Happy September! I'm enjoying the cooler weather here in Japan, though I'm not enjoying the continued covid-19 situation. Fingers crossed for no more lost work due to sudden covid-19 related cancellations, and here's hoping for financial recovery on the horizon.
In the meantime, I'm not letting up on my submissions. August has been a bit of a lull in my writing obsession, but I'm still at, and wrapping up some new stories, while sending more out. As noted in my August post, I signed the contract to have my short story published in the Dark Cheer: Cryptids Emerging anthology. This will be published either in late 2021 or early 2022, depending on how quickly the publisher, Improbable Press, manages to put everything together.
This was very exciting for me, as it is my first respectable sale to an anthology. I'm considering a respectable sale to be 5 cents or above. Improbable Press also sent me a crisp one-dollar bill to mark my first sale, a symbol of the start to my writing business, as it were. This is in addition to the pay, which will come closer to the publication date. I have since framed the dollar bill and put it up on my wall alongside my honorable mentions and silver honorable mention from Writers of the Future. My writing area is feeling more dedicated of late, even if it isn't quite closed off from the rest of the house as a "proper" writer might like.
Another bit of excitement for me was that the week following my contract signing, the editor recommended me to an editor at their partner publishing house in Australia, and that editor invited me to write a story for her anthology. The theme was a perfect fit for some of the creative exploration I've been doing, so I was happy to accept the invite. This doesn't promise publication, but it is exciting. My first time to be invited to write a story for a paying anthology. I'll have until December to wrap up the story and send it to the editor for consideration, but I have already sent my preliminary pitch in terms of character focus, and the editor liked it. So here goes. In the meantime, I'm waiting on a few other stories, to see if they succeed, one waiting in the second round for two months now (fingers crossed I hear good news soon) and another about to be sent to editor with the hopes they like my requested revision.
Enough about my news, some writing friends of mine have much bigger news to share. I expect most readers of this blog have already congratulated them, but some of the news I'm aware of includes the following:
1. Two writers in my writing group placed in the top three for the Mike Resnick Memorial Award. Z.T. Bright snagged 1st place and Chris Henckel got 3rd place. So proud of them both. I was able to read their works and help a tiny bit as a reader of earlier drafts. Wonderful to see our team of writers helping each other succeed. They will both be published in Galaxy's Edge and win prize money and respectable pay for their stories. Z.T. Bright also got the beautiful 1st place trophy. Oh, and they had their speeches read at Dragon Con as well, and while I couldn't attend Dragon Con, both writers shared their speeches privately with our writer's group and they were excellent speeches indeed.
2. Wulf Moon who has been a wonderful teacher, beastmaster, drill sergeant, and all-around inspiration, also made two excellent sales recently. He sold a story to Third Flatiron Publishing's Fall/Winter 2021 anthology, with the tentative title, "Things with Feathers: Stories of Hope." He also managed to sell a story to Galaxy's Edge, same magazine Z.T. Bright and Chris Henckel will be published in.
3. Another writer friend from my group, Emily Dauvin, was also accepted into Third Flatiron Publishing's Fall/Winter 2021 anthology, with the tentative title, "Things with Feathers: Stories of Hope." . This is her first respectable sale, too! Great place for a first sale. And she'll be sharing TOC with Wulf Moon!
4. Ari Officer and M. Elizabeth Ticknor, two writers who have been or currently are in Moon's challenge group, were finalists for the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award. M. Elizabeth Ticknor won the Grand Prize!
5. Candice Lisle just signed the contract for her first pro sale! Her short story "Invasion" will be published in Daily Science Fiction.
6. There's more too, such as a writer friend making a sale to a magazine's anthology I'm still hoping to make a sale to (been waiting two months in the second round so we shall see). I don't think I can name this one publically yet, so I shall wait on that.
EDIT: 7. I just found out a third writer friend, Alicia Cay, made a sale to Third Flatiron's Things with Feathers. So Emily Dauvin, Alicia Cay, and Wulf Moon will be published in that anthology. I'm so excited to read it!
I think we're all so dedicated to not only our craft but also just to helping each other out that we're all seeing wins. It really helps to work with other writers. I will try to do a round-up of the wins and sales from my writers groups again in a later post, as I've almost certainly forgotten some.
