Hi all! It’s been a quiet week, hasn’t it? Here’s another selection of paying markets, leads, and more information for freelance writers. (Translation: these folks want to give you money!)

• Mediabistro pointed me to this LAT blog post about a new publishing division at Alloy. If you’ve always wanted to write for teen and tween girls (hint: the undead seem to be doing pretty well right now…maybe mummies next?), this may be your chance. They’re acquiring a whopping 12 manuscripts a year, but that’s about 12 times better than the rest of the publishing industry these days.
• Frowny face for Wondertime magazine, Disney’s parenting-young-kids mag, shutting after the March issue. Word is that some of the content (and staff) will roll into Familyfun.go.com, which probably means fewer opportunities for freelancers there. You’ve been warned.
• I was going to tell you about the writer’s guidelines for Runner’s World, but as usual Writer’s Market’s online site is completely non-functional. Why do I pay $40 a year for this? Oh, right, I don’t; I used the code in the front of the 2007 Writer’s Market…that I bought used. But why anyone would pay for this ridiculous service is beyond me.
• Ok, rant over. Here is what I remember about Runner’s World. They accept unsolicited freelance manuscripts on spec only, and the best places to break in are the back-of-the-book (one page lighthearted running-related) and the front-of-the-book profiles of runners who have done something extraordinary. The last one I read featured a school principal who lost 100+ lbs and got his students running with him too. That sort of thing. Again, manuscripts on spec only and for only those two departments. (Actually, they accept submissions for the “places I like to run” department, but pay very little.) I’m putting together a submission for them in my spare (ha!) time, so don’t take my idea, mkay?
• One last RW note: For thoroughness’s sake, there’s this from the teaser of Mediabistro’s “How To Pitch Runner’s World”: “This mag devoted to running enthusiasts seeks talented freelancers for almost every section.” Now, that may be just the ad copy to get you to pay for AvantGuild, but that is directly contradictory to what Writer’s Market says (and, in fact, what Runnersworld.com says). AvantGuild members, feel free to correct me!
• D.C. residents: Entertainment/nightlife freelancers wanted for new local entertainment web site. Says something about Metromix, but Metromix DC isn’t new at all, so I’m not sure what’s going on with this, but I’ll keep everyone posted. It also sounds like the pay will be abysmal, if this site is paying rates in line with similar (Wcities, AOL Cityguide, etc) sites. I keep hope since the ad specifies “experienced” freelance writers. If anyone has info about the pay for this mystery not-Metromix project, let me know.
• One last job, from FreelanceWritingGigs.com (plenty more on that site, though I must warn that many of them are Craigslist ads and $10-per-post blogging gigs): Energy Reporter
  

  SmartBrief is seeking a freelance writer to help create daily online business and energy news e-mail newsletters from approximately 6 to 8 a.m. EST Monday through Friday. This is a deadline-intensive writing position!

  One would have to really love the energy industry to start writing about it at 6 a.m., methinks. But hey, it sounds like a good gig.