BRYME
SEPTEMBER 2026 EDITIONThe business, craft & economics of writing — free, independent, human-verified.

Essays

Publications that pay for essays

Markets currently recorded as publishing essays, with the pay and word count each one states.

73 publications53 accepting now36 open worldwide$4–$600 stated pay (USD equiv.)31 state no figure

The broadest category here and the most competitive. An essay pitch lives or dies on the angle, not the subject — editors receive the subject constantly and the angle rarely.

Filter these by pay, length and status

🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

New Lines Magazine

World journalism, essays

Pay
$600–$800
Words
Not stated as a hard limit
Eligible
No stated country restriction — it publishes writers from around the globe, with Africa-focused editorial
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Longreads

Personal essay

Pay
$500
Words
No hard personal-essay limit stated. Official guideline for most published features: 2,000–6,000 words — a guideline, not a rule.
Eligible
Official page: pitches and original nonfiction from writers and journalists around the world
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Longreads

Longform nonfiction

Pay
$500 (personal/critical essays); reading lists $350
Words
2,000–6,000 words
Eligible
Worldwide — no stated geographic restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Drift

Essays, criticism, fiction, poetry

Pay
$2,000 essays; $500–$1,000 stories; $150 poems
Words
No stated hard length limit
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Earth Island Journal

Environment journalism

Pay
$500 (short) · $750–$1,500 (long) · $500 (interview) · $400 (review)
Words
Short pieces <1,000 words; reports 1,500–3,000 words
Eligible
Worldwide — no stated geographic restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyCanada

The Walrus

Essay or reported feature

Pay
From $500 (short essays); features up to $1/word≈ $362 USD
Words
Essays 1,000–4,000; reported features ~1,200–2,000; long-form 2,500–5,000
Eligible
The official page does not restrict essays and features by nationality
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Longreads

Reading list

Pay
$350
Words
Not publicly stated
Eligible
Official page: original nonfiction from writers and journalists around the world
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyIreland

The Stinging Fly

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Pay
€45/page (min €300, max €1,200)≈ $348–$1,394 USD
Words
Page-based; flashcards 1–2 pages
Eligible
Open to writers from Ireland and abroad; no stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Rolling submissions🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Adi Magazine

Again column (book reflection)

Pay
$300
Words
Up to 1,500 words
Eligible
The official submissions page does not list countries
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Rolling submissions🔵 SubmittedNigeria

The Lagos Review

Personal essay

Pay
$250 per published essay
Words
Up to 1,500 words
Eligible
The official call does not state a nationality restriction
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited Kingdom

Poetry Wales

Feature, article or interview

Pay
£150 per 3,000 words≈ $203 USD
Words
2,000–3,000 words as a rule
Eligible
No nationality restriction stated on the submissions page
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Rumpus

Spanish fiction, essays, criticism, comics, interviews, poetry

Pay
Same as The Rumpus: $500 prose/comics; $200 poetry
Words
Maximum 2,500 words. Microfiction: up to three pieces of 1,000 words or fewer in one file.
Eligible
Spanish-language work
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Sun Magazine

Personal essays, fiction, poetry

Pay
$200+
Words
Most pieces under 7,000 words
Eligible
English-language writers from anywhere are welcome
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Torch Literary Arts

Black women writers

Pay
$150
Words
Varies
Eligible
Original creative work by Black women writers
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Kitchn

Food & home

Pay
~$150 per assignment
Words
~600–1,000 words
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyAustralia

Overland

Online analysis / polemic

Pay
$180 (+ 12% super, + GST if applicable)≈ $130 USD
Words
Pitch page: finished online articles generally 800–1,200 words
Eligible
The official online nonfiction page does not list countries
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Chestnut Review

Literary work of all forms

Pay
$120
Words
Varies
Eligible
Worldwide — no stated geographic restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

NACLA

Online reported analysis

Pay
$100–$200 honorarium if writing is your primary income
Words
Typically 1,200–1,500 words online; longer considered case by case
Eligible
Official: academics, activists, students and journalists
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Guernica

