If you know a thing or two about wildlife and nature, your niche in the freelance marketplace might be well served in these types of magazines. Many of the top wildlife and nature magazines are written primarily by freelancers, which is fortunate. They often accept unsolicited manuscripts and queries and are likely to take a chance on a newbie.

There are hundreds of wildlife and nature magazine markets if you take the time to browse the shelves. Of course, each focuses on a particular area of this broad subject, but that doesn’t limit the opportunities. You could write a kid’s nature article for Ranger Rick, then switch gears and write about kangaroos on Rottnest Island for National Wildlife Magazine. The possibilities are nearly infinite, specially if you like researching nature and wildlife.

Focusing on a Particular Region

Since you will need a unique topic to pitch to wildlife and nature magazine markets, you might consider specializing on the natural wildlife of a particular region of the world. For example, Amy Hentley is a UK-based freelance writer who has penned dozens of articles for major wildlife and nature magazines on habitats in Scotland. You could choose to write about your own neck of the woods or branch out to learn about somewhere else.

Focusing on a Particular Animal or Plant

Many freelance writers who target wildlife and nature magazine markets focus on a specific animal or plant. This can make your options less broad, but it can also earn you a popular name in the genre. For example, if you grew up raising horses on your grandfather’s farm, you could easily write about wild horses for Equus or Horse Illustrated. The same thing goes for a botanist who has studied rare vines and wants to publish a series of articles in Organic Gardening.

Focusing on Natural Resources

A very hot topic in the world of wildlife and nature magazine markets is natural resources, as well as the ecology surrounding the hunt for new fuel options and habitat destruction. If you consider yourself a wildlife activist — or even if you don’t — you could form a lucrative career writing for magazines about natural resources. Just make sure you stay on top of the news and include new developments in your articles.

Focusing on Photography

Perhaps you don’t enjoy writing so much as taking beautiful pictures of nature and wildlife, which could be a great way to target these magazine markets. Creating photo essays of a particular region or animal or plant is a great way to support yourself and gain national recognition. You’ll need to be able to write colorful captions and you’ll need professional photography equipment, but that doesn’t mean it’s beyond your reach.