Hasta La Ideas

As a 125-year-old publication with a legacy name, Good Housekeeping may, at the outset, conjure images of aproned housewives checking on the roast with one hand while feeding the baby with the other. But this is how editor-in-chief Jane Francisco contextualizes the pub’s name for contemporary women: “Good Housekeeping represents a world in which home is the launchpad for our lives. It’s the place we get ready to face the world, where we entertain our friends, take care of our families, relax, pamper ourselves, and express our creativity and personality.”

Health is one topic of particular interest to the editors. If you have experience covering this subject, it is what you’ll want to pitch to the magazine:

Editors are especially committed to highlighting gripping health pieces, one of the most popular sections of the magazine. Stories don’t have to be the writer’s own — they can also be as-told-to — but they should have an interesting medical angle. Provide a full background of potential feature candidates — names; ages; occupations; hometowns; marital statuses; children, if any — and a brief but informative summary of their story. Photos that illustrate their journeys are also helpful. Health articles can range from 800 to 4,000 words, but editors are looking for ideas from serious health journalists and reporters with experience in heavy research and the clips to prove it.

For more, including information on other sections open to freelancers, read: How To Pitch: Good Housekeeping

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