Publication: Mother Jones
Topics: Culture, Media, Politics
Rate: From $1.75 per word (print) | From $0.75 per word (online)
Deadline: Rolling (focus on early 2026 relevance)
Editor: Sophia Murguia (Deputy Managing Editor)
Submit Via: Email – smurguia@motherjones.com

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Mother Jones is calling for pitches for their print culture section, Mixed Media. These assignments are 2,000-word essays blending reporting, cultural criticism, historical research, and/or personal narrative.

👉 What they don’t want: Standalone reviews or basic Q&As.
👉 What they do want: Reported essays with strong arguments, timely angles, and multiple credible sources.

Recent examples include pieces on the brutal aesthetics of the Mar-a-Lago face, the return of the refrigerator mother theory in wellness culture, and the celebrity memoir boom.

Payment: Print pieces start at $1.75 per word, while online starts at $0.75 per word. Writers are paid ⅓ on draft submission and the balance after publication.

📩 Pitch directly to Sophia Murguia at smurguia@motherjones.com.
Full guidelines here: Mother Jones Writer Guidelines

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What They’re Looking For:

• Reported essays (≈2,000 words) with a strong cultural/political/media angle
• Timely pieces relevant for the first issues of 2026
• Arguments supported by research, history, and reporting

Resources/Guides:

Examples of What They Publish:

• The brutal aesthetics of the “Mar-a-Lago face” by Inaê Oh
• The wellness influencer reviving the refrigerator mother theory by Chelsea Conaboy
• Who the celebrity memoir boom really serves by Emmeline Clein

How To Get This Client:

Mother Jones is one of the most respected U.S. magazines, but they’re picky. Don’t waste their time with generic ideas. Study their tone and past essays, then pitch something bold, deeply reported, and timely. Make your angle stand out—that’s how you get their attention.

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