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.

Turns out, knitting and writing have a lot in common. Sometimes you have to take out a few rows of work — or words — to make up for a dropped stitch. However, it’s always better to go back and correct a mistake than to continue and hope no one notices. (Jane Friedman Blog)

Published author? You can now check to see if you’re eligible for an Anthropic Copyright Settlement payment.

Reading Rainbow is back. After 20 years, the PBS classic is getting a modern reboot, with Mychal Threets (“Mychal the Librarian”) set to host. (LitHub)

Understanding how books are sold is easy when you remember that publishers don’t serve the readers. When it comes to the business of selling books, publishers are more concerned with who is spending money on units, including both big and small retailers, book clubs, and libraries. With almost half of the cover price going to them, they have a much bigger sway on what a book looks like, sounds like, and how a book gets marketed than writers realize. (Counter Craft)

No, you shouldn’t query your AI-generated novel. Erin C. Niumata, literary agent and Senior VP of Folio Literary Agency, explains why she cannot represent AI-generated work. (Erin’s Third Act)

Hunter S. Thompson’s death is being re-examined. At the urging of his widow, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is looking into Thompson’s 2005 death. (NBC News)

Rising trend: Bookmobiles. Over the past decade, mini-libraries attached to bicycles have begun to appear across the country, encouraging people to read. In some cases, such as the Iowa City Public Library, librarians driving the bikes have the opportunity to engage one-on-one with community members about the impact of Iowa’s book bans. Some other examples include Montgomery County, Maryland’s L’amour en Route, which brings romance titles, often criticized for their explicit content, to readers, and the Nonbinary Book Bike, which provides free queer books to children in Brooklyn. (Publisher’s Weekly)

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

What you need to do to have your query stand out. Rian Parry, an associate literary agent at The Blair Partnership, breaks down the query letter that scored her her own agent. (The Not-So-Secret Agents)

Haley Casey, associate literary agent at Creative Media Agency, is seeking more spooky stories, from the weird to the monstrous, with a dark edge, that explore feminist and friendship themes, feature strong character development, and have a richly built world. She’s also looking for Mulan retellings, urban fantasy, SFF across age groups, fun romps and capers, rivals-to-lovers, and banter-filled romance for any season. Please submit queries through QueryTracker.

Rebecca Williamson, associate literary agent at Sheldon Fogelman, is looking for books with similar vibes to The Apothecary Diaries, YA thriller/mystery in the vein of Angeline Bouley, YA contemporary with Deb Caletti vibes, and MG mysteries. Please follow submission guidelines.

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.

Boys, Men, and Toxic Masculinity: Danny Postel, politics editor at New Lines Magazine, is commissioning a “review-essay on boys, men, connecting the Netflix series Adolescence; Richard Reeve’s work; Scott Galloway’s new book Notes on a Burning Man; “To Be A Boy” podcast; Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys (UK); Michael Smercornish’s CNN special; and related stuff.” Rate: None given, historically $800. E-mail pitches to [email protected].

Eating Disorders in Midlife: This Is Not Your Mother’s Eating Disorder is seeking personal essays for an anthology on midlife women’s experiences with eating disorders. Pay: $250 for 1,000 - 3,000 words. Deadline: October 31. Please submit through this pitch form.

Food Science, Pets, and Plants/Backyard Plants: Yasmine Maggio, Digital Editor at National Geographic, is looking for “smart, sharp” pitches that are science-driven, serviceable, and cite research and relevant experts. Rate: Historically $1/word, none listed. Please send pitches and clips to [email protected].

Inequality: Capital & Main is always open to pitches on inequality in California and nationally related to “class, race, immigration, gender, corporate accountability, climate change and energy, education, and health.” This should be a researched, reported article, not a personal essay or opinion piece. Please follow submission guidelines.

Moving Nightmares + Fairytales: Stephanie Pitera, lifestyle/entertainment editor at Business Insider, is looking for pitches of first-person essays on long-distance moves from the past few years, either to a new state or country. “Was it everything you dreamed it would be? A total nightmare?” Rate: $200 for 600 words. Submit pitches through this form.

Steakhouses + Red Meat: Cake Zine is now accepting pitches for a special issue: Steak Zine. They aim to explore the cultural impact of red meat and the classic steakhouse, looking for unexpected non-fiction stories that approach steak in an expansive way. Rate: $125 - $300. Deadline: October 15 at 9 am. Please follow submission guidelines.

Whales: Orion Magazine is now accepting pitches for their Summer 2026 Whale Issue: Deep Dive. They are especially interested in non-fiction that “examines history and perspectives around conservation and industry. No orcas, please — we already got them covered.” Rate: None given, historically $1,000 for features. Submit pitches through Submittable by October 15.

