AARP Magazine, with its 37.3 million readers aged 50+, is a premier market for freelance writers. Known for content on health, personal finance, travel, and lifestyle, AARP actively seeks compelling story ideas. This guide outlines how to effectively pitch your story and article concepts.
Table of contents
AARP’s Audience and Content
Targeting individuals 50+, your pitch must resonate with their interests. Key themes include:
- Health & Wellness: Medical breakthroughs, fitness, nutrition, mental well-being.
- Personal Finance: Retirement planning, investments, budgeting, fraud prevention.
- Travel: Destinations, tips, unique experiences for seniors.
- Lifestyle: Relationships, hobbies, technology, community engagement.
AARP values “rejuvenating wit, intelligence, and delight.” Your story idea should be informative, inspiring, or offer practical value, aligning with this tone.
Crafting Your Pitch Letter
AARP prefers story idea letters for specific features or departments over full manuscripts. Your pitch is your crucial first impression:
- Concise Length: The story idea letter should be approximately one page long.
- Clear Concept: Articulate your story’s premise, its direct relevance to AARP’s 50+ audience, and your unique angle.
- Writing Samples: Always accompany your pitch with recent, strong writing samples to showcase your style and capability.
- AARP Voice: Ensure your idea and brief description align with the magazine’s intelligent, witty, and positive voice.
The Submission Process
Story ideas are typically submitted via email. AARP provides comprehensive writers’ guidelines on its official website, which are mandatory reading before pitching. These guidelines detail departmental needs and the preferred submission method. You can find this information by visiting aarp.org/about-aarp/info-05-20... or searching their site for “AARP writers’ guidelines.” The AARP Magazine team will review your submitted material.
Payment and Article Length
AARP is a highly competitive and paying market. Reports indicate competitive rates, with some sources mentioning “$1 A Word” for accepted articles. While your initial pitch is brief, successful proposals generally lead to full articles ranging between 600 and 1,. This makes AARP a potentially lucrative opportunity for freelance writers.
Key Tips for Success
- Thoroughly research AARP’s past content and current audience interests.
- Develop original, compelling ideas with a clear benefit to the 50+ demographic.
- Present a professional, concise, one-page pitch letter.
- Always include strong, relevant writing samples.
- Adhere strictly to the official writers’ guidelines found on AARP’s website.
