Jun 17, 2019
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78 Publications with Open Submissions for Short Story & Poetry
Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and even art submissions are open.
I know it can be tough to find places to publish your work no matter what kind of writing you do. However, short stories and poetry can feel even more difficult to find a home for than regular book-length manuscripts.
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FREELANCE COMMUNITY
Where to Submit Short Stories: 30 Options for Writers
by Farrah Daniel | Apr 14, 2022
Trying to find a sense of community comes with the territory of being a writer. Whether you’re looking for the right writing contests or residencies , it’s hard to know where to begin and how to find the right home for your personal work.
But here’s the good news: You can finally stop stressing about where and how to submit your short stories — we compiled a list for you.
In this guide, you’ll find 30+ magazines and literary journals that publish short fiction (and nonfiction). Our list includes a mix of publications across various genres and styles, ranging from prestigious, highly competitive options to those specifically seeking new and emerging voices.
Plus, international writers, a lot of these are open to you, too!
Need a Story Structure Template?
30 outlets that publish short stories.
While we’ll give you a brief idea of the flavor of each magazine and site, you’ll definitely want to spend some time reading your target publications before submitting to become familiar with the sort of pieces they prefer.
Many of these submissions accept original submissions that are simultaneously submitted elsewhere. Just make sure to withdraw your submitted submissions if you get your story published!
Ready to get started? Here’s where to submit short stories:
1. The New Yorker
Might as well start with a bang, right? Adding publication in The New Yorker to your portfolio puts you in a whole new league, though it won’t be easy. Author David. B. Comfort calculated the odds of acceptance at 0.0000416 percent !
It accepts both standard short fiction as well as humorous short fiction for the “Shouts & Murmurs” section. No word counts are mentioned, though a quick scan of the column shows most pieces are 600 to 1,000 words.
Deadline: Open.
Payment: Huge bragging rights; pay for unsolicited submissions isn’t specified. As of this post’s publication, no rates specifically for short stories.
2. The Atlantic
Another highly respected magazine, The Atlantic publishes both big names and emerging writers in fiction and nonfiction. Submission guidelines advise, “A general familiarity with what we have published in the past is the best guide to what we’re looking for.”
Deadline: Open. Fiction stories are submitted to [email protected] .
Payment: Unsolicited submissions are generally unpaid.
3. The Threepenny Review
This quarterly arts magazine focuses on literature, arts and society, memoir and essay. Short stories should be no more than 4,000 words, while submissions to the “Table Talk” section (pithy, irreverent and humorous musings on culture, art, politics and life) should be 1,000 words or less.
Deadline: January to June
Payment: $400 for short stories; $200 for Table Talk pieces
4. One Story
One Story is just what the name says: a literary magazine that publishes one great short story every three to four weeks , and nothing more.
Its main criteria for a great short story ? One “that leaves readers feeling satisfied and [is] strong enough to stand alone.” Stories can be any style or subject but should be between 3,000 and 8,000 words.
Deadline: January 15 – May 31 | September 3 – November 14
Payment: $500 plus 25 contributor copies
Check out this helpful video from our friends at Self-Publishing School.
5. The Antioch Review
The Antioch Review is currently on hiatus and not accepting submissions for future issues. Check back in the future.
The Antioch Review rarely publishes more than three short stories per issue, but its editors are open to new as well as established writers. Authors published here often wind up in Best American anthologies and as the recipients of Pushcart prizes.
To make the cut, editors say, “It is the story that counts, a story worthy of the serious attention of the intelligent reader, a story that is compelling, written with distinction.” Word count is flexible, but pieces tend to be under 5,000.
Deadline: Open except for the period of June 1 to August 31, and no electronic submissions.
Payment: $20 per printed page plus two contributor copies
Thought-provoking is the name of the game if you want to get published in AGNI. Its editors look for pieces that hold a mirror up to the world around us and engage in a larger, ongoing cultural conversation about nature, mankind, the society we live in and more.
There are no word limits, but shorter is generally better; “The longer a piece is, the better it needs to be to justify taking up so much space in the magazine,” note the submission guidelines.
Deadline: Open September 1 to May 31
Payment: $10 per printed page (up to a max of $150) plus a year’s subscription, two contributor’s copies and four gift copies
7. Barrelhouse
Published by an independent nonprofit literary organization, Barrelhouse’s biannual print journal and online issue seek to “bridge the gap between serious art and pop culture.” Its editors look for quality writing that’s also edgy and funny — as they say, they “want to be your weird Internet friend.”
There’s no hard word count, but try to keep your submission under 8,000 words.
Deadline: Currently open for book reviews only. Check the webpage to see all open categories and sign up for the email list to receive updates on submissions.
Payment: $50 to print and online contributors; print contributors also receive two contributor copies.
8. Cincinnati Review
The Cincinnati Review publishes work by writers of all genres and at all points of their careers. Its editors want “work that has energy,” that is “rich in language and plot structure” and “that’s not just ecstatic, but that makes its reader feel ecstatic, too.”
Fiction and nonfiction submissions should be no more than 40 double-spaced pages.
Deadline: The review accepts submissions during three time periods, September, December, and May. Submit earlier in the month because they will stop accepting submissions when their cap is reached.
Payment: $25 per page for prose in journal
9. The First Line
This cool quarterly is all about jumpstarting that pesky writer’s block . Each issue contains short fiction stories (300-5,000 words) that each begin with the same pre-assigned first line.
If you really want to get ambitious, you can also write a four-part story that uses each of that year’s first lines (which is due by the next year’s spring issue deadline). To find each issue’s assigned first line, check out the submission guidelines.
Deadline: February 1 (spring); May 1 (summer); August 1 (fall); November 1 (winter)
Payment: $25 to $50 (fiction); $25 (nonfiction) plus a contributor’s copy
10. The Georgia Review
Another one high on the prestige list, The Georgia Review features a wide variety of essays, fiction, book reviews, and more across a wide range of topics. You can read specific requirements for each in the submission guidelines, but the common theme among them all is quality, quality, quality.
Bear in mind submitting requires a $3 processing fee if you’re not a subscriber.
Deadline: Opens on August 15
Payment: $50 per printed page; contributors also receive a one-year subscription to the quarterly and a 50% discount on additional copies of that issue
11. Boulevard Magazine
Boulevard Magazine is always on the lookout for “less experienced or unpublished writers with exceptional promise.” It accepts prose pieces (fiction and nonfiction) up to 8,000 words (note: no science fiction, erotica, westerns, horror, romance or children’s stories).
There is an online submission fee of $3. Free if submitting by post.
Deadline: Open November 1 to May 1
Payment: $100 to $300
Story Magazine is, you guessed it, all about the story, whatever shape it takes. Each issue — printed tri-annually in February, June, and November — is “devoted to the complex and diverse world of narrative with a focus on fiction and nonfiction.” Luckily, you don’t have to stick to any formal guidelines in regards to style, content, or even length; they consider all “short” narrative length work, from flash fiction to novellas. There is a $3 submission fee.
Deadline: Open
Payment: Regular payment rate is $10 per page upon publication
13. Vestal Review
Prefer to keep your short stories extremely short ? Vestal Review publishes flash fiction of no more than 500 words. Its editors are open to all genres except for syrupy romance, hard science fiction and children’s stories, and they have a special fondness for humor. R-rated content is OK, but stay away from anything too racy, gory or obscene.
There is a submission fee of $2 for each submission.
Deadline: Submission periods are February to May and August to November
Payment: The author of an accepted print submission gets $25 and a print copy; $10 for accepted web submissions.
14. Flash Fiction Online
Flash Fiction Online allows for slightly longer flash stories — between 500 and 1,000 words. Its editors like sci-fi and fantasy but are open to all genres (except for nonfiction and poetry!). As with Vestal, stay away from the heavier stuff like erotica and violence. What they’re looking for is developed, empathetic characters and discernible, resolved plots. Unlike many of the other publications, they will accept previously published work, which you’d submit in the reprint category.
Deadline: Open each month for submissions from the 1st to the 21st of the month.
Payment: $80 per story; two cents per word for reprints
15. Black Warrior Review
Black Warrior Review publishes a mix of work by up-and-coming writers and nationally known names. Fiction pieces of up to 7,000 words should be innovative, challenging, and unique; its editors value “absurdity, hybridity, the magical [and] the stark.”
