no. 26

tidal wave of MSWL updates + tons of calls for pitches

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hey there.

As always, thanks for signing up and scrolling through. I hope your pitches and/or queries land and the words flow this week.

Without further ado.

Table of Contents

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tips for freelance writers + novelists

craft

Conflict and tension are not the same thing. Conflict refers to the setup of a story, including the struggles and challenges that drive the plot forward, while tension is how the conflict is presented and escalated to keep the readers engaged. (Writers in the Storm)

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all things book publishing

publishing news + notes

What does the internet actually talk about? We’ve all seen the social media roundup blog posts published by sites like Buzzfeed and Gawker — easy clickbait that will drive traffic, offsetting the generally lower views that meatier articles get. These posts aren’t always as harmless as we want them to be and are often smaller sample sizes of niche corners of the internet than they’re presented as. (Aftermath)

for querying writers

Reminder:
I have openings + a quick turnaround on query letter edits.

Paula Weiman, literary agent at ASH Literary, will reopen to queries this week. She is now open to horror, specifically literary psychological, folk horror, and speculative explorations of structure and marginalization. She would also love to see genre-bending horror, like horror romance and horror comedy, either in YA or adult horror novels. Submit queries through QueryTracker.

Shelly Romero joined Azantian Literary Agency this week as an associate literary agent. She is looking for MG, YA, and adult in horror, thrillers, sci-fi, spec, coming-of-age, cults, gothic romance, and more. Please submit queries through QueryTracker.

Kaitlyn Katsoupis, literary agent at Belcastro Agency, is re-opening to queries May 5 - 12 and is hoping to see YA horror, novel inverse, thriller, and non-Western historical. In adult genres, she’s looking for genre-blending horror, thriller, fantasy, and women’s fiction. When she opens to queries, she will accept them through QueryTracker.

Chloe Seager, literary agent at Madeleine Milburn Agency, is looking for romantasy manuscripts where the main relationship/end game is f/f. Send queries through QueryTracker.

Rebecca Podos, literary agent at Neighborhood Literary, is now open to queries. On her MSWL, she’s looking for character-driven fantasy, queer book club fiction, cozy mysteries, SFF with strong romance, grannycore horror, and queer upmarket survival in YA and adult manuscripts. You can query her through QueryTracker.

Olivia Maidement, literary agent at Madeline Milburn Agency, has updated her MSWL. She’s looking for literary, upmarket, and book club fiction. Submit queries through QueryTracker.

Erin Niumata, literary agent at Folio Literary Management, is open to queries and looking for genre blends and sharp contemporary fiction with speculative elements. Think Carissa Orlando, Victor LaValle, and Simone St. James. Please submit queries through QueryTracker.

calls for pitches +
paid creative opportunities

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

Beach Travel: Charity De Souza shared that Beach.com is now open to ideas as it prepares to relaunch. They’re looking for authentic, well-researched travel content that helps travelers plan their next beach trip. Rates: $250 for 1,500 words, $300 for 1,500 + personal photos. Submit through this form.

Food + Travel: Daria Smith is building the Male content calendar for Late Checkout and is looking for pitches. Rate: $200 for 100 words with five E-comm agreed beforehand. Pitching guideline is found here.

Food: Bridget Olson, features editor at Allrecipes.com, is looking for pitches for “Midwest Salad Week.” She is looking for pitches that celebrate retro recipes, regional deep-dives, interviews with Midwest salad experts, and secrets to building better salads. Rate: $.50/word. Send pitch + 2 - 3 writing samples to [email protected].

529 accounts: Conz Preti, editor at Business Insider, is looking for essays from parents or college students tapping into 529 accounts early because of the market's volatility. E-mail pitches to [email protected].

Identical Twins: Conz Preti is also looking for niche stories about someone dating an identical twin and how that feels. She’s also open to stories about parenting identical twins, being one, marrying one, etc. E-mail [email protected].

Last name regrets: Conz Preti is also looking for essays about last names. Did you take your spouse’s name and then regret it? Did you not change your name because of your career/identity/you just like yours better? E-mail [email protected].

Money Tips: Jessica Orwig, senior editor at Business Insider, is looking for pitches for personal essays about money-saving tips that have worked. This can be how you’ve saved on everything from groceries, restaurants, and entertainment, to hobbies and travel. Send BI-friendly headline and 3-5 sentences explaining the focus of your piece to [email protected].

from previous editions

This subscriber-only section includes all remote job openings shared in previous editions of this literary life. Upgrade now for access.

food

Grocery Diaries: Stephanie Pitera Statile, Lifestyle/Entertainment editor at Business Insider, is looking for fresh pitches for their Aldi, Costco, and Trader Joe’s grocery diaries. Rate: $175. Pitch here.

