These are links I’ve come across in my own research, as well as a few I found on other lists like this one. There are quite a few, and the list will be growing; bear with me as I learn how to make access and scrolling simpler. Be sure to read and follow each magazine’s submission guidelines! (If you find a magazine that is out of production, or broken links, please let me know!)
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NOTE: Most markets I’ve come across say you should read their magazine before submitting … a lot easier to do if they offer sample articles online. Not all of them do. Sometimes you have to buy a sample copy.
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2 Elizabeths — A literary magazine with a heart for community. Accepts short fiction, flash fiction and poetry; pays $50 for short fiction and $20 for flash fiction or poetry. $5 submission fee through Submittable. Runs occasional contests.
Abyss and Apex Zine — speculative fiction of all sorts. Accepts by e-mail only. CLOSED TO SUBMISSIONS UNTIL 2018. No simultaneous submissions. Stories up to 10K words. $75 flat rate for stories longer than 1250 words. Pays 60 days after publication.
Agni — Literary fiction. Print, paying magazine. Also has Online component; accepts unsolicited submissions between 9/1 and 5/31. No prepublished work. (2-4 months wait time). $10/page prose, $150 max, along with subscription. Submission Form. Simultaneous submissions ok. Good samples online.
Aliterate — genre literature. Biannual print journal dedicated to literary genre fiction. Pays 6¢/word.
Allegory Ezine — Looking for “good, solid fiction.” Sci-fi, fantasy, horror, but will consider other genres. See website for do’s and don’ts. Pays a flat rate token fee of $15 per story. No minimum or maximum word count, but anything less than 1,000 words and stories over 5,000 words will be a hard sell. Pays on publication. Simultaneous submissions okay. Publishes 3X per year with set submission periods.
American Chordata — A biannual magazine of fiction, nonfiction, essay and poetry, as well as art and photography. Seeks “work that is brave, illuminating, and emotionally detailed.” Doesn’t mention payment. Submissions accepted through Submittable.
Analog — Sci-fi. Analog; pays 8-10¢/word for short fiction up to 20K words, 6¢/word for serials (40-80K words); “Basically, we publish science fiction stories. That is, stories in which some aspect of future science or technology is so integral to the plot that, if that aspect were removed, the story would collapse.”
The Antioch Review — Literary fiction. Wants “a story worthy of the serious attention of the intelligent reader, a story that is compelling, written with distinction. 5K words.
Apex Magazine — Dark sci-fi and fantasy. Pays 6¢/word up to 7,500 max. Samples online. Wants exclusive submissions. Responds in 30 days.
Apparition Lit — Apparition Lit seeks original, unpublished speculative fiction and poetry. Each quarter we open for submissions that meet a chosen theme. The theme can be a word, a phrase or a feeling. We also hold flash fiction contests each month, where the winning story is published online. Payment at semi-pro rate.
The Arcanist — Fantasy and sci-fi. A new Medium-based literary magazine focused on flash fiction. 1,000 word limit. Pays $50 per story. Multiple submissions (up to 3 at a time) okay.
Ares Magazine — Looking for sci-fi, alternative history, fantasy, horror, mythology, pulp adventure. 1K to 6K words; pays 6 cents/word; pays on publication. As of April 16, 2018, not currently accepting fiction, but will announce on Duotrope when they reopen. Check out their site for more info.
Asminov’s — Sci-Fi and other speculative fiction. Pays 8-10¢/word up to 7500 words, 8¢/word over that; “In general, we’re looking for ‘character oriented’ stories, those in which the characters, rather than the science, provide the main focus for the reader’s interest. Serious, thoughtful, yet accessible fiction will constitute the majority of our purchases, but there’s always room for the humorous as well. SF dominates the fiction published in the magazine, but we also publish borderline fantasy, slipstream, and surreal fiction. No sword & Sorcery, please. Neither are we interested in explicit sex or violence. A good overview would be to consider that all fiction is written to examine or illuminate some aspect of human existence, but that in science fiction the backdrop you work against is the size of the Universe.”
Asymmetry — Wants interesting speculative fiction stories, but will also consider nonfiction essays with a weird element. Token payment.
The Atlantic — Interested in great fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Read the magazine to know what they want. No mention of payment; huge bragging rights. Open to submissions from September 1 through May 31.
