Hi everyone,
I hope you've been doing well and still writing and subbing and all those good things. I've slowed down quite a bit, though I recently noticed my first short story sale (December 2021) was mentioned in the Showcasing Art section of my hometown's Gazette-Times. Motivating to see. Have to get more out there for people to read, right? I'll have two stories published later this year I believe, though I do not know the specific dates yet. In the meantime, need to push through with new work. I only have 8 pending currently?! Last year, I almost always had 20 or more works pending at various markets. SO... that's a really low number for me.
Futurescapes: went to it in March and it was nice for what it was. I enjoyed meeting more writers. Now I have another group of writers I can exchange critiques with, so that should be of help. The agent leading our group was engaging and had some useful thoughts on each of our samples, as did the other writers. Some good points about my work; problem being, some criticism only made me want to drill down even further on what wasn't working for them since that's part of the unique draw of my novel. That's how critique sessions go. I think I'll likely re-read the novel that nudged me further down my dark, frenetic path, and will push through a final revision pass to make this novel even more so, then get another handful of critiques before trying to contact agents again.
I took a workshop with Dan Wells, which was a trip for me, since I'm a fan and include his work as an influence on mine. I do have notes but nothing spectacular to share. I enjoyed the Q&A sessions with writers. I especially found some nuggets of motivation when listening to S.L. Huang and Kate Dollarhyde. I took better notes on what Dollarhyde said, so here you are, some actual content that might be of interest.
Dollarhyde talked about her work with video games, which unfortunately I didn't really take good notes on, but she does discuss more of that in her substack here. How impressive to be nominated for a Nebula for a video game you've put so much of yourself in (The Outer Worlds)! I decided to ask about short stories and getting them published. I mentioned that I recently made my first short story sale to an indie publisher, and she said that smaller magazines were first steps for her, too. A slow struggle. To level up her craft, she read for places she wanted to submit stories to, such as Apex Magazine (and I imagine Strange Horizons where she was co-editor-in-chief for a few years). She zeroed in on writers with a style that engaged her (mentioned Seth Dickinson: strong openings, really punchy that goes hard and uses unique protagonists and stylings; also, Vajra Chandrasekera at Strange Horizons who has the story The Translator at Low Tide at Clarkesworld). She read every issue for a magazine she loved (Shimmer). When she gets personal rejections, she revises if she agrees with the criticism, but first she sits with the feedback and asks whether this meets with her own goals. Then she ignores any that doesn't meet her goals and revises in her own direction. Focus on things that felt singular and make your voice sing. She also mentioned influences from new weird stories, China Mieville novels, Jeff Vandermeer, Samuel Delaney. Soaking those authors stories impacted her style. Also, the weird cities of Tanith Lee, Storm Constantine (weird dark, weird relations), The Etched City by K.J. Bishop (also: That Book Your Mad Ancestor Wrote; and the short story The Art of Dying). Mentioned influence from photography (observant of slant of life, shapes, colors, what people are doing in spaces). Be interested, curious, observant. Mentioned current games/reads/shows she enjoyed: Destiny The Witch Queen, Pyre, How High We Go In the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu, Station Eleven show.
Anyway, I've been reading a lot of comics and recently finished a first read of Dhalgren by Samuel Delaney. Lots to say about both, but I'll save that for another time. My comic reading habits have been somewhat random, with some focus on horror (SiKtC) and some just random mot. Might try to dip into what Alyssa Wong's written in comics next, as I loved her horror short stories, though just from a glance her comics seem fairly different (more action flick) and perhaps not quite what I'm reading these days.
Please feel free to browse my latest updates to the lists below. Happy writing and subbing. Best of luck with it all!
R.J.K. Lee
In no way are the listings below complete, but these should help point the way to some good possibilities when sending your work off. I'll add more soon.