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

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].

Food: Gastro Obscura is 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: Vittles Cooking is opening the cooking section for pitches for the first time. Although there are no restrictions on what you can pitch – beyond the need to be related to home cooking in one way or another – they’re especially interested in stories on “the rules don’t matter” (the pleasures of ignoring the ‘right’ way of doing things), “..maybe they do” (techniques and approaches that transforming/optimize cooking), “cooking and work” (fitting cooking into daily life), “cooking and climate crisis” (impact of ecological disasters and seasonal disruptions in markets and the kitchen), “cooking under duress (what it takes to keep yourself/others fed during illness, grief, turmoil), and recipe sets. They’re also particularly interested in hearing from people whose work challenges the traditional European and/or American-centred perspective of mainstream food writing. Rate: £150/40p a word for shorter pieces, £500 for 500 - 800 word essays. Pitch: [email protected] with the subject, COOKING PITCH.

travel

Travel: Fodor’s has opened to pitches for spring 2025. Please pitch topics not already covered on their site, and remember they are not accepting destination service/SEO content. Ideal pitches are for “serviceable” stories that teach readers something new. Pitches through this form.

Travel: Stephanie Pitera Statile, editor at Business Insider, is looking for pitches of essays on ferry trips, flight and cruise upgrades, retirement travel, and moving to/from the US. Rates start at $200 for 600 words. Pitch using this form.

Food/Drink/Travel: Christie Rotondo, senior editor for Vox Creative, is always commissioning writers “for assignments in the food, drink, and travel space.” She told Study Hall that Vox is “constantly creating Eater heatmaps and Thrillist local guides and want to grow our roster of local writers.” Rate: $750 for maps or guides. E-mail bio and 2 -3 clips of relevant work to christie@[email protected] with subject line: Local Writer Pitch From [Your City].

Food/Drink/Travel: Daria Smith at Late Checkout seeks travel, food, and drink stories with Gen Z energy. Pitches must be newsworthy/have a news angle (why does this story need to be told now?) and have accompanying visuals. Successful pitches also focus on one specific column, are 200 words max, nail Late Checkout’s voice, and have a fleshed-out concept. Rate: $200. Read full pitching guidelines here. E-mail pitches to: [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].

Travel: Atlas Obscura is 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.

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.

Outdoors: Ryan Wichelns, founding editor at Trails Magazine, is looking for pitches from through-hikers or members of the Appalachian Trail Community about Hurricane Helene, its impact on the trail/trail community, or its recovery. Pitch: [email protected].

Outdoors: Stasia Stockwell, managing editor for Trails Magazine, is looking for pitches on backpacking food. “We need recipes as well as stories: Think a profile of a backcountry chef or a review of a unique piece of camp kitchen gear. Rate: $.50/word. Pitch: [email protected].

home + garden

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 “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.

Groceries: Mara Weinraub, Senior Editor at The Kitchn, is looking for pitches from new writers who have “ingenious advice and strong opinions about the groceries we buy and the retailers and we buy them from.” She is looking for personal essays, reported features, expert-approved tips, noteworthy trends, cultural phenomena, and more. Rate: $150/300 word story. Pitch: mara.@[email protected].

Sustainability: Lynn Freehill-Maye, managing editor at Hudson Valley Viewfinder, is looking for pitches on reported stories on “sustainability, agriculture, science, wildlife, outdoor recreation, green transportation, and more” related to the Hudson Valley. Rate: $500 - $700 for 500 - 700 words. E-mail pitches to [email protected].

parenting + relationships

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.

lifestyle + culture

Internet + Pop Culture: Manisha Krishnan, senior editor at WIRED, is open to tips and original, surprising, and wacky pitches tied to internet culture, pop culture, tech, online dating, gaming, and more. E-mail [email protected].

Older Millennials + Midlife: Marquita Harris, senior editor for Gloria, told Study Hall they are looking for “essays and reported features on topics that are relevant to women who are midlife. Think: pop culture, entertainment, relationships, and beauty. We also love original, compelling, quirky, and relatable ideas” for “women who aren’t yet old but aren’t still young.” Rate: $400 for 800 - 1200 words. Pitch: [email protected] with PITCH in the subject line. 

Personal Essays: Narratively is looking for pitches for “The Personals,” a new series of “super unique and interesting first-person stories that focus on one moment, one day, one week, one season.” Specifically, they are looking for “active, exciting first-person stories that resolve around dramatic scenes and moments.” Rate: $300 for 1000 - 15000 words. Submit through Submittable.

