Staff Writer

Texas Monthly; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Profit sharing

Bonuses

Job summary

Texas Monthly is seeking a full-time staff writer based in Austin, TX to report on Texan identity through culture—covering history, sports, books, style, architecture, film, and more. You’ll ideate, report, and write timely stories that engage readers and position texasmonthly.com as a go-to cultural destination.

The role emphasizes a quick digital metabolism with a strong writerly voice and curiosity across a broad range of topics, reporting from our downtown Austin office.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of journalism experience, including work at established magazines or comparable outlets.
• Ability to identify compelling angles and pitch, report, and write quickly.
• Strong narrative- and character-focused writing style.
• Ability to balance quick-turn pieces with longer-term reporting and ongoing source development.
• Willingness to appear in videos is a plus.
• Based in Austin, TX and eligible to work full-time.

Responsibilities

• Report and write about 8 stories per month, mostly quick-turn digital pieces 800–1,500 words, with occasional longer stories.
• Track trends across Texas to pitch and deliver timely culture stories.
• Develop sources in assigned coverage areas and pitch regularly.
• Write for the Texas Daily and other newsletters.

Skills

Journalism experience

Storytelling

Pitching stories

Source development

Video appearance willingness

Job description

Texas Monthly has a rare opportunity for a full-time writer to join the magazine’s staff. This staff writer will report on Texan identity explored primarily through culture, defined in the broadest sense: Texas Monthly culture stories—which include coverage of history, sports, books, style, architecture and design, film and TV, iconic Texan celebrities, the arts, and subcultures—are a lens through which the reader can deepen their relationship to or understanding of Texas. This writer should have their finger on the pulse of, and a keen instinct for, the daily conversation in Texas. They will ideate, report, and write timely stories that create or join existing conversations, bringing both a quick digital metabolism and a strong writerly voice to their work. They should have curiosity and enthusiasm about a wide range of topics and be comfortable reporting and writing at a cadence that helps establish texasmonthly.com as a habitual destination for readers who want to better understand, or feel more connected to, Texas culture.

This full-time staff position is based in Austin, Texas, and requires working regularly out of our downtown office. It offers stability at a nationally renowned media company that received a National Magazine Award for general excellence in 2026 and whose culture is defined by collegiality, curiosity, ambition, experimentation, the highest journalistic standards, and an abiding sense of service to our millions of readers both in and outside of Texas. This position offers generous benefits, including a comprehensive health-insurance plan, 401(k) matching, profit sharing, and eligibility for performance-based bonuses.

Job responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:

• Reporting and writing 8 stories per month, mostly quick-turn digital stories between 800 and 1,500 words but also some occasional longer-term stories
• Paying close attention to trends and news across the state to pitch and quickly deliver on stories that help readers understand the current landscape of culture and deepen their understanding of, and relationship to, Texas
• Developing sources in agreed-upon coverage areas to deliver regular pitches for both short- and long-term reporting
• Writing on occasion for the Texas Daily and other newsletters

Qualifications and requirements

• At least 5 years of journalism experience, including previous experience writing at the caliber of Texas Monthly
• The ability to identify compelling, unique angles into ongoing events and quickly pitch, report, and write stories that fit those angles
• The ability to write compelling and stylish narrative- and character-focused stories
• The ability to balance quicker-turn writing assignments with long-term reporting projects and ongoing source development
• The ability to balance sharp analysis with precision and fairness
• A proven track record for cultivating sources and pitching viable story ideas regularly and enthusiastically
• A willingness to appear in videos is a strong plus

Applications for this position should be submitted by September 8.

Texas Monthly is committed to diversity and cultivating an inclusive environment. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.