Onward to the submission deadlines, windows, and other such. I hope the update below helps you keep your stories in the game. Nice to have them circulating in the markets, but remember to let them go and focus on your other work in the meantime. Reminder to myself to do that as well!
I will be updating this again throughout the month, adding more in as I notice them. For now, I need to hit publish and get back to revising my own stories.
EDIT: A conference to check out! Fyrcon 2021 will be held online again from November 18 to 21. I had a wonderful experience at it last time. The online aspect worked smoothly and there was an excellent mix of workshops and Masterclasses to choose from. Learned a lot and found plenty of inspiration. The Master Workshops from Wulf Moon, M. Todd Gallowglas, and David Farland would packed with great energy and meaningful lessons. Their general programming of classes had countless topics of interest, and I was taking a frenzy of notes all weekend, not to mention drafting tons of new stories and poems. Super duper recommended. They're still welcoming more presenters for sign up (deadline closing on 9/15 for that) and finalizing the schedule, but it appears they do have a tentative schedule up here, and they are open to registration for the conference here.
Note: always check the info provided at the source itself before you submit. I update this when I notice any issues, or when my writer groups point them out to me, but it is always best to check and check again before submitting your creative work. Oh, and if you want to cry along with me a bit, go visit the closed publications section. I'm missing Deep Magic. Had also hoped to sub more to Departure Mirror and Hybrid Fiction. Arsenika's also been closed. I wonder what other publications haven't survived of late... Even so, there is still a lot out there for us to be subbing to, and I am wishing you the best of luck!
Table of Contents (scroll down to each section for clickable links)
1. Submission Deadlines/Windows (9/2021 and beyond; 5¢/word USD and above)
2. Publications Open for Submission (no specified deadline; 5¢/word USD and above)
3. Submission Deadlines/Windows (9/2021 and beyond; 1-4¢/word USD)
4. Publications Open for Submission (no specified deadline; 1-4¢/word USD)
5. Closed Publications
6. Search for More Markets
7. Advice, Motivation, and Workshops
8. More Links
1. Submission Deadlines/Windows (9/2021 and beyond; 5¢/word USD and above)
7/5-9/5, A Woman Built by Man, 2000-5000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: Horror (any subgenre), Theme: short stories written by women and femme-identifying individuals that explore the ways in which women are shaped by the men around them, submit to awbbmsubmissions@gmail.com
9/1-9/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is only open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors
9/1-9/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
9/1-9/7, Micro Madness (Cosmic Horror Monthly), ~500 words, three winners/month ($100 for 1st, $50 for 2nd, $25 for 3rd), Genre: cosmic horror/dark SF/weird, submit with cover letter to flashfiction@cosmic-horror.net
9/5-9/11 (this window only open to BIPOC writers), Nightmare Magazine, 1500-7500 words (~1000 words for Horror Labs subs), 8 cents/word ($40/poem), Genre: Horror / Dark Fantasy, Multiple Subs: one short story and one sub to Horror Lab (either one flash, one creative essay, or five poems)
9/5-9/12, Cemetery Gates Society's monthly flash fiction contest, 500-1500 words, Genre: Horror, September Theme: “Cathedral In Flames: stories inspired by Coil” (see link on website), winner receives $50, submit one story/contest, no rejections sent
9/12, Los Suelos, CA (call for story pitches for a multimedia project from Surface Dweller Studios), submit up to three ~500 word pitches for stories of ~3000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: pitched stories must take place in Los Suelos (see description on site), "also looking for ideas for alternative or found-form pieces, such as a Community Event Calendar, an employee manual for a grain elevator operator, case files for a resident’s medical evaluation, whatever can tell a story through another medium," submit pitches to surfacedwellerstudios@gmail.com
9/1-9/13, PseudoPod, ~6000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: horror (dark, weird fiction; spectrum from grim realism or crime drama, to magic-realism, to blatantly supernatural dark fantasy), Simultaneous OK (with disclosure), Multiple (one original and one reprint), Reprints OK ($100 for 1500-6000 words, $20 for ~1500 words)