Habits and Attitudes: Chicken Soup for the Soul is now accepting true stories about habits and/or attitudes. Whether you’re breaking bad habits, changing your attitude, or even if this story call-out inspired you to make a change, CSFTS wants to hear about it. Deadline for “habits and attitudes” is May 30. Submit here.

Personal Stories: Jessica Reed, head of narrative at The Guardian US, is always looking for pitches about “normal people. Normal people who go on, endure, preserve, resist.” Think: “Walmart workers, broke teachers, gentrifiers meeting the gentrified, struggling surgeons, hard-working farmers, taxi drivers on the brink, unhoused people who choose to go to jail, etc.” 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].

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].

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].

Book Culture: John Maher, news director at Publishers Weekly, is looking for pitches of industry news, trend pieces, and reported features on “book publishing, comics and graphic novel publishing, manga/manhwa/manhua publishing audiobook publishing, bookselling, libraries, copyright law, generative artificial intelligence, [and] large language models.” He's especially interested in stories that are at the “intersection of technology and the book business; comics, graphic novels, and manga; trends in genre publishing including science fiction, fantasy, romance, and horror.” Rate: $0.50 per word for print; “web rates vary.” Pitch: [email protected].

Movies: Jared Keller, managing editor of Military.com, is looking for pitches of “compelling analyses of war movies new and old” for “Theater of War,” a new column. Analysis can focus on “a certain character, a particular scene, or broader theme.” Rates: start at $400. E-mail pitches to [email protected].

Neurodivergent Living: Lauren Quinn, managing editor at Motley Bloom, is always looking for pitches of “voice-driven pieces that feature lived experiences of neurodivergence” on “travel, beauty, home design, work and career, product reviews–anything that falls under the umbrella of Neurodivergent Living.” Rate: $300 (short articles) to $500 (longer researched and/or first-person pieces). Pitch: [email protected].

Gaming: Jack King, British GQ contributing editor, is always looking for writers (including US-based) to help expand gaming coverage. “I'd love to meet some great writers — especially with experience across profiles and in-depth feature reportage, and a distinct voice — in the space.” Pitch: [email protected].

Living with disabilities: Rooted in Rights is looking for pitches for blog posts from disabled writers interested in “sharing resources ranging from organizing tips, strategies on getting basic needs met, highlighting a direct service organization, to things that bring you joy, books, comedy, or media recommendations, accessibility workaround, tips for finding community, strategies for rest, and strategies for resistance.” Rate: $400 for 500 words (w/ option to publish anonymously). Pitch here.

gender/identity/sexuality

LGTBQ+ History: QueerAF is looking for pitches for 700-1000 word history articles for Trans+ History Week. They want 'think piece’ style histories, aiming to be thought-provoking and speculative, focusing on the lessons we can learn from history. To pitch, you must provide examples of previous work, a working headline, and four to five bullet points about what your article will cover. One of these bullet points should tell us how the piece will conclude and what learning there is from this history lesson. Pitch here.

Girls and women: Sarah Little, founder of More to Her Story, is looking for more pitches on under-told stories about girls and women worldwide. Their focus isn’t just what’s in the headlines but the stories slipping through the cracks in mainstream media. Pitch here.

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.

Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.

Roxane Gay is accepting nonfiction essays from emerging writers for her newsletter, The Audacity. Emerging writers have “fewer than three article/essay/short story publications and no published books or book contracts.” Essays should be between 1500 and 3000 words. Rate: $1500. Submit through Submittable.

Narratively and Belletrist have joined forces for the Narratively Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize, which “will award remarkable memoir and reported stories, from love quadrangles, to lost-and-found soulmates, to unthinkable sacrifices and bizarre romantic connections that defy all odds.” Grand prize winners receive $3000 (longform) and $500 (shortform). Entry fees are $10 - $20, but waived for Narratively subscribers. Submit through Submittable. Deadline: May 1.

remote writing + editing jobs

These job listings were active when this newsletter was scheduled to be published (April 12), but may have expired since. If you appreciate these weekly roundups, feel free to buy me a coffee.

Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.

PEOPLE is looking for a full-time Nights Editor to help manage PEOPLE’s after-hours news team from 5 pm EST to 1 am EST. Ideal candidates will have 7 years of experience overseeing the production of a large volume of stories (30+), prioritize programming content that will drive strong traffic, and be able to coach young talent. Pay: $95k - $105k + benefits.

from previous editions

This subscriber-only section includes all remote job openings shared in previous editions of this literary life. Upgrade now for access.

