no. 14

Author

Nicole Tommasulo
January 12, 2025

In partnership with

hey there.

I wanted to start this week’s edition with different resources available to those affected by the devasting wildfires around Los Angeles and places you can donate if you can.

resources

donations/volunteers needed

As always, 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

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tips for freelance writers + novelists

craft

There’s a good reason only 3% of traditionally published books open with dialogue: few people can get this right. On Writer’s Unboxed this week, author Kathryn Craft (The Art of Falling, The Far End of Happy) dissects why this is such a weak way to start a story and explores ways you can successfully lure in a reader with dialogue alone.

the publishing journey

Navigating the publishing landscape comes down to a crucial choice between creative control and institutional support. Gale Leach, author of The Art of Pickleball, examines each avenue of publishing, breaking down the nuances of each path while sharing her own journey this week on Writers in the Storm

A professional book designer can enhance your work's credibility and readability through expert typography, layout, and formatting choices. However, these costs typically range from $2.00 − $3.50 per page. While many authors design their own books to save money, freelance book designer Andrea Reider argues on Jane Friedman’s blog that hiring a professional is worth the investment. Not only can a designer bring valuable expertise in font selection, page composition, and technical specifications that can elevate a book's overall quality, but they can also help you avoid common formatting pitfalls.

marketing

Between changes in moderation policies, pending TikTok bans, and random and sudden “community standard” violations, diversifying your social media portfolio is more important than ever.

For instance, I was blocked from liking or posting on my savor + roam Threads account this week. Their content bonus payments have been my only steady income since I lost my job in September 2024. I was also blocked from liking, commenting, and following/unfollowing on my savor + roam Instagram and locked out of my personal Instagram (+ still am since I can’t remember my password). They claim I gave my password to a third-party service to gain likes and followers. 

Lisa Hall-Wilson, author of Method Acting For Writers: Learn Deep Poing Of View Using Emotional Layers, was on Writers in the Storm on Friday, sharing her own story of losing her Facebook account. The reason? A harmless joke.

Side note: if part of your social media diversification plan is to start a newsletter, Beehiiv has a special offer for subscribers to this literary life. When you sign up using this link, you’ll get a 30-day free trial and 20% off a premium membership for 3 months.

all things book publishing

The literary world is bracing for major disruption as TikTok faces an imminent ban. This threatens to dismantle the incredibly influential BookTok community, which has generated a staggering 71.7 billion views and revolutionized modern book marketing. This potential shutdown is concerning for publishers and marketers alike. It is a stark reminder about the risks of over-relying on a single social platform, forcing many to pivot their digital strategies rapidly as the January 19th deadline looms.

From Edward Abbey's radical 1975 novel to Rachel Kushner's latest literary thriller, David Schurman Wallace takes a deep dive into how fiction grapples with eco-terrorism and climate anxiety (spoiler: it's complicated). While these stories might scratch our collective itch for environmental justice, Wallace shows how they reveal something darker: even as we devour books and films about radical action, we're all stuck in this weird space between artistic expression and doing something about the climate crisis.


Chick lit isn’t just brain candy. In fact, South Asian American authors of the early 2000s secretly revolutionized the genre, using designer brands and dating plots to explore deeper questions about cultural identity and belonging. For JSTOR, H.M.A. Leow explores The Hybrid Heroines of 'Bollywood Chick Lit and how writers can weave meaningful social commentary into commercial fiction without losing the “fun” factor.

Grab your coffee and settle in for some serious publishing drama: There is a wild copyright battle happening right now between Lynne Freeman, an unpublished author, and Tracy Wolff, the creator of the mega-hit Crave series. Katy Waldman's latest New Yorker piece delves into the case, which raises bigger questions about originality and what constitutes creative theft in an industry built on shared tropes and plot formulas. 

Romance readers are the newest force in American politics. What started as a community bonding over swoony love stories has exploded into a powerful activist movement, with "romancelandia" leading the charge against book bans, running for local office, and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of voters. With romance sales doubling to a steamy 36 million copies since 2020, these "trashy novels" are sparking more than just romance; they're igniting a full-blown political revolution.