7/31-9/15, Silence in the City (anthology), 2500-5000 words, 6¢/word, Genre/Theme: speculative stories "asking what happens when a city--and all of modern civilization--is plunged into darkness"
9/15, Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: Horror, Theme: Isolation Island, must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Maria Tissot, maria@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, note: every month will be a different genre and there will only be one prompt according to their September 2021 newsletter
9/12-9/18 (open to all writers), Nightmare Magazine, 1500-7500 words (~1000 words for Horror Labs subs), 8 cents/word ($40/poem), Genre: Horror / Dark Fantasy, Multiple Subs: one short story and one sub to Horror Lab (either one flash, one creative essay, or five poems)
9/1-9/21, Flash Fiction Online, open 1st-21st (closed Dec.), 500-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any, Multiple (only 1 original and 1 reprint story concurrently), Reprints 2¢/word, anonymous submissions
9/22, Reckoning 6: environmental justice, ~20,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any (especially solarpunk, biopunk, and hopepunk), Theme: about environmental justice that addresses the intersection between social upheaval and environmental changes, Poetry OK (3-5 poems, $30/poem), Nonfiction OK, Art OK (a negotiable $25 or more)
9/6-9/25, Frozen Wavelets, ~750 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F/H, Theme: anything (wants writers to "push boundaries in format and topics" and see more likes mentioned at the link; also "especially interested in speculative poetry and in East Asian themes submitted by Asian and non-Asian authors, just to be clear), Anonymous submissions, .DOC or .RTF files only, Poetry OK (max 10 lines, $1/line, 1-5 poems/haiku subbed in same document), Reprints OK (500-1500 words, 1¢/word), Multiple OKish (no multiple in same category; one original and one reprint allowed at same time for fiction)
9/1-9/30 (may close earlier if reach submissions cap), The Cincinnati Review, ~10,000 words, about 10¢/word (specifically $25/page), Genre: general/literary, Poetry OK ($30/page), three submissions windows (opening the 1st of September, December, and May and closing at the end of the month or when they reach a cap on submissions)
9/1-9/30, Nashville Review, ~8000 words, a flat $100/story (so about 1-10¢/word), Genre: general/literary, may submit short stories and novel excerpts up to 8000 words or submit three flash pieces in one document up to 1000 words each, Simultaneous OK, Creative Non-fiction OK (~8000 words), Poetry OK (1-3 poems within one document per submission; $25/poem), Art OK (see site for details), three submissions windows (9/1-9/30, 1/1-1/31, 5/1-5/31)
9/1-9/30, Split Lip Magazine, ~3000 words, flat rate of $50 for flash/short stories/poetry/memoirs/art (so 5¢/word for ~1000 word stories; longer than that and the rate isn't as good), Simultaneous OK, Poetry OK (only send one per sub period), free submissions months include the following: January, March, May, August, September, November
9/30, WotF Q3, ~17000 words (aim for 3000-10,000), 8¢/word, prize money (1st $1000, 2nd $750, 3rd $500, annual grand $5000, plus Hollywood workshop; semi-finalists get feedback), Genre: F/SF, Note: contest for new writers w/o 4+ pro-level publications; the forum is very helpful, especially the Super Secrets thread; free workshop available on website
7/1-10/1, Bleeding Edge Books, 10,000-30,000 words (query for over 30k), 5¢/word, Genre: dark fiction ("everything from crime, science fiction, horror, suspense, adventure, and thriller to mystery, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, literary, etc."), Simultaneous OK
10/1-10/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
10/1-10/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is open to all authors
10/1-10/7, Micro Madness (Cosmic Horror Monthly), ~500 words, three winners/month ($100 for 1st, $50 for 2nd, $25 for 3rd), Genre: cosmic horror/dark SF/weird, submit with cover letter to flashfiction@cosmic-horror.net
8/10-10/11, Dream Foundry Contest, ~10,000 words, prize money (1st = $1000, 2nd = $500, 3rd = $100), Genre: any speculative, only open to new writers (published less than 4000 words of paid speculative writing, earned less than USD320 from that, never nominated for a major speculative award, not a previous winner of this contest), Art OK (separate contest but same deadline), anonymous submissions, writing contest judges are Vajra Chandrasekera and Premee Mohamed, also note that winners are not published
10/5-10/12, Cemetery Gates Society's monthly flash fiction contest, 500-1500 words, Genre: Horror, October Theme of “Halloween Party”, winner receives $50, submit one story/contest, no rejections sent