BWR also accepts flash fiction under 1,000 words and nonfiction pieces (up to 7,000 words) that complicate western traditions of truth-telling, and “foregrounds the history of emotions rather than the history of facts.” There is a $3 submission fee.
Deadline: Submission periods are December 1 to March 1 and June 1 to September 1
Payment: A one-year subscription to BWR and a nominal lump-sum fee (amount not disclosed in its guidelines)
16. The Sun Magazine
The Sun Magazine offers some of the biggest payments we’ve seen, and while its guidelines specifically mention personal writing and provocative political/cultural pieces, they also say editors are “open to just about anything.”
Works should run no more than 7,000 words. Submit something the editors love, and you could get a nice payday.
Payment: $300 to $2,000
17. Virginia Quarterly (VQR)
A diverse publication that features both award-winning and emerging writers, VQR accepts short fiction (3,500 to 8,000 words) but is not a fan of genre work like romance, sci-fi and fantasy. It also takes nonfiction (3,500 to 9,000 words) like travel essays that examine the world around us.
Deadline: Submissions read July 1 to July 31
Payment: Generally $1,000 and above for short fiction and prose (approximately 25 cents per word) with higher rates for investigative reporting; $100 to $200 for content published online.
18. Ploughshares
Ploughshares’ award-winning literary journal is published by Boston’s Emerson College. They accept fiction and nonfiction under 7,500 words and require a $3 service fee if you submit online (it’s free to submit by mail, though they prefer digital submissions). You can also submit your significantly longer work (7,500 to 20,000 words) to the Ploughshares Solos series !
Deadline: June 1 to January 15 at noon EST
Payment: $45 per printed page (for a minimum of $90 per title and a maximum of $450 per author); plus two contributor copies of the issue and a one-year subscription
19. Carve Magazine
Writers are in for a treat! Carve Magazine accepts poetry, short stories and nonfiction submissions, not exceeding 10,000 words. They accept literary fiction only and are not open to genre fiction (i.e. thriller, horror, romance, etc.). They also accept novel excerpts but only those that can stand alone in the story. There’s a $3 submission fee, but you can subscribe to the magazine to skirt past it.
Deadline: Open all-year-round from anywhere in the world.
Payment: Pays $100 and offers feedback on 5 to 10% of declined submissions.
20. Daily Science Fiction
Sci-fi and fantasy writers, this one’s for you. Daily Science Fiction is looking for character-driven fiction, and the shorter, the better. While their word count range is 100 to 1,500 words, they might consider flash series — AKA three or more flash tales built around a common theme.
Deadline: Open except for the period between December 24 to January 2
Payment: Eight cents per word, with the possibility of additional pay for reprints in themed Daily Science Fiction anthologies
This literary journal publishes fiction stories with up to 300 words and flash fiction of no longer than 1.500 words, and it’s open to any genre as long as the story is well-crafted. To up your chances of catching the editors’ eyes, note that they like “strong characters whose motivations are not always known to us but can be explained within the confines of common sense,” as well as surprise endings (nothing gimmicky).
Payment: No pay specified
22. Smokelong Quarterly
SmokeLong, a literary mag devoted to flash fiction, publishes flash narratives up to 1000 words — and that’s a firm word limit, so be sure to stick to it. The SLQ aesthetic remains “an ever-changing, ever-elusive set of principles,” but it most likely has to do with these kinds of things: language that surprises and excites, narratives that strive toward something other than a final punch line or twist, and more which you can see in the submission guidelines. Think you can handle that?
Payment: $50 per story upon publication in the quarterly issue
23. Literary Orphans
Fiction comes first for this short fiction and art magazine. Editors want your fiction of any genre, but they have a need for micro-fiction, flash, and short stories that are 2,000 words or less (but 1,500 is their sweet spot!). Creative nonfiction is also accepted for the bi-monthly Literary Orphans issue on the main website; just keep your story to 5,000 words max. Plus, teens under 19, there’s a category for you, too. Submit a story of no more than 3,000 words to its “TEEN SPIRIT” section
Because they receive a high volume of submissions, editors ask that you submit your *best* piece. But here’s where it gets interesting: If you can’t choose just one, send both! (As long as both stories combined don’t surpass 2,000 words.)
Deadline: Currently no open calls for submission, but check back in the future!
Payment: Not specified
24. The Master’s Review
The Master’s Review’s New Voices category is open to any new or emerging author who has not published a work of fiction or narrative nonfiction of novel length — not including authors with short story collections. Submit your flash fiction of 1,000 words or your piece of fiction or narrative nonfiction of up to 7,000 words. Though, editors are honest: There are no submission fees, but they’re highly selective.
Payment: A flat rate of $100 for flash-length stories; $200 for short fiction
25. Ruminate Magazine
Both emerging and established writers are encouraged to submit fiction or creative nonfiction stories that “engages the contemplative spirit of our journal and embraces curiosity and discovery rather than resolution.” Both genres are capped at a word count of 5,500 words.
Want another option? There’s no pay for this one (just contributor copies), but The Waking is Ruminate Magazine’s online publication space and they’re looking for short-form prose, fiction and nonfiction that is “holy, nutritious and crucial.” Keep your submissions to 1,000 words or less.
Deadline: July 2, 2020; fiction reading periods are April 1 to June 30; January 15 to June 30 for nonfiction
Payment: $20 per 400 words, plus contributor copies
26. Asimov’s Science Fiction
Have you ever wondered where George R. R. Martin’s Daenerys Targaryen first appeared on the printed page? Well, this is it! An established market for science fiction stories, Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine has won numerous Hugo and Nebula Awards, and the writers they’ve published have led successful careers .
They want you to submit your character-oriented, “serious, thoughtful, yet accessible fiction,” but there’s room for humor as well. While science fiction dominates what the magazine publishes, you’re welcome to submit borderline fantasy, slipstream and surreal fiction — steer clear of sword and sorcery, explicit sex or violence. While there’s no specific word count, ASF seldom buys stories shorter than 1,000 words or longer than 20,000 words.
Payment: 8 to 10 cents per word for short stories up to 7,500 words; 8 cents per word for each word over 7,500
27. Slice Magazine
Got a fresh voice and a compelling story to share? This one’s for you. To bridge the gap between emerging and established authors, SLICE offers a space where both are published side-by-side. In each issue, a specific cultural theme becomes the catalyst for articles, interviews, stories and poetry from renowned writers and lesser-known voices alike. Short fiction and nonfiction submissions should be 5,000 words max.
Deadline: Slice published their final issue in the fall of 2021 and are no longer looking for submissions.
Payment: $400 for stories and essays; $150 for flash fiction pieces; $100 for poems
28. Cricket Media
Cricket Media wants to publish your finest quality writing for children of all ages in one of its four literary magazines — you have options! Open to submissions from writers of every level of experience, CM’s mags are interested in a lot of things, no matter what genre: realistic contemporary fiction, historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy, folk tales, myths and legends, humor, and even westerns. Their advice? Focus on telling a good story that’s well-plotted, character-driven and has a satisfying conclusion.
Most stories are 1200 to 1800 words in length; however, they occasionally serialize longer stories of up to 6,000 words.
Deadline: Varies; check the guidelines to learn the deadlines for each lit mag
Payment: Up to 25 cents per word
29. The Dark Sire
Horror writers, you’re up! A fairly new literary journal, The Dark Sire is a quarterly online and print journal that “explores speculative fiction works for enthusiasts” of gothic, horror, fantasy and psychological realism in short fiction, poetry and art. Subjects of particular interest include: vampires, monsters, old castles, dragons, magic, mental illness, hell, disease and decay of society. No word count.
Payment: None, but they promote writers through author events , social media outreach and the (in development) TDS podcast
30. The Common
Based at Amherst College, The Common is an award-winning print and digital literary journal published biannually in the fall and spring. They seek fiction and nonfiction stories and dispatches (800-word notes, news and impressions from around the world) that “embody a strong sense of place: pieces in which the setting is crucial to character, narrative, mood and language.” Stick to a 10,000 word-count and you’re solid. There is a $3 submission fee.
