21 Publications that Pay for Humorous Pieces

Today, for our latest roundup of publishers, we have a list of 21 publications that accept submissions for humorous pieces.

We’ve researched payment rates and found contact information for all of these publishers, to make it easy for you to connect with the right opportunity.

If you want to browse even more opportunities, be sure to check out our database of over 1,600 publishers that pay writers. It’s easily searchable, and includes thousands of listings just like the ones below.

If you’re new to freelancing, I also very much encourage you to take our course on pitching. You can get the details here.

So, without further ado, here’s today’s list…

1. Oh Reader is a print and online magazine about reading. They are “looking for stories about your experiences as a reader, insight into the effect of reading on humans, humorous takes on the world of words, and anything else you as a reader or writer might be interested in sharing.” You can pitch non-fiction/essay, humor, and poetry. According to their guidelines, they pay a flat rate of $200 per published article, and $75 for poetry. Details here.

1. Modern Drunkard Magazine is a humor magazine that is dedicated to the art and culture of drinking. They are looking for pieces about drinking. They publish fiction (1,000 to 4,000 words) and articles (1,000 to 4,000 words). According to their guidelines, they pay 10 cents per word. For details, refer to their submission guidelines.

1. Electric Literature is a nonprofit digital publisher with the mission to make literature more exciting, relevant, and inclusive. They accept submissions of short stories, personal narratives, cultural criticism, poetry, flash prose, and graphic narratives through Submittable during designated submission periods two to four times a year. Pitches for critical essays, humor pieces, interviews, and reading lists are accepted via email year-round. According to their guidelines, they pay $300 for fiction, $100 for poetry, flash prose, graphic narratives, and essays, and $75 for interviews and reading lists. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. Grassroots Thinking is “an independent publication focused on the stories that matter to the Black working class.” They’re accepting pitches on a rolling basis. They have 3 verticals: Politics, Culture, and Social Life. They publish the following types of stories: Interviews and Profiles; Essays; Reviews, Criticism, and Analysis; and Humor Writing. According to their guidelines, their rate is based on an estimated $0.10 per word, starting at $75 per story. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. Inkstick is “a nonprofit newsroom focused on endless war and all that it entails: the military industrial complex, growing authoritarianism, militarization of policing, borders everywhere, and human rights crises in the US and beyond.” They publish contributions in the following formats: commentary, essays, and reported articles. For commentary, humor is encouraged. According to their managing editor, they typically pay $500 for a standard reported feature of about 1,200 words. To learn more, refer to their submissions page.

1. Cracked is an American humor website. They are famous for their list-style feature articles. According to their old pitch guide, for both features and columns, they pay between $100 and $250, based on length and the number of pieces you’ve written.

1. The New Yorker is a multi-platform publication known worldwide for its in-depth reporting, political and cultural commentary, fiction, poetry, and humor. They accept fiction and poetry, plus humorous fiction works for their Shouts & Murmurs vertical. Pay rates are not mentioned on their pitch guide, but a payment report indicates an average pay of $0.65 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. Pipeline Artists focuses on “education, empowerment, and elevating authentic voices in film, publishing, and beyond.” They are seeking “pieces that highlight unspoken truths, provide honest advice, and profile ‘emerging’ creatives or those deserving of a platform they may not find in mainstream publications.” They are also seeking ridiculous humor pieces. They are accepting pitches for articles, including interviews (they especially need articles that focus on the publishing industry), short stories of any length, and poetry. According to an old tweet, they pay $75 to $350+ per piece. For details, refer to their submission guidelines.