Morning Brew is looking for a full-time Contract Copy Editor to read and review newsletter items, interviews, and reported stories across their B2B portfolio, including Retail Brew, Tech Brew, HR Brew, and more. Ideal candidates have 2+ years of copy editing and/or fact-checking experience with financially-focused news or media outlets. Rate: $50 - $55/hr.

Dotdash Meredith is seeking a part-time News Editor to join the Martha Stewart team at least 13 hours a week. You will be responsible for pinching and writing news content for MarthaStewart.com, plus researching and making revisions, updates, and rewrites of archival content. Ideal candidates have at least 2 years of experience writing or editing home/lifestyle media for a magazine or news publication, are comfortable working remotely, and can perform internet research, including creating/tracking Google alerts. Rate: $25/hr. US residents only.

Trusted Media Brands is looking for a full-time Contract Editor to report to the senior editor on the Taste of Home team. You will be responsible for editing SEO-driven food content accordingly to weekly publishing goals, mentoring writers, and supporting editorial strategy. Ideal candidates have 5+ years of full-time experience writing and editing food content, have a Bachelor’s degree in English, communications, media, marketing, or a related field, and have solid knowledge of SEO practices.

Salon is looking for a full-time Senior Editor, Ideas to add to their team. Your role will be to help Salon reimagine their opinion coverage while leading the editorial vision for the exchange of ideas “on-site and across [Salon’s] multi-platform channels.” Ideal candidates have 7+ years of journalism experience, proficiency in digital analytics tools like Chartbeat, and an understanding of Salon’s voice and editorial vision. Rate: $81k - $90k, plus benefits + unlimited PTO. Position is covered by Salon’s Writers Guild of America, East, Collective Bargaining agreement.

Bustle Digital Group is hiring a part-time affiliate shopping writer (fashion & women’s lifestyle) for their Commerce and Affiliate Marketing Team. You will be responsible for writing articles, reviews, and round-ups aimed at helping BDG’s audience make “informed purchasing decisions,” with successful articles earning affiliate revenue. Ideal candidates have 3+ years of experience in writing, editing, or creating content in a digital publishing and/or affiliate marketing environment. Rate: $22 - $25/hr.

TheTravel is adding more Freelance Travel Writers to their team. These writers have experience, especially as a travel writer, with exceptional research skills, in-depth knowledge about travel trends, and strong writing skills.

Blavity is looking for a Content Editor ($25/hr, 25 - 29 hrs a week) to edit and publish 8 - 10 articles and 5 - 10 web stories daily and write 2 - 3 articles weekly.

Raw Story also wants to add a Night and Weekend Newswriter to their ranks to cover breaking news in national politics, criminal justice, social justice, extremism, and more. Ideal candidates can find new stories or different angles on events/mainstream issues, have a deep interest in the breaking news cycle, and have the ability to work independently on nights and weekends.

Gannett/USA Today is seeking a full-time Developmental Editor/Content Creator to produce audience-focused financial content that will develop revenue. You will work closely with the Content Monetization Team to identify content opportunities to grow revenue and the USAT audience. Ideal candidates have a degree in journalism and at least four years of professional experience. Rate: $68k - $93k..

Seahawk is looking for a full-time Content Writer to join their team. You will be responsible for creating blog posts, social media posts, and other digital materials. Ideal candidates have over four years of experience in content creation, good knowledge of SEO tools, and experience using Google Docs, Google Analytics, WordPress, and social media tracking software.

Dotdash Meredith is looking for a full-time contract Business & Finance News Writer for Investopedia.

Everyday Health is looking to hire more freelance editors. Ideal candidates have 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. The rate is $30/hr. 

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 readers.” Pay: $87,500 - $175,000 + benefits.

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.

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

This week, I revisited Tana French’s The Likeness, the second book in her Dublin Murder Squad series. If these books haven’t made it on your radar yet, they follow characters who work in or with Dublin’s murder detectives. Unlike your standard paperback procedural, French’s work is atmospheric and layered, more literary than commercial. While the series does move in chronological order in time, this isn’t a series you need to read every book in to understand or enjoy.

With The Likeness, we follow Cassie, a detective we met in the first book in the series, Into the Woods, as she deals with the psychological aftermath of a bad case. After working undercover and then becoming a murder detective, Cassie is working domestic violence cases, needing the stability of the endless violence cycle. But when a dead woman is found holding her old undercover ID, Cassie is pulled back into work like an addiction.

Cassie tells us her story and, through this narrative, it’s hard not to feel what she feels when she feels it. French isn’t just great at turning a phrase (“Some people are little Chernobyls, shimmering with silent, spreading poison: get anywhere near them and every breath you take will wreck you from the inside out.”).

podcasts

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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