Deadline: Reading periods are March 1 to June 1 and September 1 to December 1; subscribers can submit for free year-round
Payment: $100 for fiction and nonfiction submissions; $50 per dispatch
30. Kindle Vella
Rather than seeking a magazine or journals editorial approval, you can publish directly to Kindle Vella’s short story program. Here, your work will go directly to market and its success will be determined by the general public, not by an editorial team. You also don’t have to wait months on a response as to whether your short story will be published. You can upload and be published on Kindle Vella in under 48 hours. For a full review of Kindle Vella, read this article .
Deadline: None
Payment: Royalties on KDP reads.
Short Story Submission Tips
With hard work and patience you can see your short stories published!
Here are a few tips to keep in mind :
- Take time to read through the literary magazines before you submit . You will have a better idea of what they are looking and know which magazines fit best with your writing style.
- Read the submission details before you submit . Each publication has different specifications for submissions – make sure you fulfill their requirements.
- Be patient . Many of these publications have a small team and a lot of submissions. It is normal to wait several months before hearing whether an article will be published or not.
- Keep track of which articles you have submitted to which publications . Because can submit the same short story to multiple publications, you will need to withdraw that article if it gets published. You don’t want to accidentally publish the same piece in multiple places.
- Don’t give u p!. While you might receive multiple rejections before you get your first piece published, with hard work it will be worth the wait once you get your first piece in print!
The original version of this story was written by Kelly Gurnett . We updated the post so it’s more useful for our readers.
Photo via Nito/ Shutterstock
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45 Literary Magazines To Submit To
In this resource, I have handpicked 45 literary magazines that are among the best in their respective genres. While this isn’t a complete list of all 4,800 literary magazines, it is a good place to get started with your research.
If the magazines below don’t fit your particular writing style, check out duotrope.com . It’s a fantastic search engine and aggregator of literary magazines. I find their 100 most favorited markets list particularly helpful (make sure to change the dropdown menu to “Most Favorited Markets”).
If you write science fiction, fantasy, horror, or crime , you can find new anthologies and open submission announcements at Horror Tree .
For a complete explanation of how to research and submit to literary magazines, check out the book Let’s Write a Short Story!
Have fun exploring all these literary magazines!
And for help on submitting your short stories for publication , check out this guide on how to publish a short story .
Note : This list changes frequently as new magazines are added and others close. Please check back frequently.
“Literary” Literary Magazines
Tin House Crazy Horse AGNI Black Warrior Review One Story The New Yorker The Threepenny Review Zoetrope: All-Story Boulevard The Sun Magazine McSweeney’s Quarterly Camera Obscura Virginia Quarterly The Atlantic Granta Pank
Science Fiction / Fantasy Literary Magazines
Strange Horizons Clarkesworld Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine Apex Magazine Asimov’s Science Fiction Daily Science Fiction Lightspeed Beneath Ceaseless Skies Andromeda Spaceway Inflight Magazine Abyss and Apex Analog Science Fiction and Fact Psuedopod (audio stories!)
Horror Literary Magazines
Horror Tree Unnerving LampLight Nightmare The Horror Zine Liminal
Flash Fiction Magazines*
Short Fiction Break (up to 2,000 words) Horror Tree (100 words or less) Daily Science Fiction Vestal Review Flash Fiction Online Smokelong Quarterly Foundling Review (up to 2000 words) Every Day Fiction Twenty20 (20 words or less) Brevity (750 words or less)
*Flash Fiction is generally defined as 1000 words or less, although some magazines allow stories as long as 1500 words while others only accept stories under 500.
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NewPages Guide to Calls for Submissions
In the NewPages Guide to Submission Opportunities, find announcements of current and upcoming calls for submissions from literary magazines, independent and university presses, anthologies, and more.
- Calls for Submissions
- Writing Contests
- Cross-genre
- Photography
- Translations
- Literary Site
March 2, 2023
Rockvale Review Seeks Submissions for Poetry, Short Fiction, and CNF
Deadline: March 31, 2023
We’re reading for Issue Ten now and would love to see your work! We publish poetry, short fiction, and CNF. We’re looking for writing that is bold and has an edge but is balanced with vulnerability and beauty. We read blind so no names on your work. This issue will be published online in May. Please read the full guidelines on our website: rockvalereview.com/submissions/
March 1, 2023
Palooka Seeks Chapbooks, Prose, Poetry, Artwork, Photography
Deadline: Year-round
Palooka is an international literary magazine. For over a decade we’ve featured new, up-and-coming, and established writers, artists, and photographers from around the world. We’re open to diverse forms and styles and are always seeking unique chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, and graphic narratives. Submissions open year-round. palookamag.com
Sky Island Journal: Issue 24 Call for Submissions
Sky Island Journal is an independent, international, free-access literary journal dedicated to publishing the finest poetry, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction. We publish accomplished, well-established authors—side by side—with fresh, emerging voices. We provide over 125,000 readers in 145 countries with a powerful, focused, free-access, and advertising-free literary experience that transports them: one that challenges them intellectually and moves them emotionally. We publish quarterly, and our average response time is 9 days. Every submission receives a prompt, respectful response detailing what we appreciated. Enjoy our previous issues and submit to our stunning Issue 24 before midnight on March 31st at www.skyislandjournal.com .
Call For Submissions: Fiction, Essays, Photography, Art, Poetry, Digital Storytelling
Deadline: May 10, 2023
The objective of Nzuri (meaning Beautiful/Fine in Swahili) is to promote the artistic, aesthetic, creative, and scholarly work consistent with the values and ideals of Umoja community. African American and Other Writers and Artists are urged to submit their best written or artistic work for consideration. Check out open submission opportunities for Nzuri Journal of Coastline College at: Submittable . We are now accepting submissions in all categories for the Spring 2023 issue. Essays and fictional pieces should be a maximum of 4,000 words. Website: nzuriJournal.com .
February 28, 2023
Kings River Review Call for 2-Year College Student Submissions
Deadline: 2023-03-15
The Kings River Review publishes artwork, creative nonfiction, short fiction, and poetry of current 2-year community college students . Submission Deadlines: March 15 for the spring issue and October 15 for the fall issue. Submission requirements: up to 5 pieces of artwork and photography sent as .JPEG files; creative nonfiction and fiction of up to 3,000 words; and up to 5 poems. Go to kingsriverreview.com for full submission guidelines.
Decolonial Passage Seeks Poetry and Prose
Deadline: Year-Round
Decolonial Passage encourages emerging and established writers to submit to the magazine. We accept writing from writers of all backgrounds engaged in the decolonial project regardless of race, origin, gender, disability, or geographical location. Simultaneously, Decolonial Passage centers African, African-American, and Black Diaspora writing from the African continent, the Americas, Europe, and beyond. thedecolonialpassage.net
February 27, 2023
Chapbook Open-reading Period
Deadline: March 20, 2023
Green Linden Press—named by Entropy Magazine as one of the best small presses—invites you to submit poetry chapbook manuscripts during the open-reading period, now through March 20. One or more manuscripts will be selected for publication in late 2023; authors will receive 25 copies and publicity. For details see www.greenlindenpress.com/submit .
February 23, 2023
Third Street Review Open for Submissions
Deadline: Rolling
The Third Street Review , a new quarterly literary journal, is open for submissions until March 24, 2023. We are looking for fiction, nonfiction, and creative nonfiction of under 1000 words, as well as poetry, art, and photography. We are a paying market looking for under-represented and new creators. Send us your wild, weird, uncanny and unclassifiable, or more traditional work. Situated in Laguna Beach, CA, we are literally on the edge. www.thirdstreetwriters.org/submissions
Call for Long COVID Anthology Submissions!
Currently seeking submissions from American long-haulers who would like to contribute short stories, commentary, letters, essays, or poetry. This opportunity is NOT restricted to professional or published writers! The anthology is by and for long-haulers and will serve as a historical document. We welcome marginalized and underrepresented voices. The editing team is especially interested in the following themes: Daily Reality, Community & Family, Employment/Unemployment, Support, Emotions, Isolation, Routine, Symptoms, and Mental Health. Submission Guidelines: Short stories, commentary, letters, and essays should and be 800–1500 words and poems up to two pages. One submission per person. Contributors must be 18 years of age or older and reside in the United States. All contributors will be paid an honorarium and receive an electronic copy of the published book. More info here: www.maryladd.com/long-covid-anthology .
Submit Now to Able Muse (Poetry, Fiction, Essays & More)
Able Muse is now accepting submissions for our forthcoming issue, Winter 2023/2024. Submit poetry, fiction, essays, book reviews, art, and photography. Submission opens yearly January 1 and closes July 15. Read our guidelines and submit at www.ablemuse.com/submit/ .
