Writer
Abroad’s favorite kind of writing is the personal essay. When done right, a personal essay takes courage, honesty, and delivers the kind of power than only a real life
story taken to the universal level can.
There were
many markets Writer Abroad wrote personal essays for last year, and some of them were new to
her. She’d like to share the places, both new and old, that she wrote essays
for last year in hopes that they may help you find a new home for your work
this year.
To help you
decide where to send your work if pay and reach is important to you, Writer
Abroad has also created this not-so-scientific pay and reach scale:
Pay scale: $ 400 and under, $$ 800 and under,
$$$ 1200 and under
Reach: * Medium ** High *** Highest
(Reach was calculated based on the overall
response from Writer Abroad’s articles and by how well the placed piece helped sell
copies of her book. Obviously, this may vary based on the topic of your piece.)
New York Times Motherlode
The family
section of the New York Times. From the personal to the political.
Essays should not be over
1,000 words.
Don’t spell Motherlode wrong!
Expect
response within 2 weeks. If you don’t hear, follow up.
Need topics
on teenagers. Needs more diverse writers.
Good
submission: Unique views, strong voice, universal message.
More great info about what the editor is
looking for at Beyond
Your Blog.
$, ***
New York Times On Work
A personal
essay column about the working life.
About 1,500
words.
Appears
online and in the Sunday Business section.
Pitch onwork@nytimes.com
My example:
An
Alpine Antidote to Working Weekends
$$$, ***
Washington Post On Parenting
A daily
blog about parenting.
About
500-800 words.
Pitch amy.joyce@washpost.com
My example:
My
daughter’s sick day means my sick day
$, *
Vox First Person
Personal
stories that explain the news.
These were their favorites
from 2015.
About 1,500
words.
Pitch firstperson@vox.com
My example:
How
living in Switzerland ruined me for America
$$, ***
Brain, Child
An entire
publication devoted to personal essays about motherhood.
Read their Submission
Guidelines for more about the pitching process and kinds of pieces they are
looking for.
My example:
Why
I’m Proud to be the Mom of the Mean Girl
$, *