When we launched the E.N.D. Substack, our vision was bigger than publishing articles. We wanted to build a home for Black writers, thinkers, creatives, and storytellers. A place where ideas could be explored, perspectives could be challenged, and stories that matter to our communities could be told on our own terms.
More importantly, we wanted to create a platform that could put resources directly into the hands of the people helping build it.
We’re still early in that journey, but we’re proud to share that in just a few months, we’ve paid over $2,000 directly to contributing writers through E.N.D.
It’s a modest beginning compared to where we want to go, but it’s a beginning worth celebrating. Every article published, every subscription purchased, and every person who shares our work helps us build something sustainable.
As our community grows, we also want to be transparent about how our writing opportunities work, how writers are compensated, and what it means to become a paid subscriber.
First Things First: You Do Not Have to Pay to Write for E.N.D.
We want to make that clear.
Our $5/month Substack subscription is not a fee to become a writer. It’s a community membership that helps us sustain independent publishing, compensate contributors, and create more opportunities for our community.
In return, paid subscribers receive access to exclusive opportunities, discounts, and priority consideration for certain writing assignments.
But we believe good ideas can come from anywhere, and financial circumstances should never determine whether someone’s voice deserves to be heard.
That’s why we have several ways to contribute.
How Our Writing Opportunities Work
1. General Open Calls — Open to Everyone
Throughout the year, we announce general writing opportunities that anyone can submit to, whether you’re a paid subscriber or not.
These are opportunities for new voices to introduce themselves, pitch ideas, and contribute to the platform. Compensation, when available, will be specified in each call.
2. The E.N.D. Writers Collective — Paid Contributors
Every quarter, we open applications for our Writers Collective.
Selected writers are invited into a growing network of contributors who receive ongoing assignments and are compensated per published article.
Our ambition is to build a collective of writers who don’t just contribute stories, but help shape the editorial voice and intellectual direction of E.N.D.
3. Subscriber Assignments — First Access
We regularly share editorial prompts, story ideas, and opportunities with our Substack community.
Paid subscribers receive first priority for many of these assignments. Some are voluntary contributions, while others are paid. We will always communicate compensation upfront so writers can make informed decisions about participating.
4. Commissioned Assignments — Paid Opportunities
As our resources grow, we also commission specific articles when there’s a subject we believe deserves deeper investigation, reporting, or cultural analysis.
These assignments generally come with higher compensation and are first offered to members of our Writers Collective and paid subscribers.
Our goal is to continue increasing both the number of commissioned stories and the amount we’re able to pay writers.
Where Your $5 Goes
We believe in transparency, especially when asking our community to invest in something.
Your subscription helps us pay writers, develop original reporting, create editorial opportunities, and build the infrastructure necessary for E.N.D. to become a sustainable independent media platform.
That doesn’t mean every dollar goes directly to a writer. Running a publication requires resources. But paying the people whose ideas and labor make this platform valuable is central to what we’re building.
The more support we receive, the more stories we can commission, the more voices we can amplify, and the more opportunities we can create.
We don’t want to simply talk about the importance of Black media. We want to participate in building its future.
Thank you to every writer who has trusted us with their work, every reader who has spent time with our stories, and every subscriber who has invested in this vision.
NOW TO THE FUN. BELOW ARE OUR NEW ASSIGNMENTS FOR THIS WEEK