Some market updates and changes to note:
The Dread Machine now pays 5¢/word instead of 3 for original fiction up to 5500 words (dark future / cyberpunk / literary SF / slipstream / magical realism)
SFWA's opened its doors to more members. Review the changes here. Cat Rambo detailed some of the reasons she voted for the change here.
Cossmass Infinities only open two months a year: February and October (see October entry below)
Fantasy Magazine is open to BIPOC submissions all year (open to general subs 7/1-7/7 and 10/1-10/7)
Fireside Fiction is closing permanently to submissions (they'll still publish what they have already purchased but after that, they will not be seeking any more stories in the future)
As noted on Locus, "small-press horror press Silver Shamrock Publishing closed" on the first weekend of April. Hence, their Midnight in the Stagecoach anthology window is no more.
EDIT:
Just noticed on Twitter that Zooscape will not open in August after all. They will open to submissions from December (12/15) and I updated the list accordingly.
Table of Contents:
1. Deadlines/Windows (4/20/2022 and beyond; paying 6¢/word or more)
2. Open Publications (no deadline; paying 6¢/word or more)
3. Deadlines/Windows (4/20/2022 and beyond; paying up to 5¢/word)
4. Open Publications (no deadline; paying up to 5¢/word)
5. Deadlines/Windows (4/20/2022 and beyond; advance/royalties or benefit/charity)
6. Search for More Markets Here
7. Browse Links to Advice/Lists/Workshops
1. Deadlines/Windows (4/20/2022 and beyond; paying 6¢/word or more)
4/21 (assume: midnight EST/EDT), Flash Fiction Online, 500-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any, Anonymous submissions, Reprints OK (2¢/word), Simultaneous NO, Multiple OK (only one original and one reprint concurrently), Note: open 1st-21st almost every month (closed in December)
4/29, Science Write Now #7, unspecified word count, Pay: 30¢/word up to $390 for new stories ($70/poem or $180 for three poems; $40 for reprint stories or essays; $20 for reprint poems), Genre: various (poems, short stories, book reviews, or literary or personal essays related to science, technology, engineering, or maths), Theme: "Science, Humour, and the Absurd" (explores how humour and the absurd shape cultural ideas of science and, in turn, how the world of science influences comic performance in popular culture, art and literature), limited to Australian writers or writers living in Australia, Reprints OK, Poetry OK, Nonfiction OK, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO
4/30 (11:59pm EDT), Baen Fantasy Adventure Award, 1500-8000 words, awards (grand prize: published at pro rates, engraved award, $500 of Baen books; 2nd: $500 of Baen books; 3rd: $300 of Baen books, Genre: any fantasy, Anonymous submissions, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, send entries as .RTF attachments to baenfantasyaward@baen.com with BFAA SUBMISSION in the subject line 4/30, Bioluminescent: A Lunarpunk Anthology (Android Press), 500-7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Lunarpunk (see explanation on their website), Poetry OK (5 poems or 5 pages; $30/poem + contributor copy), Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, Editor: Justine Norton-Kertson, submit at
the Moksha link here
4/30, Elegant Literature, 500-2000 words, 10¢/word, Genre: any, Theme: reflections and an apple (note: each month has a different theme), note that there is also a contest but that requires an entry fee (submission to the magazine is free; just create a free account), submissions are open to new writers (see definition on website, which includes sold fewer than 4 stories at 8¢/word and have not traditionally published a 40,000 word or more novel), Art OK (cover art: $200), Poetry NO, Reprints NO, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK
5/1 (11:59 pm CST), Dark Matter Magazine, 1000-5000 words, 8 cents/word, Genre: SF/Horror (horror should incorporate science /tech, such as SF horror/weird/SF thriller/cyberpunk; see website for more details), Reprints OK (2 cents/word), Poetry OK ($30/poem), Comics OK (1-10 pages; $50/page), Art OK, Simultaneous OK, Multiple NO, submit via Moksha portal
