29 Science Magazines & Websites that Pay Freelance Writers
Writers! Today for you, I have a list of 29 publications that pay for science writing. This list is focused on publications intended primarily for non-scientists, though it does include a few professional focused publications. (Though, these are not academic journals, which are a very different thing.)
We’ve researched payment rates and contact information for these publishers, so you can easily contact the right editor.
If you’re new to pitching, I encourage you to spend time carefully studying the publications you would like to write for. Learn their style, how they’re organized, the types of writing they publish, and even the general lengths of the articles they publish. Also, pay special attention to the way they write article titles, as this is often vital to the pitch writing process.
Once you’re familiar with the publication, you can brainstorm ideas, and then carefully craft a short pitch to the appropriate editor at the publication. For paid subscribers, feel free to send me a draft pitch, and I’ll give you my feedback.
If you’re looking for even more opportunities to get published,you should also check out this list of 200 Publications that Pay Writers. You can also browse the many lists we’ve published so far on this site.
Quanta Magazine is an independent online publication that covers the latest news and trends in physics, mathematics, life science, and computer science research. According to a recent payment report, they paid $1.25 per word for a 1,200-words story. To contact their editors, refer to this page.
Scientific American covers science discoveries and technology innovations. They “welcome ideas for articles on recent scientific discoveries, technical innovations and overviews of ongoing research.” The average length of their articles is about 2,000 to 4,000 words. They also welcome opinion and analysis (1,000 words). Payment reports indicate that they pay up to $0.50 per word. For details, refer to this page.
The Scientist is a magazine for life science professionals. They explore trends in research, latest scientific discoveries, innovative techniques, careers, and business. They are looking for writers who can tell the stories of life science across the globe. A recent payment report indicates that they pay up to $0.33 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.
BioSpace is a source for life sciences industry news and information. Their job board connects the brightest talent of the industry with the most innovative organizations. According to one payment report, they paid $0.10 per word for a 750-word blog post. To contact them, visit this page.
Physics Today is the American Institute of Physics’ flagship publication. They publish both in print and online formats. They inform their “readers about science and its place in the world with authoritative features, news stories, analysis, and fresh perspectives on technological advances and ground-breaking research.” According to a now deleted Tweet by their website director, they pay $1.00 per word. (The editor's Tweets are automatically deleted after one year.) To learn more, visit this page.
New Scientist seeks feature articles. They want "science and technology stories from around the world that will intrigue, entertain and inform the widest possible audience, be they physicists, biologists or people with no science background at all." Payment is negotiated, but reports indicate over $1 a word. To learn more, read their submission guidelines.
Undark is a digital magazine that explores the “intersection of science and society.” They seek to publish various types of projects including blog posts, book excerpts or reviews, op-eds, short features and long-form projects. Our sources suggest that they pay an average of $0.61 per word. To learn more, refer to their submission guidelines.
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