For those who want to get paid to write about architecture, here’s a list of 25 publications that pay for writing on the topic.
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- The Metropole covers urban history and architecture sponsored by Penn State University. Authors must be solicited by a senior co-editor to participate in a theme month or submit a pitch that clearly articulates the relevance of their proposed post to the theme month. They publish “original pieces on any aspect of urban history or on topics that are of interest to urbanists.” According to their pitch guide, they are currently able to pay $200 per essay for “themed month” articles.
- The Urbanist is committed to publishing a diverse array of op-eds, articles, and essays on improving the ‘quality of city life’ and ‘urban planning’. According to their pitch guide, deeply reported long articles can earn as much as $400.
- The New York Review of Architecture is “a cooperative of working writers, architects, and artists who review architecture in New York.” They are “particularly interested in pieces that break down architecture’s silos, tying together academia, practice, and the public we all serve.” They value writing that is critical and engaging. In general, they run “profiles, reviews of buildings, books, trends.” According to their pitch guide, their rates for essays and reportage start at $0.25 per word. Rates for commentary and review pieces start at $500. They also publish short, pithy reviews of shows, books, music, art, buildings, and other miscellany of between 100 and 200 words, for which they pay $100.
- Failed Architecture (FA) is “a research platform that aims to open up new perspectives on urban failure – from what it’s perceived to be, what’s actually happening and how it’s represented to the public.” They are looking for fresh and compelling perspectives on urban or architectural issues. They are not always open to pitches, but they may make exceptions for urgent or timely articles. Submissions can be general reflections, case studies, opinion pieces, reviews, interviews, photographic essays, etc. According to their pitch guide, they pay €150 per article (around 1,500 words).
- Dwell focuses on modern architecture and design. They publish “home tours, interviews, and essays illuminating the power of smart design.” According to their pitch guide, they pay 50 cents for web pieces, and $1 for print.
- Urban Omnibus is an online publication of The Architectural League of New York. They are devoted to “observing, understanding, and shaping the city.” Word limit for feature articles is 2500 words. According to their pitch guide, rates begin at $350 for an interview and $500 for a feature and increase in accordance with the complexity and demands of the project.
- The Avery Review is a digital journal that is “dedicated to thinking about books, buildings, and other architectural media.” It is a project of the Office of Publications at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. They are looking for reviews and critical essays about books, buildings, and other architectural media. Their essays are usually 3,000 to 4,500 words long. According to their pitch guide, they pay $400 for essays. To learn more, refer to this page.
- Planning covers news and analyses of events in planning (including suburban, rural, and small-town planning, environmental planning, neighborhood revitalization, economic development, social planning, and urban design). Word range for feature articles is typically 2,500 words, book reviews 500 to 700 words and news stories 500 words. According to their contributor guidelines, writers can expect to be paid between $100 and $1,000 for articles, depending on length, and $50 to $300 for photographs and drawings.
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