5/1, PARSEC 2022 short story contest, ~3500 words, Award (1st=$200 w/ publication; 2nd=$100; 3rd=$50;Best Youth Story=$50), Genre: SF/Fantasy/Horror, Theme: Hearth, Song, and Table (incorporate at least two of the three elements), Reprints NO, Multiple OK (max 2 but sub each story separately), Simultaneous NO, Eligibility: open to non-professional writers (those who have not met eligibility requirements for SFWA or equivalent: sale of a novel or sale of 3 stories to a large-circulation publication) and not open to previous first-place winners and current contest coordinators, submit via Submittable form in standard (doc/docx/rtf)
5/1 (midnight PST), Queer Sci Fi: Clarity, ~300 words, various awards (1st = $75, 2nd = $50, 3rd = $25), Genre: SF/Fantasy/Paranormal/Fantasy (must be LGBTIQA), Theme: Clarity (stories must embrace/explore this theme; see more on the website), Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to scott@queerscifi.com with subject line “QSF FLASH FICTION CONTEST: TITLE, AUTHOR”
5/5 (11:59 PM PST), Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors, 3000-5000 words, various awards (1st = $3,000, 2nd = $2,000, 3rd = $1,000, nine finalists each receive $300; winners + finalists published in Fall 2022 on Fix’s website and celebrated during a virtual event), Genre: Cli-Fi (specifically hope-filled climate fiction), Theme: stories that envision the next 180 years of climate progress (must be set anytime between today and 2200; looking for vivid characters, cultural setting, creative solutions, and decolonized futures), Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, Judges: a panel of literary experts (including Grace L. Dillon, Arkady Martine, and Sheree Renée Thomas), submit entries at
their portal here
5/1-5/14, 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), Translations OK, Simultaneous NO, 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)
5/1-5/14, Cast of Wonders (an Escape Artists Podcast): Banned Books Week 2022, ~6000 words (query for longer; best fit is 3000-4500 or flash <1000), 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: specifically a Banned Books Week submissions window (also should be YA, 12-17 age range, include a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them), Anonymous submissions, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK (notify if accepted elsewhere and may consider as reprint), Multiple NO, Editor: Katherine Inskip, send submissions to
Moksha link
5/1-5/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
5/20, Planet Democracy (Militia Review), 3000-7500 words, 8¢/word up to 5000 words (up to a max of $500 after that), Genre: Hopepunk (and any related SF/Fantasy/ Literary/Slipstream/Cli-Fi), Theme: hopepunk ("positive and powerful character-driven stories that imagine an open and inclusive tech-empowered democratic future for all people, species and countries on Earth"; see more details at the website), Translation OK, Reprints NO, Poetry OK ($10/poem), Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit via their google form at
https://forms.gle/2AJYdwhjdQVkunYWA
5/1-5/30, Space Fantasy Magazine, ~1250 words (prefer 1000-1250 but multiple micros up to 1250 words total is okay), 8¢/word, Genre: SF/Fantasy (seeking stories that "challenge our relationship with space—past, present, and future"), Theme: Is There Anybody Out There? (unexpected encounters in isolated places), Reprints NO, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK (multiple micro stories should be included in the same file, but no more than 1250 words in total per submission period), send submission to spacefantasymag(@)gmail.com
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)
5/1-5/31, Dark Void, 3000-4000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: SF Horror, Theme: must take place off planet Earth (all stories taking place on Earth are rejected), submit to darkvoidmagazine@gmail.com5/31, Literally Dead (Halloween Ghost Anthology from Alienhead Press), 2000-4000 words, 6¢/word, Genre/Theme: creepy and dark ghost stories of PG-13 or R ratings (classic paranormal, poltergeists, ghosts, spirits, haunted places and objects, and the eerily unexplained that take place on or around Halloween), Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit .doc or .docx to: submissions.alienheadpress@gmail.com with subject line: GHOST ANTHOLOGY - “Story Title” by “Author Name”
