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.

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.

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

Environmentally savvy freelancers can snag bylines at one of the oldest continuously published mags in the country: Audubon. The pub gets 90 percent of its content from freelancers, and editors are very open to working with new writers.

The advocacy magazine promotes the mission of saving birds, wildlife and habitat and serves as the flagship publication of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest environmental groups in the country. Audubon is the only pure nature magazine on the market, but it aspires to the reach and commercial success of National Geographic, while still maintaining its commitment to the thought-provoking, long-form type journalism of The Atlantic and The New Yorker.

For more details on how to score a byline, read How To Pitch: Audubon.
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.

Still going strong after 13 years, Dwell sets itself apart from other design magazines by providing insights on modern design and architecture that are as fresh as they are practical . “We don’t want people to create an artificial idea of how they live in their home,” said editor-in-chief Amanda Dameron. “We tell the owners to clean their house as if they’re having a good friend over. Don’t go buying pricey flowers!”

Dameron says that even though her team receives more than enough pitches, one of the best ways to distinguish your submission is to get behind a camera. ”We put a lot of resources behind how we tell our stories visually. So when we’re reviewing initial ideas, having good pics always helps.”

Get contact info, pitch suggestions and more at How To Pitch: Dwell.

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.

– Nick Braun

Editors at Latina love getting thoughtful pitches. The mag has a small staff and relies on outside contributors for a whopping 80 percent of its content. Although the pub often assigns articles out to freelancers, executive editor Damarys Ocaña says she would “love to get really informed, specific pitches… that would make my life a lot easier.”

Ocaña is always looking for great writers who know Latin culture and are familiar with the publication. But do the writers, themselves, have to be Latin? “No, definitely not,” said Ocaña. “We have plenty of freelancers who aren’t.”

For more info, read How To Pitch: Latina.

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.

As Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, once said, “One of the challenges for all freelancers, though, is it can be feast or famine.” Sometimes you could be raking in the assignments; at others, editors could be strangely silent when you want to hear from them the most.

In the latest Mediabistro feature, magazine veterans give tips on how to foster your relationships with editors to keep the assignments, and the paychecks, rolling in.

Read more in 6 Tips for Landing Repeat Writing Assignments.

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.

Prevention is known for being on the cutting edge of breakthrough science and alternative and complementary medicine, and its commitment to quality reporting is known as the Prevention Pledge: “The reader can count on the recommendations that they find in the magazine to be checked very, very thoroughly for accuracy,” said executive editor Siobhan O’Connor.

No sections are closed to freelance pitches at this health-minded pub, and those writers with a knack for translating science into accessible prose are good candidates for the mag. Even if your pitch doesn’t get the green light, you may be on your way to landing assignments from the editors. Plus, the pay isn’t shabby either.

For more info, read How To Pitch: Prevention.

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.

Bicycling, the world’s largest cycling magazine, is looking for writers who can cover the hobby from new and fresh perspectives. “There has to be a bigger story besides the fact that you rode someplace cool,” said senior editor Emily Furia.

Bicycling tries to appeal to the biking community as whole, as opposed to other cycling publications that focus on specific subcultures. And, with half of the content in the mag provided by freelancers, these editors are more than willing to take on new scribes who lack experience or whose ideas need polishing. “In the case of freelance pitches, we will typically work with the writer to refine the story angle and format,” said Furia.

Get all the details and editors’ contact info in How To Pitch: Bicycling.

– Nicholas Braun

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Instinct, the bimonthly magazine for gay and bi-sexual men, is always on the hunt for quality content from freelance writers.

Editor-in-chief Jeff Katz told Mediabistro that he appreciates writing that has a casual but personal voice. “Our tone is approachable and fun. We want to say the things you’d hope your best friend would tell you, so we’re also a little bit sassy, sometimes a little provocative,” he added, “but we’re honest.”

Katz is also looking for stories that pertain to issues facing the LGBT community. “As gay rights change and people are getting married and adopting children, we want to continue to reflect those stories. In the upcoming issue, we’re doing a piece on finances to discuss how marriage laws play into power of attorney,” he said. “I don’t think that’s a story that would’ve been done 10 years ago, but it’s a nice change.”

The best part? 30 percent of all pitches are accepted. For more, read How to Pitch Instinct [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

– Nicholas Braun

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.

Tyler Brûlé, founder of Monocle, first got the idea for his global pub from observing consumers at airports. “It was frequently Wallpaper* and The Economist. I decided to merge elements of the two but refine the package,” the journo/entrepreneur/publisher told Mediabistro.

Although the pub’s staffers are likely to be seen reading The Financial Times and The International Herald Tribune, editor Andrew Tuck says Monocle has its own definition of what’s newsworthy. “We think that a lot of news organizations, especially [those committed to] daily or weekly news, tend to run around in a herd,” he said.

Monocle also strives to take care of its writers. “If a writer goes on a story for us, they will have a water-tight itinerary, they will travel with a reasonable airline, and they have my mobile number and know that if they want to give me a ring at midnight if anything has gone wrong, that’s what I’m here for,” said Tuck.