Backchannels — Accepts poetry and prose. For short fiction, they are interested in “Strong story lines, characterization, and dialogue” in “surrealism, realism, post-modern, Victorian,” or whatever label you choose to use. “Intrigue us. Inspire us. Confound us.” No mention of payment.
Barrelhouse — Nonfiction and book reviews up to 8K words. Pays $50 and two contributor copies. Simultaneous submissions okay.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies — Fantasy ONLY. Pays 6¢/word up to 11K words. Accepts simultaneous submissions IF you say so up front and tell them the MINUTE you get accepted elsewhere. Samples online. Response time up to 7 weeks.
Black Dandy — Bizarre, dreamy, unsettling. If you’ve ever finished reading a story and thought, “Well, that was unusual,” then you’re only a block away from Black Dandy. In this corner of the neighbourhood, we’re looking for fiction that grips readers with vivid characters under unusual pressures. Pays .06/New Zealand Dollars per word. No simultaneous submissions. No multiple submissions.
Black Warrior Review — Literary journal produce by graduate students in the U.S. Reads general fiction and nonfiction from December 1 to March, and from June 1 to September 1. Wants stories that take risks and challenge conventions of narrative, language, form and genre, work that pushes against the real, that dismantles the world and rebuilds it better. Futuristic stories, radical envisionings, lyrical, magical. Make them rethink. Make them feel. Especially seeks writers of color, queer and trans writers, disabled writers, immigrant writers, and other groups whose voices have been long silenced. 7K word limit. Pays a one-year subscription and a nominal lump-sum fee for works they publish.
The Book Smugglers — Wants diversity in worlds and characters, and from a variety of writers; they “love subversive stories” that “challenge the status quo” with characters, storytelling techniques and themes. Middle-grade, Young Adult and Adult audience submissions are welcome. For short stories: 1500-17,500 words; pays .06/word up to $500. For novellas: 17,500 to 40,000 words; payment options worked out between publisher and writer dependent on many factors. Currently (as of 8/13/17) closed to submissions.
Bottom Shelf Whiskey — From their “submissions” page: Bottom Shelf Whiskey is an online literary magazine based in Richmond, Virginia. 3-5 works of poetry, prose, and/or fiction are selected each month for publication. There are no rules and no limits on entries, and work of any genre is welcome— just make it good. No payment.
Boulevard Magazine — Literary Fiction, poetry, non-fiction. Encourages non-published writers with exceptional promise to submit their best work. Open to submissions 10/1 through 5/1. $3 fee to submit online. No fee to submit by post. 8K word limit. No sci-fi, westerns, horror, romance or children’s stories. Minimum pmt $100; Max $300. (3¢/word) A sample print issue is $10/annual subscription (3 issues) is $16. Digital single issue is $6.99/ annual is $12. No samples available on their website.
Broken Pencil — PRINT, PAYING Canadian Magazine of fiction and nonfiction; alternative and indie culture; short fiction up to 3K words. Pays $30-$300.
Cafe Irreal— maximum unsolicited short fiction is 2K words. Pays 1 cent per word. No simultaneous submissions.
Carve Magazine — Litarary Fiction. Offers online submissions and select submissions to their premium print edition. For online submissions, they use a service called “Submittable”, which charges $3. Snail mail submissions are free with a SASE and cover letter. Pays $100 for fiction. They do offer feedback on a few declined submissions, and also offer an editing service for full professional critique from the editor. Short stories are all published online, free.
Cincinnati Review — For fiction: “looking for work that has energy, that has complication (which is different than obfuscation or confusion); I’m looking for work that, whether it’s realistic or surrealistic, is rich in language and plot and structure. Work that stands out. Work that’s not just ecstatic, but that makes its reader feel ecstatic, too.” Also accepts nonfiction and poetry. Open to submissions between August 15 and March 15. Up to 40 double-spaced pages. Pays $25/page for prose.
Cirsova Heroic Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine — Looking for “Sword and Planet” and “Raygun Romance”; “Dashing heros performing daring feats in exotic locales is a must, scientific accuracy is not. “Planet Romance” is also good — same as above but without the swords. Heroic Fantasy is also welcome — “heroes performing daring and/or clever feats…typically more focused on the deeds of a single character.” Pays .02/word up to 2500 words, then .01/word after. 2000-7500 words.