8/30-10/15, MIRROR, MIRROR: Modern Myths (anthology from Kevin J. Andersen), ~5000 words, 6¢/word, Genre: F/SF/H/magical/romance, Theme: mirrors, reflections, new and fresh once upon a time stories (no copyrighted characters), PG-13
10/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: varies (the newsletter at the start of every month will provide the new prompt and new genre, previously Horror and SF), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Maria Tissot, maria@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, note: every month will be a different genre and there will only be one prompt
10/7-10/21, Diabolical Pots (themed anthology from Diabolical Plots), ~3500 words), 10¢/word, Genre: speculative, Theme: any speculative centered around food, Editor: Kel Coleman (especially interested in lush descriptions, immersive world-building, sf high on emotional resonance and low on unexamined imperialism, any kind of prose that is intentional and serves the story)
10/1-10/21, Flash Fiction Online, open 1st-21st (closed Dec.), 500-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any, Multiple (only 1 original and 1 reprint story concurrently), Reprints 2¢/word, anonymous submissions
10/22, Flash Fiction Online (100th Issue Special Call), 500-1000 words, $80/story (2¢/word for reprints), Genre: any, Theme: One Hundred (must involve the number 100 in some way integral to the story), anonymous submissions, Multiple OK (can also submit to normal monthly window), Reprints OK
9/1-10/31, Death in the Mouth: an anthology of original horror from people of color, 1000-6000 words, 8¢/words, Genre: horror (though mixing in other genres is fine), submit with brief bio to deathinthemouth@gmail.com, Simultaneous OK, Reprint OK, Art OK (send portfolio)
10/1-10/31, khoreo, ~5000 words, 8¢/word, any speculative, Note: only open to subs from authors identifying as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms (see their website), Non-Fiction OK, Art OK
9/1-10/31, Escape Pod: Joy, 1500-6000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF, Theme: Joy (joyful stories that celebrate positive futures or positive alternate pasts; especially love to see stories that embrace joy for demographics where we often see pain centered), Reprints OK (1500-18,000), open stories not specific to this theme from 11/1-5/31/2022
11/1 (very tentative date; states fall 2021 on website and last year was November), Metastellar, ~1000 words, 8 cents/word, Genre: F/SF/H
11/1 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest (4th annual), ~350 words, prize money (1st at $75, 3 prompt prizes at $50, 10-12 HMs at $5) and winners read on the podcast (preferably by the author), Genre: any genre but must be strange or odd, Theme: must relate to any winter holiday, 3 prompt categories to submit to, Reprints OK( query), Multiple OK, Poetry OK (narrative poetry only)
11/1-11/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is only open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors
11/1-11/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
11/1-11/7, Solarpunk Magazine, 500-7500 words, 8¢/word ($80 min), Genre: any (prefers solarpunk/SF/F/slipstream/magical realism/urban fantasy; not strict about genre), Theme: solarpunk (specifically any work that "speculates about a better world in an equitable future where humanity and technology have either achieved a healthy balance with nature, or have adapted to climate change in creative ways"), (Poetry OK (up to 5 poems or 5 pages of poems, whichever is shorter; $40/poem), Simultaneous OK, Multiple (one submission per category of flash, short story, and poetry), Nonfiction OK (1000-1500 words, $75/piece), Art OK ($100/reprint cover, $300 original cover, $50 reprint inside, $150 original inside), Note: this window depends on their September/October Kickstarter success
9/7-11/14, One Story, 3k-8k words, $500/story, Genre: any literary, Simultaneous OK, also open to submissions 1/15-5/31
11/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: varies (the newsletter at the start of every month will provide the new prompt and new genre, previously Horror and SF), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Maria Tissot, maria@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, note: every month will be a different genre and there will only be one prompt
9/15-11/15, Lamplight Magazine (Special Call for New Writers), ~5100 words, 6¢/word, Genre: Dark/Literary, Reprints (1¢/word), simultaneous OK, Note: limited to 300 subs/month (closes each month after limit reached so sub near the start of each month!)
