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This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers. Today I discuss a blog post about the personal essay….
Are you a person who loves writing in the form of the personal essay? If so, and you’ve despaired of being paid for your writing, I’ve just discovered a post listing 19 websites and magazines that accept — and pay for — such posts.
The list includes top tier newspapers such as the New York Times and the Boston Globe, but it also mentions intriguing websites such as Extra Crispy and The Bold Italic. Each entry includes tips on how to pitch the editor, who to contact and how much the outlet pays. As a bonus, each entry also includes a link to a sample essay from that publication.
According to the post, “Writing nonfiction is not about telling your story,” says Ashley C. Ford, an essayist who emphasized the importance of creating a clear connection between your personal experience and universal topics. “It’s about telling interesting and worthy stories about the human condition using examples from your life.”
The piece also links to a secondary post offering a list of 130 editors who accept personal essays. If you’ve ever aspired to have a personal essay published, no more excuses! The two posts will give you plenty of ideas about where you can pitch.
An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on Aug. 5/19.