February 22, 2023
BreakBread Magazine Call For Submissions Ending Soon!
Deadline: March 1, 2023
BreakBread Magazine is looking for work from Young Creatives between the ages 0f 13-25 for our next issue. We publish poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, art, and hybrid forms. For more information and to see our catalog of back issues, please visit www.breakbreadproject.org . Hurry! Deadline is March 1, 2023!
February 20, 2023
About Place Journal Call for Submissions: On Rivers
Deadline: April 15, 2023
Each issue of About Place Journal , the arts publication of the Black Earth Institute, focuses on a specific theme. From February 1st to April 15th we’ll be accepting submissions for our Spring 2023 issue On Rivers . Our mission: to have art address the causes of spirit, earth, and society; to protect the earth; and to build a more just and interconnected world. We publish prose, poetry, visual art, photography, video, and music which fit the current theme. More about this issue’s theme and our submission guidelines: aboutplacejournal.org/submissions/ .
February 16, 2023
Club Plum Seeks Works for April 2023 Issue
Club Plum publishes works from award-winning writers and artists from around the world as well as works from never-before published creators. We look for beautiful and surprising writing, strange writing from small, tortured spaces, and writing that bridges the personal and political. Send us your prose poems, your flash fiction, your flash nonfiction, your lyric essays and your dreamy art. See our guidelines at clubplumliteraryjournal.com/submit/ .
February 15, 2023
Get Lit: Writing Contests & Calls for Submissions Delivered Weekly
For only $5 a month, get writing contests and calls for submissions you want to know about delivered to your inbox every week. Plus, book and magazine review updates, new issues and title announcements, creative writing progam deadlines and announcements, upcoming writing conferences and events, and more. Subscribe to the NewPages Newsletter here: newpages.substack.com .
February 14, 2023
Dark Onus Lit Seeks Submissions Year Round
Dark Onus Lit is an experimental micro-zine, seeking submissions year round. We publish micro-issues of poetry, flash fiction, short stories, artwork, and audio. We are seeking challenging and engaging work from around the world. www.darkonuslit.com/submit
February 13, 2023
Exploration and Catharsis: Mental Illness and The Awakenings Review
The Awakenings Review is an award-winning literary magazine committed to publishing poetry, short stories, nonfiction, and photography by writers, poets, and artists who have a relationship with mental illness, either self, family member, or friend. Located in the Chicago area but international in scope, our print publication is one of the nation’s leading journals of this genre. While we are most interested in works of recovery and healing, at The Awakenings Review we are not averse to providing a forum and liberating experience of all manners of work, and a vehicle of insight for our readers. Refer to our submission guidelines at www.AwakeningsProject.org .
February 9, 2023
Plant-Human Quarterly Seeks Poems and Essays for Upcoming Issues
Plant-Human Quarterly reads year-round. We seek unpublished or published poetry and essays that explore the myriad ways writers manifest their relationship to the botanical world—whether through heavily researched pieces, keen observation, or more intuitive ways of knowing—that attempt to communicate across boundaries and approach a plant’s-eye-view of the world. Send no more than 5 poems or an essay of no more than 1500 words (flash essay or essay excerpt) in a single word document. Past contributors include Ellen Bass, Forrest Gander, Kimiko Hahn, Brenda Hillman, Jane Hirshfield, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Pattiann Rogers, Scott Russell Sanders, Arthur Sze. Submission guidelines: otherwisecollective.com/phq-submissions .
Book of Matches Seeks Submissions
Deadline: April 7, 2023
In an age dominated by our worst tendencies for tribalism, it’s more important than ever to celebrate the best in humanity through the very real magic of words. Book of Matches is always interested in protest—interested in protest against the unknowing alive in human existence, in protest against the knowing, too. In essence, Book of Matches celebrates what burns in the dark, and too the assurance of how little this illuminates before going out. Send your most meaningful lies, real lives, and poetry of both that we may see a bit more clearly the stormy seas around us all. www.bookofmatcheslitmag.com
Wholeness: A Wising Up Anthology
Wholeness is an emergent phenomena, real as life, breath, consciousness—and, like them, can’t be explained or predicted by its component parts. It’s that something more that heals and reveals possibilities we could not see before. It can change what follows. When and where have we experienced a sense of wholeness? How did we recognize it? How did it shift our ways of being in ourselves, with each other, with what lies beyond? Can it be described? Shared? Does it require a sense of wonder—or create it? Deadline 4/15/23. Fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, and poetry. Guidelines: universaltable.org/wisingup.html .
February 8, 2023
Our Doors are Open
The Blue Mountain Review launched from Athens, Georgia in 2015 with the mantra, “We’re all south of somewhere.” As a journal of culture, the BMR strives to represent all life through its stories. Stories are vital to our survival. What we sing saves the soul. Our goal is to preserve and promote lives told well through prose, poetry, music, and the visual arts. We’ve published work from and interviews with Jericho Brown, Kelli Russell Agodon, Robert Pinsky, Rising Appalachia, Turkuaz, Michel Stone, Michael Flohr, Lee Herrick, Chen Chen, Michael Cudlitz, Pat Metheny, Melissa Studdard, Lyrics Born, Terry Kay, and Christopher Moore. bluemountainreview.submittable.com/submit
February 7, 2023
Walloon Writers Review Call for Submissions
Deadline: March 15, 2023
Walloon Writers Review is designed to share on the reading table at the cottage, on the bookshelf of the cabin, on hand at camp, and can be found on the Michigan shelves of independent bookstores throughout the state. Writers and photographers are welcome to submit their best “up north” materials as we welcome contributors where they are in their craft. The publication attracts both nationally recognized contributors alongside those just getting underway. The passion for the region is clear in each accepted selection. For information and Submissions Guidelines, visit www.walloonwritersreview.com .
February 6, 2023
Submit to Mistake House Magazine
Mistake House Magazine publishes fiction and poetry by students in graduate or undergraduate programs worldwide. We seek inventive work that speaks to the heart in a complex global context, including work expressive of documentary poetics. Submission window: October 15, 2022 to March 20, 2023. Submission fee: $5. Guidelines at www.mistakehouse.org/submit .
Grants for Writers. Apply Now!
Deadline: February 15, 2023
If your writing explores issues and challenges of migration, immigration, or refugee experiences, you’re eligible to apply for the newly launched $7000 LANDO writer’s grants. The LANDO grants, in addition to the $7000 Courage to Write grants, are sponsored by The de Groot Foundation and are designed to encourage and support emerging writers writing in any genre. This year ten $7000 grants and up to ten Writer of Note $1500 grants will be awarded. Learn more and apply at www.degrootfoundation.org . Applications close February 15, 2023.
February 2, 2023
Clinch (Now a Paying Market) is Open for Submissions!
Deadline: April 1, 2023
Clinch—A Martial Arts Literary Magazine is now open for Issue 3 submissions AND is now a paying market! Clinch is now paying a $15 compensation to contributing artists upon Issue 3’s publication. So send us your work that encompasses martial arts virtues in some way (doesn’t have to be about martial arts explicitly, but it certainly can be!) to [email protected] Visit our website at clinchlit.com for more details and happy submitting!
February 1, 2023
Split Rock Review Seeks Submissions for Issue 20
Split Rock Review is an online journal run by volunteers that love literature, art, and the wilderness. We feature poetry, short creative nonfiction and fiction, comics, hybrids, interviews, book reviews, photography, and art that explore place, environment, and the relationship between humans and the natural world. We invite writers and artists to submit their work for consideration in Issue 20 (Spring/Summer 2023). We offer 200 FREE submissions this reading period. Tip Jar and Expedited submission options are also available for a nominal fee. Simultaneous submissions are OK. We encourage you to read past issues to see if we’re a good home for your work. We only accept submissions via Submittable . More info and guidelines visit: www.splitrockreview.org/submit .
January 31, 2023
Woodcrest Magazine Call for Submissions
Deadline: March 10, 2023
With the events that occurred earlier this year regarding the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe vs Wade, we’ve had to participate in some difficult conversations regarding human rights, bodily autonomy, and protecting historically marginalized communities from being violated. We at Woodcrest invite you to participate in the conversation as we continue to navigate these issues moving forward. Please send us your poetry, prose, art, and photos so we can elevate the voices who have been affected but not heard. Please submit via our Submittable page: woodcrestmagazine.submittable.com/submit .
