Seventy-five percent of Inked is written by freelancers, and many sections are ripe for pitching. The lifestyle pub does more than just cover a niche industry.

“Not every story is strictly tattoo-related,” says editor Rocky Rakovic. “The misconception for people who don’t know Inked might think it’s just a bunch of pictures of tattoos where that’s not true. Just think of us sort of like a Maxim [except] everyone in the magazine has tattoos, so it’s like Maxim plus tattoos, minus the articles that they do [on] the very ‘clean’ men’s lifestyle,” said Rakovic.

The majority of the magazine is open to freelance pitches, including the feature well. Besides covering the magazine’s regular topics, “We try to have something with, you know, some gravitas in each issue,” said Rakovic. “For our automotive installment, we ran around with the Detroit police department from 2:00 to 5:00 in the morning to try to see how the economy and the automotive industry in Detroit transcended to its poorest people in terms of where crime’s concerned. So we always try to have some serious piece in the book.”

For more info, read How To Pitch: Inked. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

Seventy percent of Running Times is freelance written, and a good chunk of that content comes from first-timers.

All sections of the magazine are open for pitches, but there are certain topics that freelancers should be careful to avoid. Basic running how-tos won’t cut it for this advanced crowd, so save your “10 Stretching Tips” for another outlet. Instead, said editor-in-chief Jonathan Beverly, writers need to cite new research and relay the importance of why readers need to rethink their stretching routine. “You have to answer the ‘why’ and not just the ‘how,’” he said.

For more info, read How To Pitch: Running Times. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

If you’re a writer living in New York, you undoubtedly want to be in New York, the legendary mag that Big Apple denizens (and, increasingly, the entire Internet) pore over weekly.

Although most of New York‘s editorial content is generated in-house, editorial director Jared Hohlt offers words of encouragement to aspiring contributors. “It’s true that the majority of our stories are written by staff and contract writers, many of whom have covered certain worlds — national politics, City Hall, Broadway — for a long time. For that reason,” he said, “a freelance pitch that provides unusual insight and access into a slightly more hidden world or scene has a better chance of becoming a story here.”

For more info and editors’ contact info, read How To Pitch: New York. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

Freelancers can land a cool $2 a word with a successful pitch to Ladies’ Home Journal. The mag underwent a redesign for the digital age in March of 2012, incorporating much more reader input in its editorial content. Though editors mostly assign stories to their stable of freelancers, many of them started out with a pitch.

“We welcome pitches because we’re always looking for new [writers],” said Lorraine Glennon, senior books and articles editor.

To go along with the redesign, editorial content has shifted towards first person stories, like “The Divorced Mom’s Guide to Online Dating” which told the story of a newly divorced mother of two who decides to venture into the online dating world.

So, how can you land a byline in this newsstand staple? Get all the details and editors’ contact info in How To Pitch: Ladies’ Home Journal. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

Historically, most journalists writing for Ebony have been black, but it’s not a requirement to score a byline. The pub has recently run stories by writers who aren’t black, and also hopes to reach beyond the black community by tackling key issues from a wide variety of viewpoints.

The magazine is enjoying the fruits of a well-executed redesign spearheaded by editor-in-chief Amy DuBois Barnett, who works with CEO Desiree Rogers and Chairman Linda Johnson Rice. Barnett told NPR she’s working to balance fashion, entertainment and news that is empowering “and also still very rooted in the coverage of social issues and political issues that Ebony has always done so well.”

Bonus? Over 50 percent of the pub is written by freelancers. Find out how you can win over the editors in How To Pitch: Ebony. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

Ever since a re-launch in 2002, EatingWell‘s circulation has been steadily climbing. Its acquisition by Meredith in 2011 doubled its readership, and a slew of brand extensions gave the brand custom publishing divisions and a spin-off military magazine. So, landing a byline in the mag means you’re well on your way to establishing a relationship with the editors, who assign projects to freelancers for EatingWell Media Group’s other properties too.

“We’ve been able to grow because we’ve been at the forefront of the healthy eating movement. These days everyone wants delicious meals, but they also want food that’s good for them and that they feel good about eating,” said editorial director Lisa Gosselin. “We’ve also found more and more people are interested in other areas of our focus, what we call ‘origins’ — meaning, where does our food come from? How is it produced? Is it healthy for individuals, the environment and communities? We like to say that the experience of coming to EatingWell should be like going to your local farmers’ market: You are always going to learn something and come away with something fresh, interesting, delicious and surprising.”

For more info on what to pitch, read How To Pitch: EatingWell. [subscription required]

Over half of the content in Parenting Early Years and Parenting School Years is freelance written, so there are plenty of opportunities if your pitch reflects the magazines’ mission: “Everything that matters to moms.”

Executive editor Stephanie Wood said “both editions of Parenting strive to be more modern, introducing pop culture trends and news that moms today are interested in, as well as offering more inclusive editorial that will reflect the lives of single parents, divorced and blended families, same sex families, and intergenerational families with grandparents under the same roof.”

Get a list of editors’ contact info and pitchable sections in How To Pitch: Parenting Early Years and Parenting School Years. [subscription required]

Despite numerous changes in ownership, Ms. has stayed true to its mission to “inform, inspire and empower” women. Founded in 1971, the mag was the first mainstream feminist publication and continues to “put a feminist lens on politics, culture, society and global issues,” said senior editor Michele Kort.

More than 80 percent of the mag is freelance-written, and proving yourself to the editors can mean future assignments — editors like to cultivate close relationships with proven writers. For example, a reporter in Albuquerque who had been covering the unsolved murders of local women for years recently penned a piece highlighting the fact that these women, who were often involved in prostitution and/or drugs, were not as valued as much as other women in society. A freelancer also pitched an interview with noted feminist writer bell hooks.

Got an idea you think is perfect for the mag? Find out how to break through in How To Pitch: Ms. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

Boston has a dependable roster of writers to turn to, which is no surprise considering all its accolades. The mag has won over 50 City & Regional Magazine Association awards for reporting, public service and general excellence. Luckily for intrepid reporters and talented writers, Boston is “absolutely open to new blood at all times,” says editor-in-chief John Wolfson. “We’re always looking to expand.”

If compared with similar publications, “Perhaps the greatest differentiator,” Wolfson said, “is that we run several high-quality stories a month at 3,000-5,000 words, allowing us to do deep-dives into the issues, stories and personalities our readers care about.”

For pitching guidelines and editors’ contact info, read How To Pitch: Boston. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

Since its launch, More has stayed true to its mission to explore “what it’s like to be a woman of style and substance right now.” Under its current EIC Lesley Jane Seymour, the mag has expanded its focus to include women ages 35 to 60, turbo-charged its design and expanded fashion and beauty coverage. The pub has also added some work- and money-related service features, because “the current economic times demand it,” said managing editor Ila Stanger.

Seventy percent of the pub is freelance written, and all sections are open to pitches. The best bet for writers looking to break into the book is to pitch a personal essay. Just remember: More‘s readership is “sophisticated, well-educated, affluent and self-confident, with interests as wide-ranging as their achievements,” said Stanger, so make sure you strike the right tone when pitching.

For more info, read How To Pitch: More. [subscription required]