advice: On their submissions page, they have a template pitch email.

  19. Submit

    personal essays. HerStry is open for regular personal essay submissions four times a year: January 1 - February 29th April 1 - May 31st July 1 - August 31st October 1 - November 30th (see full submissions guidelines below) HerStry publishes personal essays every Wednesday. Personal essays are a way for our writers to tell the stories they want ...

  20. Submissions

    Memoir Magazine is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and disability. All writers are encouraged to submit. Click Here to submit work to Memoir Magazine. Word. Sound. Power. Because...

  21. 9 Types of Personal Essays

    Here, I'll discuss essays intended for publication and sharing with an adult audience. Not college essays, but types of personal essays typically found in magazines, newspapers, and literary journals. Some personal essays are very short. Some are experimental, some are funny, and some are technical. 6 Types of Literary Personal Essays

  22. Submissions

    We'd love to invite submissions about what the holidays (e.g. Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving) mean to you and your family. Or anything regarding how they make you feel about being a parent. We are open to a range of formats and lengths: personal essays, humor pieces, listicles, anecdotes, etc. All formats welcome and please ...

  23. Tablet's 'First Personal' Essay Contest

    Tablet Magazine is seeking submissions of personal essays about belonging. Finalists will receive a cash prize and a spot at a live literary event in New York City; the winning essay will earn ...

  24. The War on History Is a War on Democracy

    The report responded to the 1619 Project, an attempt to bring the history of slavery closer to the center of national narratives, which this magazine published in 2019.