64 Paying Markets for Personal Essays

Updated 1/18/25

It seems personal essays are all the rage lately. Even otherwise stodgy publications are turning to them as a means of drumming up clientele. (I blame blogs.)

In case you are wondering what a personal essay is, it's any nonfiction story written in first person. Personal essays always involve a true experience, especially one that evokes emotions that speak to a broader audience.

Like the short story, personal essays are structured, have a theme, and usually involve a moral or message of some kind. Some literary journals and niche magazines are willing to pay substantially for these essays, so devoting a few hours to writing one is worth your consideration.

Read submission guidelines carefully. Many of these publications only read during submission periods.


____________________


For additional markets for personal essays see:

Writing to Heal

20 Places to Publish Personal Essays

325 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction

For more paying markets go to: Paying Markets
_____________________

The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe Magazine Connections section seeks 650-word first-person essays on relationships of any kind. It pays, though how much is unclear. Submit to magazine@globe.com with “query” in the subject line.

Length: 650 words

Payment: Fees vary depending on the story length and the column for which the piece will be used.

_____________________

Chicken Soup for the Soul

"A Chicken Soup for the Soul story is an inspirational, true story about ordinary people having extraordinary experiences. It is a story that opens the heart and rekindles the spirit. It is a simple piece that touches our readers and helps them discover basic principles they can use in their own lives. These stories are personal and often filled with emotion and drama. They are filled with vivid images created by using the five senses. In some stories, the readers feel that they are actually in the scene with the people."

Payment: $200

Books are themed

____________________

Christian Science Monitor

"The Home Forum is looking for upbeat, personal essays. We also welcome short poems. All material must be original and previously unpublished. For seasonal material, be aware that if you submit something that is about a particular month, holiday, event (back to school, graduation), or season, we need to receive it a minimum of six weeks ahead. These are first-person, nonfiction explorations of how you responded to a place, a person, a situation, an event, or happenings in everyday life. Tell a story; share a funny true tale. The humor should be gentle. We accept essays on a wide variety of subjects, and encourage timely, newsy topics. However, we don't deal with the topics of death, aging and disease."

Length: 400 to 800 words

Payment: $75-$150

____________________

Down East: The Magazine of Maine

"My Maine is our section most open to new contributors. My Maine stories are personal essays that focus on some aspect of the writer’s relationship to Maine and the Maine landscape. Pieces are often lyrical, sometimes humorous, and almost always have a strong first person component. We receive more submissions for My Maine than any other section of the magazine; please give us three months to respond to your submission before following up."

Length: 800–1000 words

Payment: Between $.40/word and $.70/word

____________________

Good Old Days

"Good Old Days tells the real stories of the people who lived and grew up in “the Good Old Days” (about 1935–1960). We like stories to sound informal and conversational, as if you’re sitting around the kitchen table reminiscing with your friends and family. However, we are open to any way you choose to write your story, as long as it is true and falls within our targeted period of time. We prefer the author’s individual voice, warmth, humor and honesty over technical ability. We do not accept fictional manuscripts."

Length: 500 to 1,500 words

Payment: $15 to $75

____________________


Story Quarterly

"We are interested in literary fiction, including short stories, short shorts, and novel excerpts up to 6,250 words in length, and creative nonfiction. We select work on the basis of style, craft, freshness, and vision."

Payment: $25

____________________

Dame Magazine

DAME features a variety of voices writing reported pieces, op-eds, and personal essays covering culture, politics, parenting, family, gender, sex, entertainment, tech culture, business and personal finance. DAME’s tone is irreverent, witty, and provocative. "Our objective is to move the conversation forward around trending and topical subjects most relevant to women—that is, when we're not starting the conversation. We accept narrative-driven reported features, first-person essays, Q&As, op-eds, and humor essays (especially satire).

Length: Stories are generally between 800 and 2,000 words, depending on the subject matter and the story format."

Payment: Negotiated.

______________________

Kveller

Kveller is a parenting magazine that accepts personal essays about parenting and women’s issues as seen through a Jewish lens.

