no. 5
note: this was delivered to subscribers on 3 November.
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hi there.
Happy November.
Is anyone else working hard on a novel this month?
I passed 20,000 words in the first draft of my new mystery novel last week, and I forgot how good it can feel to take all of the stories that play on a loop in your head and put them down on paper.
For me, the journey to finding the answer to the question that got you writing fiction in the first place is so different than with writing a travel article or lifestyle essay. What I write next doesn’t depend on what someone else says in an interview but on what needs to happen next in the story.
In The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (book 2 of His Dark Materials), Will masters cutting portals between worlds by feeling the thread of the other dimension pushing against the knife. He has to move the knife through the air until he finds the right spot — not unlike Lyra going down the ladder of what each symbol means on her alethiometer, a tool that works almost like tarot but in the form of a compass.
I’ll be reaching, starting, trying to see if this is where a scene should go and realize I’m not getting the right pushback from my characters or the scene itself, so I go back and try again and again until finally, the knife in my mind catches and more story starts to spill out of the world of my book.
Does it feel this way for anyone else? Does writing nonfiction or articles feel this way for you? Let me know.
Gentle reminder: I set up a new subscription service with perks like editing discounts and instant job and/or pitch alerts on top of early delivery of this literary life. Or, you’re welcome to buy me a coffee or share this newsletter with writing friends.
Or do nothing at all but keep scrolling!
I’m just happy and thankful to have you here with me every week. See you next Sunday.
— Cole
calls for pitches,
jobs for writers/editors,
+ paid writing opportunities
Reminder: Vet each opportunity before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.
Each opportunity is remote unless otherwise stated.
calls for pitches
Travel: Katherine LaFrave, features editor for Afar, is looking for pitches on “quiet travel—think unplugging, recharging, and resetting.” Their “features and essays enrich, inform, educate, and spark conversation. As well as diving into unplumbed places and parts of the travel experience, Afar’s features and essays expand the definition of what makes a travel story.” Rates: $0.50/word. E-mail pitches to klagrave@afar.com by November 13.
Travel: Antonia Windsor, Editorial Director of Bea Monde Traveller, is looking for ski story ideas for completed trips with a copy deadline of early December. She is looking for "strong narrative features and hotel reviews for our luxury publication with a jetset readership." E-mail pitches to antonia@beaumondetraveler.com
Parenting: Conz Preti, Deputy Editor for Business Insider, is looking for pitches from “people who had kids in their 20s/30s and then decided to have just one more in their 40s because they thought it'd be easier. Whether it's because you were better off financially, the other kids were in school full time, it's what you always wanted, and more." Rate: $250. E-mail pitches to cpreti@insider.com.
Relationships: Nonlinear Love co-founder Ariella Steinhorn is looking for nonlinear love stories. This includes “divorces and remarriages; dating horrors or delights; lovers who cropped back up years later; or even an unexpected thing you learned from your partner within a traditional marriage or relationship structure.” The rate is $150 for 800-1,000 words. E-mail pitches to ariella@superposition-stories.com. Stories can be published anonymously.
Writing Life: Remote Writing Jobs creator Melissa Tripp is looking for pitches for "real stories from working writers, particularly personal essays between 500-800 words that are brilliantly written and shed light on the world of writing for a living." Or "anything as it relates to your experience as a working writer." Rate: $200. E-mail pitches to rwjpatreon@gmail.com.
Holiday Traditions: Rheana Murray, Essay Editor for the TODAY Show, is looking for pitches for "holiday-related essays (~1,000 words) in my inbox. What's your hack for dealing with all the presents your kids get? Do you have a holiday tradition you love, but your family hates? What's the best/worst gift you've ever given/received?" E-mail pitches to TODAYEssays@nbcuni.com.
Kansas/Missouri Life/Politics: The Beacon seeks "stories that impact audiences in Kansas and Missouri, and that fall under the general categories of government, education, health care, environment, labor and housing." These should be "revelatory, data-driven, contextual and solutions-driven."
paid creative opportunities
Poetry: Only Poems is seeking submissions for their annual Leonard Cohen Poetry Prize. In the spirit of Leonard Cohen, they ask that “your poems deal in some way with the intersections of Love, Faith, & Sex.” The first-place winner receives $1000. Four finalists will each be awarded $250. Submission Fee: $15. Deadline: November 7.
Interviews, Short Stories, Poems, Articles: Nonprofit Quarterly seeks articles, interviews, short stories, and poems for their print magazine's 2025 racial justice issue, “How Women of Color in the South are Reclaiming Space.” Deadline to submit: December 17. Pays: $150 - 300 (short stories, poems), $300 (interviews), and $500 (articles).
