- this literary life
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- no. 29
no. 29
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
More cookbooks for home cooks. Jenn Sit, editorial director of cooking at Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, shares what the cookbook market looks like right now and what Clarkson Potter is looking for in proposals. (Eater)
How long should this be, anyway? Knowing if a story is too long is hard to do without submission guidelines. Even if you don’t have plans to pitch this work, using word limits is a good way to test the strength of your story. (The Joy of Fixion)
No, they’re not your competition. They’re your collaborators. Other writers can feel like the competition, but remember: people don’t just read one thing or buy one book and often look for similar stories (aka “comps”). The best business move is to become these writers’ biggest fans and learn from how they tell and market their stories. (Jane Friedman Blog)
There’s a fine line between being flawed, a villain, and being plain problematic. Humans are inherently flawed, and in fiction, characters often see growth by the end of the book. But sometimes, authors position a character as one of the good guys, even though they carry similar traits as villains. Unike with villains, however, these characters aren’t held accountable for their actions. (Writer Unboxed)
Yes, writing fiction can help you write nonfiction. Reporting is more than just dumping information on your reader. The best nonfiction borrows elements of fictional storytelling, including a story arc, character development, and the need for tension or conflict to push a story forward. (Jane Friedman Blog)

all things book publishing
news + interesting reads
Men get a (publishing) room of their own. Conduit Books will launch with a male-only lineup of authors. Jude Cook, at the helm of Conduit, explains that male voices are often perceived as “problematic” and are “often overlooked” and wants to create “a space for male authors to flourish.” (LitHub)
for querying writers
Reminder:
I have openings + a quick turnaround on query letter edits.

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
Urban Planning: Planetizen is always looking for pitches of “feature articles that bring an expert lens to today's key planning issues" from practicing planners, scholars, or workers in a related field. Rate: $500 per feature or career-related article. Please note: They “do not pay practicing urban professionals for newsfeed, feature, blog, or career-related content. E-mail pitches to [email protected].
Journalism: International Journalists' Network (IJNet) is always looking for pitches of articles on “tips and tricks that can help journalists globally.” This includes current media trends in your country, a journalism tool or resource they haven’t covered yet, or stories about innovators. Pitches and written pieces can be in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Russian. Rate: $200 per article. Submit pitches through this Submittable form.
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.
Hospitality: Pre Shift, a newsletter from Eater and Punch by and for the hospitality industry, is looking for pitches of “first-person essays or narrative reporting from within the hospitality industry (chefs, bartenders, servers, bouncers, etc.). They are “especially interested in hearing from writers of color and writers outside of NYC.” Rate: $0.50 per word. E-mail pitches to [email protected]. Use “Pre Shift Pitch” in the subject line.
travel
Motorcycle Travel: Julie Nordskog, editor at Ride Texas, is seeking new writers to join their team for travel and feature stories about regional motorcycling. She is open to pitches on stories about routes, destinations, profiles, ride reports, and previews focusing on Texas and its surrounding states. Rate: up to $400 for print, including 3 - 4 print-quality photos. E-mail pitches to [email protected]. Deadline: June 1.
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 May 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].
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
Lifestyle: Anna Borges, a freelance editor at SELF, is looking for pitches for “reported and personal experience-based ” stories that are “focused on lifestyle/wellness (mental well-being, work, culture, family, friendships, romantic love, etc.)” for May. Rate: $400 - $800 depending on scope. E-mail pitches to [email protected].
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.
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.
Running: Ashley Mateo, founder of RUNHER, is looking for pitches of “deeply reported stories about women’s running that invite readers to immerse themselves in the sport and its community.” Please, no prescriptive service stories or gear roundups. Investigative features will be prioritized over first-person essays. Rate: $0.50 - $2/word for 1,000 - 1,500 words. Deadline: May 17. Submit through this pitch form.
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 (and 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.
Write or Die Magazine is now accepting submissions for its first-ever Fiction Contest. Entries should be no more than 4000 words and should be unpublished at the time of submission. The Grand Prize winner receives $1000, with $400 for Second Place and $200 for Third. There is an $18 entry fee. Submit through Submittable.

remote writing + editing jobs
These job listings were active when this newsletter was scheduled to be published (April 26), but they may have expired since then. If you appreciate these weekly roundups, feel free to buy me a coffee.
Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.
The New Republic is hiring a remote temporary breaking news writer to “contribute to hourly coverage of events shaping the day” from May 26 through October 21. Ideal candidates have two years of relevant professional experience. Rate: $1200/week. Application deadline: May 9.
from previous editions
This subscriber-only section includes all remote job openings shared in previous editions of this literary life. Upgrade now for access.
Dotdash Meredith is also hiring a remote contract Travel Writer to join their PEOPLE team, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for at least three months. You will be responsible for working quickly under tight deadlines on travel and celebrity stories, and you will also be on call for breaking news during off-time. Ideal candidates have 2 - 3 years of experience and the ability to respond quickly to breaking news. Rate: $28 - $30/hr.
Dotdash Meredith is hiring a remote contract News Updates Editor to work mornings, especially for Better Homes & Gardens. For a minimum of 10 hours a week, you will be responsible for researching, making revisions, and updating archival content, as well as pitching and writing timely news content. Ideal candidates have at least 2 years of lifestyle writing, preferably for a news outlet or magazine. Rate: $25/hr.
Dotdash Meredith is looking for a remote contract News Update Editor for The Spruce Home. For 10 - 15 hours a week at a minimum, you will be responsible for researching and performing revisions, updates, and rewrites to published content, plus pitching and writing timely news content. Ideal candidates have at least 2 years of experience in writing or editing and are comfortable with Internet research. Rate: $25/hr.
Static Media is hiring remote contract Home and Lifestyle Writers to join their House Digest team. Responsibilities include pitching relevant and timely news stories, claiming news and evergreen articles, and writing content on a quick turnaround. Ideal candidates have a minimum of three years of editorial experience. Rate: $21/hr.
Gannett seeks a full-time Women’s Sports Editor to join their USA Today Network team. You’ll be responsible for leading the women’s sports coverage, coaching writers to create compelling content, and playing a leading role in creating new experiences that will position USA Today as the best women’s sports coverage. Ideal candidates have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, 5+ years of journalism experience, and can work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
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 or more years of experience in copy editing and/or fact-checking with financially focused news or media outlets. Rate: $50 - $55/hr.
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 according 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 a 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 its 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. The 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.
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
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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