- this literary life
- Posts
- no. 13
no. 13
Nicole Tommasulo
January 05, 2025
In partnership with
hey there.
If part of your New Year plan is to start a newsletter, Beehiiv has a special offer for subscribers to this literary life. When you sign up from this link, you’ll get a 30-day free trial and 20% off a premium membership for 3 months.
Okay, that’s it from me for this week. Thanks for signing up and scrolling through. I hope your pitches/queries land and the words flow this week.
Without further ado.
Table of Contents
New year, new automated portfolio
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tips for freelance writers + novelists
Whether you're a social media hermit or a self-promo wizard, there are ways to share your work that feel authentic and actually work. Becky Tuch explores three ways writers handle their marketing, including what happens when you’re trying to promote digital work in the latest edition of Lit Mag News.
all things book publishing
The CEO and VP of PageTurner Press were arrested in California for defrauding writers of hundreds of thousands of dollars through fake publishing and marketing services. As Writer Beware’s Victoria Strauss reports, persistent author complaints triggered the FBI investigation into the company.
calls for pitches + paid creative opportunities
To receive pitch + creative opportunities a day early or right when I find them, you can sign up for a subscription. Or, if you appreciate these weekly roundups, feel free to leave a tip or buy me a coffee.
Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.
reported stories + personal essays
Starlight Williams, editor at Nat Geo, is open to “smart (not academic), interesting (not just to you), and relevant (to a global audience)” pitches. Some examples include hidden histories, health explainers, health debunkers, or “I wonder” stories. Be sure to include sample hed/dek that matches Nat Geo style, plus a Nut Graph that answers the 5 W’s, emphasizing why you are telling this story, and your bio plus relevant clips. E-mail pitches: [email protected].
Kelly McClure was just promoted to Senior Culture editor at Salon, heading up coverage of TV, film, culture trends, and award shows. Pitch: [email protected]. Rate: $150 -$300 depending on pitch.
literary magazines
Many literary magazines pay to publish your creative work, whether they’re short stories, essays, poems, or other mediums. ChillSubs has an amazing (free) database you can use to find the right opportunities. For this issue of this literary life, I’ve included a curated list of literary magazines with submission deadlines on or before January 31.
Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.
Ploughshares closes to fiction, poetry, and nonfiction submissions on January 15 at noon EST. Pay: $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author.
34 Orchard is accepting short story and poetry submissions for its Spring 2025 issue until January 15. They want “dark, intense pieces that speak to a deeper truth.” Pay: $50.
Three-Lobed Burning Eye is open to original, unpublished speculative fiction submissions, including horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction. The window closes on January 16 at midnight PT. Pay: $.08/word.
Rattles will close to food poetry submissions for their Summer 2025 Tributes issue on January 16. Pay: $200.
Write or Die Magazine is seeking creative nonfiction submissions for their second issue. The theme is “Elliptical Love,” which guest editor Ashleah Gonzales explains is “a relationship where two people love each other, but not in the way they think they do. Their connection is shaped by misinterpretations, half-truths, and carefully curated omissions—love that remains elusive, never fully understood by either person, despite its depth.” The window closes on January 17. Pay: $50.
from previous issues
These pitch calls and paid writing opportunities were featured in previous issues and are still active.
Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.
reporting + essays
Personal Essays: TC Jewfolk is looking for Jewish and Jew-ish story pitches. “Topics range from personal Jewish experiences, reviews of Jewish media, your search for the NJP (Nice Jewish Person).” Pay: $50 - $100 for 500 - 750 words.
Personal Essays: Rheana Murray, TODAY’s essay editor, is open to pitches (or full drafts) of “non-holiday” essays. No further details were given. Rate: not given, but has historically been $350 per essay. E-mail pitches to [email protected].
Gaming: Restart is looking for high-quality, entertaining reviews and feature pitches. Rate: averages $200. E-mail pitches: [email protected].
Moving: Paige DiFiore, Deputy Editor of Lifestyle and Entertainment at Business Insider, wants pitches from “folks who moved away from a place they loved living in for years, moved for a job or a partner's job, unexpectedly fell in love with living in a place they never thought they'd love, or have lived many places until finding one that they adore.” Rate: $240 for 600 - 700 words. Submit pitches here.
Renovations: Paige is also looking for stories from writers who “who recently did renovations and remodels and have regrets. Outdoor spaces, bathrooms, kitchens, fixer-uppers — you name it.” Rate: $230 for 600 - 700 words. Submit pitches here.
Travel and Food: Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura are open for pitches. They have a very in-depth breakdown of how to pitch them, including examples of what they’re looking for. Pay: $.50/word.
