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Poets & Writers 6 issues per year

An excellent magazine for creative writers of all types, Poets & Writers is packed with in-depth profiles, essays on the writing life, and practical information. Their website adds forums, event listings, and a wide range of resources—from a database of independent small presses to weekly writing prompts.

Our favorite feature: The Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers lists open calls for submission to grant programs, poetry prizes, writing fellowships, and more.

Scratch Quarterly, online only

This new, digital-only magazine has a unique focus: the relationship between money, writing, and life. Each issue is built around a theme and covers issues that matter to anyone trying to make a living from writing, such as contracts, freelancing, and the changing publishing industry. Scratch was founded in 2013 by publishing consultant Jane Friedman and editor Manjula Martin.

Our favorite feature: “The Scratch Roundtable” pulls together panelists from across the literary world for in-depth, open-minded conversations on important topics.

Writer’s Digest 8 issues per year

With a history stretching over 90 years, WD will be familiar to anyone who’s serious about writing and publishing. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re writing fiction, memoir, or freelance, and the articles tend to be quick, easily digested reads.

Our favorite feature: Writer’s Digest is almost a world unto itself. Beyond the print magazine, WD offers a wealth of resources: workshops, conferences, competitions, and guides to the marketplace.

Creative Nonfiction Quarterly

For the essayists among us, an issue of Creative Nonfiction is like two magazines in one. Each issue blends the quality writing of a fine literary journal with topical articles that can help writers succeed.

Our favorite feature: Issues are organized around themes that invite an eye-opening range of submissions. It’s wonderfully inspiring to see the way a single broad theme can manifest in diverse genres, styles, and subjects.

Learning by example: literary journals

Granta Quarterly

This venerable British journal has published a veritable who’s who of important writers since 1979, from Martin Amis to Tobias Wolff. Each issue is organized around a unique theme, and presents short to medium-length fiction, essays, poetry, and photography in a distinctive, compact package.

Our favorite feature: The complete archives of Granta have been digitized and are available online to subscribers.

The Paris Review Quarterly

Another legendary journal, the Review is based not in Paris but in the New York literary scene. But it has a global reach, with a remarkable 60-year history that includes some of the first published appearances of many literary heroes. Fiction and poetry ramble through the pages, offering surprises and delights at every turn.

Our favorite feature: “The Art of Fiction,” an ongoing series of lengthy interviews with the world’s great writers, all of which are archived on the Review ’s website.

McSweeney’s / The Believer McSweeney’s: Quarterly The Believer: 6 issues per year

Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern is a unique literary journal. Founded by writer Dave Eggers in 1998, the periodical changes design—and even form—with each issue. It may appear as a magazine, a book, or an objet d’art, and the contents are equally eclectic. This is one publication that is never dull.

The Believer is a newer offshoot from the same publisher, containing interviews, essays, and reviews. Although it sticks to a standard magazine format, it has the same irreverent spirit as McSweeney’s .

Our favorite feature: When every issue of McSweeney’s is completely different inside and out, it can’t help but change the way you look at literature.

Radio Silence Print: 2 issues per year Digital: monthly

Proclaiming itself “a magazine of literature and rock & roll,” Radio Silence is a new publication out of San Francisco that blends a literary journal with a hip music mag, exploring the many ways these two arts interact. Radio Silence has already won a prestigious Pushcart Prize for small press excellence and presents sharp writing by top names.

Our favorite feature: Radio Silence challenges the notion of medium. There’s a semi-annual print journal, a monthly digital magazine, supplementary audio, and even live events.

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Want to Write for Reader’s Digest? 10 Things You Need to Know

• January 26, 2024
• 28 Comments

These ten tips for getting an article published in Reader’s Digest will help you understand and follow the magazine submission guidelines for freelance writers.

I’ve written several articles for Reader’s Digest ; my editor taught me more about writing magazine articles and query letters than any other editor I’ve worked with. Below are the best tips for writers, including my own experiences writing for Reader’s Digest and other magazines.