6/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
6/15-6/30, Cast of Wonders (an Escape Artists Podcast): Limited Demographic (only open to authors 19 years or under as of the end of June 2022), ~6000 words (query for longer; best fit is 3000-4500 or flash <1000), 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: generally should be YA, 12-17 age range, include a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them, Anonymous submissions, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK (notify if accepted elsewhere and may consider as reprint), Multiple NO, Editor: Katherine Inskip, send submissions to
Moksha link
4/1-6/30, WotF Q2, ~17000 words (generally should 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 (8¢/word pro rates); the forum is very helpful, especially the Super Secrets thread; free workshop available on website, also check out Wulf Moon's workshops for extra help on crafting winning stories and mindset
7/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
7/1-7/7 (general submissions), Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6), anonymous submissions, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple OK (only one in each category of short, flash, and poetry), Note: opens for general submissions again on 10/1-10/7; open to BIPOC authors throughout all of 2022
2/7-7/16 (flexible), Sovereign: An Anthology of Black Fantasy Fiction, 1000-39,999 words, 8¢/word for first 1000 words (1¢/word after first 1000 words), Genre: Fantasy (Heroic, Mythic, Flintlock, Gaslamp, Medieval, Religious, Weird West, Arcanepunk, High/Epic Fantasy, Sword and Soul/Planet,
2/7-7/16 (flexible), From the Ashes: An Anthology of Elemental Urban Fantasy (For Burn Survivors), 1000-39,999 words, 8¢/word for first 1000 words (1¢/word after first 1000 words), Genre: urban fantasy, Theme: must contain fire-based elemental magic in an urban fantasy setting (see more on their website), Translations OK, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK (one original and one reprint), submit stories to
https://forms.gle/SxRKcYMgAFpCg7nv7
7/1-7/21 (assume: midnight EST/EDT), Flash Fiction Online, 500-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any, Anonymous submissions, Reprints OK (2¢/word), Simultaneous NO, Multiple OK (only one original and one reprint concurrently), Note: open 1st-21st almost every month (closed in December)3/1-7/31, Pseudopod (reprints from 2022 Anthologies and Collections), ~6000 words (1500-6000 for original short fiction; sweet spot of 4500 words; also welcomes flash under 1500 words), $100 for short fiction reprints ($20 for flash fiction under 1500 words; 8¢/word for original fiction with window opening in August), Genre/Theme: any horror for audio (dark, weird fiction; dark humor; any subgenres from grim realism and crime drama to magic-realism and supernatural dark fantasy), Simultaneous OK (must provide disclosure), Multiple OK (one original & one reprint) publishers send collections / anthologies published in 2022 (highlight stories original to that publication), authors ask their publisher to send the book (if they're not interested, still submit story and include collection/anthology title in the cover letter), submit via moksha portal)7/31, Little Blue Marble, ~2000 words, CAD 10¢/word (will match USD 8¢/word if CAD/USD rates drop), Genre/Theme: speculative (fiction that examines humanity’s possible futures living with anthropogenic climate change; prefers hopeful outlook, but the occasional dystopia might fit; "while science is an important piece for solving the climate change puzzle, we challenge writers to also examine our existing social, cultural, political, and economic frameworks and envision new ones to help see us through to a better, more sustainable world"), Reprints OK (~5000 words, 1¢/word), Poetry OK, Non-fiction OK (1000-2000 words), Simultaneous OK, Multiple NO, send submissions to submissions@littlebluemarble.ca
8/1-8/15, Dangerous Waters: Deadly Women of the Sea (guest editor Julia C. Lewis), 500-3000 words (also:100-word drabbles; poems of ~350 words), 8¢/word (drabbles/poems=$50), Genre: Horror/Dark fantasy, Theme: dangerous women of the sea (stories, poems, and drabbles about malevolent mermaids, sinister sirens, scary selkies, and other deadly and dangerous women of the deep blue sea), Poetry OK, Reprints NO, Simultaneous (not mentioned), Multiple OK (up to 3/author), sub with attached Word doc to submissions@brigidsgatepress.com (with DANGEROUS WATERS as subject heading; include full name, title, word count, trigger warnings, email address, author bio, and social media handles)
