These are themed calls for pitches/submissions of creative non-fiction/essay/reportage. Some themes are: the best (films) of 2025; miracles, messages from heaven & angels; modern love; writing communities; mental health/emotional life; LGBTQ2S+ health; sports; harmony and sunder; maps; writes of nature; Stranger Things; and feminist topics.

They publish essays on film and television related topics. “In keeping with our annual tradition, our first issue of 2026 will be entirely focused on the best films of 2025! No fancy prompt this time around—as long as it was released in 2025, and we haven't already covered it this year  (sorry, One Battle After Another is off the table), any film is fair game to write about.” They are also accepting emailed pitches on this theme (see The Best of 2025 on Submittable for details). They pay $50. First drafts are due on 8th December 2025. They’re also accepting unthemed submissions and pitches; there is no deadline for those. Details here.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles, messages from heaven & angels
They publish true stories and true poetry, up to 1,200 words. They’ve posted details on a few themes. The upcoming deadline is for Miracles, messages from heaven & angels, about “unexplained happenings and occurrences. Stories about miracles, angels, messages from heaven, premonitions, amazing coincidences and other unexplainable but good events! Here is another chance for you to share a story about a miraculous event or amazing coincidence that happened to you.
We are looking for powerful, astounding, stories that will make people say "wow" or give them chills. This book is for everyone, whether religious or non-religious.” They also have several themes / suggested topics on the guidelines page. The submission deadline is 15 January 2026. Details here and here (also see other tabs on this page, including FAQ).
(Chicken Soup for the Soul is also reading true stories and poetry on other topics, including Stories about November & December holidays; the deadline for that is 28th February 2026, theme details on this page.)

Wine Enthusiast
They have updated themes for their print and digital issues for 2026. “In Print, we entertain and empower readers with a mix of reported features, travel stories, and recipes. We also publish wine and spirits recommendations, which are selected in-house. From freelancers, we’re looking for previously unreported, meaty stories that go untold in other media outlets, such as profiles of innovative winemakers and other industry pros, colorful peeks into subcultures, opinionated essays, and more. We’re drawn to pitches with compelling narratives and human-interest angles. Review the 2026 print issue themes here.” For print, for April, the theme is, “The Travel Issue, High Elevation
For this year’s Travel Issue, we’re getting high—high elevation, that is. We’re focusing on high-elevation wineries, distilleries, and travel destinations up in the mountains. Some of the best wines in the world are produced at over 1,600 feet above sea level, and this issue celebrates them alongside culinary travel experiences like après-ski.” And: “What to pitch: Stories about high-elevation regions and their producers. Visually compelling is the name of the game for travel—with a side of rich culture and history.” They have other themes listed, as well. Rates for digital begin at $0.50/word; rates for print are unspecified. Pitching is via a form on their website (see guidelines). Details here.  

Deadline: December 8th, 2025