Journalism, Essays, Reviews, Analysis, Interviews
High Country News
High Country News pays $1 per word for reported content and 50 cents per word for essays and reviews, at the same rate whether the work runs in print, online or both. It covers the American West and takes pitches year-round.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-09
The docket
The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 304-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- $1/word reported · 50¢/word essays and reviews
- Length
- Short-form reported 650–2,500 · essays 600–2,500 · features 2,500–8,000
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo nationality restriction stated. The subject matter is the American West, so the work needs a genuine connection to the region rather than the writer needing one.
- Reading period
- Not yet assessedBRYME has not recorded a reading period for this market from its guideline page. That is our gap rather than the publication's silence: it does not mean the window is open, and it does not mean there is none. Read the guideline linked on this page before you send.
- Response time
- Not statedNo response time recorded. A follow-up after two to three weeks is reasonable; silence past that is a soft no, not a rejection.
- Simultaneous submissions
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timeAlso: We appreciate a heads-up if you are making a simultaneous submission, as well as the courtesy of letting us know if a story you have pitched us has been accepted elsewhere. — https://www.hcn.org/submissions/ (read 2026-09-30)
- AI policy
- Not statedThe guideline is silent. BRYME records that 138 of the 304 publications on this desk do restrict AI-assisted work, so silence here is not permission — ask.
- Rights
- Not statedBRYME records that 162 of the 304 publications on this desk state their terms. This one does not. Ask what rights you are assigning, for how long and for what territory, before you sign anything.
- Experience
- Not statedThe guideline sets no experience requirement. BRYME records that as silence, not as a welcome — a first-time writer is not excluded, but nor are they invited.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 6 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
- Reading period — no window recorded yet, so check the guideline before you pitch rather than assuming it is open.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- AI policy — assume disclosure is expected unless the editor says otherwise.
- Rights — you may be asked to assign more than you expect. Get the terms in writing.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-06. Sources listed at the foot of this page. This record holds no figure BRYME could compare, so no ranking appears above it. Where a rate is quoted per word, it is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- $1/word reported · 50¢/word essays and reviews
- Word count
- Short-form reported 650–2,500 · essays 600–2,500 · features 2,500–8,000
- Submission
- Email pitch to pitches@hcn.org
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-09
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Journalism, Essays, Reviews, Analysis, Interviews. Official guideline: High Country News guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Short-form reported stories of 650–2,500 words on conservation, housing, wildfire, transportation, recreation, climate change and Indigenous affairs.
- Essays about life in the West, 600–2,500 words. They prefer to read a full draft of an essay rather than a pitch, because essays are hard to judge from a pitch.
- Features of 2,500–8,000 words that are deeply reported, with a well-researched pitch and a realistic reporting plan.
Subjects they avoid
- Phone calls — the guidelines ask for none.
- Pitches with no reporting plan behind them.
Key requirements
- Email pitches@hcn.org
- Reporting plan for features
- Full draft preferred for essays
Who can submit
No nationality restriction stated. The subject matter is the American West, so the work needs a genuine connection to the region rather than the writer needing one.
Rights
Not stated on the submissions page.
AI policy
Not stated in the guideline
How to write for them
Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.
BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.
How to pitch
Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.
- Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
- Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
- Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
- Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
- Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
- Say why it fits this publication.
- Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
- Close professionally and thank them for their time.
- Send through the official channel only.
Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.
How to submit
Email pitch to pitches@hcn.org
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Email pitch to pitches@hcn.org
- Submission email: pitches@hcn.org
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read https://www.hcn.org/submissions/ and recent coverage to find the section you fit.
- For essays, write the draft — they would rather read it than a pitch.
- Email pitches@hcn.org. No phone calls.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Not stated
If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.