The Writing Cooperative
Apr 15, 2021
Member-only
128 Active Publications That Pay You for Short Stories in 2023
The most helpful guide ever to magazines and e-zines that will buy your short fiction in 2023.
Among the very first written documents, inscribed on papyrus in ancient Egypt some 6,800 years ago, is a collection of short stories commissioned by the pharaoh Khufu. Khufu is better known in the West as Cheops, the mummified occupant of the Great Pyramid of Giza. His short story collection, named after its discoverer as the Papyrus Westcar , is now housed in the Ägyptisches Museum in Berlin.
These short stories — magical tales of wizardry and wonder — pre-date the first Western poets such as Homer and Ovid by millennia. They were almost certainly drawn from earlier oral traditions. Wonder tales, fairy stories, and accounts of legendary heroes are the oldest genres of storytelling we know. Even today, several of the best-paying markets for short story writers only publish science fiction, fantasy, and tales of the supernatural.
Once you begin to research the markets for short stories, you’ll discover that there’s something for readers and writers of every persuasion. You’ll find publications dedicated to mysteries and detective stories; magazines specializing in romance (and the rather more spicy, sometimes even pornographic, “erotica”). Classic westerns, thrillers, horror stories, historical fiction, action and adventure, religious and inspirational, are all still published in print and online.
That’s not to mention the popular sub-genres. In fantasy, you’ll find post-apocalyptic, contemporary, dark, Gothic, heroic, retrofuturism, slipstream, paranormal, urban, shapeshifters, and superheroes. Science fiction boasts cyberpunk, dystopian, space opera, hard SF, soft SF, near-future, alternate history, and time travel. In mystery and crime stories, you’ll discover hardboiled detectives, cozy mysteries, underworld, police procedural, private investigators, historical, noir, and supernatural. Romance covers classic, contemporary, chick-lit, Gothic, regency, supernatural, old west, paranormal, and erotica. Then, of course, there’s a market for literary short fiction, too.
The above is by no means an exhaustive list. It’s just a quick insight and barely scratches the surface. Your own market research will pull up literally dozens of other genres and their sub-genres. One thing’s for sure, the often-heard statement that the short story market is dead is untrue. It’s very much alive, and editors are hungry for fresh talent, new voices, and interesting takes on old ideas.
The key to success is market research
The key to success when selling short stories is always matching the story to the publication. To do that, you must read at least a couple recent copies and the submission guidelines and follow them to the letter. Each publication has specific requirements in terms of the subject, themes, genre, style, and length of stories it publishes.
An editor will only read stories which follow her formatting and submission guidelines without error or deviation. So, never just scan through guidelines. Read them with care and make sure your submission fulfills the requirements.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 128 current publications which pay for short stories. Compensation may be as little as 1 CPW (cents-per-word) and a copy of the magazine in which your story appears. However, several of these markets pay at least the minimum professional fee of 8 CPW and the most successful and established can pay thousands of dollars for a single story.
The markets here are listed in alphabetical order according to genre. Each of theses publications has an active website with submission guidelines and style guides. The title is a live link to the publication’s main page. From there you can look for the relevant instructions and guidelines for writers.
Often there’s a clear “submissions” tab. Other times you’ll have to dig a bit deeper, so look under “About Us” or “Contact Us”. Occasionally, you’ll find a link hidden down in the footer area. A few editors will expect you to write an email to request the guidelines which they’ll send as a PDF or Word document.
Literary Publications
- The /tƐmz/ Review . This is an established literary magazine. They publish several times a year and are always open to new writers. You can find a link to the submission guidelines in the “About Us” page.
- A&U. America’s AIDS Magazine . This is a non-profit publication. They publish short fiction, poetry and narrative non-fiction. There’s a link to the submission guidelines in the banner above the headline. Pay rates are available on request.
- After Dinner Conversation . The submissions tab is in the menu on the homepage. They give links to several short stories that exemplify the kind of work they want to read. The focus is on morality, ethics, and “philosophical truth”.
- Aftermath Online Magazine . An environmental publication which focuses on the current ecological and climate disaster threatening all life on Earth. Scroll down the homepage for a link to their submission guidelines. They give lots of important information about what they publish.
- AGNI . Known “for publishing important new writers early in their careers.” This is an important literary market and if your writing suits what the editors like, well worth taking some trouble over. You’ll find all the guidelines and submission details via the “Submit” tab at the top of the page.
- Alt Hist . While many folks consider “historical fiction, alternate history, or historical fantasy” as a sub-genre of science fiction, I’ve included this here because the look and feel of the magazine is decidedly literary. They want character-led, not plot or concept-driven, stories. There’s a submissions link in the banner menu.
- Ancient Paths Magazine . They publish short fiction on their Facebook page. You can find the link to their guidelines in the main body of the text on the website homepage. They have a strong Christian bias.
- The Antioch Review . This is the literary journal of Antioch College, but anyone may submit work for consideration. The editors are looking for stories “ worthy of the serious attention of the intelligent reader, a story that is compelling, written with distinction.” You can find the writer’s guidelines by following the link in the top right of the header.
- Apparitions Literary Magazine . The submissions link is in the banner menu. While publishing in the supernatural sub-genre, they state they want stories with “enough emotional heft to break a heart, with prose that’s as clear and delicious as broth. We’re looking for proactive characters and beautiful language”. Each edition is themed and has a limited submissions window.
- Aquila Children’s Magazine . This magazine aims to be “the ultimate intelligent read for inquisitive kids”. They publish one short story in each issue. You can download the submission guidelines by following the link on the “Contact Us” page.
- Baltimore Review . This publication styles itself as “ a literary hub of diverse writing”. In addition to open submissions, they also run competitions from time to time. Guidelines and submission details are under the “Submit” tab at the top of the page.
- Berkeley Fiction Review . The review is published once a year. They’re looking for short stories which bring “nuance and perspective to an on-going cultural conversation”. They’re especially keen to publish work by underrepresented groups such as the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, BIPOC, Indigenous, and others. There’s a link to the guidelines in the drop down menu at the top of the homepage.
- Bethlehem Writers Roundtable . This online publication run by the Bethlehem Writers’ Group showcases short fiction and poetry. They’re looking for traditional, story-driven prose. You’ll find the detailed submission guidelines by clicking the button in the menu at the top of the page.
- Black Telephone Magazine . A literary magazine published by Clash Books, this publication wants stories on the themes of “memory, love, death, lust, spiritualism, and loss”. It issues monthly in print and online. There’s a link to the submission guidelines on the top right of the page.
- Blackbird . This is a literary magazine produced by the Virginia Commonwealth University. They’re primarily interested in short stories but will also consider novel extracts. You need to click through from the main university page to the portal and then to the magazine. The link to the submission guidelines is in the left side panel.
- Blue Light Special . This is a magazine which styles itself as “an anthology of modern folktales illuminating the LGBTQ experience”. You’ll find their submission requirements in the drop down menu under the “for Authors” tab. While priority is given to LGBTQ writers, anyone may submit work for consideration.
- Blue Marble Review . An online journal that gives opportunities to the younger generation. You must be aged between 13 and 22 to submit your work here. For the submission guidelines, click the “Submit” tab at the top of the main page.
- The Blue Route . Limited to current undergraduate students from anywhere around the world, this journal is run by the Widener University. They’re looking for “highly imaginative writing about contemporary life”. There’s a link to the submission guidelines at the top of the web page.
- Bourbon Penn . Favoring the odd and the imaginative, this magazine publishes short stories with weird or cross-genre elements. It’s a beautifully produced publication. You can find the submission guidelines via the link on the top right of their homepage.
- Breath and Shadow . This magazine publishes work by people with disabilities. You can find how they define that on the website. You can find the submission details in the drop down menu under the “Breath & Shadow” tab at the top of the page.
- The Café Irreal . These guys favor surrealism and absurdist writing in the tradition of Kafka and others. Chances of acceptance are good, although you need to keep it short with a maximum number of words capped at 2,000. Submission guidelines are right upfront on the homepage.
- Channel . An Irish publication which accepts work from all over the world, they’re looking for short stories up to 6,000 words. Their mission is to publish work which “fosters connection with the natural world”. Submission guidelines are linked to from a tab on the front page of the website.
