Today, we’ve compiled a list of publications that pay for solutions focused journalism.
We’ve researched payment rates and contact information for these publishers, so you can easily contact the right editor.
This is curated from our members-only database of publishers, which includes 2,000+ publishers. If you want full access to the database, be sure to become a paid Litworth subscriber.
For those interested in learning more about solutions journalism, I highly encourage you to take a look at the Solutions Journalism Network. The website has many resources, as well as a very comprehensive directory of published stories, which serves as a valuable resource for finding publications that may be worth pitching. If you’d like to learn more about solutions journalism, they have a free two hour course here.
The Wire China
The Wire China is a weekly news publication focused on understanding and explaining China’s economic rise, and its influence on global business, finance, trade, labor and the environment. They accept pitches only for longform cover stories. They want big stories that give answers — and solutions. The articles run from 2,500 to 3,500 words. They list pay as “very competitive”, which presumably means they pay at least $1 per word, if not significantly more. To learn more, read their pitching guidelines.
Prism
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.
Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR)
Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) is a quarterly print magazine and website that covers “cross-sector solutions to global problems.” They are based at Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. They aim to inform leaders of social change. For the print magazine, they accept 6 types of editorial articles: book review (1,700 words), case study (4,000-6,000 words), feature (4,500-6,000 words), field report (1,700 words), viewpoint (1,500 words), and what’s next (700-800 words). For the website, they look for shorter works (1,200-2,000 words). According to an old tweet by their editor, they pay $600 for 800-word articles and $1,500 for 1,700-word articles. They pay $600 for 1,700-word book reviews. For more information, refer to their submission guidelines.
Grist
Grist is a non-profit online publication that covers climate and sustainability. They welcome “a wide range of freelance pitches, from reported essays to in-depth investigations to changemaker profiles and Q&As.” Their “core topics include clean energy, sustainable food, environmental justice, livable communities, and reinventing the economy through cutting-edge science and cleantech.” Articles range between 800 to 2,000 words. According to their guidelines, pay starts at $0.80 per word. Details here.
Positive News
Positive News is a website and quarterly print magazine that “publishes good journalism about good things.” They are “pioneers of ‘constructive journalism’ – a new approach in the media, which is about rigorous and relevant journalism that is focused on progress, possibility, and solutions.” They are looking for unique pitches for the next edition of their magazine. According to their pitch guide, they pay 30p/word.
The Emancipator
The Emancipator is a news publication focused on exploring solutions to racial inequality. They seek to reframe “conversations on racial inequity and accountability through evidence-based commentary, first-person essays, untold histories, and narrative features.” They state that they ‘’pay competitively, but final rates will be at the discretion of the editorial staff’’. To learn more, read their pitching guidelines page.
Audobon
Audubon publishes journalism, photography, and illustrations to “to celebrate the joy and wonder of birds and to inform its readers about the natural world, inspire them to care passionately about that world, and motivate them to take action on its behalf.” They`re interested in issues that affect birds through a much broader lens—whether that’s native and invasive species, land use, pesticides, climate change, racial and environmental justice, and many more topics. They prefer freelancers to write articles of 1,500 words to 4,000 words, with a preference for 3,000 words. According to their pitch guide, they pay $0.50 to $1.50 per word.
Leave a Reply