RWJ is accepting pitches!

From sharing jobs to paying writers.

From the desk of editor-in-chief Melissa Tripp:

At Remote Writing Jobs, connecting writers to paid opportunities has always been essential but access alone doesn’t help writers navigate the field, reflect on their practice, or grow as professionals.

I knew I had to do more.

That’s why I’ve expanded the directory to include guest writers worldwide through my own in-house publication. Supporting the writing community goes beyond sharing jobs. It means investing in writers directly, amplifying underrepresented voices, and paying for original work myself.

This initiative builds on what RWJ already does. The directory still guides you to steady, well-paying gigs across the industry. Now, you can also pitch work to be featured here. My goal is to empower writers and publish pieces that illuminate the craft, culture, and business of writing today.

Editorial Focus

I’m seeking original stories that explore writing as both work and creative practice drawn from perspective, lived experience, and clear analysis to help writers see more deeply into the profession they’re building.

If your piece contributes constructively to that conversation, I want to read it.

I’m especially interested in work that fits within the following categories:

• Personal Essays (500-800 words): Reflections on your life as a writer and what you’ve learned along the way through the turning points, risks, and realities no one talks about. This includes process, craft, creative habits, setbacks, discipline, and the philosophies that shape your voice.

• Cultural Commentary (800-1,200 words): Observations about writing culture, creative communities, and the trends influencing the field. This includes industry insight, reporting, analysis, and deep dives that help writers understand how the business actually works including pay structures, publishing models, freelancing economics, platforms, and creative labor.

• Poetry: Poetry holds a special place here as my first love as a writer. It’s included in this publication as a distinct kind of work not bound by category or thematic constraint. I welcome poetry in any form, in whatever voice, rhythm, or structure it takes.

Commissioned pieces (excluding poetry) must fall between 500 and 1,200 words. This range allows me to compensate writers fairly and support more contributors over time.

(These examples showcase the quality of writing RWJ publishes and offer a clear sense of the voices and approaches that resonate with my audience.)

Compensation

I pay $1/word for all commissioned stories.

Word count and total payment are confirmed before drafting begins and writers are paid in full prior to publication.

Poetry is commissioned separately at a flat rate of $300 per accepted piece.

I’m proud to offer a fair rate that reflects the respect I have for the work writers do. Writing is often underpaid, expected for exposure, or offered at unsustainable rates. This publication was created, in part, to reject that standard.

Sustained by Support

This publication is funded entirely by paid subscriptions to Remote Writing Jobs offered at $15/month or $120/year.

That support allows me to not only maintain this directory but also commission original work, compensate writers fairly, and sustain RWJ as an independent, paying market.

As this grows, so does its capacity. Every paid subscription expands what RWJ can take on, how many writers I can say yes to, and how often new work can move from pitch to publication.

For those who want to contribute beyond a standard subscription, there’s a Founding Writer Ally option for $500+/year. This level of support helps strengthen RWJ’s long-term stability while also directly funding the in-house publication.

If you believe in the work I’m doing to champion the writing economy and want to help keep this one-woman outlet going, consider becoming a paid subscriber:

If you’d like to support in other ways, there are a few additional options below:

• Gift a subscription to a fellow writer as an investment in their craft and livelihood.

• Donate annual subscriptions to support writers who’ve submitted hardship requests that offer relief, continuity, and access during unstable seasons.

• Purchase an annual group subscription for writing teams, classrooms, organizations, and other collectives and get 20% off.

I also gratefully accept tips from those who want to support this initiative more directly. I know support can feel complicated from either side of the exchange. For a long time I carried some of that discomfort myself but I’ve come to understand that the things we value most are often sustained because people choose to support them. RWJ is both a mission and a livelihood and I’ve made peace with the fact that accepting support isn’t separate from the work. It’s part of what allows the work to continue. Those contributions help sustain the time, care, and attention it takes to keep RWJ and its in-house publication running.

Tipping options:

How to Pitch

If you believe your voice is a strong fit for this publication, I welcome your pitch at melissa@remotewritingjobs.org.

Please include:

• A working title

• A concise summary of the piece

• The central angle or takeaway

I don’t accept completed drafts. If your idea aligns with RWJ, I’ll invite you to submit the full piece. This ensures we’re aligned on direction, scope, and compensation before you invest the time and energy required to write it well.

If you’d like support shaping your pitch, I’ve created a guide called The Perfect Pitch: A Step-by-Step Guide to Landing the Writing Job. It walks you through crafting subject lines that get opened, clarifying your angle, and presenting your idea in a way that resonates with me as an editor. If you want your pitch to have the strongest possible chance of acceptance, it’s there to help.

Poetry may be submitted without pitch requirements. If you’re sending a poem, you may include it directly or as a file attachment in an email.

Response Time

Every pitch is read personally and considered in the context of the publication as a whole. I’m not only evaluating whether an idea is strong on its own but how it contributes to an ongoing conversation about writing as work, craft, and culture.

Because this is a one-woman editorial operation, I prioritize responding to pitches I’m most likely to move forward with. That means I’m not always able to respond individually or provide feedback on every submission.

You can typically expect to hear back within 2-3 weeks if your pitch is a potential fit. If more than three weeks have passed, a follow-up is always welcome.

Commissioning Schedule

The job directory remains the foundation of RWJ. This publication is a natural extension of that work meant to deepen the mission rather than distract from it.

To maintain focus and quality, I aim to commission 1–3 carefully selected pieces each month. This measured pace ensures every story receives the editorial attention it deserves while preserving the platform’s core purpose of helping writers find the work they need to sustain their careers.

Ownership & Credit

Writers maintain full ownership of their work.

All pieces (stories and poetry) must be original and unpublished elsewhere before appearing here. After publication, you’re free to republish or distribute your work as you choose.

Every piece includes your byline and a tip jar where readers can support you directly. RWJ’s role is to give your work visibility, pay you fairly, and honor your voice. Creative control remains with you.

Writer to Writer

Thank you for trusting me with your work and the vulnerability it takes to share it. Every story you send carries the power to shape how we think about writing and I’m honored to hold that space for you.

Advocacy in action,

Melissa Tripp, Founder of RWJ