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Contributor Desk

PNW Daily — Contributor Desk   |   Open Enrollment   |   Pacific Northwest & Beyond

The PNW most writers never see

We started as a fishing TikTok channel. We built an audience of over 51 million by covering the Pacific Northwest that most journalists drive past on the way to their interviews. Now we’re opening the desk — to writers who actually know those roads.

We go to places most writers don’t because we don’t just WRITE about the PNW, we LIVE in the Pacific Northwest. We go fishing and outdoors with the folks most outlets don’t ever meet, while putting food on the table. That’s not a beat — that’s a point of view. That practical, common sense approach to life is what’s been missing from Pacific Northwest journalism.

— Brian Henderson, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, PNW Daily

Ground-Level. Not Ground-Based.

Most Pacific Northwest coverage is written from Seattle. It quotes the same officials, sources the same agencies, and reaches the same conclusions. The fishing communities, the timber towns, the tribal members, the ranchers, the hunters, the small business owners two hours from the nearest newsroom — they read it and don’t recognize themselves.

We want writers who have been in those rooms, on those boats, at those town halls. Writers who can get a quote from someone who’d never return a reporter’s call — because they’re not a stranger. We also want writers who understand entertainment, outdoors, lifestyle, and culture — not just hard news. The PNW is a full, complicated, beautiful, frustrating place. Cover it like it is.

The voices and beats we want more of
Outdoors & Recreation
Fishing, hunting, hiking, foraging, off-grid living. If you’re already out there, we want to hear about it.
Rural & Small-Town Communities
Timber country, agricultural valleys, small towns that don’t make the metro news cycle. These communities have stories worth telling.
Tribal & Indigenous
Nations, treaty rights, sovereignty, culture, and community. Perspectives that belong in the conversation and rarely get there.
Working Class & Labor
Trades, industry, the people keeping things running. The workforce stories most outlets skip over on the way to the press release.
Entertainment, Food & Culture
Music, food, festivals, nightlife, and local culture — especially outside the major metros. The PNW is more than Seattle.
Breaking News
Anywhere in the region — if you’re there and it’s happening, we want it. We run a 24/7 rolling newsroom.

Who This Is For

  • Journalists between roles who want active bylines on a high-traffic platform
  • Freelancers building or maintaining clips
  • Reporters with timely, relevant stories ready to go now
  • Writers embedded in communities underserved by mainstream media
  • Outdoor, recreation, and lifestyle writers who are already living the story
  • Anyone sitting on a story most outlets wouldn’t know to chase
Clips required — professional or published work only. No clips? This isn’t the right fit yet.

How It Works

No deadlines. No beats. No required hours. We run a 24/7 rolling newsroom — you pitch or submit when you have something worth publishing.

  • Open pitch or completed story submission — no formal application (submission is not acceptance)
  • Send pitches or finished stories to contact@pnwdaily.com
  • We review quickly and publish fast when accepted
  • You set your own schedule and work at your own pace
  • You use your own tools and equipment
  • No exclusivity — publish anywhere else, anytime, no approval needed

Compensation & What You Get

Per-Story Stipends
$25–$100+ per published piece
Stipends are available for accepted and published stories. Strong, original work that fits our audience almost always qualifies. Payment is issued upon acceptance and publication.
Project-based per piece — no salary, no retainer
Beyond the stipend
Byline on a 51M+ View Platform
Your name on a platform with real, sustained reach across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Strong, Visible Clips
Published work on a high-traffic site that holds up as a portfolio piece and demonstrates real audience reach.
Ongoing Paid Opportunities
Contributors who consistently fit our audience get first consideration for ongoing paid assignments as the desk grows.

Independent Contractor Status

What this relationship is — and isn’t

Contributors to PNW Daily are engaged as independent contractors, not employees. This relationship is non-exclusive: contributors may write for other publications, platforms, or clients at any time, without restriction or approval from PNW Daily.

Contributors set their own hours, determine how they complete their work, and use their own equipment and tools. PNW Daily does not provide benefits, withhold taxes, or direct how work is performed — only whether an accepted piece meets editorial standards for publication.

Compensation is paid on a per-piece, project basis upon acceptance and publication. Contributors are solely responsible for reporting and paying all applicable federal, state, and local taxes. PNW Daily will issue a Form 1099-NEC to any contributor receiving $600 or more in a calendar year as required by federal law.

Submission of pitches or completed work does not create an employment relationship, guarantee publication, or guarantee payment. Each accepted piece constitutes a discrete, project-based engagement.

Submit or Pitch

Send your pitch or completed story along with 2–3 clips. No cover letters needed — just the work and why it matters to a PNW audience.

contact@pnwdaily.com

It helps to include what the story is, why it’s timely, and who the audience is — but none of that is required to start the conversation. If you have something, send it.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a professional journalist to contribute?
You need published clips — professional or otherwise. If your work has appeared on a legitimate platform and demonstrates strong writing and news judgment, we want to hear from you. Formal credentials matter less than the work itself.
How much does PNW Daily pay contributors?
Stipends for accepted, published pieces typically range from $25 to $100 or more depending on the story. Not every submission results in payment, but strong original work that fits our audience almost always does. Payment is issued upon acceptance and publication.
Can I write for other publications at the same time?
Yes. PNW Daily contributors are independent contractors with no exclusivity requirement. You can write for any other publication, platform, or client at any time without restriction or approval.
Am I an employee of PNW Daily if I contribute?
No. Contributors are engaged as independent contractors on a per-piece, project basis. PNW Daily does not withhold taxes, provide benefits, or control how your work is performed. You are responsible for your own taxes. A 1099-NEC will be issued if you earn $600 or more in a calendar year.
What kinds of stories does PNW Daily publish?
PNW Daily covers news, outdoors, fishing, hunting, recreation, rural communities, tribal and indigenous issues, working-class stories, entertainment, food, and culture across the Pacific Northwest. We prioritize perspectives and communities that mainstream media underserves — and stories that move fast and connect immediately with a real audience.

PNW Daily  ·  Pacific Northwest  ·  Contributors engaged as independent contractors on a per-piece project basis