Submissions wanted (9/11, abortion care, dating, etc.) | $100 per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: OPEN SECRETS

Open Secrets is looking for 10 essays to round out its 2023 publishing schedule. This call for essay submissions will change as topics are filled so check back before submitting. Submissions will be open until all available slots are filled. Priority will be given to the most unique, dramatic, and compelling among the submissions we receive. Authors will receive $100/essay upon approval of final draft of essay preview in Substack.

Make sure you read several of our past essays to get a sense of the type of work we publish. Open to essays from authors located anywhere in the world, but must be able to receive payment via Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal, or else accept a free lifetime membership.

Open Secrets essays must be previously unpublished and between 1,000-1,500 words. They should be deeply personal and make readers feel like they've been given an intimate glimpse into the author's life. They should be about topics we haven't covered previously. We are looking for the kinds of essays that readers will remember and feel moved by long after they've finished reading. Open Secrets essays must contain a clear trajectory exploring how the author's life has changed over the course of the essay.

Open Secrets is open to essays on all personal experiences, and is especially looking to publish essays on the following topics:

For our new Stuff-ed vertical, Our relationship with our stuff, from hoarding to minimalism to collecting and other approaches - can be about a large collection of belongings, or a single item or subset of items. The focus here should be on the personal impact of your stuff and how that has affected one or more aspects of your life. Submissions on this topic with original photos are especially welcome.

• Accessing abortion care in a state that has banned or limited such care post-Roe v. Wade
• 9/11 - From a writer personally impacted by 9/11 about their experiences that day and the ongoing impact
• Essay by a veteran about your military experience and its ongoing impact
• Essay by a witch about Wicca/life as a witch
• Essay related to gratitude/thankfulness and/or the Thanksgiving holiday
• Work and career, especially looking for someone out of work due to the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes about that experience
• Dating and relationships, especially less publicized angles and unique takes

HOW TO SUBMIT:

Send Word or accessible Google doc that includes: Essay with headline, 1-line subhed, and bio for Author

At least 1 horizontal photo you have the rights to (with photo credit) OR a link to an Unsplash.com image URL - we are open to multiple original photos being included if available

Authors may use a pseudonym but must let editor know a pseudonym is being used.

Essayists retain the rights to their work. While we are not issuing contracts, we are informally requesting 90-day exclusivity from the date of publication and that Open Secrets be credited as the original source with any reprints.

You will hear back by December 15, 2023 at the latest.

Questions? Email opensecretsmag@gmail.com

If sufficient funding from paying subscribers allows, future open submission windows of will be posted here.

CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

Questions/submissions: opensecretsmag@gmail.com

Website: https://opensecretsmag.substack.com

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