Length: 700-1000 words

Payment: 4 cents/word according to Who Pays Writers

____________________

New York Times: Modern Love

"The editors of Modern Love are interested in receiving deeply personal essays about contemporary relationships, marriage, dating, parenthood...any subject that might reasonably fit under the heading “Modern Love.” Ideally, essays should spring from some central dilemma the writer has faced in his or her life. It helps if the situation has a contemporary edge, though this is not essential. Most important is that the writing be emotionally honest and the story be freshly and compellingly told."

Length: 1500-1700 words

Payment: $300

__________________


Slate

Slate is an online magazine about news, politics, and culture. Please indicate which section you’re pitching to in the subject line of your email.

Payment: 23 cents/word
__________________

The Billfold

"The Billfold aims to do away with the misbelief that talking about difficult money issues is uncomfortable, and create a space to have an honest conversation about how we save, spend and repay our debts. We are going to break one of the last taboos in our culture — talking about what you earn, what you spend, what you owe. Interested in contributing to The Billfold? Send an e-mail to notes@thebillfold.com with a specific pitch you have in mind and an editor will get back to you as soon as possible."

Payment: $50

__________________

Motherwell 

"We are looking for evocative first-person narratives that have a unique focus, or take a novel angle, on a slice of the parenting experience. We are open to a range of styles and tones: the only requirement is that the essay works on its own terms—be it lyrical, humorous, research-oriented, etc—and conveys something fundamental about its writer."

Length: Up to 1200 words

Payment: Not specified 

__________________

Narratively

"Narratively is devoted to original and untold human stories, delivered in the most appropriate format for each piece, from writing to short documentary films, photo essays, audio stories and comics journalism. We are always interested in adding new, diverse voices to the mix and we pay for stories. We accept both pitches for story ideas and completed submissions."

Payment: $750

__________________

National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities

"We believe in placing parents with disabilities at the forefront, and one way to do that is invite them to share their own experiences. We are interested in bringing together a racially, culturally, and experientially diverse group of people to contribute."

Payment: $100

__________________

The Sun

"We publish essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry. We tend to favor personal writing, but we’re also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues. And we’re open to just about anything. Surprise us; we often don’t know what we’ll like until we read it." No submission fee for postal submissions.

Length: Up to 7,000 words

Payment: $300-$2000
__________________


Skirt

"skirt! publishes two personal essays every month on topics relating to women and women’s interests. Essays must fit one of our monthly themes." Preference is given to Charleston-area writers. 

Length: 800 to 1100 words

Payment: $200

__________________

Travelers’ Tales

Travelers’ Tales are yearly anthologies of travel writing. "We’re looking for personal, nonfiction stories and anecdotes-funny, illuminating, adventurous, frightening, or grim. Stories should reflect that unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. Stories that have already been published are welcome as long as the author retains the copyright to reprint the material."

Payment: $100

__________________

AARP

The American Association of Retired People accepts thoughtful, timely, new takes on matters of importance to people over 50. “Originality is key. Certain life events, such as caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease, inspire many more great essays than we could ever hope to publish. We’re looking for the compelling reads and universal truths in unusual, extreme or common-but-little-discussed life experiences.”

Length: 1,200-1,500 words

Payment: $2/word

_________________

The Bold Italic

The Bold Italic is an online magazine that celebrates the character and free-wheeling spirit of San Francisco and the Bay Area. For pitches, comments and general inquiries, send a message to info@thebolditalic.com.

Payment: Varies
_________________

Bustle

Bustle is "for & by women who are moving forward as fast as you are." Topics range from politics, to motherhood, to books, fashion and entertainment. Although the focus is on women, articles by men are accepted. Payment varies. Read their submission guidelines.

Length: 800-2000 words

Payment: Averages about 5 cents per word

___________________

The Rumpus

"We’re interested in seeing finished pieces that intersect culture. We realize it’s a lot to ask for people to to write something without knowing if it will be published. On the other hand if you aren’t driven by the story so much that you have to write it then it’s probably not a good fit for The Rumpus. ENOUGH is a Rumpus series devoted to creating a dedicated space for work by women and non-binary people who engage with rape culture, sexual assault, and domestic violence. We want to make sure that this conversation doesn’t stop until our laws and societal norms reflect real change." See submission periods.