11/1-11/21, Flash Fiction Online, open 1st-21st (closed Dec.), 500-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any, Multiple (only 1 original and 1 reprint story concurrently), Reprints 2¢/word, anonymous submissions
11/15-11/30, DreamForge Magazine, 200-4500 words (sweet spot: 2500-3750), 6¢/word (reprints: 3¢/word), Genre: SF and Fantasy, Theme: positive stories (wants "stories of hope and advancement" that "open up the universe," and to be shown the "better angels of our nature"; lots more direction provided on what they are seeking at the link), Poetry OK (~900 words)
11/30, ServiceScape Short Story Award 2021, ~5000 words, $1000 for one winner, any genre/theme (see website for previous winning stories)
9/1-11/30, Dark Recesses, 500-5000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: horror/dark fiction, four submission windows (9/1-11/30, 12/1-2/28 or 29, 3/1-5/31, 6/1-8/31, note variants from standard manuscript format (single-spaced, no indents), Nonfiction OK (but read specifics on their site)
11/1-11/30, Split Lip Magazine, ~3000 words, flat rate of $50 for flash/short stories/poetry/memoirs/art (so 5¢/word for ~1000 word stories; longer than that and the rate isn't as good), Simultaneous OK, Poetry OK (only send one per sub period), free submissions months include the following: January, March, May, August, September, November
12/1-12/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is open to all authors
12/1-12/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
12/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: varies (the newsletter at the start of every month will provide the new prompt and new genre, previously Horror and SF), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Maria Tissot, maria@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, note: every month will be a different genre and there will only be one prompt
12/31, WotF Q3, ~17000 words (aim for 3000-10,000), 8¢/word, prize money (1st $1000, 2nd $750, 3rd $500, annual grand $5000, plus Hollywood workshop; semi-finalists get feedback), Genre: F/SF, Note: contest for new writers w/o 4+ pro-level publications; the forum is very helpful, especially the Super Secrets thread; free workshop available on website
12/1-12/31 (may close earlier if reach submissions cap), The Cincinnati Review, ~10,000 words, about 10¢/word (specifically $25/page), Genre: general/literary, Poetry OK ($30/page), Simultaneous OK, three submissions windows (opening the 1st of September, December, and May and closing at the end of the month or when they reach a cap on submissions)
8/27-12/31, Noir, ~7500 words, Genre/Theme: SF/Fantasy/Urban Fantasy with a detective/private investigator set-up and a noir atmosphere, 8¢/word, submit story to contact@zombiesneedbrains.com
8/27-12/31, Shattering the Glass Slipper, ~7500 words, Genre/Theme: fairy tales that have been upended, gender-bent, or twisted around (especially like non-European; also avoid doing same as anchor authors, see link on site), 8¢/word, submit story to contact@zombiesneedbrains.com
8/27-12/31, Brave New Worlds, ~7500 words, Genre/Theme: SF set along the pathway of us leaving Earth for the stars, 8¢/word, submit story to contact@zombiesneedbrains.com
1/15/2022 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: varies (the newsletter at the start of every month will provide the new prompt and new genre, previously Horror and SF), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Maria Tissot, maria@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, note: every month will be a different genre and there will only be one prompt
1/1-1/21, Flash Fiction Online, open 1st-21st (closed Dec.), 500-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any, Multiple (only 1 original and 1 reprint story concurrently), Reprints 2¢/word, anonymous submissions
1/1-1/31, Nashville Review, ~8000 words, a flat $100/story (so about 1-10¢/word), Genre: general/literary, may submit short stories and novel excerpts up to 8000 words or submit three flash pieces in one document up to 1000 words each, Simultaneous OK, Creative Non-fiction OK (~8000 words), Poetry OK (1-3 poems within one document per submission; $25/poem), Art OK (see site for details), three submissions windows (9/1-9/30, 1/1-1/31, 5/1-5/31)
10/1-2/1 (tentative dates, listing based on last years details), Jim Baen Memorial Award, ~8000 words, grand prize (published at 8¢/word, engraved trophy, entry into International Space Development Conference, year membership in National Space Society, books and merchandise), 2nd and 3rd place (entry into International Space Development Conference, year membership in National Space Society, books and merchandise), Genre: SF, Theme: the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration
2/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: varies (the newsletter at the start of every month will provide the new prompt and new genre, previously Horror and SF), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Maria Tissot, maria@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, note: every month will be a different genre and there will only be one prompt
2/29 (my tentative assumption), Pseudopod (general submissions), 1500-6000 words (prefer about 4500; also flash under 1500 welcome), 8¢/word (reprints of flash at $20), Genre/Theme: any horror for audio, Simultaneous OK (but with disclosure!), Multiple OK (one original and one reprint)
5/1-5/31, Nashville Review, ~8000 words, a flat $100/story (so about 1-10¢/word), Genre: general/literary, may submit short stories and novel excerpts up to 8000 words or submit three flash pieces in one document up to 1000 words each, Simultaneous OK, Creative Non-fiction OK (~8000 words), Poetry OK (1-3 poems within one document per submission; $25/poem), Art OK (see site for details), three submissions windows (9/1-9/30, 1/1-1/31, 5/1-5/31)
2. Publications Open for Submission (no specified deadline; 5¢/word USD and above)
Anathema: Spec from the Margins, 1500-6k words (if 1500-2k words pays 5¢/word), $100 CAD/story ($50/poem), Genre: SF/F/H, Simultaneous OK, Poetry OK (under 100 lines, Non-Fiction OK (1500-3000 words), Limited demographic: queer/two-spirit person of colour/Indigenous/Aboriginal, Note on Genre/Theme: "We are open to any form of genre or speculative content. We talk about what we do as "SF/F/H, the weird, slipstream, surrealism, fabulism, and more," elsewhere on the site. But we are not limited to those genres. Use them as a starting point and send whatever you want: as long as it's got some kind of speculative content we'll consider it. And we are also interested in seeing work that has been difficult to place because of content or perspective."
Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, open 1st-2nd every month, 1000-40000 words (shorter preferred), 8¢/word (reprints 2¢/word), Genre: F/SF, Poetry ($1/line, ~40 lines, reprints 50¢/word), Articles (2-8¢/word, reprints 1-4¢/word), unedited feedback provided if requested in cover letter
Cricket, ~6000 words (best = 1200-1800 & 600-900), 25 cents/word, Genre/Theme: middle grade readers (realistic contemporary fiction, historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy, folk tales, myths and legends, and humor), also seeking poetry / nonfiction / puzzles / activities / art, Note: other magazines at the link include Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, Ask, Muse
Dark Recesses, 500-5000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: horror/dark fiction, four submission windows (9/1-11/30, 12/1-2/28 or 29, 3/1-5/31, 6/1-8/31, note variants from standard manuscript format (single-spaced, no indents), Nonfiction OK (but read specifics on their site)
Nashville Review, ~8000 words, a flat $100/story (so about 1-10¢/word), Genre: general/literary, may submit short stories and novel excerpts up to 8000 words or submit three flash pieces in one document up to 1000 words each, Simultaneous OK, Creative Non-fiction OK (~8000 words), Poetry OK (1-3 poems within one document per submission; $25/poem), Art OK (see site for details), three submissions windows (9/1-9/30, 1/1-1/31, 5/1-5/31)
Split Lip Magazine, ~3000 words, flat rate of $50 for flash/short stories/poetry/memoirs/art (so 5¢/word for ~1000 word stories; longer than that and the rate isn't as good), Simultaneous OK, Poetry OK (only send one per sub period), free submissions months include the following: January, March, May, August, September, November
Strange Horizons (currently closed to fiction & poetry), ~10,000 words (~5000 best), 10¢/word, Genre: SF/Fantasy/Humor/Literary, Poetry (currently closed, $50/poem), Art OK (email, see website), Nonfiction OK (email, see website), closed to fictions subs until further notice (catching up on backlog), open to poetry after August
Terraform, ~2000 words, 20¢/word, Genre: SF, Theme: nearer future fiction any form welcome ("classic-style SF short stories, social media posts from beyond the horizon, fictive data dumps, experimental graphic narratives, and so on"), Note: send submissions to terraform.motherboard@gmail.comThe Antihumanist, ~1000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: any genre that fits the theme, Theme: fiction that "challenges human centred narratives" and "forces us to confront our place in the universe," Simultaneous OK
