25 Publications that Pay for Reviews

For those who want to get paid to write reviews, here’s a list of 25 publications that work with freelance writers.

Become a paid subscriber and get full access to our private database of 2,000+ publishers that pay including payment rates and contact information.

If you’re new to pitching, I highly recommend taking our short course on pitching here.

1. China Books Review is a digital magazine on all things China and bookish. They are a literary review for all general readers interested in China and the Sinophone world, publishing reviews, essays, excerpts and more. They are interested in pitches for reviews, essays, excerpts, and profiles. They have previously indicated to pay $400 for essays, $1000 for longer review-essays, and $1000 for literary profiles. To learn more, refer to this page.

2. NPR Music is an editorial team devoted to connecting the dots between the people who make music, the people who listen to it and the context surrounding both. They prioritize publishing a wide array of perspectives, not a single definitive “take,” and are open to all genres, especially those you think we could be covering better. They are looking for interviews, profiles, essays, criticism, reporting, and analysis. According to their pitch guide, rates for common story types are $200-$600 for reviews depending on length, $800 for short features (including interviews and obituaries) and $1,200 for longer features and essays. To learn more, refer to this page.

3. The Green European Journal is a political ecology magazine. They publish “articles which track political currents and ideas, offering fresh perspectives and frontline analysis.” They look to two dimensions to guide their content: political ecology and Europe. The inclusion of “these two aspects – whether to a lesser or greater extent – is of first and foremost importance when the editorial team makes decisions on content.” They publish articles in a range of formats, including analysis, essays, case studies and features, reviews, interviews, and fiction. According to their editor-in-chief, they usually pay €300 to €400 per piece. To learn more, refer to this page.

4. IGN is an internet media company that covers video games, TV, movies, tech, and comics. They’re seeking game features, entertainment features, news, previews, and reviews. 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.

5. Restart is a gaming news website. They’re seeking pitches for reviews and other feature pieces from both seasoned and up-and-coming freelance writers. According to their pitch guide, the average rate is $200 per article. For more information, refer to this page.

6. Intervenxions is a publication of the Latinx Project at New York University committed to “exploring contemporary Latinx art, politics, and culture.” They publish “reviews, criticism, reporting, interviews, and essays on U.S. Latinx art, politics, and culture between 1,500 and 2,500 words.” According to their guidelines, they pay $300 for reviews, interviews, and short essays, and $400 for articles, profiles, and long-form content. To learn more, refer to their editorial guidelines.

7. The Public Eye Magazine is published by the Political Research Associates, a social justice research and strategy center devoted to supporting organizations, civic leaders, journalists, and social sectors that are building a more just and inclusive democratic society. They publish original, long-form features, research-based analysis, and commentary on the U.S. and Global Right. They welcome pitches for long-form features, commentaries and short articles, interviews and reviews. According to their guidelines, they pay $350-$1,500, depending on the type of article. To learn more, refer to this page.

8. Long Now is a non-profit organization that fosters long-term thinking. Their pitch guide says, “Our work encourages imagination at the timescale of civilization — the next and last 10,000 years — a timespan we call the long now.” They want stories that explore the ‘long now’ of climate change, the rise and fall of civilizations, biotechnology and artificial intelligence, economics, architecture, and more. They accept pitches for essays (1,200 – 3,000 words), reported features (1,200 to 3,000 words), interviews (2,000 to 3,000 words), book reviews, shorter articles, fiction, and poems for Ideas, their living archive of long-term thinking. According to their pitch guide, rates begin at $600 for features and essays and range between $300 and $600 for interviews, reviews, science journalism, and news articles. They pay $100 for science fiction stories and $25 for poems.