Clarkesworld — Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror. Pays 10¢/word up to 5K words; 8¢/word after that. 16K max word count firm. Wants exclusive submissions; response time up to 2 weeks.
Cleaning up Glitter — from their website: We are here to explore the human condition, as you experience it. Please consider submitting anything that explores your life views, existence, mortality, spirituality, conflict and more. Cleaning up Glitter should be a place where we can share our most honest selves. Some submissions carry a fee; no mention of pay. See the website for submission periods and details.
Colorado Review — Litarary short fiction and personal essays with contemporary themes. No genre fiction. Prefers range of 15-25 manuscript pages. Previously unpublished. Pays $200 for short stories and essays, plus two copies of the issue in which they’re published and a one-year subscription to Colorado Review.
The Colored Lens — (From their about page) The Colored Lens is looking for short stories that shift perspectives of how we see the world. We are specifically seeking stories that cause the reader to reflect, not just on the story, but on how it relates to their own world. We publish all varieties of speculative fiction, from alternate history, to high fantasy, to nuts and bolts hard science fiction, to dark fantasy, so long as it meets the guidelines above. Whatever the genre, the focus should be used to comment on our world and society rather than exclusively to keep the reader turning pages. $20 for short stories, $10 for flash.
Compelling Science Fiction — Sci-fi. Pays 6¢/word, 1K-10K words. They really don’t want negative fiction, or anything dystopian. Wants upbeat, positive, encouraging.
Conium Review —Litarary Fiction. Open reading period from 1/1 through 4/1. Outside that time period, submissions require a $3 donation to Conium Review. Accepts fiction. Up to three flash fiction pieces (<1000 words), two short stories or one novella (>15,000 words). Previously unublished. Simultaneous submissions okay, but withdraw if accepted elsewhere. Paid in comp copy. Wants innovative writing, stories that take risks. Experiment with character, structure or theme. “Get weird with it.” Submissions through submittable.
Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores — Sci-fi, Fantasy, Myth, Legend, Fairy Tales, and Eldritch. Accepts written, podcast, video and/or graphic story forms. Cares about character, plot, ideas, storytelling. Hard sells include monsters. From 1,000 words on up, but shorter pieces will be favored. Pays .06/word for new fiction, .02/word for reprints. Also offers comments on your story, if requested. Specific open submission dates. Check the website.
Crazyhorse — Open to all narrative styles and forms. Always on the lookout for something they haven’t seen before. Wants a story they won’t be able to forget. 2,500-8,500 words. Simultaneous submissions okay, as long as you let them know if your submission is accepted elsewhere. Pays $20 per page of layout, max $200.
Crime Syndicate Magazine — Crime, Mystery, Detective. Pays $25 per story. “We do funny. We do sexy. We do thrilling. We do violent. We do mystery. We do private detectives (though not all that often, unless they blow us away with uniqueness). We don’t really do magical, or fantastical to any significant degree, by which we mean we don’t want animal characters or wildly unrealistic stories. We love pulp. We like crime fiction that blends with aspects of other genres but make sure it is clearly still crime fiction.” 2500-5000 words. No previously published works. Simultaneous submissions is fine, but let them know immediately if your story is accepted elsewere. No multiple submissions. One at a time please.
Crimson Streets — Pulp fiction. Focuses on action and atmosphere over characterization. Adventure, aviation, detective/mystery, fantasy, hard-boiled, gangster, horror/occult, masked vigilante, noir, railroad, romance/spicy, and war genres. No sci-fi. No westerns. Pays 1 cent per word. 800-6,000 words.
Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts — Literary excellence with an edge. No reading fee for regular submissions (but they also participate in the Lorian Heminway contest, which does have a fee). Specified reading periods. Pays in contributor copies, except for contests. 6-8 month response time! Looking for very specific types of work.
Daily Science Fiction — SHORT!!! Sci-fi, Fantasy, Slipstream, more. Max 1500 word count. Pays 8¢/word. Wants exclusive submission; response time up to 4 weeks.
The Dark — Horror and Dark Fantasy. 2K – 6K words. online. pays 3 cents/word up to 6K words for first world rights. 24 hours to 30 days response time. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Submit via e-mail to thedarkmagazine@gmail.com as .doc or .rtf attachment; include bio in cover letter.
