43 Publishers Paying for Feature Articles and Long-Form Writing

Many Paying $1,000+ Per Article (And Sometimes Much More)

Writers! Today for you, I have a list of 43 publishers paying for feature articles and longform writing. This covers a huge variety of topics and categories.

I’ve mostly focused on relatively higher paying publications here, but also included publishers in this list that I found interesting or worthwhile for some reason.

That being said, many of these publications pay $1.00 per word, and some pay more.

In the exciting news front, we’ve made significant progress on the database software I’m planning on releasing soon. This will include over 2,000 publisher listings just like the ones below. It is easily searchable, organized by category, and also includes a “history” of calls for pitches from publications that I’ve listed in the past. I’m hoping it will be ready within a month!

Pitching a feature article is a little bit different than pitching a shorter article. In general, pitches for features should be a bit longer, and be more fleshed out. If you’re new to freelance writing, don’t necessarily start by pitching features. You may want to start with shorter, “department” style articles first. Once you have a few clips in your resume, you’ll have better odds of landing a feature.

1. Noema is a magazine that explores the transformations sweeping our world. They publish “essays, interviews, reportage, videos and art on the overlapping realms of philosophy, governance, geopolitics, economics, technology, and culture.” According to payment reports, they pay $1.05 per word. If interested, send your pitches or drafts for essays, reported features, interviews, or fiction short stories to edit@noemamag.com. To contact them, refer to this page.

2. Nieman Reports publishes features and opinion pieces about the challenges and opportunities facing journalism today. They're published by The Nieman Foundation at Harvard University. They pay $250 for opinion pieces, and $1 per word for features. To learn more, read this page.

3. Epic publishes extraordinary true stories. Their “writers travel the world searching for encounters with the unknown. Wartime romance, unlikely savants, deranged detectives, gentlemen thieves, and love struck killers: stories that tap into the thrill of being alive.” According to their deputy editor, they generally pay $1 to $2 per word. Most of their stories are at least 5,000 to 6,000 words long. To submit a story, visit this page.

4. The Atavist Magazine is a digital-only publication that releases one blockbuster nonfiction story every month. They are looking for “pitches for longform, character-driven, narrative nonfiction stories.” The stories should be 8,000 to 30,000 words long. According to their editor-in-chief, they pay at least $6,000 per story plus expenses. They pay kill fees upfront. For more information, visit this page.

5. Ori Magazine is a twice-a-year travel magazine that publishes stories by talented local journalists. They would love to receive pitches from writers. As per their editor, features pay $0.50-$1.00/word and single page department pieces pay $200. If you want to contribute a story, then refer to their contributor inquiries page.

6. Type Investigations is a nonprofit investigative newsroom. They cover the “most urgent issues of our time, including racial and economic justice, climate and environmental health, and civil and human rights.” Their written features are generally 4,000-6,000 words and they typically pay $3,000-$6,000 (including travel and reporting expenses). For more information, refer to their pitch guide.

7. Bon Appétit is a magazine that features recipes, cooking tips, reviews, and more. They are seeking “mid-to-longform reported articles that reflect the food world right now; profiles of fascinating, awesome people in food; hot takes on minuscule details like folding pizza; and personal essays with a strong angle.” Payment reports indicate that they pay up to $0.50 per word. To pitch, visit this page.

8. Lux is a socialist feminist magazine for the masses. They welcome pitches from both new and established writers. They usually pay $1.00/word for reported features and $0.50/word for most other things. Pitches should be sent to pitches@lux-magazine.com. To learn more, refer to this page.

9. Economic Hardship Reporting Project (EHRP) is a nonprofit organization that produces compelling journalism about income inequality and poverty in America. They commission “op-eds, personal essays, investigative reports, rich narrative features, podcasts, nonfiction cartoons, photo essays, and documentaries about the United States.”  They pay $800 to $1500 for news stories, and up to $2,500 for narrative features and investigative reports. They generally pay $1.00 to $1.25 per word. They also have grants to cover travel expenses, up to $2,000. They also publish  personal essays, photo essays, comics, and audio projects. To learn more, refer to their submissions page.

10. Politico Magazine features “ambitious, distinctive journalism about the people, ideas, and institutions that matter most in Washington—and beyond.” They are always seeking smart and timely journalism aimed at people with a deep interest in politics. They accept pitches for long-form feature reporting. Payment reports indicate that they pay up to $0.62 per word. To learn how to pitch them, visit this page and this page.