How do I figure out the best places to pitch articles I'm working on?
September 9, 2021 11:53 AM Subscribe
As a freelance writer, how can I research where to pitch articles? I'm new to this (two articles published so far), and I'm going to be writing about a wide variety of subjects. For each topic, how do I decide where the best place to pitch would be?
As examples, I'm working on pitches about clinic defense and access to abortion, a small mutual aid project in a nearby park, and a series of city-wide Palestine protests.
For each new topic I'm writing about, how do I figure out the best options that might want to publish these stories?
Related - a lot of submission/pitch pages don't seem to offer information on how much they pay. Is there a way to find that out when I am researching where to pitch?
Any other ideas or advice to help me connect the articles I'm working on with places who might want to publish?
As examples, I'm working on pitches about clinic defense and access to abortion, a small mutual aid project in a nearby park, and a series of city-wide Palestine protests.
For each new topic I'm writing about, how do I figure out the best options that might want to publish these stories?
Related - a lot of submission/pitch pages don't seem to offer information on how much they pay. Is there a way to find that out when I am researching where to pitch?
Any other ideas or advice to help me connect the articles I'm working on with places who might want to publish?
I let my subscription to Duotrope lapse a while ago, but I believe that participants provide info on how much different publications paid them. They also provide info on response times and acceptance/rejection rates. It costs money, but they have a free trial offer.
posted by FencingGal at 2:06 PM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by FencingGal at 2:06 PM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Join Freelancesuccess.com for 90 bucks a year. Best money you will ever spend. There are a bunch of market guides, active boards where professional freelancers support one another, etc. I highly recommend it.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:08 PM on September 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 2:08 PM on September 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
I was always a staffer, not freelance, so take this with a pinch of salt, but I'd think you might be well-served by doing it the other way around: Find publications you'd like to write for, familiarise yourself with the kind of stuff they publish, and then dig out stories that suit those profiles.
posted by penguin pie at 2:56 PM on September 9, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by penguin pie at 2:56 PM on September 9, 2021 [4 favorites]
The best no-bullshit answer I’ve read to this set of questions is in Nick Mamatas’ short book Starve Better. It gives you an A->B->C process that resembles the arc of many writers out there.
Some specifically helpful stuff on rates —
http://whopayswriters.com/#/results
I follow various editors on Twitter, and they regularly mention when they’re open for pitches, topics of interest, etc. My (modest) experience is that things move at speed, and opportunities tend to come and go faster than most market guides capture.
posted by cupcakeninja at 4:39 PM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Some specifically helpful stuff on rates —
http://whopayswriters.com/#/results
I follow various editors on Twitter, and they regularly mention when they’re open for pitches, topics of interest, etc. My (modest) experience is that things move at speed, and opportunities tend to come and go faster than most market guides capture.
posted by cupcakeninja at 4:39 PM on September 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm using the Paid Publishing Guidebook: 1775 Publishers That Pay Writers.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 3:25 PM on September 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 3:25 PM on September 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by johngoren at 2:01 PM on September 9, 2021