Many literary magazines pay to publish your creative work, whether it’s short stories, essays, poems, or other mediums. ChillSubs offers an amazing (and free!) database to help you find the right opportunities.

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

Bereavment + Grief Support: TalkDeath is always looking for pitches of articles, fiction, and creative non-fiction on “bereavement, grief support, the funeral industry, death positivity, and anything related to death. They are especially interested in hearing from writers who can “speak to death practices and traditions from equity deserving groups, the Global South, and Indigenous writers.” Rate” $.20 for 800 - 1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected].

Emerging Writers: 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.

Literary nonfiction: Cutleaf is accepting submissions for literary nonfiction about a variety of topics (travel, music, literature, art, film, etc) that show “the larger and smaller truths about being human.” Rate: $100 - $400. Please follow submission guidelines. Deadline: October 15.

Longform Nonfiction: Seyward Darby, editor in chief at Atavist Magazine, is looking for pitches of "longform nonfiction stories. “Atavist stories can be historical or current; they can be about crime or science, adventure or romance; they can be rooted in investigative reporting or in first-person experiences. What unites them is their narrative approach.” Rate: $6,000 per story, “plus royalties based on traffic.” E-mail pitches to [email protected] and/or [email protected].

These job listings were active when this newsletter was scheduled for publication, 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.

Mary Stone Publishing is hiring a Psychological Thriller Co-Writer to collaborate monthly on standalone thriller novels. Rate: $25/hr - $28/hr. Please apply through Glassdoor.

Raw Story is seeking a “dynamic, relentless” Breaking News Reporter to elevate their “rapid-fire coverage of national politics, social justice, and extremism.” Ideal candidates have three years of experience in a fast-paced newsroom and thrive under pressure, with a “proven track record of breaking exclusive angles that leave competitors scrambling.” Rate: “Competitive” plus health insurance, 401k. To apply, send your resume with links to three published articles to [email protected].

Spotlight PA is hiring a Newsletter Writer/Reporter to help produce their multiple daily newsletters (Spotlight PA, Talk of the Town, and Good Day Berks). Ideal candidates live in PA, have a writing or journalism background, and have experience with original reporting. Rate: $65,000 - $68,000. Please follow the application guidelines.

TSTC is seeking a Creative Content Editor to help “transform technical or straightforward descriptions of [their] work into compelling narratives that resonate with clients, partners, and stakeholders.” Ideal candidates have a BA in Communications or a related field, 3+ years of experience in writing or editing, and experience in crafting case studies, client success stories, or brand storytelling. Rate: “Competitive” plus personal and team bonuses and benefits. Please follow the application guidelines.

UsWeekly is seeking a Senior Writer, Crime to pitch and write multiple daily stories (6-8, plus updates) while adhering to “Us Weekly’s distinctive tone.” Responsibilities include aggregating and reframing crime news, outreach to representatives, court clerks/lawyers, downloading and resizing your own photos, conducting expert interviews, and maintaining relationships with publicists and representatives. Ideal candidates have 2-4 years of experience in digital writing and reporting, a roster of editorial contacts and sourcing skills, familiarity with SEO, and a proven ability to write clean, engaging, fast-turnaround copy. Rate: $70,000 - $80,000. Please follow the application guidelines.

UsWeekly is also hiring a Part-Time Weekend Writer (Crime) to pitch and write 6 - 8 daily stories focused on crime and pop culture, trending moments, human interest angles, prioritizing speed, creativity, and audience relevance. Ideal candidates have 2-4 years of experience in digital writing and reporting in entertainment, celebrity, or sports media. Rate: $35/hr - $40/hr. Please follow the application guidelines.

I finally started Bunny, and what started as a familiar sink into New England dark academia quickly turned into something more like a horror story. Whether or not everything is actually happening is up to you, though; our narrator tells us pretty quickly she’s always lied just to make the story better. It’s Mean Girls meets The Secret History and Jennifer’s Body.

I’ve also just started listening to the audiobook for If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You by Leigh Stein, and it hooked me right from the opening. What do you do when you find out your boyfriend doesn’t actually move in with you via a forwarded Reddit thread while you’re stuck in traffic? You move in with Craig, the guy you met online when you were a teenager, and help him transform his dilapidated LA mansion into a home for influencers. According to the premise, when one of the influencers goes missing, the carefully crafted “reality” begins to crack, revealing dark secrets.

One of the best ways I learn is to research and read. Before, during, and after my MFA, I’ve read books on book writing, marketing, magazine writing, travel writing, and more. Here are the books that I still re-read after all of these years.

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As always, here are the podcasts I listen — and re-listen — to.