Editors at Sister 2 Sister are looking for journos with fresh, vivacious language, so if you’re looking to cover the biggest stars in music, film and TV for this pub, skip the fancy language. “Our stories are really more like conversations than interviews,” explained senior editor Ericka Boston.

The magazine prides itself on educating African-American women 18-49 in all aspects of their lives. Recent articles included a fitness story on the benefit of working out in pairs (along with a quiz to identify what type of exercise partner you are), a guide to achieving perfect spring curls and steps for preparing Afro-French cuisine.

Heads-up, freelancers. Sister 2 Sister accepts submissions in a variety of sections, both in print and online. For pitching etiquette and editors’ contact info, read How To Pitch: Sister 2 Sister.

– Sherry Yuan

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Riding high on the groundswell of pride and honor felt among most members of the black community during President Obama’s 2008 election, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Donald Graham, chairman of The Washington Post, partnered to launch The Root, an online publication covering the nation’s biggest news stories — with an African-American angle.

How does The Root stand out from Huffington Post Black Voices, The Grio and other sites with a similar mission? “We try to differentiate ourselves in the quality of the writing and reporting and in taking perceived wisdom about race and racism and factors that affect the black community and challenging them,” said Lauren Williams, deputy editor. “One of the things that we are noted for is just having really smart content.”

Whether you’re looking to write a reported piece or a personal essay, The Root welcomes submissions from contributors — in fact, half of the site’s content is freelance-written. For pitching etiquette and editor’s contact info, read How To Pitch: The Root.

– Sherry Yuan

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After spending years at major record labels marketing some of the biggest pop artists during the 1990s, Alan Miller and Alan Sartirana wanted to promote music outside of the boy band/teen queen craze that was taking over America. The result was Filter Music Media, a company that, according to its website, was created to “expose music in new and effective ways, with an unwavering commitment to credibility and integrity.” The company expanded into publishing in 2002 with FILTER magazine, which currently has 85,000 readers and is available on newsstands in over 10 countries.

Eager to share your love of music and writing style with FILTER editors? “Be creative and show us who you are,” said editor-in-chief Pat McGuire. The pub offers opportunities for freelance writers who make lasting impressions.

For pitching etiquette and editors’ contact info, read How To Pitch: FILTER.

– Sherry Yuan

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The tagline of “Healthy kids, happy families” encompasses both Parents‘ content and attitude. The magazine is primarily a service magazine, and editors deliver what readers initially come to the magazine for: information about children’s health, safety, nutrition, discipline and development. However, editors also want to help readers enjoy family life (not escape it), delivering positive stories about keeping a marriage happy and celebrating the holidays.

Parents has “a nice balance between the content related to children and content related to being a parent,” said deputy editor Diane Debrovner. And, lucky for writers, almost every section of this service pub is open to freelance pitches, and there are numerous ways for newbies to break into the book. 

Get all the details in How To Pitch: Parents.

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Unlike most parenting magazines, Working Mother focuses on moms instead of kids. The service mag aims to help moms throughout a busy work day, and there are plenty of opportunities for freelancers to break in. The feature well is especially friendly, and a well tailored pitch could land your byline in one of the columns, too.

“Our readers are striving to find work-life satisfaction. They’re a driven bunch who are juggling not only work and children, but often aging parents, pets, you name it,” said editorial director Jennifer Owens. “They’re also highly social, communicating with us directly through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.”

Think you’ve got an idea that might work for their readers? Get details on who and what to pitch in How To Pitch: Working Mother.

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Launched back in 1951, JET has been the authority on news in the black community for decades. With a loyal readership of over 7 million, freelancers with the right pitch will get prime real estate for their bylines.

Since the pub is largely news based, editors are looking for local stories from stringers who live in different parts of the country and can report on influential, headline-making topics in their own areas. They want to hear about news-making trends, like the outbreak of bigotry among fans at high school sporting events. So if you spot a breaking topic, pitch it with a vision for what the story will look like. “I’m always on the lookout for new trends at both the regional and national level,” said editor-in-chief Mitzi Miller.

For more, read How To Pitch: JET.

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Even if you don’t live by the sea, Coastal Living welcomes your pitches. Just make sure your story has a coastal connection. Freelancers can break into the book with a well-tailored pitch and land $1 a word for their efforts. Topics include everything from home and design to travel and food.

Designed to be a breath of fresh air, Coastal Living “captures the joy of life by the sea by giving our readers the relaxed feeling and sense of renewal that you can only get by the beach,” according to the magazine’s mission statement. Coverage includes the East and West Coasts of North America, as well as the Gulf Coast, Great Lakes, Alaska, the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico.

For more, read How To Pitch: Coastal Living.

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Land just one assignment for Every Day With Rachael Ray, and you’re well on your way to establishing a relationship with the editors there. Sixty percent of the book is freelance written and editors regularly assign ideas to their trusted stable of writers. A couple of sections are particularly friendly to newbies — just make sure your pitch fits the pub’s lively tone, and soon, your byline could be traveling to the mag’s 1.7 million-plus readers.

Reading the magazine is “like your best friend is helping you cook dinner or helping plan your trip,” explained executive lifestyle editor Sonal Dutt. “So I think what sets us apart from anybody else is that we do have a real person that our reader can relate to, can see on their television and can feel like she’s there with you, guiding you through the process.”

For more info, read How To Pitch: Every Day With Rachael Ray.
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Launched by music enthusiasts in 1999, The FADER prides itself on giving equal coverage to different genres and has a knack for uncovering up-and-coming artists before they hit the mainstream. And though the editors there tend to favor freelancers who they’ve worked with before, you can get a foot in the door in some of the more freelancer-friendly sections – especially if your pitch has the right hook.

The mag has a determination to highlight breaking artists, emerging trends and seasoned musicians before lightning-quick websites can get their mitts on those stories — an impressive feat considering The FADER‘s writers only do in-person, on-site reporting for features. Artists who got their first mag covers with The FADER include Kanye West, MIA, The Strokes, Drake, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean and more. The magazine also holds the distinction of being the first publication to be distributed as a PDF through iTunes.

For more, read How To Pitch: The FADER.

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Over 70 percent of Wired is freelance written, and, once you’ve scored a byline, you’re well on your way to landing more assignments. Senior editor Sarah Fallon urges writers to think of Wired‘s coverage as a continuum: “Science leads to technologies. Technologies spawn businesses and whole industries. Businesses flourish and end up influencing and changing culture,” she said.

Based in San Francisco, Wired has a laid-back but focused West Coast feel and a sensibility that welcomes everyone from the worldly generalist to the Vine junkie. There’s plenty of room for freelancers, too, so long as you’re pitching fresh meat. “We want to cover stories that you wouldn’t find in any other magazine,” Fallon explained. “If you’re going to pitch something mainstream, make sure you have a unique angle.”

For more info, read How To Pitch: Wired.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.Land $1.50 a Word (and Up) at Wired