Eight Good Markets for Writers Abroad, Part Two

Whether you’re living abroad or just dreaming of it, the following are good markets to consider for your work. For Part One in this series, visit my guest post over on The Urban Muse.

5) Expat Lit 

Expatlit is a new literary magazine designed especially for writers living abroad. The journal is published twice a year in the spring and fall and they accept short fiction, essays, poetry, and visual art. While they don’t yet pay their contributors, they do accept previously published work. 

6) Transitions Abroad

Transitions Abroad is a webzine for people living (and traveling) abroad. Besides sponsoring several yearly contests including the Expatriate and Work Abroad Writing Contest , they look for articles that provide practical information on living and traveling abroad. They are currently looking for articles on working abroad, studying and student travel abroad, living abroad, and budget travel. For more information, see the writer’s guidelines.

7) The New York Times Magazine Lives Column

Search previously published Lives essays, and you’ll see that a lot of them have an international angle—dealing with H1N1 in China, talking about being a refugee in Eritrea and Ethiopia, having a picnic in North Korea. These topics are all good signs that despite being a competitive market (they currently receive around 4,000 submission for 52 slots a year), as a writer abroad, you may have a slight advantage if your essay has an international slant.

8) English Language Publications in Your Country

Ok, this is vague because I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but it seems that many countries have magazines especially written for the expat/English speaking market. These are perfect publications for you to target because the writing competition will be lower. In Switzerland, for example, the population of foreigners is about 1.6 million, so the number of writers you’re competing with will be much lower than if you pitch a U.S. publication. Don’t forget websites and radio stations either. I can’t speak for other countries, but in Switzerland, some English-language media to consider are:

Swiss News (the National English Journal of Switzerland)

Inside Switzerland (Fashion and Style in Switzerland)

Hello Switzerland (general magazine with articles written by expats)

World Radio Switzerland (the only English radio station)

Swiss Info (news website written in about nine languages)

Keep in mind that some publications can't pay you unless you already have a valid work permit.

Are you a writer abroad? If so, what markets have you found accepting of your work?