Looking at the cover of a recent Reader’s Digest will tell you almost everything you need to know about writing for this magazine. Put yourself in Sherlock Holmes’ shoes, and look for the clues that are plastered all over the front page.

What are the articles about? Who are the readers, what do they want to learn about, what scares them? What problems, anxieties, and worries are they dealing with? What types of feature articles, health quizzes and research shorts are profiled on the cover? That’s how to write an article for  Reader’s Digest : answer questions and solve problems for the readers.

Here’s another interesting fact about writing for Reader’s Digest : when I went to Amazon to look for an annual print subscription to this magazine, all I found were Large Print issues. The regular print issues are only available on Kindle or digitally. What does this tell you about the publishers and editors? Put your businessperson’s hat on: what decisions need to be made about advertising, market share, the cost of printing paper magazines, and the readership?

You don’t need to know all the answers to my questions about writing for Reader’s Digest . Just know that the editors aren’t only thinking about your story, profile, or feature article. They’re thinking about the problems their readers have, what their readers need to know, and how to keep their readers coming back for more.

The editors and publishers – of all magazines, not just Reader’s Digest – are also thinking about attracting new readers, finding more advertisers, and even hiring aspiring freelance writers like you!

10 Writing Tips From My Reader’s Digest Editor

Writing for Reader’s Digest was my most rewarding job as a freelancer. My editor helped me pitch better query letters, find more solid research studies and think from the readers’ perspective. She also reviewed and edited my articles over the phone, which improved my writing immensely . It also showed me how she as an editor viewed the articles, magazine, and big picture.

Not all writers get this perspective; I have no idea how I got so lucky! And if you’ve seen this magazine’s submission guidelines (which you can find by searching for “how to submit an article to Reader’s Digest “), you know that writing for Reader’s Digest is a competitive business. But good news! My tips will help you get your articles published in more magazines than you have time to write for.

1. Keep your opinion to yourself

When I’m writing for Reader’s Digest , I’ve learned not to provide a running commentary. I don’t editorialize or share my opinions on the content of the article, profile, research short – or even my own story. This is the classic “show, don’t tell” advice. Everything in your pitch and the article must be solid information that sources or experts actually told, gave, or showed you. Even if you’re writing about your own experience, share what happened. Use your sensory details to fire up your writing .

2. Use reputable, provable experts or sources

If you can, talk in person to local sources who are considered authorities on your topic. I always include interview dates, names, email addresses, phone numbers and website urls in the footnotes that source my experts. Not every editor requires this; one of the other magazines I write for recently told me not to bother footnoting or even citing my sources. But if you’re pitching a query letter or writing an article for Reader’s Digest , submit all your source information (even if the contributor’s guidelines don’t state this).

3. Only quote from primary sources

A direct quote is in quotation marks (for example, “I love writing Reader’s Digest because they pay a dollar a word!”). A primary source is someone you see or talk to in person. You can also quote from a book, magazine article, research journal, or even a blog post or website. A secondary source is a “he said/she said” experience (for example, “Laurie said she found the Reader’s Digest submission guidelines for writers.”). If you can’t or don’t feel like talking experts or sources directly, you can only directly quote from press releases, journal articles, or recognized sources such as the Canadian government or the FDA.

If you already know you don’t want to be a freelance writer because it really is a ton of work, read 10 Careers for Writers Who Want to Make Money . There are thousands of options for aspiring writers who aren’t interested in reading the submission guidelines and pitching query letters to Reader’s Digest or other magazines.

4. Be specific in your query letter and article

Avoid vague, imprecise, dreamy descriptions when you’re writing for Reader’s Digest or any magazine. For example, don’t write “someone quit her job to move somewhere else.” Instead, be concrete and specific: “a writer in Vancouver, Canada quit her job tending sheep to move to New York City to pursue her dream of a freelance writing career.”