The Dark, 2000-6000 words, 6¢/word,
Genre: Horror/Dark Fantasy/ExperimentalThe Deadlands, ~5000 words (sweet spot = 3-4k), 10¢/word,Genre/Theme: speculative fiction that concerns itself with death–but also everything death may involve, Reprints OK (~5000 words, 1¢/word), Poetry OK during open periods (currently closed since June 14th; when open: 3 poems/submission, $50/poem), Nonfiction OK (1-4k words, $100/essay), Art OK ($100/cover art)
3. Submission Deadlines/Windows (9/2021 and beyond; 1-4¢/word USD)
8/15-8/30 (9/1-9/7 BIPOC-only), Apparition Literature, 1000-5100 words, 3¢/word, Genre: any speculative, Theme: Wonder, Poetry OK (~2 pages/poem; sub ~5 poems/submission, $30/poem)
8/1-8/31, Dark Moments (drabble monthly challenge, Black Hare Press), exactly 100 words(excluding title and pen name), 4¢/word, Genre: anything dark, Theme: underwater
9/1, Books and Bikes in Space, 1000-6000 words, profits split between contributors (minimum of $50 each + copies of the book), Genre: any speculative/fantastical, Theme: books and bikes must be elements intrinsic to the story, welcomes ownvoices and first-time writers
9/13, Koening zine, short stories and creative non-fiction of ~2000 words (also open to 1-3 poems/micros, 1-2 flash fictions pieces, or 3-6 pieces of artwork), $25 for print contributors and $15 for online contributors, Genre/Theme: swamp ("tell us what you find in the swamp. tell us what finds you. we’re interested in all sorts of swamps: living and dead; digital and physical; mental and spiritual; its ecosystem and its inhabitants. illustrate all the ways you can get lost in it. bring to us the ugly, the gore, the guts and the glory."), submit with cover letter to Ren and Jess and brief bio at koeningzine@gmail.com, note: open to asian creators only
9/15, 50-Word Stories monthly contest, exactly 50 words, $10 Canadian for a single winner, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK
10/31, War (Black Hare Press anthology), 5000+ words, $50+digital copy, Genre: any dark speculative, Theme: war/conflict, anonymous submissions, wants British spellings, anthology in print and digital formats, include in email real name, pseudonym, ~100 word bio w/ ~4 social links, 40-word blurb, ~500-word synopsis
9/15-11/15, Lamplight Magazine, ~7000 words, 3¢/word, Genre: Dark/Literary, Reprints (1¢/word), simultaneous OK, Note: they are limited to 300 submissions/month and will close each month after that limit is reached
11/15 (reading period begins on 11/15 and ends when reaches goal of 80,000 words), Cthulu FhCon, 2000-6000 words, 2¢/word, Genre/Theme: any PG-13 dealing with the idea of Cthlu FhCon (see story prompt on website)
11/19, Steam vs Substance (Issue 3 of Mythulu Magazine), 500-2800 words, 4¢/word, Theme: Prove explicit moments can be both ethical and important or demonstrate why platonic gestures demonstrate superior love (seeking one erotica piece with extraordinary depth, one "mass appeal" intensity romance containing clever taboos made approachable, one PG-level romance focused on love that transcends personal ownership), Non-fiction OK (200-1200 words, 8¢/word, theme: on the business/non-fiction side, discuss how codependency impacts authors, especially the tug-of-war between personal expression and the need for acceptance, and consider the romance business, the genre's relationship with censorship, or another related topic you're passionate about), Art OK
11/1-11/30, Abyss & Apex (poetry window), prefers "lineated free verse with a limited amount of traditional form poetry with at least 9 lines or prose poems at least 50 words in length but we will publish brilliant shorter work", $5.50/poem, Genre/Theme: any speculative (seeks strong, emotionally resonant, literary-quality poetry with a clear speculative element), dark poetry welcome but not horror
12/31, We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2021 (Neon Hemlock anthology), ~17,500 words, 1¢/word, speculative exploring queerness/transness, reprints from 2021 only, simultaneous OK, multiple OK
2/16/2022, Maps & Biomes (Issue 4 of Mythulu Magazine), 500-2800 words, 4¢/word, Theme: innovative settings are the foundation for new genres (Why do readers care about maps and what makes a map legendary? Submit short stories that feature wildly original biomes or bizarre weather. Show us settings fundamentally at war with character needs), Non-fiction OK (200-1200 words, 8¢/word, theme: On the business side, how do you make your map earn an ROI? And most of all, what makes a world good enough to spawn a new genre?), Art OK
