Well + Good Magazine/ Is Accepting Pitches — How to Submit (Rates: $500+)

Well+Good is accepting food articles for publication.

So if you’re a freelance writer looking to land content writing gigs, you should definitely pitch the editors of this prestigious magazine.

Each month, a large percentage of the content of Well+Good comes from freelancers, and they’re always excited about new, fresh voices and perspectives. They seek pitches in other to accept writers for publication.

 

Pitching Guidelines for Well + Good

• Spend some time on Well+Good. While they’ve briefly outlined below the topic areas and story formats they publish, the best way for you to get a sense of their tone and scope is to cozy up for some QT with the site.
• Also, find out if your pitch idea has been covered on their site before going ahead. Your pitch may be turned down because of this.
• Google your own idea. It might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by how often there are pitched stories that are very close to articles seen in other health and wellness publications.
• They’re looking for original stories and angles, so if your pitch has been widely covered in a similar way by other titles, we likely won’t approve it.
• Also, they do not accept stories on spec; please submit pitches only, not entire pre-written articles.
• Once your pitch is approved, you’ll begin a collaborative editorial process with your assigning editor. This will include no more than two rounds of revisions.

 

Pitching format for Well+Good Magazine.

• Well+Good accepts all pitches on a rolling basis. Your pitch should include the following:
• A working headline (hed): This will give them a sense of the story’s tone and angle. What’s your unique hook?
• A brief description: What will the story cover, how will it be framed, and what questions are you hoping to answer? We understand that some of this will be determined during your reporting and writing process, but a few sentences on what inspired the piece (a trend? a study?) and how you are conceptualizing it is important.
• They solicit and publish personal essays, “I Tried It” pieces (like this, this, and this), multi-expert reported features, market and commerce roundups, and op-eds. They do NOT accept previously published articles or blog posts.
• Sources: The majority of the content on Well+Good includes original reporting. Who would you like to speak to for your story? Please name specific people and brands or types of people (e.g. an OB/GYN, a chef, an LGBTQ+ advocate, a women’s history scholar, etc.).
• A brief bio and clips: You should include a line or two about who you are and what you bring to the table as a writer, including any certifications or degrees (i.e. why are you the best one to tell this story?). Also include samples of your past work (links, not attachments, and/or a portfolio website).
• Topics to pitch on include: Food, lifestyle, health and Mental Health, beauty, fitness.
• There are various contacts to submit your work to, depending on what topic you are writing on. Click here to pick a topic 

 

How Much Does Well+Good Magazine Pay Authors?

Your rate will be agreed upon at the time of assignment. While the standard rate of well + good are noted as a reference point below, they understand that not every article fits nicely into one of those buckets, and accordingly, all rates are subject to editor discretion and negotiation.

If, after two rounds of revisions, your editor decides not to move forward with your article, you will be paid a “kill fee” equivalent to 50% of your agreed upon rate.

For reported pieces:

Tier 1: $150-$350 (500-800 words, 0-2 sources)
Tier 2: $350-$500 (800-1200 words, 3-4 sources)
Tier 3: $500+ (1200+ words, heavily reported)

For personal essays and op-eds:

Tier 1: $200-$400 (600-1,000 words)
Tier 2: $400+ (1,000+ words)

Well+Good looks forward to reading your pitches!

Looking for more food writing gigs? EatingWell and Bon Appetit are also accepting pitches.