PARENTreads Writer Hub
Opportunities, Deadlines, Guidelines & Submission Links for Parenting Writers
Bookmark this page—it’s your central reference for everything related to submitting to PARENTreads: open calls, themes, deadlines, placement options, and guidelines.
View all previous PARENTreads issues HERE.
On This Page
Currently accepting submissions for:
Friendships: Ours and Our Kids’ — publishes Thursday, March 19
Currently Accepting Submissions
Friendships: Ours and Our Kids’
Deadline: Monday, March 16 at Noon CT
Publishes: Thursday, March 19
A limited number of highlighted placements are available for each issue.
Submit here:
» Featured Writer ($65) — 1 available — featured at the top + newsletter highlight
» Spotlight Essay ($35) — 2 placements available — highlighted near the top
» General Submission (Free) — included with other community essays
This issue explores friendship across family life—our children’s relationships, our own friendships, and the ways these connections shape identity, belonging, conflict, loyalty, and growth over time.
Topics might include:
Navigating kids’ friendships
Supporting children through exclusion or social conflict
Maintaining adult friendships while raising children
How friendships evolve across different stages of life
Ways to Be Featured
🔸 Featured Writer — $65
The top placement in each issue. Featured Writers appear at the very beginning of the digest and receive the most visibility. This placement includes:
Link to and description of your Substack
Essay title + short description
Direct link to your piece
Expanded profile space (more room to introduce your work)
Priority placement at the top of the digest
One slot per issue
🔸 Spotlight Essays — $35
Spotlight Essays appear directly below the Featured Writer and are included prominently in the top portion of the digest. This placement includes:
Essay title + short description
Direct link to your piece
Name + Substack name and link
High visibility near the top of the issue
Limited slots available
🔸 General Submissions — Free
One essay per writer
Title + Author/Substack
Brief description
Direct link
Included based on thematic fit
Why Your Work Gets Read
Subscribers: 3,000+
Average Open Rate: 36%+
Average Views per Issue: ~2,280
Top Featured placement clicks: ~60 per issue (Short.io)
Digest CTR: ~7%
Readers engage because the digest brings thoughtful, honest writing worth their attention. Strong submissions earn clicks, new readers, and ongoing traffic.
Upcoming Calendar
PARENTreads publishes on Thursdays, with occasional bonus editions. Dates and themes confirmed so far:
Friendships — Thursday, March 19
Independence & Safety — Thursday, April 23
Moms & Motherhood — Thursday, May 7
Additional themes will be added as they’re finalized.
Guidelines
Writers must have an active Substack presence. Essays may be published on Substack or elsewhere, as long as the writer has a Substack publication or profile.
Submit one piece per writer per issue.
Featured Writer and Spotlight placements may include multiple links when relevant to your work.
Submissions must clearly fit the issue’s theme.
Evergreen essays are welcome. Quality and thematic fit matter more than recency.
Placement is limited. Not all submissions will be included.
General submissions are curated, not guaranteed.
Digests that include paid placements will carry this note:
PARENTreads combines editor-selected essays with a few sponsored placements to support the digest.
Questions? Reach out anytime.