December Magazine — Literary. General submissions open from 10/1 through 5/1 (except during holidays?). Only unpublished works. NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS. Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction. $10/page ($40 min, $200 max), and two contributor copies. (3¢/word)
Deep Magic — Fantasy and Sci-fi. Must have some magic or cool technology in it. Bi-monthly electronic magazine that publishes CLEAN short fiction. 1,000-40,00 words; pays .08/word up to 5,000 words, .06 after that with payment capped at 16,000 words.
Diabolical Plots —Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror; everything must have a speculative element. 3,500 words or less, firm. Pays .08/word on publication. Does accept up to two submissions per author per submission window. No simultaneous submissions, please. Reads submissions blind.
Electric Spec — Shockingly good short works of science fiction, fantasy and the macabre. Looking for short works from 250-7000 words with a speculative fiction elements. They prefer sci-fi, fantasy and the macabre, but “are willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres.” Pays $20 via PayPal for every story.
Embark Literary Journal — From their “About” page: “A literary journal designed for novelists and featuring exclusively novel beginnings—those crucial first pages that must engage the reader’s attention and often receive more polishing than any other part of the book.” Submissions must be the opening of your novel, at least 2,500 words and maximum of 4,000 words. Novel can be unpublished at the time of submission. No mention of payment.
Empyreome — We prefer science fiction and fantasy, but we will consider any story with a speculative element, including slipstream and well-written horror. We like stories in which interesting people do interesting things and make interesting things happen. We do not like stories in which flat characters are merely acted upon by forces beyond their control, and nothing interesting happens. Token payment.
Fantasy and Science Fiction — Sci-fa and Fantasy. SF element should be present, even if it is slight. Up to 25K words. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Pays 7-12 cents/word.
The Fear of Monkeys — From their “Mission Statement” page: “The purpose of this site is to provide a venue for less overtly didactic writing projects. The more edgy prose, the story, article or poem about your neighbors fighting, about the cops who brutalized your friend, the sludge you saw in the lake… all can find a home here.” No mention of payment.
Fireside Fiction Company — Any genre, but they do have a very explicit list of “Don’ts”, most of which include ethical issues. Kickstarter-funded short-story magazine. Great ethical standards! Pays 12.5 cents/word. 4000 max word count. No exceptions. Open to submissions during set periods only. Uses backing of Patreon supporters to stay in operation, to publish more and longer stories, and to raise rates even higher.
The Forge Literary Magazine — From their website: The Forge “publishes one prose piece per week selected by a rotating cast of editors…Literary excellence is our only criteria. We are open to all genres and voices, stories with any background, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual and personal identity from all over the world.” They are a “diverse, international group of writers” with wide-ranging tastes and styles. Pays $50 upon publication, regardless of length. Reads blind; leave identifying information off your manuscript.
Freeze Frame Fiction — Flash only; 1000 words max. Any genre. Must be complete story. Reads blind. Token payment.
The Georgia Review — Literary. Read the magazine to see what they like. Open to submissions from August 16 through May 14. Can be as long as 60 pages in the magazine. Pays $50 per printed page.
GigaNoToSaurus — Science Fiction or Fantasy (or any combination thereof) from 5,000 to 25,000. From their guidelines page: “We could wax eloquent describing the kinds of stories we like, but it wouldn’t be useful; there are dozens of things we don’t know we like until we try them. Send us that story you really believe in–the one, maybe, that quickly ran out of places to submit it to because it’s so long. We actively seek a variety of settings, styles, viewpoints, and backgrounds. This includes but is not limited to cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, and genders.” Publishes one story each month. Pays $100 per story on acceptance.
Glimmer Train — Literary fiction. Pays $700 and 10 print copies for a standard submission, and up to $3,000 for contest submissions (they have four per year). Simultaneous submissions okay if you let them know if the story is accepted elsewhere. $2 reading fee, which helps to pay the writers. For standard: up to 12K words. Submissions accepted twice each year before 5/31 and 11/30. Glimmer Train will be ceasing production soon, after many years of regular publication. They are still accepting submissions all the way up to the end.
Hunger Mountain — Literary. Journal for the Arts, published by the Vermont College of Fina Arts. One printed issue per year; online content changes regularly. Offers four annual contests. General submissions accepted May 1 through September 15. No mention of pay. Submissions accepted through submittable ($3 fee).
