The magazine was founded in 2013 by Anne Trubek, Belt Magazine is known for compelling longform reportage and poignant personal essays. They believe in quality over quantity and community over analytics, and they are dedicated to publishing thoughtful, nuanced writing by the region’s best writers—both new and established.

 

Pitch Guidelines for Belt Magazine

 

• Features ($300-$1k+):

They publish original reportage in the range of 1,200-3,000 words. They like stories with a compelling narrative and a strong sense of voice (don’t be shy about using the first person). Successful pitches will include a sense of any major narrative(s) and characters in the story, why it matters to Belt’s readers, who you are, why you’re the right person to write the piece, and how you plan to go about it. Pay varies significantly based on length, scope, and amount of reporting involved.

Send pitches, plus 2-3 clips of your best work, to editorial@beltmag.com, with the words “STORY PITCH” in the subject line.

 

• Essays ($100-$200):

Also, Belt Magazine publishes first-person essays on life in the Rust Belt and northern Midwest that resonate with a regional audience. They seek work that expresses what reporting can’t, that narrates an experience, event, or aspect of life in a personal way. Essays they seek should balance lively prose with nuance and emotion—think sentiment, not sentimentality.

Send completed essays to editorial@beltmag.com. Include the words “ESSAY SUBMISSION” in the subject line. Please also include a brief cover letter, with a short synopsis of the piece and a bit about yourself and your connection to the subject, in the body of your email. If you’ll be doing any reporting, outline that too.

 

• Poetry ($25-$50):

Belt is interested in poems with a strong sense of place, or poems that touch on an experience or feeling that will resonate beyond the author. Please submit up to five poems at a time to editorial@beltmag.com, with the words “POETRY SUBMISSION” in the subject line. Please include a short cover letter introducing yourself and your connection to the region.

• Photo Essays ($250+):

Please send images, along with an introduction or captions/descriptions to editorial@beltmag.com. Include the words “PHOTO ESSAY SUBMISSION” in the subject line. Please also include a brief cover letter, with a short synopsis of the piece and a bit about yourself and your connection to the subject, in the body of your email.

 

Payment

Belt pays for all original content. Checks will be sent no more than two weeks after publication. Women, writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, Native/Indigenous writers, and writers of all abilities are strongly encouraged to pitch and submit.