- CHILLFILTR Review . This is a new publication as of 2020 which aims to offer a platform for deeper perspectives on the less rational and scientifically accessible aspects of human experience. The “Submit” tab actually leads to an opportunity to submit songs to their radio station. The guidelines for writers are under the “Write for Us” tab at the top.
- The Cincinnati Review . Another big fish in the small pond of literary storytelling, this highly respected journal has published “many promising new and emerging writers as well as Pulitzer Prize winners”. It’s worth reading and exploring before you work something up for this market. You’ll find guidelines under the “Submissions” link at the top of the home page.
- Clubhouse Magazine . One of the best established Christian magazines for kids in the 9 to 12 year-old age bracket, Clubhouse is also one of the best paying, at 25 CPW. Short fiction payments start at €200 and go up. You can find the submission guidelines by first clicking the “About Us” tab and then clicking on “Submissions”.
- Confingo Magazine . They publish twice yearly in print only. International writers are welcome. You’ll find the guidelines for submissions via the tab at the top of the page.
- Contrary Magazine . The clue is in the title of this publication. Rebellious, contrarian, and unpopular perspectives are welcome. The concept of contrariness carries through into their fiction requirements, too. So, the editors value short stories which challenge or subvert the traditional form. Guidelines are under the “Submissions” tab.
- The Copperfield Review . The editors are looking for literary quality historical fiction. They welcome submissions at any time. The submission guidelines are under the “Submission guidelines” tab at the top. But be careful to click through again on the linked text that reads “the following guidelines” to get the full detail.
- Cricket . A well-established and highly respected publication for young readers between 9 and 14 years old. The competition is fierce, so be especially careful to follow the guidelines and submit only your best work. You can find the submissions guidelines in the drop-down menu under the “more” tab. The website is a general hub for Cricket Media and you must click through again to the magazine for which you want to write. At 25 CPW, this is an excellent market.
- Djed Press . This publication “exclusively works with and publishes Bla(c)k and other creatives of colour (POC)”. They’re interested in all kinds of writing, including short stories. Click the “Submit” tab in the menu bar and you can then follow through to the guidelines.
- Downstate Story is a non-profit literary magazine that compensates writers for their contributions. They prefer some connection with Illinois or the Midwest, but it’s not essential for them to consider your work. Scroll down the homepage and follow the link, “Guidelines for Writers”.
- ellipsis (spelled all lower case). This literary magazine published by Westminster College comes out once a year. Details of the kind of fiction they like and how much they pay can be found in the submission guidelines. To get there, click on the “Submit Now” button on the homepage. It’ll take you to Submittable and the writer’s guidelines.
- Existere Journal of Arts and Literature . A bi-annual publication produced by York University and open to writers in Canada and internationally, they pay from $50 to $250 per story. Go to the website and at the top of the main page you’ll find a submissions link.
- Fabula Argentea . This is a quarterly magazine published by the Silver Pen Writers’ Association. It styles itself as “the venue of good writing”. The editors are open to reading almost anything apart from unnecessary sexual content and erotica. The writing must be of a high literary standard. You’ll find the submission guidelines via the banner menu on the website.
- Filling Station . Filling Station magazine is a classic literary publication looking for innovative and unusual work. You should read several copies before sending anything to the editors. Submissions guidelines and an idea of what they’re looking for can be found via the link tab at the top of the main page.
- Fiddlehead . A well-known and respected literary journal, the editors at The Fiddlehead are always open to reading exciting work by new and experienced writers alike. Just make sure you read a few copies before you submit. Competition is fierce and the acceptance rate is very low. You’ll find the writers’ guidelines and submission details in the drop-down menu under the “Contribute” tab at the top.
- The First Line . The editors publish potential first lines of as yet unwritten stories and writers submit work that follows from that point of inspiration. The only strict rule is that the first line given must be used unaltered. You can find the guidelines for submitting your work via the tab at the top of the site.
- Foglifter . This is a twice-yearly publication by and for people identifying as “Queer”. If you don’t know precisely what that means in modern usage, then this is not a magazine for you. The link for submissions is hidden way down at the bottom of the footer.
- Freefall . Freefall issues three times a year. It’s a traditional literary publication which runs competitions in addition to its regular submissions process. There’s a link in the top bar to the guidelines and information about how to send your work.
- Fresh.Ink . If you’ve already had at least one piece published in a reputable literary magazine, then you could get paid for it again and get a lot of exposure by submitting the work again to Fresh.Ink. They republish a literary short story every day via their email subscription list. Just be sure that you own the rights to the work you send. Details of what and how to submit can be found via the link in the menu.
- Gemini Magazine . A contest-based magazine with the strapline, “Fiction, poetry, a little craziness, and more”. The first prize for short fiction is $1,000 — which is a good rate of pay per word! You’ll find submission details and writer guidelines via a link in the footer.
- Gendertrash Café . This socio-political publication is run by “a collective of gender transgressive writers, authors, bloggers, and poets”. They’re looking for work which aligns with their radical philosophy and gender diverse perspectives. In the top right corner of the website, you’ll find a link to the “Contact” page in the drop-down menu under the “Submit” button. The guidelines are in there.
- Going Down Swinging . Describing themselves as the venue “where the fierce, fresh writing lives”, the editors prefer very short fiction of no more than 2,000 words. There’s an online and a print edition which carry different content. You’ll find the guidelines by following the link embedded in the “Getting Published” paragraph down in the footer.
- Gordon Square Review . This bi-annual publication looks for short fiction and narrative prose in addition to poetry. They use the Submittable online portal. Check out the bottom left corner of the footer for a link to the guidelines for writers.
- Gray’s Sporting Journal . The link for submission guidelines is tucked away right at the bottom of the footer. This is one of the highest-paying markets: $600 to $1,250 for a 750 to 1,500-word short story. But be aware that the quality of writing must be absolutely beyond reproof. Read the guidelines very carefully before you get started on a story aimed at this market.
- Green Prints Magazine . This is a “digest” publication with a gardening focus. They pay between 1 and 5 CPW. You can find the guidelines link in the drop-down menu under the “About Us” tab.
- Harper’s Magazine . So, this is Harper’s. It has a massive circulation and is one of the best known magazines globally. They pay very well for work they like. But, as with most publications of this caliber, they don’t publish a fee scale; they’re only interested in professional writing, and they expect you to negotiate. You can find out how to submit by following the link in the footer. For the rest, you must read several copies before you begin to style your piece.
- HyperText Magazine . The link to guidelines for writers is in the banner at the top of the homepage. They accept a limited number of submissions each month and close temporarily once they reach that quota. Pay is moderate, but it’s an interesting magazine with a high standing in the literary world, so a good place to hang your by-line.
- Iceberg Tales . Hemingway (the writer, not the app!) aficionados may well get the reference in the title of this magazine. They say they want to receive writing that is “ambitious and original”. The submission guidelines start on the “Contact” page, which is linked to in the menu at the top, and then go into more detail in the FAQ section.
- Inwood Indiana . Do you fancy publishing a short story in “the smallest press in the world”? Well, now’s your chance. Information for writers, including guidelines and the submission portal, can all be found in the drop-down menu under the “Submissions” tab on top line menu.
- Kahini Quarterly . Published four times per annum , they are open all year round to submissions from writers and artists. They specify they’re looking for work in an “authentic, original voice”. They pay $5,000 per published story. You can get the guidelines by clicking on the text link in the middle of the front page.
- Kaleidoscope Magazine . Published by United Disability Services, the editors want you to submit a fiction contribution which “challenges and overcomes stereotypical, patronizing, and sentimental attitudes about disability”. You needn’t identify as disabled to write for them. You’ll reach the guidelines by clicking on “Enter a submission”. You can also download PDFs of current and past editions.
- Kweli . This publication was started up to “nurture emerging writers of color and create opportunities for their voices to be recognized and valued.” It comes out three time per year. You can find the submission guidelines by clicking the “Submit” tab at the top of the page.
- The Last Line . This is the sister publication to The First Line. The editors publish potential last lines of as yet unwritten stories and writers submit work that leads up to the last line given. The only strict rule is that the last line given must be used unaltered. You can find the guidelines for submitting your work via the tab at the top of the site.