Iowa Review — Literary magazine. Accepts submissions through Submittable. Will begin publishing two novels per year starting in 2018. Must be previously unpublished. Other submissions accepted in September, October and November only. $4 submission fee to cover administrative and IT costs. Founded and edited by the faculty, students and staff of University of Iowa. Pays 8 cents per word ($100 minimum)
IRON HORSE Literary Review — Literary. Paying, Print Magazine. Fiction, poetry, etc.
Kaleidotrope — Speculative Fiction. They lean toward Sci-fi, Fantasy and Horror, but will read compelling stories that blur these lines or fall outside the neat boundaries of categories. Also accepts poetry, artwork, and occasional non-fiction. Pays $.01/word. Open reading period from January 1 to March 31. No simultaneous submissions.
Kasma SF Magazine — Sci-fi. Looking for short stories between 1K and 5K words, though they will consider shorter and longer. Pays flat rate of $25 via PayPal in Canadian dollars.
Lamplight Magazine— Dark fiction, most genres. “For inspiration, we suggest ‘The Twilight Zone,’ ‘The Outer Limits,’ and LampLight Vol 1 Issue 1, which is free.” Accepts originals and reprints, up to 7K words. Pays 3¢/word for originals ($150 max), 1¢/word for reprints. Accepts simultaneous submissions, as long as you tell them if it’s accepted elsewhere. Submission openings run 3/15 through 5/15, and 9/15 through 11/15.
Liminal Stories — Speculative Fiction. pays 6¢/word up to 10K words. “Liminal is searching for stories of a particular tone and tenor, regardless of form. We like stories that are strange and unsettling, sharp-edged and evocative. Although we will consider any genre, we have a soft spot for weird fiction, magical realism, soft science fiction, and those uncategorizable stories that straddle the line between genres. Liminal stories should linger in the mind and evoke emotion in the reader.” Wants exclusive submissions. Response time within 30 days.
The Literary Hatchet— From their website: “publishes provocative contemporary short fiction, poetry, illustrations, interviews, and reviews by established and emerging writers and artists from around the world. All subjects (except erotica) are welcomed. Published 3x per year.” Token payment.
The Lovecraft Ezine — From their site: “The Lovecraft eZine wants well-written, original Lovecraftian and Cthulhu Mythos fiction. While we enjoy and appreciate pastiche, best read works will feature an original voice and new takes on old themes, not simply mimicking Lovecraft’s style” with themes of “Cosmic horror, the discovered knowledge of the unnameable terrible things behind the curtain of reality, etc….Hopelessness. Isolated and old locations. Unanswered questions about reality.” Prefers stories under 5,000 words, but may accept longer stories for serial publication. Pays $50 for stories over 3,000 words; $25 for shorter stories, poetry or flash fiction.
Mad Scientist Journal — Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror. The “mad science” element is non-negotiable. Specific open submission periods. 500-8K words; see submissions page for specifics.
The Masters Review — Publishes anthologies. “New Voices” category open to any new and emerging author who has not published a work of fiction or narrative nonfiction of novel length. 5K word limit; pays 10 cents/word up to $200. Multiple submissions acceptable. Simultaneous submissions acceptable. Free.
Metaphorosis — Sci-fi and Fantasy. We offer intelligent, beautifully written stories for adults. Pays 1 cent/word on acceptance up to 10,000 words; prefers 1,000-6,000 words. Supported through Patreon. Offers feedback on request. Extra points if your world is vegan! No reprints. No multiple submissions. Simultaneous submissions okay. Anonymous review process.
Mithila Review — Supernatural, Fantastical, Futuristic, and more. An international speculative arts and culture magazine. Fiction, poetry, reviews, discussions, and more. Pays $50 for original stories between 4,000 and 8,000 words, $10 for essays and flash fiction (under 2,500 words). No multiple submissions.
Montana Mouthful — Literary. An independent journal devoted to short fiction and nonfiction, poetry and artwork. 2,000 words or less. Submissions through Submittable only; no e-mailed submissions. Submissions are read and judged/selected in the blind; do NOT put your name on the work itself. Very specific submission guidelines. Read carefully. Open submission periods throughout the year; check their site for dates.