Short Story: One Story's submission window opened on 11/1 for literary fiction short stories between 3,000 and 5,000 words. Submissions will close when they reach 2,000. Published writers receive $500 and 25 contributor copies.
Memoir: Narratively is now accepting submissions for its 2024 Memoir Prize. They are looking for original, unpublished “revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view." Additionally, "submissions should be composed of vivid, active scenes, unique characters, and an engaging narrative arc." The entry fee is $20. The grand prize is $3,000, and two finalists will be awarded $1,000 each.
Travel Writing: Anthology Creative Awards is accepting submissions for their travel writing contest. This is for previously unpublished “engaging article[s] that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture.” Writers may submit multiple articles, but they must be separate entries. Deadline: November 30. The grand prize winner receives £500.
writing + editing jobs
The Grit Group is looking for freelance writers and freelance editors with SEO experience to pick up at least one to three assignments a week, depending on the position you apply for. Pay: $30/hr for writers, $45/hr for editors. Note: you can only apply for one position.
Claire Fox, BuzzFeed's SEO editor, is looking for “a handful of SEO update writers to add new and engaging content to existing posts (and quizzes!) across a variety of subjects, including TV and movies, celebrities, music, internet trends, lifestyle, and jokes and games.” Pay $40 per update, max 20 updates per month. To apply, please send your resume, a short paragraph about why you’d be a good fit, and a link to relevant writing samples to claire.fox@buzzfeed.com by November 13.
The Cut is looking for a Night/Weekend Blogger to write 2 - 4 news stories per shift across all site areas—Power, Culture, Self, and Style—from Monday to Thursday, 4-9 pm, and Sunday, 12-6 pm. Pay range: $32 - $33 USD.
Composely seeks an experienced luxury travel and lifestyle writer to work at least 10 hours a week to write articles for their client's "high-end, global" readership. Pay: $32 - $38/ hr. 60-day commitment, month-to-month renewal after.
Launch Potato is hiring an editorial assistant with a minimum of 1 year of "proven experience balancing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment." Pay: $40,000 to $50,000 per year, paid bi-monthly, based on experience and location.
Outside, Inc. is looking for an associate editor for their custom content. They will be responsible "for working with a network of freelance and in-house writers, photographers, and social influencers to create editorial-grade custom content for print, digital, and social" to "fulfill brand partners' objectives." Pay: $50k - $60k.
HuffPost is hiring an investigative reporter "with a political lens" for its National desk. Ideal candidates have some experience filing public records requests and "have a wide interest in public policy and other issues that impact the daily lives of Americans and you are a strong writer/reporter with a penchant for detail, as well as landing big stories and scoops." $93,114.00 - $125,000.00, and the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with WGA-East.
Newcomer wants to add a senior reporter and event host “with a demonstrated track record of getting notable financial scoops [and] the charisma and expertise to emcee 200-person events for Silicon Valley insiders" with at least 4 years of industry experience. You should also have "deep experience covering startups and venture capital, moderating panels, appearing on podcasts, and making TV appearances." Pay: $200,000-$300,000. To apply, email newcomer@newcomer.co with “SENIOR REPORTER ROLE” in the subject line, a short introduction, two of your biggest scoops, two of your favorite stories, and some thoughts on an insider event that we could build around you.
Men's Fitness seeks a contract news writer to help relaunch their publication. “If hired, you will focus on breaking, trending, and viral health, fitness, and nutrition content for MensFitness.com. You will be responsible for producing five quick-turnaround, 350-word articles on a daily basis, which will be assigned each morning."
The Verge is seeking a deputy editor for their reviews and commerce team. You’ll "directly manage a team of editors, working with them to assign, edit, and plan coverage around consumer tech reviews, buying guides, and how-to articles." Pay: $120k - $150k.
Shoutt seeks health & wellness writers and editors to join their roster, especially if they have an active Twitter/X account. Writers will be expected to deliver one to five 3,000-word articles based on hours worked.
Pocket-lint is looking for a TV Reviewer/Writer to join their team. This person will be responsible for writing “buyer’s guides, tutorials, reviews, features, comparisons, deals, and news” under tight deadlines.
Hims & Hers Health, Inc. seeks a Data Journalist who will “be responsible for generating innovative story ideas, conducting in-depth analysis of numerical data, and creating attention-grabbing headlines with localized appeal tailor-made for organic media pickup.” Other responsibilities will include 1 - 2 monthly white papers and analyzing public data to craft compelling stories on the company’s core topics of sex, hair, and weight loss. Pay rate: $1,000 - $1,500 USD per article.
writing
+ marketing tips
I’m adding a new resource for freelancers to Blue Line Editing Co’s resource page this week. The Freelancer Solidarity Project is working on cataloging the pay rates of outlets hiring freelance writers.
