Freelance writing, Boy's Life, pays $400 to $1500 per article

WRITER’S GUIDELINES

BOYS’ LIFE is a general-interest, four-color monthly, circulation 1.1 million, published by the Boy Scouts of America since 1911. We buy first-time rights for original, unpublished material.

NONFICTION. Major articles run 500 to 1,500 words; payment is $400 to $1,500. Subject matter is broad. We cover everything from professional sports to American history to how to pack a canoe. A look at a current list of the BSA’s more than 100 merit badge pamphlets gives an idea of the wide range of subjects possible. Even better, look at a year’s worth of recent issues. Find the magazine in libraries and in BSA council offices. Query Senior Editor Paula Murphey.

Departments run up to 600 words; payment is $100 to $400. Department headings are science, nature, earth, health, sports, space and aviation, cars, computers, entertainment, pets, history, music—and others. Each issue uses seven departments, on average. We also have back-of-the-book how-to features. Query Associate Editor Brad Riddell.

FICTION. Our short stories are assignment-only. Please do not query or send manuscripts. Unsolicited manuscripts will be returned unread.

STYLE. All articles for BOYS’ LIFE must interest and entertain boys ages 6 to 18. Write for a boy you know who is 12. Our readers demand crisp, punchy writing in relatively short, straightforward sentences. The editors demand well-reported articles that demonstrate high standards of journalism. We follow The New York Times “Manual of Style and Usage.”

We receive approximately 40 queries and unsolicited nonfiction manuscripts per week. Because of our high standards, all of our articles are commissioned; thus, unsolicited nonfiction manuscripts rarely are appropriate for publication and regrettably must be returned unread. Please query by mail (with SASE), not by e-mail or phone.

Address: 1325 West Walnut Hill Lane, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079

More information here.