Neon Literary Magazine — From their “About” page: Neon is one of the most long-running independent literary magazines in the UK. It shows its face twice each year in print and a range of digital formats. Each edition features a blend of surreal and speculative fiction, poetry, art and photography. Neon sits on the edge of horror and science-fiction, but with strong literary leanings. If you have a taste for the magical realist or uncanny, Neon is the magazine for you. They do pay, but the site doesn’t say how much. Submissions accepted free during open submission periods, and with a fee at other times. Check the site for details.
The New Yorker — Site doesn’t say what kinds of short stories they want. Read the magazine for ideas. No mention of payment, but huge bragging rights.
Obra/Artifact — A literary journal the student collaboration at Stetson University’s Low-Residency MFA of the Americas. Hopes to cross genre boundaries and reappraise traditional genre lines. Fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, illustrations, more. Submissions to the quarterly journal are free; entries into their contests are not. As of September 2018, payment is in contributor copies.
Oddville Press — From their Submissions page: An online non-profit magazine that is distributed free in .pdf format. Dedicated to sharing high-quality fiction, poetry and artwork with the largest possible audience. Their mission is to “promote today’s geniuses and tomorrow’s giants.” Quarterly zine. No mention of pay.
OneStory, Inc. — Literary. 501(c)(3) literary publisher committed to supporting the artform of the short story and the authors who write them. One of the largest circulating literary magazines in the country. 3K-8K words, any style or subject as long as they’re good. Wants stories that leave the reader satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone. Pays $500 and 25 contributor copies.
Over My Dead Body! Mystery Magazine — Mystery. Publishes a wide variety of manuscripts, from cozy to hardboiled and everything in between. We don’t discriminate on the basis of content, subgenre, or author recognition. 500+ words for nonfiction; 750-4,000 words for fiction. Pays 1 cent per word for fiction; $10-25 total for unsolicited nonfiction.
Persistent Visions — Speculative Fiction. From their Submissions Guidelines: “Persistent Visions is looking for fresh fiction that skirts the edges of reality, pushes the boundaries of people we could become, and has an updated, innovative perspective on the people we will become. We’re looking for edgy, raw, unconventional, difficult, speculative fiction stories. You can pluck our heartstrings, but make it a tune we’ve never heard before.” Wants diverse cast of characters, stories that challenge conventional assumptions. Pays .07/word. 7,500 max word count; flash fiction will be a hard sell. Pays on acceptance.
PIF Magazine — Literary. Wants “macro-fiction”, 2K words or less. There is no mention about payment of any kind on their submissions page.
Ploughshares — Literary. Print and online magazine of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published 3 times a year at Emerson College. Pays $45/page, max $450, plus two contributor copies and a one-year subscription.
Popshot Quarterly — From their “About” page: “Popshot is an illustrated literary magazine that publishes short stories, flash fiction, and poetry.” Quarterly publication. Periodic submission periods; check for dates. Also accepts illustrations. Read their magazine to see what they like.
Sanguine Press — Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror by and about People of Color. Characters must be predominantly People of Color. Submissions are welcomed by everyone, but authors and artists who are People of Color will be given first consideration for publication. Themed semi-annual e-zine. 3,000 words max. Pays $120 per story. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. No reprints. Response time may be long.
Slice — From their “About” page: Slice aims to bridge the gap between emerging and established authors by offering a space where both are published side-by-side. In each issue, a specific cultural theme becomes the catalyst for articles and interviews from renowned writers and lesser known voices alike. Along with these pieces, we publish fiction and poetry that isn’t bound by the theme—we simply look for works by writers who promise to become tomorrow’s literary legends. Submit short fiction, nonfiction and poetry during their open reading period, October 1 through December 1; they don’t want experimental or “heavy-handed genre fiction.” Each issue is themed. Read the magazine to get a sense of what they want. Pays $250 for stories and essays, and $75 for poems.
Soft Cartel — From their website: “Soft Cartel likes seeing forward movement, experimentation, and just plain fun. Writing deserves to be more than bloodless rehashed stories and backslapping inner circle clique bullshit. Our prose editor is not a fan of political writing so please don’t send any politically charged fiction, non-fiction, or analysis. We are also not looking for anything that is gratuitously violent, sexual, or blatantly offensive.” They accept fiction, analysis, nonfiction, poetry, and art. No mention of payment at this time.