8/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
8/1-8/31, Cast of Wonders (an Escape Artists Podcast): Flash Fiction Contest, ~1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: generally should be YA, 12-17 age range, include a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them, Anonymous submissions, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK (notify if accepted elsewhere and may consider as reprint), Multiple NO, Editor: Katherine Inskip, send submissions to
Moksha link
9/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
7/1-9/30, WotF Q2, ~17000 words (generally should 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 (8¢/word pro rates); the forum is very helpful, especially the Super Secrets thread; free workshop available on website, also check out Wulf Moon's workshops for extra help on crafting winning stories and mindset
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), 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)
10/1-10/7 (general submissions), Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6), anonymous submissions, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple OK (only one in each category of short, flash, and poetry), Note: open to BIPOC authors throughout all of 2022
10/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
11/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
12/15 (tentative), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: to be announced in newsletter, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit entry to the Newsletter Editor Zoë Seabourne, zoe.seabourne@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story, Note: must subscribe to newsletter to submit; the monthly newsletter will state the new month's genre/prompt
12/15~ (re-opens), Zooscape, ~5,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: any furry SF/F (must feature an anthropomorphic animal figure), Reprints OK (~10,000 words, $20), Simultaneous OK, Multiple NO (query), submit to zooscape.zine@gmail.com with subject line of “SUBMISSION: Title, Word Count", currently closed 4/1/2022-8/14/2022
10/1-12/31, WotF Q2, ~17000 words (generally should 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 (8¢/word pro rates); the forum is very helpful, especially the Super Secrets thread; free workshop available on website, also check out Wulf Moon's workshops for extra help on crafting winning stories and mindset
2. Open Publications (no deadline; paying 6¢/word or more)
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."
Assemble Artifacts Magazine, ~40,000 words (prefers 5000 words or more), 8-10¢/words, Genre/Theme: wonder and suspense, Poetry NO, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, will no respond in the case of rejections (assumed rejected after 3 months), submit via form with a 1-3 sentence pitch of the story and author bio, note that the contract is aimed at allowing them to produce film adaptations ("license exclusive worldwide all language first print/electronic publication, audio and media adaptation shopping rights for a term")
Cathedral Canyon Review, ~5500 words for fiction and nonfiction (~1000 words flash fiction), 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: literary, Poetry OK (3-5 submitted in the same document; $20/poem), Art OK ($25/image), Simultaneous OK, email submissions, Limited to an author or artist living in the Southwest (generally California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah) and especially interested in BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writers
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 (fair warning: some have found their feedback, editing, and publication process rude or unhelpful, and so, I've left them off the monthly deadlines list. Personally, I'll still be subbing to them but some writers have been, to put it mildly, turned off by their approach, so keep this in mind)
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)
