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By Michael Wong | January 10, 2021.
4. Backpacker Magazine (Visit backpackermagazine):
- Earn 40¢ to $1 per word, freelance writing for Backpacker magazine, which primarily covers hiking. When warranted, Backpacker cover canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and other human powered modes of travel.
- About 50% of Backpacker features and more than half of the departments and web stories are written by freelancers.
- Word counts vary widely from 1,500 to 5,000 or more words but most contain a full Expedition Planner sidebar (contact, permit, season, hazards, map, guidebook, and other useful information)
- Departments:
- Freelancers most often break into Backpacker in the departments, which are shorter assignments (100 to 1,200 words) that have specific topics and focus.
- Life List: Short essay about an awesome trip that every reader should add to their list (300 to 400 words).
- Done in a Day: One hike in each of the three regions that falls within an alluring, rewarding conceit that can be finished in a day, including drive time from major cities (500 words).
- Weekend: Killer weekend trips in your region for 1 to 2 nights, 6 to 10 miles a day, within striking distance of a major city, and seasonally appropriate for the month.
- Skills: Advice for essential hiking and adventure skills, with information targeted to help both beginners and experts.
- Gear: Short reviews of gear that has been field tested.
- Online only: Backpacker assign web only content to freelancers.
- Best Lists: (think Buzzfeed)
- Slideshows
- Ask an Expert
- Publishing frequency: 9 issues annually, one of which is the Gear Guide (April)
- Circulation: 340,000 (2008)
- Lead time:
- 6 months+ for print
- 1 month+ for online
- Earnings paid on acceptance.
- Rights bought: All rights.
- Earnings per word: 40¢ to $1