Payment: $50
___________________

The Threepenny Review

The Threepenny Review is a national quarterly with a great reputation. They also accept fiction and poetry.

Length: 4000 words or less

Payment: $400 per story or article

____________________

Brick

Brick is an international literary journal published twice a year out of Toronto. "With a focus on literary non-fiction—and a willingness to stray when our hearts are taken—the magazine prizes the personal voice and celebrates life, art, and the written word with the most invigorating and challenging essays, interviews, translations, memoirs, belles lettres, and unusual musings we can get our hands on." See submission periods.

Length: 1,000–5,000 words

Payment: $55–$685

____________________

Masters Review: New Voices

New Voices is open to any new and emerging author who has not published a work of fiction or narrative nonfiction of novel length.

Length: Less than 7,000 words

Payment: $0.10/word up to $200

____________________

The Sunlight Press

"We want to hear the ways people turn toward light and hope, whether it is through the arts, culture, spirituality, or humor, and also how they respond to the darkness and navigate unknown spaces. Epiphanies are born from the ordinary and the extraordinary; whether it’s a reflection unfolding during a morning walk, after the loss of a loved one, or in the middle of unexpected laughter, we want to know about these moments."

Length: 650-1,000 words

Payment: $50

____________________

Terrain.org 

Terrain accepts poetry, nonfiction, fiction, artwork, videos, and other contributions on place, climate, and justice. 

Payment: $50

____________________

Sasee

"We are looking for new, unpublished, first-person, non-fiction material that is for or about women. Essays, humor, satire, personal experience, and features on topics relating to women are our primary editorial focus. Diversity of subjects that reflect all age groups and variety of writing styles are invited."

Length: No more than 500 to 1000 words

Payment: Varies

____________________

Shenandoah 

Shenandoah aims to showcase a wide variety of voices and perspectives in terms of gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, nationality, regionality, sexuality, and educational background (MFAs are not necessary here). They love publishing new writers; publishing history is not a prerequisite either.

Length: Essays, memoir, etc. should be under 8,000 words.

Payment: $100 per 1000 words of prose up to $500. See submission periods.

____________________


American Journal of Nursing 

This journal publishes “personal stories exploring any aspect of nursing, health, or health care. While many are accounts of memorable nursing experiences, we also welcome the patient perspective, as well as that of other health care professionals. … Avoid generalizations and clichés in favor of specific details and real immersion in a place, an event, a moment, a character. Anecdotes meant to illustrate cozy lessons usually aren’t what we’re looking for; we prefer the messiness and ambivalence of real life, the nuance and uncertainty of many of our hardest decisions, the ways we change our minds about things”

Length: Essays should be 800-850 words.

Payment: $150.
____________________

West Branch Magazine

West Branch Magazine is a publication of Bucknell University. They publish personal essays, poetry and fiction. They pay upon publication. See submission periods.

Length: up to 30 pages of prose.

Payment: $0.10/word, up to $200

____________________

Woods Reader

"Woods Reader is a publication for those who love woodland areas: whether a public preserve, forest, tree farm, backyard woodlot or other patch of trees and wildlife. Our readers like to hear about others’ experiences and insights, especially those that make an impression that they think about long after they have finished the article.  Submitted content should center around trees and woodlands."

Length: They accept essays of 500-1,000 words and occasionally may serialize work of 2,000-5,000 words.

Payment: $40 to $100.

____________________


The Fiddlehead

The Fiddlehead is open to good writing in English or translations into English from all over the world and in a variety of styles, including experimental genres. "Our editors are always happy to see new unsolicited works in fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, and poetry." Note: Only opens to non-Canadians in Fall.

Payment: $65 CAD per published page, plus two complimentary copies of the issue.

____________________

Baltimore Review

The Baltimore Review is a quarterly, online literary journal. They accept poems, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work.

Payment: $40.

