Do you want to find readers for your essay writing? If so, you’re probably looking for somewhere to publish essays online.
Essays are different from many other forms of writing because they often focus on opinions, ideas, experiences, or observations. But finding somewhere to publish them isn’t always easy.
That’s why online publishing is such an attractive option. There are several platforms where you can publish essays for free, either immediately or by submitting your work for consideration.
The best choice depends on what you want from publishing. You might want to build an audience, publish under your own name, create a home for your writing, or submit your work to a literary publication.
The choices you have to publish your essays
Luckily, you have plenty of options for publishing your essays online or submitting them for publication.
If you want to quickly share your thoughts and ideas with a wide audience, online publishing platforms give you the benefit of publishing quickly.
Another advantage is that you can often use multiple platforms.
However, if you publish your work on more than one platform, it pays to use a different title and lightly edit the text.
If you write essays regularly, you might find the best solution is to set up your own space on the web.
You don’t need anything elaborate or expensive.
You can use a free blogging platform and publish as often as you like, without worrying about submitting each essay for approval.
Getting published in print still has prestige value. If you want to go that way, you need to be patient.
It can take some time for your submission to be evaluated, and it doesn’t always end with an acceptance.
The choice is up to you. To help you decide on the best course to take, here are some of the best options to consider.
10 Options To Publish Essays Online And Offline
Online Publishing Platforms
1. Spillwords
Spillwords is an online literary publication and writing community that accepts a wide range of work. It includes essays, nonfiction, articles, editorials, and commentary.
You can submit your work for consideration without paying a submission fee. It’s a good option if you want your essay to appear as part of an established online literary publication rather than publishing it on your own site.
2. Vocal
Vocal is a free publishing platform where writers can publish stories, essays, and other forms of written content.
It combines publishing with a creator community and offers opportunities to earn money based on readership. It’s worth considering if you want to publish your essays, build an audience, and potentially earn from your writing.
3. LinkedIn
LinkedIn isn’t just for resumes and professional networking. You can also publish longer-form articles directly on the platform.
It can be an excellent choice for essays about careers, business, work, education, technology, or professional experiences. Your articles become part of your LinkedIn profile.
That makes it easy for your existing network and other LinkedIn users to discover your writing.
4. Quora Spaces
Quora Spaces allow you to create a dedicated space around a subject and publish your own content.
This can work particularly well for essays based on questions, opinions, experiences, or areas of personal interest. Quora is built around questions and answers, which can provide a way to connect your essays with readers already interested in your subject.
5. Tumblr
Tumblr is a free blogging and social platform where you can publish text, images, links, and other types of content.
It can be a good choice for shorter essays and personal writing, particularly if you want to build a collection of work and interact with other writers and readers. You can publish your essays without waiting for approval.
Publishing Yourself
6. Blogger
Blogger is a long-established free blogging platform from Google. You can create your own blog and publish your essays online whenever you like, giving you much more control over your writing and publishing.
It’s a straightforward option if you want a permanent online home for your essays without paying for hosting or dealing with the technical work involved in setting up your own website.
7. WordPress.com
WordPress.com lets you create a free website or blog and publish your essays online without having to manage web hosting or technical details.
You can use it as a simple writing site, build up a collection of essays over time, and share your posts with readers. The free plan has some limitations, but it’s an easy starting point for new writers.
8. Bear Blog
Bear Blog is a minimalist blogging platform designed to put the emphasis on writing rather than complicated website features.
You can create a very simple blog and publish your essays without dealing with a lot of technical clutter. It’s particularly appealing if you want a quiet, lightweight place on the web to build an archive of your writing.
Literary Magazines And Essay Publications
9. CRAFT
CRAFT is an online literary publication that publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, and essays about writing and the craft of literature. Its nonfiction submissions include personal essays and other forms of creative nonfiction.
Unlike an instant publishing platform, your work needs to be accepted for publication. However, successful contributors gain the benefit of appearing in an established literary publication.
Check the CRAFT submission guidelines
10. Adelaide Literary Magazine
Adelaide Literary Magazine publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, including several types of essays.
It accepts submissions from writers and provides another route for getting an essay published as part of a literary magazine. Submission guidelines and requirements can change, so check the current guidelines before sending your work.
Check the Adelaide Literary Magazine submission guidelines
Summary
If you want to find readers for your essays, you have plenty of options you can try.
Your choice will depend on your goals and the type of readers you would like to attract.
Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to one option. You can experiment with several and see which ones work best for you.
While this article focuses on essays, some of the platforms mentioned accept other forms of writing if you write in different fields or genres.
Related Reading: Sites Where You Can Publish Poetry Online
English teacher, writer, and author. Passionate about grammar, creative writing, and self-publishing. Always exploring new tools and tech to help writers succeed.
