Magazine Wants Outdoor Lifestyle Writers + More Markets
Do you cover adventure sports or stories? Do you write journey narratives, environmental articles or profiles of outdoor enthusiasts? If so, there’s a magazine looking for new outdoor lifestyle writers.
Outside announced it’s seeking new freelancers to work with, and it wants to open up the magazine to more diverse voices.
Since“outdoor adventure writing has historically highlighted predominantly white male voices and subjects, we are particularly interested in women, BIPOC, LGBT+, and other diverse voices and subjects,” the publication says.
In addition to features, which range from 2,000 to 10,000 words, the magazine is open to content for sections including health, travel, culture and gear.
Outside is reviewing submissions from freelance artists and photographers, including photo essays.
And there are opportunities to contribute to the publication’s social media platforms and newsletters.
Rates start at .50 cents a word for outdoor lifestyle writers. For freelance photographers and illustrators, the rates weren’t disclosed in the guidelines.
More Markets for Outdoor Lifestyle Writers
One market is just a tease. So, here’s a list of additional options:
Backcountry
This publication focuses on the skiing and snowboarding crowd.
It’s looking for features, destination stories, profiles, newsworthy items, pieces on mountain skills and stories about avalanches and mountain mishaps.
You can pitch or send speculative submissions.
Pay for writers is .35 cents a word. This is also an outdoor market for freelance photographers, and those rates range from $35 to $400.
Backpacker
This publication primarily covers hiking but also publishes some pieces on human-powered activities, such as kayaking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Pieces surrounding destinations should focus on off-the-path, unusual destinations in North America.
Readers expect advice, which includes “how to, when to, where to, and with what,” the guidelines say. But keep in mind you’ll be writing for an audience that’s already knowledgeable and experienced.
Approximately 50% of the features and more than half of the departments and web stories are written by freelancers. But if this your first tango with the publication, the best way to break into this market is with pitches for web-only assignments.
Payment varies based on the complexity, demands of the assignment and your experience.
This appears to be a tough market for selling photography. The publication says it only hires professional photographers and offers “very few assignments” per year.
Climbing
Here’s a good outdoor market for inexperienced writers if you know about rock climbing.
The publication is flexible on subjects and style.
Features cover places and people who climb as well as area histories, controversial issues and first-person accounts. These pieces generally range 1,500 to 3,500 words and include strong photography.
Department content covers topics, such as tips, access issues, relevant political events, new faces and equipment.
Rates aren’t disclosed.
Adventure Cyclist
This publication generally buys two types of content from freelancers. One is 2,000 to 3,000-word first-person features about specific areas. These include a sidebar and photographs.
The other is final mile essays, which are 1,200 to 1,500-word articles about a single experience during a trip.
Right now, editors are most interested in getting their hands on well-photographed stories of touring in North America (road or dirt).
Pay generally ranges .25 to .50 cents a word.
American Falconry
This quarterly publication covers the sport of falconry and publishes articles on training, captive breeding and dog handling.
There’s also space allotted for humor, adventure, personal viewpoints, and information for experts and beginners.
Multi-part articles are accepted and encouraged if the piece you’re planning to write is over 10,000 words.
Submitting photographs with an article improves the chances of it being accepted.
Pay starts at $100 and will be influenced by the length, photos, editing required, and your reputation.
Sport Fishing
This publication is for saltwater fishing enthusiasts, and most of the readers are mature, affluent males who are experienced and own boats.
It focuses on North America and covers topics, including techniques, areas that recently opened to sport fishing and conservation concerns.
The editors prefer to see queries first.
Features usually range from 1,800 to 2,400 words, including sidebars. Pay for print features is $750 to $1,500 with photos.
Digital features pull $200 for up to 1,000 words and $300 for more than 1,000 words.
Sport Afield
This is a hunting adventure magazine that focuses on big-game hunting in North America and Africa.
The best place for freelancers to break into this market is with features about big-game hunting destinations and hunting adventure stories as well as pieces about rifles and calibers.
Shorter freelance pieces (500 to 1,000 words) focusing on conservation subjects and world record animals are also accepted.
You can reach out with queries or spec submissions.
Rates aren’t disclosed.
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Good Old Boat
Most of this publication’s readers own fiberglass production sailboats built between the 1950s to the 2000s, but it also accepts articles relevant to trailer boats, cruisers and other vessels.
Coverage includes topics on ownership, maintenance, refits and restoration as well as sailing stories, sailing life pieces and articles about boat companies or personalities.
This is an outdoor lifestyle market that prefers you to submit work on spec.
Pay ranges from $50 for book reviews and simple solutions up to $700 for boat reviews and history columns.
Usually, the only freelance photography that this publication buys are cover images. Pay is $100 for one-time use in print and electronically.
Trapper’s Post
Oh my, this one here is proof that there are markets for everybody. I’m trying to stop laughing to give you the details.
This is an option for outdoor lifestyle writers who still use typewriters. (HaHaHaHa!!)
This publication accepts articles, generally 1,200 to 2,000 words, on all trapping topics. That includes methods, planning, lure and bait, locations, and dealing with weather.
It’s also looking for personal experience articles from trappers age 16 and under.
Now, if you’re saying “but I can’t write,” no problem. Your work can still make the cut.
Just “write the article as if you were talking casually talking to another trapper” and don’t worry yourself with things like spelling, punctuation, or writing style, the guidelines say.
You’ll get paid for your trapper-talk articles. Rates are roughly .10 cents “a finished word” up to a max of $150, depending on length, photos and time spent editing.
If you have success with any of these markets, come back and use the comments section to brag about it.
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