Bay Area: SFGate's editor-in-chief, Grant Marek, is always looking for pitches of “stories from people who REALLY understand the Bay Area” about ideas “no one else has thought to chase, people no one has ever thought to highlight before, stories that perfectly capture the spirit and history of a California treasure, and finally, angles “that remind people it's not all Doom Loop here in the Bay Area.” Like this example and this example. Rates: $200-$400+
Food Writing: Taste Cooking is looking for a variety of topics, including recipes and food culture features. "We’re most interested in your well-reasoned idea. A story with a strong point of view that is backed by clear reporting and/or supported by proven expertise." With your pitch, please include "why you are qualified to write this story. And if we don’t know you, we’d like to see some of your work. Links are great. The pitch should outline the story in detail, with specifics. For us, the excitement comes from not just colorful copy but substance to back it up. A wise turn of phrase is not a substitute for detailed observation and reporting. If you pitch a feature involving recipe development or sourcing from chefs, clips of similar work are required." E-mail pitches to Matt Rodbard at [email protected].
Travel: Off Assignment seeks submissions for their "Letter to a Stranger," "Under the Influence," "No Equivalent," "What I Didn't Say," and "Witching Hour" columns. Only completed drafts are considered for publication. Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Pay range: $100 (Witching Hour) - $300.
Literary Life, Culture: LitHub is always open to pitches about "literary life and culture," especially "the ways that books or their authors fit into the culture at large.” They also note they “enjoy rigorous criticism for a general audience." Send pitches (2 - 3 paragraphs outlining your idea) to [email protected].
remote writing + editing jobs
Since we’re all already on LinkedIn, I will do my best to find remote writing and editing jobs that have yet to be shared or applied for there. These job listings were active when this newsletter was scheduled to be published (Jan 4) but may have expired since.
You can sign up for a subscription to receive job opportunities either day early or right when I find them. Or, if you appreciate these weekly roundups, feel free to leave a tip or buy me a coffee.
Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.
Eleven is adding more freelance Topic-Expert Writers on a rolling basis. Ideal candidates have “subject-matter expertise as demonstrated by a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent or 3+ years’ industry or relevant writing experience,” plus familiarity with SEO, research skills, and the ability to take constructive feedback. Pay: monthly basis.
Axios is hiring a full-time Media Editor to join their team. You will be responsible for “overseeing and elevating” all aspects of their coverage, including newsletters, breaking news, live events, and membership programs. You will also be supporting the reporting team “in pursuing scoops, data-driven insights, and distinctive pieces that dig deeper than the obvious storylines.” Pay: $110,000 - $145,000 + benefits.
Additionally, Axios seeks a full-time Senior Technology Reporter. The ideal candidate is “obsessed with chronicling the companies and individuals who are building AI. You must be well sourced inside the major tech companies and AI upstarts, and eager to break stories and explain the day’s news to Axios reader.” Pay: $87,500 - $175,000 + benefits.
The Dallas Morning News is looking for a full-time Interactive News Developer. You will be responsible for partnering with “reporters, editors, photographers, videographers and audience engagement editors to help develop visualizations, tooling and workflows for ambitious in-depth investigative stories and quick turn dailies. You'll also have the opportunity to pitch, report and develop your own project ideas.” Ideal candidates have front-end coding experience (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) as well as experience with data analysis tools, web scaffolding knowledge, and back-end web development experience.
Dexerto is still looking to add more freelance TV + movie writers to their roster to pitch stories and accept commissions. Ideal candidates have an “understanding and knowledge of the TV and movies landscape” and experience with CMS, Google Sheets, and SEO.
The New Republic seeks a temporary literary editor for print. You will be responsible for commissioning and editing six pieces of between 1500 and 4,000 words for each issue of the print magazine you’re working on. These will be “a lively mix of articles about current books, movies, and TV that upholds TNR’s long tradition of bold, stylish, and intellectually substantive review-essays and will work with the art director and photo director to illustrate the section, as well as with the production manager to create the section’s issue map.” The cover letter must include why you think you're the right fit for the job. Pay: $70k - $80k. Deadline to apply is Jan 10.
Inkitt is looking for freelance fiction editors to add to its roster in 2025. Their ideal candidate has two years of experience and is a data-driven “high-functioning workaholic” with at least two years of experience and a proven track record for meeting deadlines.
The Nerd Stash is looking for part-time weekend Entertainment and Celebrity reporters. Ideal candidates have a proven track record in covering celebrity news, soap operas, reality TV, and related entertainment verticals at established media outlets.
recommendations
books
I’m still catching up on work from the holidays, so my reading was lighter than normal this week. These were two I really enjoyed:
podcasts
And as always, here are the podcasts I listen (and re-listen) to.
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