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translation

Pay
$100 honorarium
Words
Fiction 2,000–7,000 words; flash not considered
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🔴 RejectedNigeria

The Republic

Personal Essay

Pay
₦100,000≈ $76 USD
Words
2,001–3,000 words
Eligible
The official submissions page does not state a nationality restriction
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟢 Accepted, scheduledOpen to all

Afrolicious

Stories, essays, thinkpieces, rants

Pay
$75
Words
600–800 words
Eligible
Black Africans and Black African diasporas
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyCanada

Geist

Non-fiction, fiction, poetry and comics

Pay
Up to $650; $100/page poetry≈ $72–$470 USD
Words
Notes & Dispatches under 2,000 words; Features up to 5,000
Eligible
Official: their priority is work from emerging and established writers and artists who are Canadian or permanent residents of Canada, or whose work has a strong connection to Canada or would be relevant to a Canadian audience
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Rolling submissions🟡 Research onlyCanada

The Ex-Puritan

Fiction, essays, poetry

Pay
CAD$50–$150≈ $36–$108 USD
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction, but writers must be able to accept e-transfer, PayPal or Canadian cheque
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Split Lip Magazine

Fiction, memoir, poetry, art

Pay
$25–$75
Words
Flash and short forms
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Cincinnati Review

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama

Pay
$25/page prose, $30/page poetry
Words
Prose up to ~20 pages
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Black Fox Literary Magazine

Fiction, CNF, poetry, art

Pay
$20 per contributor
Words
Not stated as a hard limit
Eligible
No stated country restriction on the official submit page
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Mudroom

Poetry, fiction, essays

Pay
$15
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

AGNI

Poetry and prose

Pay
$10/page prose, $20/page poetry (max $150)
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Rolling submissions🟡 Research onlyNigeria

Oriire

Long-form, folktales, essays, interviews, heritage reviews, listicles, encounters

Pay
₦10,000 per article; ₦5,000 per codex entry≈ $3.78–$11 USD
Words
Not publicly stated
Eligible
The official submissions page does not state a nationality restriction
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🔴 RejectedUnited States

Noema Magazine

Essay, reported feature, interview, short fiction

Pay
Not publicly stated on the official pages checked
Words
Official sweet spot 2,500–4,000 words; pitches must be at least 500 words
Eligible
The official Pitch Us page does not list countries
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Vox

Explainer / reported essay

Pay
Not a published fixed fee
Words
Most stories 1,500–2,500 words
Eligible
The official pitch page does not list countries
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited Kingdom

African Arguments

News analysis, op-ed, features, essays, investigations

Pay
Fees vary — not a published fixed rate
Words
Average about 1,000 words; longer if exceptionally well written
Eligible
Official: they prioritise writers of African descent based on the continent, but are open to articles from anyone who meets their editorial standards
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Literary Hub

Literary essay, criticism, reported literary piece

Pay
Not publicly stated on the official pitch page
Words
Not publicly stated
Eligible
No country list on the official pitch page
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

New Lines Magazine

Reportage, arguments, history essays, first person, reviews

Pay
Not publicly stated on the official pitch page
Words
Pitch under 300 words. Finished length is part of the pitch, not a published limit.
Eligible
Official page: submissions on virtually any topic from anywhere in the world if the story is compelling, well written and accurate
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyNepal

Himal Southasian

Long-form reportage, analysis, essays, interviews, reviews, occasional fiction

Pay
Set rates — amount told on commission
Words
Rarely under 1,200; most pieces about 2,000–4,000 words
Eligible
Official: journalists, scholars, writers and other thinkers from all over Southasia and the world
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Clarkesworld Magazine

SF/F non-fiction article

Pay
10¢ per word, up to 2,500 words
Words
Up to 2,500 words
Eligible
No country list on the official non-fiction guidelines
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Rolling submissions🟡 Research onlyOpen to all