Southern Review — Literary journal. Pays $25/page up to $200.
SQ Mag — Speculative Fiction. Pays 1¢/word, word count 500-7500 words. Max pmt is $75. No simultaneous submissions. 8 weeks to respond. (CAUTION: contradiction between contract terms and what’s on their website — also, they don’t pay until “within two weeks of publication” but they also state they can hold a submission for a year or more before the rights revert back to the author, without payment.)
Strange Constellations — Speculative Fiction, Sci-fi, Fantasy, but they read other materials too. (No erotica.) Accepts short fiction between 3,000-7,500 words. Pays a token payment of $30. NOTE: They purchase the right to distribute the submission under a Creative Commons License, which is not the same as a traditional copyright. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Be sure this is what you want before submitting here.
Strange Horizons — Speculative Fiction; pays 8¢/word. Can read samples online free. Wants exclusive submissions. Up to 10K words; under 5K preferred. Long list of wants and don’t-wants on their submissions page. 6 week max response time. This magazine also has some very interesting non-fiction articles, such as “Writing Better Trans Characters” (9/28/15). Very useful information.
The Sun — Open to just about anything. Surprise them. Publishes essays, fiction, interviews and poetry. Favors personal writing, but also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues. Pays $300-$1,500 for fiction, $300-$2,000 for nonfiction. Also pays one complimentary one-year subscription to The Sun. No simultaneous submissions. 7,000 word limit. Read the magazine before submitting. (Free sample online)
Third Flatiron — Sci-fi, Fantasy, Anthropological Fiction. Light Horror is acceptable provided it fits the theme. Wants stories that revolve around age-old questions and have something illuminating to tell us as human beings. Publishes four themed anthologies each year. Short stories should stay between 1,500 and 3,000 words (inquire, if longer). Flash humor pieces should stay around 600 words. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Pays .06/word
Threadcount — Accepts works of prose, poetry, fiction, nonfiction and hybrid text. They prefer writing that resists classifications. They want hybrid works. Mostly shorts, <1000 words, but will consider longer projects. Read zine online to see what they want. Doesn’t look like they pay.
Three-Lobed Burning Eye (3LBE) — Speculative Fiction. Horror, Fantasy, Sci-fi, and stories that cross those classifications. Weird fiction. $100 per short fiction (2K-7K). 90 day response time.
The Threepenny Review — Read the magazine to know what they want. Open to submissions from January 1 through June 30. Stories and memoirs up to 4K words. Pays $400/story.
Tin House — Literary Fiction. Unable to find any mention of pay. I also see no way to submit work, but I’ve read elsewhere that they do accept stories.
Uncanny: A Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy — Sci-fi, Fantasy. Seeks passionate, diverse fiction and poetry from writers from every conceivable background. Wants intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs. 750-6K words. 8 cents per word. No multiple or simultaneous submissions.
Vestal Review — Open to all genres except children’s stories and hard science fiction. Publishes twice each year. Flash fiction — 500 words, max. They do pay, but there is a $2 submission fee.
Virginia Quarterly Review — Fiction or Literary Fiction. No genre fiction. Open to submissions during July. From 2K to 8K words. Also accepts nonfiction from 3,500 to 9K words. Literary, art, cultural criticism, travel essays, etc. Read past issues of the magazine before submitting. Simultaneous submissions okay as long as you let them know if your submission is accepted elsewhere. No multiple submissions per reading period. Generally pays $1K+ for short fiction or other prose (25 cents per word). Book reviews run 2K-2,400 words, and are paid at a flat rate of $500.
Weird City Press — Themed genre fiction. “Strange things in dense places.” What’s under the surface in urban settings. Odd pay rate — .01/word for first 2000-3000 words; 1.25/word for next 1500 words; .01/word for next 2000 words; 1-quarter of a cent/word for words above 7500. No online samples to peruse; must purchase an issue to read samples. Can take 6 months or more for response, but the publisher is approachable via e-mail if you have questions while you wait.
Zoetrope All-Story — Small publication, doesn’t look like it pays. But this is the Coppola family, as in Francis Ford Coppola. Zoetrope has discovered numerous emerging writers, and has published big name authors. Publication here could win big points. 7K word limit. Simultaneous submissions okay, but first serial rights and a one-year film option are required.
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