- The Letters Page . A literary journal run by the University of Nottingham, the editors want short fiction written in the form of a letter. They don’t pay cash — compensation is in the form of a subscription to a small press — but it’s an idea that appeals strongly to me, so I’ve included it in the list. If enough people support it, maybe payment will follow. Guidelines are right there on the front page.
- Liquid Imagination. The editors want short stories which show a good compelling command of “technique, voice, characterization, and language.” There’s also a comprehensive section in which the editors make clear what they don’t want. You should read it before you submit. There’s a link to the guidelines in the banner menu under the header.
- The Malahat Review . Born and based in Canada, the Malahat Review is a well-known and much respected venue for literary work, published three times a year. However, no author can submit work more than once a year. You’ll find general guidelines for all writers, and then fiction-specific guidelines, important policy information and how to submit in the drop-down menu when you click the “Submit” tab at the top of the page.
- midnight & indigo (spelled all lower case). This is a “literary magazine celebrating Black women writers.” So, if you don’t fit that demographic, you won’t get published here. But if you do, this could be a great outlet for your work. All the information you need to prepare a submission, you’ll find under the “Write for Us” tab in the menu at the top of the page.
- The Minola Review . This literary journal only accepts work by women and people who identify as non-binary. They publish a print anthology of the best work each year. You’ll find all the guidelines for writers under the “Submissions” tab in the banner menu at the top of the home page.
- Moss . If you’re a resident of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, or you have a substantial personal connection to the region, this could be a great outlet for your work. They pay a flat fee of $125 for fiction of 1,800 words or more. Submission guidelines are found via the link on the home page.
- Mount Island . This niche publication accepts work from “ rural LGBTQ+ and POC voices.” If you don’t know what these initials mean, then you probably won’t be able to write for this magazine. If you do, you may find a good outlet for your work. You’ll find submissions and writer guidelines in the drop-down menu under the “About” tab.
- Mslexia . A UK-based publication with a worldwide reputation, Mslexia styles itself as “the magazine for women who write.” Don’t bother sending them your 3,000-word short story, however, as they generally want flash fiction pieces of about 250 words. They pay £25 (UK) for those — so, that’s just a smidgen under 13 CPW — an excellent professional rate for fiction! The big buzz about Mslexia is that it’s read by agents and “talent scouts”.
- Mycelia . This bi-annual magazine looks for experimental short fiction. They open for limited submission periods. You can find details under the “Submissions” tab at the top of the page.
- Neon. If you have a “taste for magical realism and the uncanny” this UK-based literary magazine could be a good outlet for your work. They pay professional rates, too. Look under the “Guidelines” link at the top of the homepage to find out more about their submission requirements.
- The New Quarterly . Only open to Canadian writers, they accept work in almost all genres, including traditional and literary stories. They’re particularly interested in work from underrepresented groups. There’s a “Submit” button in the top menu which takes you through to everything you need to know.
- New Reader Magazine . This is an international publication open to writers of all stripes so long as the work is literary. To get the beef on what to send and how to send it, first click on the “Contribute” link. Once you’ve read that, if you’re still interested, click on the “Guidelines” link at the bottom for all the nitty-gritty.
- New Southern Fugitives. Open to all sorts of literary themes and styles and especially interested in work from minority authors, the editors also submit selected work that they’ve published for literary prizes. Follow the “Guidelines” link in the drop-down menu under the “Submit” tab for more information. They use the Submittable portal.
- New Welsh Review. This is a highly praised and prestigious literary review and magazine. They pay in pounds sterling, but it works out at £100 for a 2,500-word story. So, that’s about 5 CPW. Not quite professional rates, but worth the effort, especially if you want to get your work “seen”. To get to the guidelines, you must hover your cursor over the “New Welsh Reader” link and then slide down to the “Submit your writing” bullet point and click on that. From there, together with the guidelines (in both languages, Welsh and English) you’ll find a link to the submission portal. *Phew!*
- The New Yorker. Look, it’s The New Yorker, what do you need to know? Get your short fiction published here and you can expect not only handsome payment but a big boost to your writing career. For the guidelines, you’ll need to scroll all the way down to the small print in the imposing black footer. Click on the “Contact Us” link. Scroll down to the fiction section.
- Newfound. This magazine looks for stories which explore “how place shapes identity, imagination, and understanding.” For the submission guidelines click on the little menu icon, then on “Contribute”. They run themed issues so make sure your piece is on message before you submit.
- The Offing . An online literary journal. They publish short fiction and pay up to $100 per story. You’ll find all the details under the ‘SUBMIT’ tab at the top right of the homepage.
- Overland . This is an Australian online and print magazine. They’re especially keen to see work form women of color. To get to the submissions link, scroll down to the footer and look under ‘Contribute’ on the right hand side. They pay $500 (AU) for fiction.
- Page & Spine . Styled as the ‘Fiction Showcase’, they publish short stories up to 3,000 words and Flash Fiction up to 1,000 words. Look for a link to submission details in the drop down menu when you hover over ‘more…’ in the banner menu on the home page.
- The Patchwork Raven . Probably a unique project in publishing, TPR puts together anthologies of work on a project-by-project basis. An indie publisher with a strong ethic and a clear vision, they’re open to writers from all over the globe. The submissions link is on the main menu at the top of the front page.
- Prairie Fire . Based out of Canada, they publish a packed, book-style magazine four times a year. You can find detail of how to submit your work under the ‘Submissions’ tab at the top of the homepage. They pay $0.10 (CA) per word up to $250.
- The Puritan . Another Canadian magazine, but they accept submissions from all over the world. The submit tab is in the header menu. They pay a flat rate of $150 (CA) for fiction.
- The Reckoning . A magazine seeking ‘creative writing on environmental justice’. They’re keen to see work by diverse voices, including LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC. You’ll find the link to submissions in the drop down menu under the ‘About’ tab in the menu at the top of the main page. They pay 8 CPW for fiction, which is considered a professional rate.
- Room Magazine . ‘Canada’s oldest feminist journal’ is open to submissions year-round. Click the ‘Submit your work’ tab at the head of the homepage for all the details. They pay up to $150 (CA) for fiction.
- The Saturday Evening Post . Published without a break for the last 200 years, the Post should need no introduction. While they only pay a token sum of $25 for fiction published online, the print edition is ‘by negotiation’. That suggests two things: the standard will be higher, and so will the payment. To find the submission guidelines, follow the link trail, starting right down in the footer.
- The Sun Magazine . Founded back in the 70s and still going strong, The Sun is one of America’s most respected literary journals and pretty much represents the ‘gold standard’. Follow the ‘Submit’ link at the top of the homepage. They pay up to $2,000 for short fiction up to 7,000 words. Yup. That’s not a typo.
- The Threepenny Review . Don’t be put off by the scrappy-looking website. This is a respectable magazine and pays professional rates for short fiction up to 4,000 words. They prefer shorter pieces. 2,500 words is a good average, for which the payment is a flat fee of $400 (US). The submissions link is in the tiny, almost illegible strap menu under the header.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Publications
Note: I’ve bunched these two genres together because there’s considerable cross-over between them. Many ‘zines publish both, although they may favor one over the other. Several publish exclusively Fantasy or SF. You must study each publication before submitting work.
- Analog Science Fiction and Fact . Styled as “the home of the world’s leading science fiction and fact”, Analog is one of the most long-running and successful ‘zines in the business. They pay between 8 and 10 CPW for short fiction, which they define as up to 20,000 words. They also consider serialized novels up to 80,000 words for which they pay 6 CPW. The link to the writers’ guidelines is tucked away right down in the footer.
- Apex Magazine . A highly respected, long-running fantasy venue, Apex pays the minimum professional rate of 8 CPW for stories up to 7,500. The editors tend toward darker, more disturbing work but stop short of horror. You can find the submissions information by hovering over the ‘About’ tab and selecting from the drop-down menu.
- Azimov’s Science Fiction. This classic SF Magazine is world famous and has won too many awards to list here. They pay between 8 and 10 CPW for short fiction up to 7,500, and then 8 CPW for anything over that length. To get to the submission details and other information, go to the ‘More stuff’ tab at the top of the homepage and you’ll find a link at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
- Beneath Ceaseless Skies . BCS is a great venue if your writing suits the editors’ tastes. They’re looking for “literary adventure fantasy: stories with a secondary-world setting and some fantasy feel, but written with a literary approach”. Rate of pay is 8 CPW. Find the submission guidelines by clicking through from the drop-down menu under the ‘About’ tab at the top.