____________________

Blue Marble Review

Blue Marble Review is published four times a year and accepts submissions of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, essays, opinion pieces, travel writing, photography and art on a rolling basis. They are looking for new work that hasn’t been published anywhere else either online or in print. Blue Marble Review accepts writing and art from anyone between the ages of 13 and 22.

Length: 1500 words or less.

Payment: $30.

____________________

Guernica

Guernica is a non-profit magazine dedicated to global art and politics, published online since 2004. "With contributors from every continent and at every stage of their careers, we are a home for singular voices, incisive ideas, and critical questions. Guernica welcomes submissions from writers and visual artists at all stages of their careers." 

Length: 2,500 - 5,000 words across the genres of memoir, essay, reportage, and interviews.

Payment: Negotiated.

____________________

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope magazine creatively focuses on the experiences of disability through literature and the fine arts. This publication expresses the experience of disability from the perspective of individuals, families, friends, healthcare professionals, educators and others.

"The material chosen for Kaleidoscope challenges and overcomes stereotypical, patronizing, and sentimental attitudes about disability. We accept the work of writers with and without disabilities; however the work of a writer without a disability must focus on some aspect of disability. The criteria for good writing apply: effective technique, thought-provoking subject matter, and in general, a mature grasp of the art of story-telling. Writers should avoid using offensive language and always put the person before the disability."

Kaleidoscope accepts electronic (website and email) submissions. Electronic submissions should be sent as an attachment when submitted both on the website and within an email. Please include complete information-full name, postal and email address and telephone number(s)

Payment is made upon publication, and varies from $10 to $100.

____________________

Reckoning

Reckoning is seeking "creative writing about environmental justice. Fiction preferably at least a tiny bit speculative, nonfiction preferably more creative than journalistic, poetry tending towards the narrative and preferably with some thematic heft, art leaning away from the pulpy heavily towards the political. But the heart of what we want is your searingly personal, visceral, idiosyncratic understanding of the world and the people in it as it has been, as it is, as it will be, as it could be, as a consequence of humanity’s relationship with the earth."

Payment: 15 cents a word for prose up to 20,000 words

____________________

Yellow Arrow Journal 

Accepted submissions include creative nonfiction and poetry by authors that identify as women. Submissions must relate to the theme, as interpreted by the author, with an optimistic, hopeful vibe. Creative nonfiction (1 submission per author per issue) must be between 500 and 5,000 words. They also accept poetry.

Payment: $10. See submission periods.

____________________

Craft

"Our creative categories are open year-round to any emerging or established author. We accept submissions from international writers. We review simultaneous submissions but ask that you inform us immediately and withdraw your work if it is accepted elsewhere. We do not charge submission fees, but are highly selective in what we choose to publish." Also publishes fiction and flash fiction. Accepts reprints.

Payment: $200.

____________________

Nieman Storyboard

Nieman Storyboard is an online resource that explores the art and craft of nonfiction storytelling and is one of three publications published by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. While most of their articles are about writing, they also accept writing-related personal essays.

Payment: $150 to $400, depending on the nature of the piece.

____________________

Seattle Story Project

"Do you have a story you've been waiting to tell? Seattle Story Project is seeking stories that offer an unflinching glimpse into what it means to be human. Writers don't have to be currently based in Seattle, but you should be linked to our Emerald City or the surrounding Puget Sound region in some meaningful way. We are especially interested in hearing from writers whose voices are underrepresented in the media such as people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, immigrants, people living with disabilities, incarcerated individuals, and writers who have experienced or are experiencing homelessness."

Payment: $450 for previously unpublished work. $200 for stories that have been posted elsewhere.

____________________

Viginia Quarterly Review

"We publish literary, art, and cultural criticism; reportage; historical and political analysis; and creative nonfiction. We publish few author interviews or memoirs. In general, we are looking for nonfiction that looks out on the world, rather than within the self." See submission periods.

Length: 3,500–9,000 words

Payment: 25 cents per word

Payment: £40

____________________

Tolka

Non-fiction: personal essay, memoir, reportage, travel writing, auto-fiction, and the writing that falls in between. 

Length: 2,000–4,000 words

Payment: €500

See reading periods.