Answer these questions: What’s his name? What city does he live in? How old is he? What job did he quit? What dream is he pursuing? What made him quit his job? Is he a short or a tall man? Pretend you’re a curious reader.

6. Guard your sources’ privacy

Tell your Reader’s Digest editor the real names of the people in your anecdotes, but indicate whether their names should be protected for privacy’s sake. Also, never make up stories or people or places – unless you’re writing fiction for Reader’s Digest . Check the submission or contributor’s guidelines for their rules.

7. Never ignore an email from a Reader’s Digest editor!

Don’t do what I did. My Reader’s Digest editor sent me an assignment – which I hadn’t even pitched a query letter for – and I was like all “yay!” But I didn’t tell her that. I didn’t acknowledge her email or accept the assignment. My editor had to send me another email asking if I wanted to write the article for Reader’s Digest or if she should assign it to someone else. Fellow scribes, always acknowledge emails — even the thousands of rejection letters you’ll inevitably get from editors and publishers if you’re a real writer .

8. Make sure your headline and introduction grabs readers

Writing strong headlines (article titles and even paragraph subtitles) is one of the best ways to get your article published in Reader’s Digest . Speak directly to the need or problem the reader has. Be clear and specific about what they’ll learn, how they’ll benefit, or why they need to read your article (sometimes known as the “takeaway”).

Know your main point, present it clearly and compellingly, and stay focused. Learn how to write titles and intros that grip readers by the throat !

9. Be EAGER to edit, revise, rewrite your work

The most important thing you need to know about writing for Reader’s Digest (and getting repeat assignments from editors) is to eagerly, enthusiastically tackle revisions of your work. Do not think if your magazine article, query letter, or even an excerpt or book chapter of your memoir as “your baby.” It is your work , not your baby. You created it – and you may even have birthed it! But it is not perfect, and an editor can make it better. I don’t know if this writing tip is in the Reader’s Digest submission guidelines for contributors, but it should be. The only way to truly grow as a writer is to edit, revise, and rewrite your articles again and again and again.

10. Tailor your writing to Reader’s Digest readers

My Reader’s Digest editor was one of the first to directly tell me her preferred way of receiving query letters from freelance writers. One of the most valuable questions you could ask a magazine editor or book publisher – especially on the phone or face-to-face (such as at a writer’s conference) – is how they like to be queried. “How do you like your pitches? Long? Short? Detailed? Summarized? Should I interview experts first, or can I just name them?”

Get a subscription to Reader’s Digest magazine. I asked my editor for a year’s worth of back issues, and she sent them! For free.

In 11 Most Popular Articles to Write for Magazines | Tips for Freelance Writers I share different types of articles to write, to help you get published in the right magazine.

My list includes feature length stories, roundups, personality profiles, research shorts, human interest pieces, and “how to” articles. I also included examples of magazines that publish each type of article. Whether you’re an aspiring freelance writer or an established author you’ll find lots of ideas in this list.

When you’re ready to submit your article or pitch an idea to the editors, go to the Reader’s Digest Contributor’s Submissions page on RD.com.

Bonus writing tip from my Reader’s Digest editor…

Don’t use proper names as verbs. “We don’t Xerox, we photocopy ,” she said. This is a common writing mistake that doesn’t just apply to making print copies of stuff. Maybe you’ve heard of the “catsup versus ketchup” wars.

Have you tried writing for Reader’s Digest ? Maybe you found the contributor’s or writer’s submission guidelines on the magazine’s website, and felt overwhelmed or unworthy. Or maybe you’ve pitched multiple query letters and keep getting rejected. Feel free to share your experience below…

Want to write for magazines such as Reader’s Digest , but don’t know what to write about? Read How to Find Article Ideas That Editors Will Pay to Publish .

Need encouragement? Get my weekly update!

