Do you have a great personal story or anecdote to share? Then you’ll be interested to learn about personal essay markets. Personal essays give a “slice of life” and are sometimes funny, or poignant, or even have a more profound message.

Keep in mind there are other, terrific places to look for personal essay markets that may be right under your nose. Consider local and regional magazines, which sometimes save the last page in their publication for a personal essay. Some local parenting magazines also have a personal essay. You may stumble across markets simply by reading your favorite magazine, newspaper or blogs!

Chicken Soup for the Soul 

Chicken Soup for the Soul books feature personal essays often on themed topics, of about 1K to 1500 words. At their website, you will find a section of “possible book topics” so you can submit for upcoming books they will publish soon.

Payment: $200 and 10 copies of the book

Details: http://www.chickensoup.com/

Christian Science Monitor - The Home Forum 

Their Home Forum is seeking upbeat personal essays of 400 to 800 words. Short poems are also welcomed.

Payment: information not provided

Details: https://www.csmonitor.com/About/Contributor-guidelines/Contributor-Guidelines-The-Home-Forum

FATE 

They want your perspective and stories about unique experiences - from ghost hunting, UFO sightings and more.

Payment: $50 an article

Details: http://www.fatemag.com/

Good Old Days 

This is a magazine about "the good old days" from about 1935 to 1960, so they want your stories in a variety of topics in this time period. It is especially ideal if you have photos to go with the stories that you share. Stories are 600 to 1K in length.

Payment: they do offer payment, it varies, depending on what type of rights to the story you are selling.

Details: https://www.goodolddaysmagazine.com/

Dame Magazine 

On their website they state "We cover politics, reproductive rights, policy, civil rights, race, sex, class, gender, LGBTQ, disability, class, media, law, cultural trends, and more." They are seeking personal, first-person essays, as well as other types of features.

Payment: information is not provided.

Details: https://www.damemagazine.com/about/#submission-guidelines

Modern Love - The New York Times 

The New York Times is looking for personal essays about love and romance, from different perspectives. Essays should be about 1500 to 1700 in length.

Payment: information is not provided

Details: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/fashion/howtosubmit_modernlove.html