____________________

Sundog

Poetry, nonfiction, fiction, art. First 300 submissions during open periods are free. "We want writing that attempts to salvage something pure from the collision of warmth and cold, that says what it can about the world it finds itself in. We seek a diversity of voices speaking from visceral, lived experience. We like truth we can stare at until our eyes water, words so carefully chosen we want to reread them as soon as we have finished."

Length: Up to 4,000 words

Payment: $50

See reading periods.

____________________

The Offing

The Offing is an online literary magazine publishing creative writing in all genres and art in all media.

Payment: $25–$100

____________________

The Cincinnati Review

"We’re interested mostly in pieces of nonfiction less than twenty double-spaced pages, though you can try us for longer pieces if you think they’ll knock our socks off."

Payment: $25/page for prose

See reading periods

____________________

Northern Woodlands

Northern Woodlands’ audience consists of conservation-minded people with an interest in all aspects of the forests of the Northeast. "Our articles and columns range in scope, and may include subjects such as woodlot management, wildlife species, scat, chainsaw maintenance, woodworking, and reflections on natural landscapes. We like to surprise our readers with stories they won't find anywhere else. We are not a trade magazine for the forest products industry or an advocacy magazine for preservationists." 

Payment $250

____________________

Ploughshares

Ploughshares is a highly prestigious literary magazine that publishes fiction, CNF, and poetry. They currently accept pitches for the following categories of nonfiction writing:

• critical essays
• personal essays
• blended longform essays
• interviews
• book reviews

"Personal essays for the Ploughshares Blog should have a tie to literature, though we recognize that this may not be direct or overwhelming. They should be strong in character, narrative, voice, and introspection. They should demonstrate, in some capacity, growth or change. They may overlap slightly with critical essays. Personal essays are at least 1,300 words and receive payment based on proposed word count, starting at $45, which is paid the month following publication."

Charges fee for online submissions. No fee for snail mail.

____________________

Channel

Channel publishes fiction, art, creative non-fiction, and poetry that engages with the natural world, and have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self. 

Payment: €35/page of prose up to €250.

____________________

Scrawl Place

Scrawl Place is part visitor’s guide, part literary journal. "I’m looking for submissions about “places in the places” where you live or where you’ve visited. My only fixed criteria is that your submission be about or connected to or associated with a specific, physical place that someone could visit. … The place you write about could be a Wonder of the World, a random street corner that means something to you, or anything in between.” They accept creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and hybrid works of up to 900 words. Writers can send up to 3 pieces." Payment: $35.

____________________

First Person Singular

They are looking for completed personal essays of 1500 to 2500 words.  They are interested in a diverse variety of authors subjects and voices and tones, and look generally for pieces that make meaning of deeply personal experiences. Payment: $100.

____________________

Belt Magazine

"We publish first-person essays on life in the Rust Belt and northern Midwest that resonate with a regional audience. We’re looking for work that expresses what reporting can’t, that narrates an experience, event, or aspect of life in a personal way." Belt also publishes poetry, original reportage, and photo essays.

Payment: Features $300-$1k+; Personal essays $100-$200; Poetry $25-$50; Photo Essays $250+.

Has reading periods.

____________________

Dismantle Magazine

"We’re especially interested in personal essays that explore larger cultural issues related to fashion, pop culture and social change. Rather than straight cultural analysis (i.e. “in this essay I will…”), we prioritize work that puts story first. We want compelling characters and vivid scenes, words that make us think and feel. Give us personal essays that connect your experience with fashion to a larger cultural or political issue. Send us your reflections on a pop culture obsession that ties current trends to a longer history. Or, share an experiment that blends illustration and reflective text. We’re open to creative, innovative approaches, so don’t be afraid to send us something we haven’t thought of yet!"

Payment: $100 per article over ~1000 words. 

____________________

Vast Chasm 

"Vast Chasm Magazine publishes bold work that explores the expansive human experience." Length: Up to 5,000 words. Also accepts fiction.

Payment: $50

____________________

The Four Faced Liar

The Four Faced Liar is a new print journal that accepts fiction and creative non-fiction (up to 4000 words); flash fiction (up to 1000 words); poetry (up to 3 pages); visual art (1 piece). Has submission periods.