Escape Pod, 1500-6000 (reprints 1500-18000), 8¢/word (reprints $100), Genre/Theme: any SF (prefer high clarity and pacing to match their audio format; prefer to see a ray of hope even in darker stories), opens from 9/1/2021-5/31/2022
Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6), anonymous submissions, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple OK (only one in each category of short, flash, and poetry), Note: open to BIPOC authors throughout all of 2022; opens for general submissions again on 7/1-7/7 and 10/1-10/7
Galaxy's Edge, ~10,000 words (novelettes a harder sale), 7¢/word, Genre: SF/F (subgenres welcome, such as space opera, steampunk, urban fantasy, africanfuturism, magical realism, dark fantasy, dystopian SF, etc.), Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit via
the Moksha portalInfinite Horrors, 1500-5000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Horror, Art OK ($75-$150 for commissioned, $30 for non-commissioned), Comics OK (seeking new, unpublished comic or graphic novel shorts of 4–10 pages at rates negotiated with the artist), Reprints NO, Multiple NO, Simultaneous NO, send submissions to info@infinitehorrorsmagazine.com (note that they may not send a rejection notice; if 90 days have passed, consider the submission rejected)
Infinite Worlds, 1500-5000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF, Art OK ($75-$150 for commissioned, $30 for non-commissioned), Comics OK (seeking new, unpublished comic or graphic novel shorts of 4–10 pages at rates negotiated with the artist), Reprints NO, Multiple NO, Simultaneous NO, send submissions to submissions@infiniteworldsmagazine.com (note that they may not send a rejection notice; if 90 days have passed, consider the submission rejected)
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)
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), Submission window for Issue 1 is 11/1/1-11/14, Note: this window depends on their
September/October Kickstarter success
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 (; open to poetry), ~10,000 words (~5000 best), 10¢/word, Genre: speculative (broadly defined), Poetry (up to 6 poems at a time, in same file OK, $50/poem), Art OK (email, see website), Nonfiction OK (email, see website), Simultaneous NO, will reopen to fiction subs in 2022
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), closing 12/19/2021-1/19/2022
Zooscape, ~5,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: any furry SF/F (must feature an anthropomorphic animal figure), Reprints OK (~10,000 words, $20), Simultaneous OK, Multiple NO (query), submit to zooscape.zine@gmail.com with subject line of “SUBMISSION: Title, Word Count", currently closed 4/1/2022-8/14/2022 (opens8/15)
3. Deadlines/Windows (4/20/2022 and beyond; paying up to 5¢/word)
2/20, Orion's Beau, ~5000 words, $3, Genre/Theme: gay fantasy (open to SF/Fantasy/Paranormal/Dark Fantasy), Poetry OK, Art OK, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple OK (up to five shorter pieces or poems in the same document; up to 10 art pieces in one document)
2/28, Nerve Janglers: Thirteen Tales of Terror (Night Terror Novels; edited by J. D. Keown), 2,500-10,000, £25, Genre/Theme: teen-grade YA Horror, Reprints NO, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK (up to two submissions at a time), submit to nightterrornovels@gmail.com (see website for details)
2/15-2/28 (all authors) and 3/1-3/7 (BIPOC only), Apparition Literature (Wanderlust theme), 1000-5100 words, 3¢/word, Genre: any speculative (F/SF/Horror/Literary; wants strange, heart-breaking emotion, pro-active characters, and style; see more details on website), Theme: Wanderlust (upcoming: Omen in May and Nostalgia in August), Poetry OK (~2 pages/poem; sub ~5 poems/submission, $30/poem), submit stories to submissions@apparitionlit.com (use Shunn manuscript format, Times New Roman or Arial font, title file using story title and last name, attach to email as RTF file, email subject line of SUBMISSION: title of story)
2/28, Mud Season Review, ~6000 words, $50, Genre/Theme: general/literary (wants fully realized stories that remind us of what it means to be human, that take risks, that show us something new, and that stand up over multiple reads, deepening with each encounter), Poetry OK (portfolio 3-5 poems, up to 10 pages), Non-fiction OK (~6000 words), Art OK (1-6 images), submit via online portal
