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Story Topics

All story ideas can be sent to editor@womenspress.com with “Story Idea” in subject line. If you want to report a story, please include 2-3 links to past work. Essayists do not have to have previously published works; we work with about 50 different writers in a year. See more details below on submission guidelines.

2026 Series (print and digital)

  • “This Is Us” — storytelling about immigrant roots in Minnesota
  • “Violence Prevention” — domestic violence, sexual assault, guns
  • “Collective Health” — mental and physical well-being, caregiving
  • “The Eco” — re-imagining local ecosystems and economies
  • “Future Forward” — systems change, especially from the perspectives of Minnesotans under 30 
  • “250 Years” — where we’ve been as a country, and where we want to go 

Thank you for your interest in writing for or sharing story ideas with Minnesota Women’s Press.

Minnesota Women’s Press is a mix of the work of intersectional and intergenerational writers/reporters, combined with readers who have first-person stories to share. Some of the most poignant writing comes from women who might not have writing experience, but have personal life experiences to share. 

We have many more story ideas than we can support, and look for a blend of demographics, geographies, and unique feminist and creative lenses on a topic.

We ask for head shots submitted for all personal essays, and assign our photographer to featured stories.

Payment: As a free media platform we share unsolicited but values-aligned online commentaries with no payment. Reported stories are assigned and pay 20/cents a word. Most of our stories average 800 words.

Ethics: We rarely run stories that promote a person’s business or book/product, but when we do it is because it ties into an existing topic. We don’t tend to pay for those, since it is of mutual benefit to the individual’s work.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

The following guidelines were created to help you prepare your essay or letter for publication.

  • Essays are always written in the first person and are based on the writer’s personal experience or feelings about an issue or topic.
  • Submissions are for use online; we are transitioning to fewer print publications, based on underwriting support.
  • Please don’t submit ideas that don’t fit into one of our existing series; we have no funds to expand the scope unless there is specific underwriting (such as for arts coverage).
  • Our content tends to be original.
  • All of our writers live in Minnesota or have a strong Minnesota connection.
  • We do not tend to quote men or use them as experts. While we recognize the need to build community and tackle issues together, the genesis for this publication is that men have tended to get plenty of voice and this is a space for women and LGBTQ+ voices.
  • We edit for adherence to our AP-influenced style guide and for length. When time allows, we share revisions with the writer ahead of publication.
  • All essays should be submitted by email. .
  • We receive more submissions than we can publish, and we cannot always respond.