What makes many personal essays so gripping is their three-part structure: breaking point, backstory, and resolution. Writer, editor, and book coach Jennifer Landau is on Jane Freidman’s blog this week, breaking down examples of memoirs that use this structure successfully and explaining how writers can approach this path.
Another word for this kind of approach to storytelling is beginning in media res, or the middle of action. Cindy Skaggs discusses why this approach is so successful and offers writers four tips on mastering this type of book opening.
Your characters need to want something, even if, as Vonnegut put it, even if “it’s only a glass of water.” Susan DeFreitas is at Writer Unboxed to dig deeper into your protagonist's wants and the questions you should be able to answer as you flesh out your novel.
If there’s anything that eases physical and psychological tension, it’s moments of levity that evoke laughter. Most good horror stories have these moments of relief that, in turn, make the smack of fear hurt even more. In the spirit of Halloween, Tyler Malone is on Lit Hub to discuss horror and comedy and why “horror comedy” is a redundant genre title.
agent updates, pitch contests,
+ new MSWL alerts
Reminder: Vet each literary agent and/or contest before submitting.
Inclusion does not equal endorsement.
Literary Agent Megan Carroll of Watson, Little Ltd, re-opened for queries on November 1 and is looking for romance of all varieties from adult and YA authors, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+.
industry news
+ interesting reads
If you aren’t already in the habit of saving your digital-only bylines as PDFs, now is a time to do a deep dive into your archives—while you still can. As the Brownstone Institute reports, the internet’s permanence is no longer something we can count on. Part of the problem? After a DDoS attack at the beginning of October, Archive.org stopped archiving just weeks after Google stopped caching websites.
ICYMI (because I sure did), TikTok is dipping its toes into digital and print publishing with its new imprint, 8th Note. According to the New York Times, ByteDance plans to publish genres popular on BookTok: YA, fantasy, romance, and romantic. Partnering with Zando Books, 8th Note isn’t just some scrappy indie publisher; if there’s anyone who knows what people want, it’s TikTok.
Book banning and censorship are frequently in the headlines right now. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult — a 2007 bestseller about a school shooting — has gone from highly praised to most banned. "Not only was it recommended for young adults to read, but it was on the curriculum in schools where it’s now banned," Picoult told the AP.
Meanwhile, the “citizens review committee” — a group of five residents — in Montgomery, Texas, reclassified a children’s history book on Native Americans as “fiction” in the county’s public library. Public backlash forced the county to rescind the change and put a pause on further committee actions.
October’s end means we get to look back and see what everyone was actually reading last month (versus what we saw plastered all over social media)—at least readers who still use Goodreads. Everyone is still reading The Women by Kristin Hannah (and has been since February) and can’t get enough for Freida McFadden’s books, The Boyfriend and The Housemaid. The dark horse this year was The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, a cozy mystery published last year that #bookstagram got really obsessed with this year.
recommendations
Bad headache weeks might hurt my word count, but they help boost the number of books I finish reading.
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim was heartbreaking and funny, with amazing representation of neurodivergent characters. This was as much of a meditation on philosophy and communication as it was a mystery.
I also just started A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham, and I’m hooked. Chloe is the daughter of a convicted serial killer whose murders happened 20 years ago. Now, similar disappearances are happening, and Chloe can’t unsee the parallels from the past, making her wonder if she’s made a home with another killer.
In honor of Halloween, I revisited one of my favorite pieces of travel writing: Witch Hunt by Kristen J. Sollee. This is both a deep dive and travel guide through the witch hunts of 14th - 16th century Italy, Germany, France, Ireland, England, Scotland, and the United States.
p o d c a s t s
I added a few new recommendations this week, including limited series or shows with no new episodes coming out that I often re-listen to. If you want the secret history to The Secret History, listen to Once Upon a Time, where Lili Anolik takes us back to Bennington College in the 1980s, where Donna Tartt, Brett Easton Ellis, and Jonathan Lethem are coming of age and penning the books that would make them famous.
For more true crime vibes, check out Death of an Artist. Season 1 covers the story of Ana Mendieta’s death, while season 2 focuses on Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock’s wife, their relationship, and her impact on his work.
Limited Series
Culture, News, Politics, History
Books, Movies, Writing
True Crime
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