5/1-5/31, Abyss & Apex (poetry window), prefers "lineated free verse with a limited amount of traditional form poetry with at least 9 lines or prose poems at least 50 words in length but we will publish brilliant shorter work", $5.50/poem, Genre/Theme: any speculative (seeks strong, emotionally resonant, literary-quality poetry with a clear speculative element), dark poetry welcome but not horror
4. Publications Open for Submission (no specified deadline; 1-4¢/word USD)
Black Hare Press, 5000-17,000 words, $25 (5k-10k), $50 (10k-17k), Genre: anything dark, anonymous submissions, wants British spellings, anthology in print and digital formats, include in email real name, pseudonym, ~100 word bio w/ ~4 social links, 40-word blurb, ~500-word synopsis
The Common Tongue Magazine, 600-6000 words, 3¢/word, Genre: only high fantasy with a dark tone (dark fantasy, grimdark, sword & sorcery), Languages: English or Spanish (translations also accepted), Poetry OK (up to 40 lines), Note: seeking original stories or stories set in their Arthuruin Shared Universe, Nonfiction OK (~2500 words, 3¢/word), Art OK ($200-400)
5. Publications Closed
Blood Knife, ~1200 words, 9¢/word, Genre: SF/F/H (especially likes dark fantasy, gothic fiction, cosmic horror, and cyberpunk), Theme: "emphasis on tone and style than on strict genre adherence," and "the decadent, the grotesque, the weird, the alienating, and the agonizing," and welcomes political content as well as sex/violence/gore, Simultaneous OK, Non-fiction OK ($60 for 800-word article), working through backlog and will reopen "sometime in the summer"
Deep Magic, 1000-40,000 words, 8¢/word up to 7499 words ($599.92 pay cap above that), Genre: SF and Fantasy, Note: PG-13, Reprints OK (2¢/word up to 10,000 words and capped at $200 for longer), Note: permanently closed to submissions; they have just released their Best Of anthology Vol. 2 and I highly recommend it grabbing yourself a copy, and they will also be releasing a summer issue with a gorgeous cover and great stories), permanently closed (they just released their final issue--what a beautiful choice for the cover; might be one of my favs; sad to say goodbye, especially as I enjoyed doing a little first reading for them)
Hybrid Fiction, 500-5000 words (or serialized novellas), 6¢/word, Genre: speculative hybrid/cross-genre (blend of 2+ genres, such as dark fantasy, steampunk western, historical fantasy, weird western, crime fantasy, etc.), "on hiatus until further notice due to the pandemic," website expired which likely means they have closed for good
6. Search for More Markets
Where to Submit Short Stories: 30 Magazines and Websites That Want Your Work, a decent list with a literary focus
28 Themed Submission Calls for August by S. Kalekar, submission possibilities including a few good ones I haven't had time to add to the lists above
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: plenty of updated lists of agents, calls for submission, contests, conferences, recipes, and more
7. Advice, Motivation, and Workshops
Shadowspinners often has a wonderful assortment of blog posts from various writers, such as Eric M. Witchey.
M. Todd Gallowglas does some fun and engaging classes that really inspire you to produce meaningful new work; check out his shows on Twitch or his workshops
Wulf Moon's Super Secrets: a ton of great advice on writing short stories that win (he runs a workshop that you can peek in on and learn from as it goes)
Wulf Moon also has great workshops at Fyrecon, and is available as a professional editor and voice actor; check out his website for more info
Cat Rambo's Website: lots of good resources and classes
Submitting Short Fiction: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Genre Edition by Holly Lyn Walrath, a useful guide on playing the submission game written in 2019
8. More Links
Here are grants to apply for with the Speculative Literature Foundation
This is a listing at critter.org that shows general response times of various publications
Publisher's Pick Free Ebook of the Month (Maintained by Arc Manor of Galaxy's Edge)
On writing cover letters for submissions to the short fiction market by Christie
Personally, I use ProWritingAid to help revise my writing. It's not always right, but it's another helpful tool for wading through revisions. If you want to try it out, use this link to sign up for a free account: https://prowritingaid.com/en/Account/Register?rafid=xNnjM. If 10 of my friends use the link, supposedly I'll get a one-year license. Yay!