The Markaz Review

Essay, feature, fiction, poetry, review, interview

Pay
Honorarium — amount not published
Words
Submissions 750–3,000 words; features/reviews often 1,000–3,000; opinion 750–1,500
Eligible
Official mission: amplify voices from the Middle East, North Africa and Southwest Asia (SWANA)
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Undark Magazine

Reported feature, essay, op-ed, review

Pay
Not publicly stated on the official pages checked
Words
Not publicly stated. They run reported features, book reviews, photo essays, op-eds and about a dozen long-form narratives a year.
Eligible
No country list
Verified
2026-08
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyAustralia

Griffith Review

Literary essays and features

Pay
AUD $0.75/word
Words
~1,000–4,000 words
Eligible
Worldwide — no stated geographic restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Writer's Digest

Writing craft

Pay
~$0.30–$0.50/word
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction; strong craft knowledge expected
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Eater

Food culture

Pay
Pays per assigned piece
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

AARP

Features & essays

Pay
Up to ~$1/word
Words
800–1,400 words
Eligible
No stated country restriction; content is aimed at a 50+ US audience
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Business Insider

Career & money

Pay
~$0.40/word
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Slate

Essays & analysis

Pay
Pays per assignment
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Hobart

Short prose

Pay
Pays per accepted piece
Words
Short prose
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Zyzzyva

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Pay
Pays contributors
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Rolling submissions🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Transition Magazine

Essays, fiction, criticism

Pay
Pays contributors
Words
Variable
Eligible
Centers Africa and the African diaspora; strongly relevant to African and diaspora writers
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited Kingdom

The London Magazine

Poetry, short fiction, non-fiction and reviews

Pay
Pays for print — rate not stated
Words
Poetry to 40 lines; fiction to 4,000 words; non-fiction 800–2,000 words
Eligible
No nationality restriction stated
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyCanada

Broadview

Opinion and reported features

Pay
40¢ a word (opinion), 65¢ a word (reported)
Words
Assigned per commission
Eligible
No nationality restriction stated
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyAustralia

Australian Book Review

Commentary essays and criticism

Pay
Pays for everything published — rate not stated
Words
Not stated
Eligible
No nationality restriction stated on the submissions page
Verified
2026-09
🟢 Currently accepting🟡 Research onlyUnited States

High Country News

Reported stories, essays and reviews

Pay
$1/word reported · 50¢/word essays and reviews
Words
Short-form reported 650–2,500 · essays 600–2,500 · features 2,500–8,000
Eligible
No nationality restriction stated
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited Kingdom

Extra Teeth

Fiction and nonfiction

Pay
£200 print / £150 Substack≈ $203–$270 USD
Words
800–4,000 words
Eligible
Official: a Scottish magazine with an international outlook
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Rumpus

Essays, fiction, poetry

Pay
$500 prose/comics; $200 poetry/interviews
Words
Not a single sitewide limit on the About page. El Alboroto (Spanish section) states a 2,500-word maximum — that is a different card.
Eligible
No country list
Verified
2026-08
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Orion Magazine

Nonfiction pitches and poetry

Pay
$200 per poem
Words
Poems max 2 pages · digital pieces unlikely over 2,000 words
Eligible
No nationality restriction stated on the guidelines page
Verified
2026-09
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyAustralia

Griffith Review

Themed fiction or non-fiction

Pay
AUD$0.75/word print · AUD$200 poetry · AUD$500 online≈ $144–$360 USD
Words
No longer than 4,000 words
Eligible
Official writers’ guidelines: most contributors are from Australia, some from overseas
Verified
2026-09
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyCanada

Briarpatch Magazine

Reported features, essays, reviews and investigations

Pay
$150–$350 per article≈ $108–$253 USD
Words
700–2,500 words depending on section
Eligible
No nationality restriction stated on the submissions page
Verified
2026-09
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Electric Literature

Personal narrative essay

Pay
$100
Words
2,000–6,500 words
Eligible
No country list
Verified
2026-08
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyUnited Kingdom

