There comes a time in every freelance writer’s life…

When she stumbles upon a life-changing realization: I need to start charging more for my writing.

For me, this took about a year. From a rational standpoint, it took a while to build the experience and skillset to justify higher rates. And from an emotional standpoint, I’ve always been a huge people-pleaser — afraid to speak up and demand more for myself — so I had to shift my mindset around this.

Once I did so, I started seeking writing gigs that paid more — up to 50 cents per word in many cases. If you’re also at this point in your career — or you need a fresh list of publications to pitch — here are 7 publications that pay writers up to 50 cents per word (plus how to pitch them)!

Oh, and one of these publications even pays freelancers $1 or more per piece. Keep reading to find out more!

 

1. Wondermind

You may not have heard of Wondermind yet because it’s only been around since mid-2021. However, this “mental fitness” publication dives into mental health — from personal essays around specific mental health conditions, to interviews with celebs about their mental health. They publish articles on their website and in their thrice-weekly newsletter. Oh, and Selena Gomez is one of the co-founders. How cool is that?!

Rates: I’ve been paid $300 for a 650-word piece and $400 for a ~1,200-word piece. 

How to Pitch: Wondermind‘s editor has a helpful Twitter thread in which she outlines everything writers should include in their pitches. 

Contact Shannon Barbour with your story idea at Shannon.Barbour@Wondermind.com. 

 

2. Business Insider

Did you know Business Insider — which currently reaches over 200 million readers — publishes many of its stories from freelancers? This publication is regarded as one of the leading outlets in covering the latest happenings within the business, finance, and tech world. 

But you don’t need to be an investigative reporter to land a Business Insider byline. In fact, if you have a helpful career-related story to share (or can write a profile on someone who does), your chances of landing a Business Insider gig increase. Take a few moments to look through your contacts to consider who might be interesting to write a feature on, or think of a story you can share with a career angle. 

Rates: These will vary based on editor and vertical. But I’ve been able to negotiate up to $400 for an ~800-900 word story.

How to Pitch: Business Insider‘s pitching guidelines include specifics on what they’re looking for, and which editors to pitch. 

 

 

3. Well+Good

If you write about clean beauty, relationships, fitness, or anything in the wellness realm, Well+Good is a wonderful place to pitch. Their content is targeted towards millennial/younger Gen X women, and includes reported features, “I Tried It” product review-type stories, and personal essays. Check out each of their verticals to figure out which one your ideas would most align with — they cover several niche areas like “Cosmic Health,” “Natural Acne Treatment,” and “Size-Inclusive Brands.” 

Rates: These will vary based on word count and the amount of reporting required. But I’ve been paid $300 for a 600-word article.

How to Pitch: Check out Well+Good‘s complete pitching guidelines — which include specific rates and editors to pitch — on their website.

 

4. Byrdie

Barbiecore? Jellyfish haircuts? There’s something about fashion and beauty trends that’s inherently click-worthy. Byrdie is at the center of trends in the beauty world. Their content urges readers to think outside of their beauty comfort zones, and learn about the brands behind their favorite clothing, skincare, makeup, and body care products. Byrdie also runs profiles on beauty and fashion entrepreneurs (especially those from BIPOC or other marginalized backgrounds), covers innovations in beauty, and does reviews and round-ups of beauty products. 

Rates: I’ve made anywhere from $200-350 for articles between ~700-800 words.

How to Pitch: For beauty-related pitches, contact Olivia Hancock at ohancock@dotdashmdp.com. For fashion pieces, contact Erika Harwood at eharwood@byrdie.com. You can also head to Byrdie‘s “About Us” page, which lists each editor and the vertical they cover. 

 

 

5. The Paper Gown

If you write in the healthcare/medical field niche, Zocdoc‘s health blog, The Paper Gown is always looking for stories with a patient care angle. According to their Editor of Content, here are a few topics they’re interested in covering:

• Personal essays about how you’ve used Zocdoc to receive help for serious health challenges, with a unique angle (i.e. “How to Talk About Your Transgender Status With Your Doctor”)
• Stories for their “Doctors Debate” series, in which medical professionals debunk myths around Exercise, allergy medications, supplements, etc. 
• Seasonal pieces (i.e. “What to Do About These Common Summer Ailments”)
• Stories on other trending topics with a patient care angle (i.e. “What is Art Therapy and is it Right For You?”)

Rates: The Paper Gown offers at least $0.50 per word for all contributors, with the potential to make more based on experience. 

How to Pitch: Send your pitch to Amanda Svachula, Editor of Content, at amanda.svachula@zocdoc.com. Be sure to include “PITCH from [Your Name]:” in the subject line, along with a proposed headline. Amanda also says to keep your pitch under three paragraphs, mention sources you plan to interview, list research you’ve identified, estimate a target word count, and come up with a proposed deadline. 

 

6. Sierra Magazine

Do you consider yourself an outdoorsy person? Do you love writing about the environment? If so, Sierra, the Sierra Club’s magazine, is an excellent place to contribute. According to their website, their mission is “that everyone, regardless of race or income, should enjoy the same basic rights to clean air, clean water, a stable climate, and safe and easy access to experience wild nature.”

They commission pieces within several sections — Culture Desk, Material World, Do-Gooder, etc. — so read through their guidelines carefully to determine where your story ideas align.

Rates: Sierra Magazine offers the highest compensation out of all the publications listed in this blog post — at $1-$1.50 per word!

How to Pitch: You can submit your pitch directly through Sierra Magazine‘s website using this form.

 

 

7. LiisBeth

You may not have heard about Liisbeth, but this Canadian publication is doing incredible things. According to their website, Liisbeth “reports on and celebrates work happening at the intersection of feminism + entrepreneurship + innovation.” Their target audience consists mainly of female-identifying readers between the ages of 25-55, who are passionate about social justice, and want to explore and dismantle racial, gender-based, economic, and environmental inequalities.

Rates: Compensation varies widely depending on the type of story and topic covered. But according to Liisbeth‘s Guidelines, writers are paid anywhere from $250-$2,000 CDN for stories ranging from 1,500-3,000 words.

How to Pitch: Be sure to read through their Guidelines beforehand. Once you’ve formulated your story idea, you can send it to publisher@Liisbeth.com.

 

Parting Thoughts

Finding publications that pay well can be challenging, but from my own experiences and research, these seven outlets offer fair compensation to freelance writers. 

With many of these publications paying writers 50 cents (or more!) per word, they’re worth pitching. Also, if you need help with putting together your pitches, check out my post “Freelance Writing Pitches: 7 Tips to Make Your Story Idea Shine.” 

Stay tuned for a future post that’ll include a list of over 40 outlets freelance writers can pitch (that pay!).

Happy pitching!