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

Friendships: Holly Bullock, acting commissioning editor for Stylist Magazine, is looking for writers who want to share their feelings about being “the only single person in your friendship group.” Pitch: [email protected].

Workplace abuse: Maybelle Morgan, assistant features editor at iPaper, is looking to commission a writer who has been lovebombed by an employer. She asks, “Have you ever been lovebombed by a manager? been lavished with excessive praise or promise of reward to make you work harder - but with no real payoff or promotion or pay rise?” Pitch: [email protected].

Culture: Douglas Greenwood, film editor at i-D, is looking to commission across “culture, fashion, art, and photography for i-D this month. op-eds, new talent profiles, left-field looks at what’s cool rn, and introductions to what will be cool tomorrow.” Pitch: [email protected]

Food, Travel: Stephanie Pitera Statile, Lifestyle/Entertainment Editor at Business Insider, is looking for stores on: food/beverage rankings, traveling to many US states/countries, and visiting chain restaurants for the first time. She’s also looking for stories from longtime service-industry workers. Pitch through this form.

Whisky: Glug Magazine’s sister, Stramash, is looking for contributors who have fresh, interesting things to say about the whisky world. Rate: $.25/word. E-mail pitches to [email protected]. 

Creativity: MIT Technology Review's print editorial director, Allison Arieff, is looking for pitches on “using creativity to solve an old problem.” She asks, “What challenges are you seeing that are being solved creatively (as opposed to the way they've always been addressed?) How can we think about a host of problems from healthcare to education to infrastructure in more creative ways? Who is someone doing particularly notable work in this arena?” Pitch: [email protected].

New England Travel: Jen Rose Smith, editor at Seven Days, is always looking for pitches for a travel series “about visiting Québec aimed at people living in Vermont.” “We're next-door neighbors, so stories can assume some basic familiarity. (i.e., this is not the place for ‘Montreal!! A cosmopolitan wonderland with Euro flair!!’)." They generally cover places within a few hours of the Vermont border — Montréal, the Eastern Townships, Québec City, etc., “but we're also open to big, dreamy stories that showcase how vast and diverse the province is.” Rate: $250-$325 for 1,200-1,800 words. Pitch: [email protected].

Parenting: Rosemary Donahue, Health & Parenting editor at Business Insider, is looking for pitches of personal essays on “co-parenting, nontraditional engagements, parenting in 40s or older, not following milestones in relationships in the traditional order, supporting a family financially/being the breadwinner,” and more. Rate: starts at $225 for about 600 words. Pitch: [email protected] with [Pitch: Your proposed headline] as the subject line.

from previous issues

Health, Culture: 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].

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.

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].

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.

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 11) 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.

Food & Wine is hiring a contract, part-time copy editor/fact-checker to “thoroughly fact-check and copyedit print stories.” Candidates should have at least two years of copy-editing and fact-checking experience. Rate: $25/hour. Requires working 25 hours per month for six months (with the possibility to extend).

Newsmatics seeks a part-time staff writer who will be responsible for creating engaging content, “including client help materials, how-to guides, landing pages, and newsletters.” Ideal candidates are already familiar with outlets like o’Dwyers’s PR, PR Daily, and/or PR Week and understand best SEO practices.

Everyday Health is looking to add more freelance editors to their time. Ideal candidates have prior experience working on clinical and lifestyle content. They should also be able to write assignment briefs, edit new and updated content, and perform minor updates to optimize existing content. Rate: $30/hr.

from previous issues

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 support 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 hire more freelance TV and movie writers to pitch stories and accept commissions. Ideal candidates have an “understanding and knowledge of the TV and movie landscape” and experience with CMS, Google Sheets, and SEO. 

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.

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recommendations

books

I’m still catching up on work from the holidays, so my reading was (once again) lighter than usual this week. But I really enjoyed:

podcasts

And as always, here are the podcasts I listen (and re-listen) to.

limited series

culture, news, politics, history

books, movies, tv, writing

true crime

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