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28 thoughts on “Want to Write for Reader’s Digest? 10 Things You Need to Know”

I want to sell my valuable health, true love stories and nature articles to your magazine.how I do it. Please give me a opportunity to do it. I have most valuable information about secret medicine methods,

How do you come up with article ideas now, with new forms of software? I have trouble thinking up ideas to pitch to magazines like Readers Digest. What about artificial intelligence platforms to generate writing ideas?

Great question, Mark, I’m glad you asked! I just wrote a blog post for writers curious about ChatGPT and other forms of AI in their writing.

ChatGPT for Writers: How to Use AI in Your Writing https://www.theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/chatgpt-for-writers-how-to-use-ai-in-writing/

I hope it helps, and wish you all the best getting published in magazines like Reader’s Digest.

– Laurie

I have often thought of freelancing but feel overwhelmed with all of the information. Writing for Readers Digest as a beginner is solid advice; but here too, the info is overwhelming. As I write this I feel panicky about the very idea of writing for RD or for any other publication. My mind is blank. There’s too much to take in.

What do you suggest I do; what’s my first step to gain the confidence that I can do it?

I started to write a reply, then realized I need to write a whole blog post. Too many thoughts and ideas 🙂

You inspired me to write The First Step to Gaining Confidence as a New Freelance Writer https://www.theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/how-to-gain-confidence-for-new-freelancers/

I hope it helps you gain confidence to write articles you love for magazines such as Reader’s Digest.

Keep me posted; I’d love to know how your writing is progressing.

I have been purchasing Reader’s Digests since I was 12 years old (with my allowance and babysitting money). I have been sending you stories for many many years, but I have never received a reply. I have sent you 5 fabulous stories in the last few months: (1) “Bob Social”, (2) “Three Sisters Together at Last” – this one could be a question to readers as to whether or not they agree with me – (work with me on this one). (3) Peaches & Cream”, (4) “Prisoner of War Love Story” with photo of Myra and her father in Germany. (Could I please have that photograph back. At the last minute I became happy that you might want to include it. I should have made a copy.) (5) “Watching You”, which is a fabulous story with a twisted ending. I am hoping that these comments get to the right person finally. My Email address is [email protected] ..

Hi Sandra, I don’t work for Reader’s Digest, so can’t help you with this. But your article ideas sound interesting! I hope you get published with them one day. Sometimes it just takes repeated effort. Good luck with your writing, Laurie

Thank you for the tips.

Thanks for the tips. I am new to writing and really love the style of writing in RD. It is witty, engaging and educational while being succint. Any tips to write like an RD writer?

Thanks for the tips. I have a question about rejection/acceptance. I was told that RD will not acknowledge submissions – nor let you know if rejected. The only communication will be “if/when” they decide to publish it. However, there is no timeline given. How long must one wait before deciding to submit to another magazine for publishing? Is it safe to say that if I don’t hear back in 3 months, then I can safely send the same submission to someone else? Thank you in advance for your time and input.

I am a death doula…my first experience was life transforming and I have written about it…five pages. Would you be interested in my story?

Thank you. Lots of constructive information.

Very helpful, thank you! Lots of inside “stuff”… for us newbies wanting to write for RD.

Writer's Digest Books

Learn to write to the best of your ability with the industry’s best writing books covering fiction writing, nonfiction writing, professional advice on writing novels, poetry writing and more. Whether you need to improve your writing skills, perfect grammar and punctuation, better your short story plots or learn how to get published…we’ve got you covered. 

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Writer's Market 100th Edition

Robert lee brewer.

Guide to Literary Agents 30th Edition

Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market 33rd Edition

Poet's Market 34th Edition

Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 40th Edition

Everyone Has What It Takes

William kenower.

Funny You Should Ask

Barbara poelle, holly root.

Writer's Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing

Kerrie flanagan, angela mackintosh.

Writing Better Lyrics

Pat pattison.

Writing Picture Books Revised and Expanded Edition

Ann whitford paul.