Payment: €200 for a short story or CNF piece, €100 for a poem or piece of flash, and €100 for visual art, as well as a copy of the magazine for each contributor.

____________________

Mudroom

Mudroom publishes poetry, fiction, personal essays, and essays in translation. Accepts prose up to 6,000 words. See submission periods.

Payment: $15

____________________

Narrative

Narrative accepts short stories, essays, one-act plays, and other complete short works of nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of fiction and nonfiction, as well as novellas (up to 40,000 words), and audio prose. There is a fee-free submission period during the first two weeks of April.

Payment: $500 for a Story of the Week.

—$200 for a Poem of the Week.

—$250 to $500 for 500 to 2,000 word manuscripts.

—$500 to $1,000 for 2,000 to 15,000 word manuscripts.

—$200 minimum for each accepted poem or audio/video piece. ($100 for poetry reprints.)

—$100 for Readers’ Narratives.

____________________

The Forge

The Forge Literary Magazine publishes one prose piece per week selected by a rotating cast of editors. Each submission is read anonymously. They prefer stories under 3,000 words but will consider up to 5,000 words. "We love flash and micro!" Accepts fiction and nonfiction. Free submissions open on the 1st of each month. If there is no free link, they hit their quota.

Payment: $75 

____________________

fron//tera 

fron//tera is a bilingual print magazine. Genre: Nonfiction (up to 5,000 words), fiction, poetry, art. Submissions can be in Spanish or English. They also publish short dual-language English and Spanish pieces side by side. See theme. Has submission periods.

Payment: $25 - $50

____________________

The Lascaux Review

The Lascaux Review publishes accessible fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction of literary quality, as well as essays on the craft and business of writing. Book excerpts are welcome. Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Creative nonfiction should be written in a nonacademic style. 

Payment: Not specified

____________________

Nashville Review

"From expansive to minimalist, narrative to lyric, epiphanic to subtle: if it’s a moving work of art, we want it. We hope to provide a venue for both distinguished and emerging artists. Most importantly, thank you for giving us a chance to read your work. We appreciate it." They accept submissions in Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction (including memoir excerpts, essays, imaginative meditations up to 8,000 words) and Translation three times a year—January, May and September—and typically respond within 4-5 months. They welcome submissions in Art and Comics year-round.

Payment: $25 per poem and $100 for prose and art pieces.

____________________

Electric Lit

"Electric Literature's essays examine books and culture through a personal and critical lens. For greater accessibility, Electric Lit does not require full submissions on spec. Instead, email a detailed pitch to editors@electricliterature.com. Pitches should describe the subject matter of the essay (which must be about books, writing, or narrative media like movies, games, and TV) and give a sense of the argument you plan to make or the story you plan to tell. We welcome thoughtful considerations of new releases, overlooked classics, childhood favorites—anything that can illuminate or be illuminated by the human experience."

Payment: $100

See submission periods.

____________________

Black Lipstick

Black Lipstick is the internet boudoir of off-center beauty, literature and culture. Featuring art and writing on makeup, mental health, mortality, queerness, sex, gender, nostalgia, pop culture, parenthood, weird dreams, dark thoughts, and everything else. Affecting personal essays/hybrid nonfictions on almost any topic. Creative, deep-divey reviews of books, beauty products, films, experiences. Interviews with artists, writers and self-made icons. Glamour-forward with a punk ethos. Edgy but not edgelord. If your piece is too literary for Allure but too frivolous for Guernica, it’s probably Black Lipstick material. 

Payment: Essays/hybrid creative nonfiction (1500-3500 words): $150. Creative reviews and interviews (1000-2000 words): $100.

See submission periods.

____________________

Well+Good

"Well+Good is your trusted advisor for navigating the wide (and wild) world of wellness. Since our launch in 2010, we have set the standard for reporting and trend-spotting on the healthy living beat in order to help define and demystify what it means for you to live a well life, inside and out." Payment: Tier 1: $200-$400 (600-1,000 words) Tier 2: $400+ (1,000+ words)