Gutter

Fiction, poetry, essays and reviews

Pay
Flat £50 per piece≈ $68 USD
Words
Prose to 2,500 words; up to 3 poems totalling 100 lines
Eligible
Official: during their two annual windows they accept poetry, fiction and essays from writers in Scotland and beyond
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Brevity

Flash creative nonfiction

Pay
$45 honorarium if featured
Words
750 words or fewer
Eligible
Official: they have published writers from India, Egypt, the Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Malaysia, Qatar and Japan, and many previously unpublished authors
Verified
2026-08
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Solarpunk Magazine

Speculative fiction, poetry, essays

Pay
$0.08/word fiction, $40 poem, $75 essay
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyNigeria

Agbowó

Essay / nonfiction

Pay
₦50,000≈ $38 USD
Words
750–3,500 words
Eligible
The official essays section does not list countries
Verified
2026-08
🟡 Limited window🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Offing

Humour / satire

Pay
$25–$100 on publication
Words
No more than 8 pages
Eligible
No country list on the official guidelines
Verified
2026-08
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyNigeria

Omenana

Speculative fiction, essays, reviews

Pay
$20 per published story
Words
Short fiction up to 5,000; flash up to 1,000; essays/CNF up to 3,000; reviews 800–2,000
Eligible
Artists and writers from Africa and the African diaspora
Verified
2026-08
🔴 Currently closed🔵 SubmittedSouth Africa

Efiko Magazine

Poetry, short story, essay

Pay
₦20,000 or ₦30,000 (Nigerian bank account)≈ $15–$23 USD
Words
Prose 1,200–5,000 words; poetry 2–5 poems / 10 pages
Eligible
Writers of African origin based anywhere in the world, or anyone writing about Africa
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Adi Magazine

Essay

Pay
Not publicly stated on the current official page
Words
Not publicly stated on the current official page
Eligible
The official submissions page does not list countries
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Information needs verification🔵 SubmittedUnited States

Vox

Personal essay (First Person)

Pay
Not publicly stated on the current official pitch page
Words
Not stated for First Person on the current official pitch page
Eligible
Not applicable until First Person is listed again on the official pitch page
Verified
2026-08
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyAustralia

Aeon

Longform essay

Pay
Freelance fee or honorarium — amount not published
Words
Generally 2,500–5,000 words
Eligible
When open: academics and people with significant professional or practical expertise
Verified
2026-08
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Kenyon Review

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Pay
$0.08/word prose, $0.16/word poetry
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited States

Ploughshares

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Pay
Pays contributors
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited States

The Threepenny Review

Poetry, essays

Pay
Pays contributors
Words
Variable
Eligible
No stated country restriction
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Limited window🟡 Research onlyUnited Kingdom

Granta

Fiction and non-fiction

Pay
Pays contributors — rate not stated
Words
No set maximum or minimum; most submissions run 3,000–6,000 words
Eligible
Official: committed to offering a home to writing by those who are marginalised or underrepresented — writers of colour, working class or low-income writers, queer, transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming writers, and writers with disabilities
Verified
2026-09
🟡 Opens soon🟡 Research onlyUnited Kingdom

Hinterland

Creative non-fiction

Pay
Pays for all published work — rate not stated
Words
500–5,000 words
Eligible
Official: they publish the best in creative non-fiction from around the globe
Verified
2026-09
🔴 Currently closed🟡 Research onlyAustralia

Island

Poetry, fiction, nonfiction and graphic narratives

Pay
Pays contributor fees — schedule not on the public page
Words
Online nonfiction ~1,500 words; print nonfiction rarely over 4,000
Eligible
Official and restrictive: "Island welcomes submissions from Australia, New Zealand and Australians living abroad
Verified
2026-09

Before you pitch

Read these first.

Every listing links to the publication’s own guideline and shows the date BRYME last checked it. A listing is an invitation to pitch — never a promise of acceptance or payment.

Follow along — the BRYME weekly digest