The Emotional Craft of Fiction

Donald maass.

Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond

The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing

Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction

Orson scott card, philip athans, jay lake.

Creating Characters

Writer's digest books, steven james.

Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot

Jane k. cleland, hallie ephron.

The Byline Bible

Susan shapiro, peter catapano.

How To Write A Page-Turner

Jordan rosenfeld.

The Secrets of Character

Putting the Fact in Fantasy

Scott lynch, dan koboldt.

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Benny Blanco Lists His Modern NYC Home for $4 Million

By Megan Johnson

Benny Blanco might be changing his tune on New York City. The acclaimed songwriter and producer, 36, just listed his condo in Manhattan ’s Chelsea neighborhood for $3.995 million, Realtor.com reports . We’re guessing the “Single Soon” hitmaker will be spending more time at his West Coast digs, which AD toured just last month . (Come for the candy bar, stay for the customized pizza oven emblazoned with his last name.)

The maestro, whose girlfriend Selena Gomez famously solves crimes in another historic New York residence on her Hulu series Only Murders in the Building , put a contemporary spin on the gut renovated three-bedroom, three-bathroom corner unit. The residence measures 2,154 square feet and is located inside the Chelsea Mercantile, a 19-story building constructed in 1908.

Guests are welcomed by a grand foyer and are ushered down a hallway leading to a bright living and dining area topped by 11-foot ceilings. Natural light streams in through seven-foot-high windows. The chef’s kitchen is open and filled with top-of-the-line appliances, as one might expect from the bona fide foodie and cookbook author.

Tucked behind nine-foot white oak doors is the luxurious primary bedroom, featuring a walk-in closet with ample storage, a windowed desk area for burning the midnight oil, and a spa -like bathroom. A third bedroom, which could easily function as an office, features white oak bookcases and a Murphy bed.

Get the look, inspired by Benny’s eclectic LA home

As is the case with many lavish condo buildings, full-service amenities add an extra dose of luxury to this property. They run the gamut from the expected (a 24-hour doorman, garage, and gym) to the ultra-high-end (a 10,000-square-foot landscaped roof deck and valet service.) While that’s all great, the most useful perks might just be the in-unit washer and dryer and the 712-cubic-foot storage room across the hall.

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Former Million Dollar Listing star Fredrik Eklund shares the listing with John Gomes and Jacqueline Wilde of Douglas Elliman.

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Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall Street’s retreat

Currency traders work near the screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Currency traders work under the screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A currency trader watches monitors near the screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

People pass the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in New York. Wall Street was poised to open with losses as some major dealmaking and a handful of earnings reports fill the news void until Friday’s latest inflation report. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

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Shares retreated Thursday in Asia after U.S. stocks fell under the weight of higher yields in the bond market, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average giving up more than 400 points.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 benchmark shed 1.5% to 37,980.55 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong declined 0.6% to 18,362.23.

The Shanghai Composite index edged less than 0.1% higher to 3,113.06.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.4% to 7,632.10, while the Kospi in Seoul sank 0.9% to 2,652.98.

Taiwan’s Taiex lost 0.8%.

“Hotter and stickier than expected global inflation appears to be taking the air out of asset markets,” Mizuho Bank said in a commentary. “In other words, “Goldilocks” coming undone. And worries about adverse demand impact from higher rates seeping through,” it said.

On Wednesday, the S&P 500 dipped 0.7%, to 5,266.95, trimming its gain for May, which had been on track to be its best month since November. Four out of every five stocks in the index dropped.

The Dow industrials lost 1.1% to 38,441.54 and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.6% to 16,920.58 after setting its latest all-time high.

American Airlines Group led a slump for airline stocks after cutting its forecast for profit and other financial targets for the spring. The carrier said fuel costs may be a bit lower than previously thought, but an important revenue trend would likely be as well. Shares fell 13.5%.

