25 Publications that Pay for Explainers

Here’s our latest research — a list of publications that accept submissions for explainers and that work with freelance writers.

We’ve researched payment rates, pitch guidelines, and more, to help you connect with the right editor.

If you want to browse even more opportunities, be sure to check out our database of over 1,500 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.

1. Prism is an independent, nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of color. They elevate “stories, ideas, and solutions from leaders, thinkers, and activists whose voices are critical to a reflective democracy.” They especially encourage pitches from BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and others from historically oppressed communities. They are seeking pitches for their news section, features stories, op-eds, explainers, and stories for their Right to Write project. According to their pitch guide, they pay 50 cents per word. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. PublicSource is a news organization serving Pittsburgh and the region. They welcome story pitches from journalists and community members. According to their pitch guide, they pay $300 for first-person essays (800 to 1,200 words); $300 for event coverage (600 to 1,000 words); $400 for resource guides/explainers; $600 for enterprise stories; and $1,000 for investigative stories. They usually pay a 25% kill fee.

1. Refinery29’s mission is to help women see, feel, and claim their power. Their Canadian edition aims to shine a spotlight on the Canadian stories and issues that resonate with their Gen-Z and millennial audience. They publish everything from personal essays to reported trend pieces to features on race, reproductive rights, and pop culture. According to their pitch guide, they typically pay $150 for short market roundups and $350 for a thorough news explainer with interviews. Personal essays and shorter reported articles start at $350 and increase from there, depending on the piece. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. Sentient Media is a news organization that reports on the impact of animal agriculture. They increase awareness of animal suffering by sharing compelling stories about how humans treat animals. Their columns are Accountability Journalism, Solutions Stories, Disinformation Debunkers, Fact-checked Explainers, and Science of…Stories. According to their submissions page, rates start at $300 but they frequently pay more. For more information, refer to their submissions page.

1. The Fuller Project is a global nonprofit newsroom that reports on issues affecting women in the US and abroad. They raise awareness, expose injustices, and spur accountability. They are always seeking stories on issues that affect women in the US and globally. In addition to deep dives, projects, and features, they’re interested in day 2, day 3, and day 4 stories. They are not looking for profiles, essays, or op-eds. According to their pitch guide, they pay $750 for long-form reported features, $500 for reported think piece/analysis, and $500 for explainer briefs. To learn more, refer to their pitch guide and website.

1. IGN is an internet media company that covers video games, TV, movies, tech, and comics. They’re seeking game features, entertainment features, news, previews, reviews, and explainers. According to their pitch guide, rates are $300-$1,000+ for games and entertainment features, $30-$400 for news, $300 for previews, and $150-$450 for reviews. To learn more, refer to their pitch guide.

1. The Maple is a 100% reader-funded publication featuring Canadian news and perspectives that challenge the status quo. They welcome pitches for long-form news stories and explainer pieces that shed new light on the top political issues of the day. According to their pitch guide, news stories (usually 1,500 words) pay $500 CAD, shorter opinion pieces (700-1,200 words) pay $260 CAD, and more in-depth analysis articles (1,500-2,000 words) pay $450 CAD. When a piece is assigned and rejected without any request for revision, they pay 50% of the agreed upon fee. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. The Drive covers automotive news, vehicle reviews, and car tech. They celebrate the culture of cars, taking their “audience on the road, to the races, to the factories, to the studios — and to other places car lovers have always wanted to go, but never had the chance.” They are interested in ‘’strong journalism, explainers, and big, fascinating culture features.’’ According to their pitch guide, rates start around $500, but they are known to go higher depending on length, ambition, word count, the amount of work involved and their total monthly budget.