3/18, Disabled Authors SFF Anthology (Forest Avenue), ~5000 words (flash welcome), $100 (reprints $25), Genre: SF/Fantasy/Speculative by disabled writers living in the USA (literary with a touch of genre OK; a story that borders horror might be OK), Reprints OK, submit via online portal
3/31/2022, upstreet, ~5000 words, $50-$250 for short stories or essays (generally 5¢/word for ~1000 words), Genre: general/literary, Simultaneous OK, submissions window is September to March
3/31, Triangulation: Energy, ~5,000 words (sweet spot = 3,000; no poetry limit but over 100 lines a hard sell), 3¢/word (Poetry: 25¢/word), Genre: SF/Fantasy/Horror/Weird (must have a speculative element), Theme: the possibility of creating sustainable energy with alternative technologies or social change, Poetry OK, Reprint NO, Multiple NO (but can sub another story if rejected before end of reading period), Simultaneous NO, sub via Submittable link w/ a short bio in the cover letter
3/31, SNAFU: Dead or Alive (Cohesion Press), 2,000-10,000 words, AU5¢/word, Genre: SF/Fantasy/Horror, Theme: action-based horror in the wild west
4/15- 5/15, Mother: Tales of Love and Terror, 1000-3000 words (5000 words if Kickstarter goals are met), 5¢/word (6¢ if Kickstarter goals met), Genre: SF/Fantasy/Horror, Theme: Mothers (mothers as heroes and villains; the concept of motherhood examined and stretched to its ultimate limits across time, space, gender, location, and concept; examine the depth and breadth of what motherhood is and what a mother will do for her offspring), Reprints NO, Poetry OK (~$2/line, up to 50 lines, and up to 3 poems in a single document; 2¢/line if Kickstarter goals met), Simultaneous OK, Multiple NO, Anonymous submissions, submit via submission portal 5/15-5/31 (all authors) and 6/1-6/7 (BIPOC only), Apparition Literature (Omen theme), 1000-5100 words, 3¢/word, Genre: any speculative (F/SF/Horror/Literary; wants strange, heart-breaking emotion, pro-active characters, and style; see more details on website), Theme: Omen (upcoming: Nostalgia in August), Poetry OK (~2 pages/poem; sub ~5 poems/submission, $30/poem), submit stories to submissions@apparitionlit.com (use Shunn manuscript format, Times New Roman or Arial font, title file using story title and last name, attach to email as RTF file, email subject line of SUBMISSION: title of story)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 7/1-7/14, Cosmic Horror Monthly edited by Charles Tyra, 1000-7500 words (prefer 3000-5000), 3¢/word (1¢/word reprints), Genre: Cosmic Horror/Lovecraftian/Weird, Theme: strongly favors stories with a contemporary narrative style (Lovecraftian themes and mythos works are welcomed but try to avoid Lovecraft pastiche and styles mimicking that of his writer circle from the early 20th century), Reprints OK (1¢/word), Art OK (interior $10-$20; $100 cover), Simultaneous OK, Multiple NO, (submit as doc/docx attachment with cover letter including brief background/word count/brief synopsis to submissions@cosmic-horror.net
8/1, Brute: Raunch, Scares, and Rough Trade (Lethe Press; edited by Lambda Literary Award winner Steve Berman), 2500-9000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: Horror/Dark Fantasy/Weirdness, Theme: dark and speculative short stories that address gay sexuality, desire, masculinity, and the aesthetics of "rough trade", Reprints OK (1¢/word), Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, Note that you must query concept details first before submission
5/16-8/15, Dark Recesses (window for Fall Issue), 500-5000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: horror/dark fiction, note variants from standard manuscript format (single-spaced, no indents), Nonfiction OK (but read specifics on their site)
8/15-8/31 (all authors) and 9/1-9/7 (BIPOC only), Apparition Literature (Nostalgia theme), 1000-5100 words, 3¢/word, Genre: any speculative (F/SF/Horror/Literary; wants strange, heart-breaking emotion, pro-active characters, and style; see more details on website), Theme: Nostalgia, Poetry OK (~2 pages/poem; sub ~5 poems/submission, $30/poem), submit stories to submissions@apparitionlit.com (use Shunn manuscript format, Times New Roman or Arial font, title file using story title and last name, attach to email as RTF file, email subject line of SUBMISSION: title of story)