ConocoPhillips fell 3.1% after it said it would buy Marathon Oil in an all-stock deal valuing the company at $22.5 billion, including $5.4 billion of net debt. It’s the latest big deal for an industry that’s seen several buyout announcements recently. Marathon Oil rose 8.4%.

Advance Auto Parts sank 11% after its results and revenue for the latest quarter came up just shy of analysts’ expectations.

Another climb in longer-term Treasury yields also weighed on the stock market, and the 10-year yield rose to 4.61% from 4.54% late Tuesday following an auction of $44 billion in seven-year Treasurys.

The 10-year yield is still down for the month, but it’s been creeping higher since dropping below 4.40% in the middle of May. Higher Treasury yields hurt prices for all kinds of investments.

This month’s swings in yields have also come as traders recalibrate their expectations for when the Federal Reserve could begin cutting its main interest rate , which is at its highest level in more than two decades.

With inflation stubbornly higher, traders have had to delay their too-optimistic forecasts for rate cuts several times this year.

The Fed is trying to pull off the balancing act of grinding down on the economy just enough through high interest rates to get inflation fully under control, but not so much that it leads to widespread layoffs.

A report from the Fed released Wednesday said that it’s heard from businesses and other contacts around the country that consumers are pushing back against more increases to prices. That in turn is eating into companies’ profits as their own costs for insurance and other expenses continue to rise.

Despite worries about cracks showing in spending by U.S. consumers, particularly those making lower incomes , economists at BNP Paribas expect a healthy job market, slowing inflation and even gains made by some investors in cryptocurrencies to help support the main engine of the economy.

U.S. stocks have been continuing to set records despite worries about interest rates staying high in part because stocks related to artificial-intelligence technology keep rising. Nvidia’s latest blowout profit report helped drive the frenzy even higher. After briefly dipping in morning trading, it rose 0.8% Thursday for its most modest gain since its profit report..

On the winning side of Wall Street was Dick’s Sporting Goods, which jumped 15.9% after topping analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue in the latest quarter. The retailer also raised its forecast for profit over the full year.

Chewy, an online seller of pet supplies, likewise reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than expected, and its stock jumped 27.1%.

In other dealings, U.S. benchmark crude oil added 11 cents to $79.34 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude, the international standard, was up 8 cents at $83.51 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar slipped to 157.42 Japanese yen from 157.65 yen. The euro fell to $1.0800 from $1.0803.

AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, currently undergoing treatment

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, announced over the weekend that she has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer .

In a statement posted to X on Sunday, Lee, 74, said that her doctors have confirmed pancreatic cancer and that she is being treated.

"I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease," Lee said in the statement. "The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me."

Jackson Lee has been in office since 1995 representing Texas' 18th District in the House of Representatives. Now in her 15th term in Congress, Jackson Lee is a member of the House judiciary, homeland security and budget committees and is a member of the judiciary subcommittee on crime, terrorism and homeland security.

In her statement, Jackson Lee made no mention of stepping down, writing that she is instead "committed to working with our Congressional leadership including Leader Hakeem Jefferies and the Speaker of the House to serve this nation and be present for votes on legislation that is critical for the prosperity and security of the American people."

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Health: Americans have 40% chance of getting cancer. Who's most at risk and how can you prevent it?

What is the survival rate of pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the pancreas, an organ that lies behind the lower part of the stomach and makes enzymes that help digest food and manage blood sugar.

According to the Mayo Clinic , the most common type is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which begins in the cells that line ducts that carry digestive enzymes out of the pancreas.

Pancreatic cancer is rarely found in the early stages because it does not cause symptoms until after it has spread to other organs.

The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is about 13% , according to the American Cancer Society, based on the combined surveillance, epidemiology and end results treatment stages. Pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers in the United States and about 7% of all cancer deaths, the American Cancer Society reports.

The disease claimed the lives of Jerry Springer, Alex Trebek, Aretha Franklin, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other public figures.