4. Open Publications (no deadline; paying up to 5¢/word or more)
Apparition Literature, 1000-5100 words, 3¢/word, Genre: any speculative (F/SF/Horror/Literary; wants strange, heart-breaking emotion, pro-active characters, and style; see more details on website), Theme: Charm theme open to BIPOC until 12/7/2021 (upcoming themes are Wanderlust in February 2022, Omen in May, and Nostalgia in August), Poetry OK (~2 pages/poem; sub ~5 poems/submission, $30/poem), submission windows include February 15-28 (March 1-7 BIPOC creators only), May 15-31 (June 1-7 BIPOC creators only), August 15-31 (September 1-7 BIPOC creators only), November 15-30, (December 1-7 BIPOC creators only), submit stories to submissions@apparitionlit.com (use Shunn manuscript format, Times New Roman or Arial font, title file using story title and last name, attach to email as RTF file, email subject line of SUBMISSION: title of story)
Flash Point Science Fiction, 100-1000 words, $15/story, Genre: any speculative (SF, Fantasy, Slipstream, other spec)GigaNotoSaurus, 5,000-25,000 words, $100, Genre: SF/Fantasy (or any combination of the genres), English Translations OK, Reprints NO, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, submit stories via Moksha submissions portal
Pressfuls, 2000-5000 words (3¢/word), 20,000-45,000 words (35% royalties), Genre: Horror/Fantasy/SF/Crime/Mystery, Simultaneous NO, Multiple NO, Reprints NO, send subs to submissions@pressfuls.com, Editor-in-Chief: Roban Bandojo
Scrawl Place, ~900 words, $35/piece, Genre/Theme: pieces about, connected to, or associated with a specific, physical place that someone could visit (any content/style/form), Seeking fiction, poetry, hybrids, creative nonfiction, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK (1-3 pieces at a time), Reprints OK
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)The Dread Machine, ~5,500 words, 5¢/word, Genre/Theme: dark future / SF / cyberpunk / slipstream (wants: magical realism, literary SF, alternative realities, diverse protagonists, unique dystopias/utopias, unconventional societies), Reprints OK (~7,000 words, 1¢/word, will not accept if available online for free), Poetry OK (~50 lines, $10/poem), Anonymous Submissions, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK (up to 3 submissions sent separately), submit
here after creating free account
The Great Void Books, 4,000-15,000 words (website/anthologies), $5 or royalties (whichever is greater; royalties = 40% net profit divided equally among the contributors of that anthology), Genre: Horror/SF/Crime/Mystery/Fantasy/Romance, Themes vary depending on anthology, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK (up to 3 at a time), more details on their website, see deadlines for semi-pro for current anthology windows
5. Deadlines/Windows (4/20/2022 and beyond; advance/royalties or benefit/charity)
4/30, Troubadours and Space Princesses (an anthology in honor of Dave Wolverton), ~17,500 words, no pay (benefit/charity anthology), Genre: SF/Fantasy, Theme: stories of kindness and courage to honor Dave Wolverton (troubadours, minstrels, and bards teaming up with princesses feisty and bold; save the kingdom or the spaceship, or maybe only the tavern or spaceport bar, or even just the cat; tales of adventure and mischief; should have a warm and happy ending), Reprints OK, Simultaneous NO, Multiple OK (1-2 stories/author) opening from 5/1 (no deadline), Debut Horror Novel Series (Cemetery Media Gates), 40k+ words (complete, original, and unpublished manuscripts from authors who’ve never published a novel), Pay: $500 signing bonus + $500 advance upon publication and a 60% (author) royalty share on physical and electronic editions, Genre: Horror (in vein of what they’ve previously published; not interested in dystopian SF/dark fantasy/YA), Limited (welcome to submit if you have at least (2) paid horror writing credits and have never published a novel; if you have novellas and short story collections in print, you’re still eligible), submit to cemeterygatesmedia@gmail.com (include a synopsis of your story, your Twitter, author website, two of your writing credits, and a brief bio with your manuscript) 6. Search for More Markets Here