- Cast of Wonders . This is a place for your best YA short stories and flash fiction. They pay 8 CPW for all fiction, including flash. Before you submit, be sure to study the detailed guidelines, which you’ll find under the submissions tab at the top of the page.
- Centropic Oracle . The editors want “science fiction and fantasy stories that make you feel and think”. Stories must be between 1,500 and 6,500 words. The payment model is an upfront fee of 1 CPW (CA) plus a royalty based on reader donations made on your story. They also offer a 33% royalty on profits from the audio version of your story. There’s a big, bold, submissions link right on the landing page.
- Clarkesworld Magazine. A multiple award-winning SF venue which also publishes occasional fantasy stories. This is a hugely competitive market, but don’t let that put you off trying once you’ve read the magazine and grasped what they’re looking to publish. They pay 10 CPW (US). You’ll get the submission guidelines by clicking on the tab in the strap menu under the header.
- Constelación Magazine . A bilingual magazine publishing stories in both English and Spanish. You can submit stories in either language. The editorial remit for fiction is broad, so long as it falls under the ‘speculative fiction umbrella’. You’ll find everything you need to know under the submissions tab at the top right of the page. They pay 8 CPW.
- Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores . Paying 6 CPW this isn’t quite a pro ‘zine, but it’s worth pitching to, especially if you’ve haven’t been published before. They want intelligent stories in the science fiction, fantasy, myth, fairy tale, and ‘eldritch’ sub-genres. The submissions link is in the banner at the top of the home page.
- Cosmass Infinities . Once only open to LGBTQA+ and BIPOC authors, they recently opened their doors to anyone and everyone. Science fiction and fantasy stories. They pay the minimum professional rate of 8 CPW. The submissions tab is in the top menu bar.
- Daily Science Fiction . If you’re new to the game, this is a great site to try for your breakout publication. Despite the name, they publish a lot of fantasy in every genre. The standard is high, but they publish daily on the website and to their subscribers’ email inboxes. They’re strictly speaking a flash fiction venue but they go up to 1,500 words. The average is about 500 to 750 words. There’s a ‘Submit’ tab about halfway down the right hand sidebar. Pay rate is 10 CPW.
- The Dark Magazine . The editors want dark fantasy and borderline horror, although they shy away from graphic horror and gratuitous violence. They pay 6 CPW, so don’t qualify as a fully professional market. But it’s a good magazine and worth getting your byline in here. You’ll find the submissions link in the menu bar under the header.
- Deep Magic . This publication aims to be a venue for “gripping stories that don’t rely on sex, swearing, and graphic violence”. Issues publish quarterly. The website doesn’t mention payment specifics, but they promise “professional rates”. There’s a submissions link in the menu at the top. [UPDATE: Defunct]
- Escapepod . This is a lively, much admired publication which issues both print and audio. They accept original stories and reprints. For originals they pay 8 CPW and reprints attract $100 (US) per story regardless of length. There’s a link to submission guidelines at the top of the home page.
- Fantasy Magazine . One of the oldest and most respected publications for fantasy stories, this is one to get your by-line in if you can. They pay professional rates. You can get to the submission guidelines by hovering over the ‘About’ tab and then clicking on ‘submissions’ in the drop-down menu.
- Khōréō . Limited to those writers who identify as immigrants or part of a diaspora, they’re looking for science fiction and fantasy stories. They pay 8 CPW. Click on the ‘Submit’ tab at the top and then follow through to the link to the fiction guidelines.
- Lamp Light . This publication publishes ‘Dark Fantasy’. In their own words, they’re looking for “stories that are dark, literary; we are looking for the creepy, the weird and the unsettling.” The submissions tab is in the menu at the top. They pay 3 CPW up to a maximum of $150.
- The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction . FSF is one of the grandparents of the genre publishing world. They pay up to 12 CPW for fiction up to 25,000 words. However, submitting a shorter story between 3,000 and 7,500 words increases your chances of publication. You can find a text link to the writers’ guidelines on the right toward the bottom of the rather dated-looking website. Despite the website, it’s a competitive and prestigious venue.
- Hypnos Magazine. Hypnos wants “original, thought-provoking, weird fiction”. They also say they refer longer, in-depth stories up to 10,000 words. Payment is a token amount of 1 CPW. Find the guidelines by clicking the eponymous tab beneath the header.
- Little Blue Marble . The editors are looking for “speculative fiction that examines humanity’s possible futures living with anthropogenic climate change.” They’re not interested in dystopian fiction or tales of abandoning Earth. Positive outlooks and bright futures are their stock in trade. They pay 11 CPW (CA). The link to submission guidelines in hidden way down in the footer.
- Metaphorosis Magazine . A fantasy magazine which looks for “intelligent, beautifully written stories for adults”. But note, they mean ‘grown-ups’ not porn! You’ll find submission guidelines in the drop-down menu under the ‘About’ tab. They want stories between 1,000 and 6,000 words. The pay is a token gesture of 1 CPW (US). But if you’re looking for your first publication, or enjoy supporting small magazines, it’s a good-looking venue in which to get your by-line.
- Mythic . A bi-annual publication, they publish both original work and reprints in the fantasy genres. They offer a token payment of 1 CPW and a copy of the issue in which your story appears. There’s a link to submissions guidelines in the menu under the header.
- Pulp Literature . Despite the title, they’re not looking for ‘pulp fiction’. They want literary speculative fiction. Payment is 5 to 8 CPW. To get to the guidelines, go down to the bottom left of the footer and click the link there. From the general page, there’s another link to the guidelines and from there you can follow through to the submissions.
- The School Magazine . If you are one of those few, extraordinary people who can write well for children, this is a great venue for your fantasy stories under 1,500 words. Payment specifics are not detailed on the website, but they offer professional rates. To get to the submission guidelines, first click the ‘Contribute’ tab at the top of the homepage, then choose ‘Writers’.
- Sci Phi Journal. This is a bit of an oddball in the world of contemporary SF. They want idea-driven rather than character-driven stories. Quite what that means in practice, you must read the magazine to discover. Based in Belgium but open to submissions worldwide, they pay 3 CPW (EU) for original work up to 2,000 words. You’ll find the submissions link right at the top above the header.
- Strange Horizons . Another classic publication in the field of speculative fiction. SH considers fantasy stories, SF, and weird tales of every kind. While there’s an official word limit of up to 10,000, they much prefer stories to be under 5,000 words. They pay 10 CPW. You can find the fiction guidelines by clicking on the ‘Submit’ tab at the top of the homepage and then clicking through to the prose fiction section.
- Three-Lobed Burning Eye . A fantasy market with a broad remit; so they also publish horror and SF. Publishes online bi-annually and issues a print anthology every second year. They pay a flat fee of $100 (US) for fiction. The links to the submissions details is on the right in the header.
- Timeless Tales Magazine . This publication occupies itself with “breathing new life into classic fairy tales and myths”. Your story must align with their current themed call for submissions. They want shorter fiction, with 2,000 words as the limit and stories under 1,500 more likely to sell. They pay a flat fee of $30 (US) per story. There’s link to the submission guidelines in the menu under the title.
- Translunar Travelers Lounge . This e-zine is a great little venue for fun SF & F stories up to 5,000 words. They pay 3 CPW, so it’s not a professional market, but may still interest you. Hover over the “About TTL” tab and select the submissions link form the drop-down menu to get the details.
- Uncanny Magazine . A first-class professional venue for “intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs.” They pay 10 CPW. You’ll find the link to the submission guidelines in the drop down menu under the “About” tab.
Horror Publications :
Note: many of the magazines and e-zines listed in the Science Fiction and Fantasy section above also accept horror stories. This section adds to that list the few specialist publications which only publish horror.
- Black Static . This is a long-established horror venue and part of ‘The Third Alternative’ publishing fold. Payment varies depending on the piece, but goes up to a basic pro rate of 8 CPW for short fiction up to 10,000 words. There’s a link to the submission guidelines in the left panel of the website.
- Boneyard Soup Magazine . A neat little horror ‘zine with high production values, Boneyard Soup accepts most horror sub-genres apart from excessive gore and gratuitous sexual content. They pay 5 CPW. You’ll find the submission link in the header menu.
- Dark Moon Digest . A quarterly published in eBook and print editions, this is a popular venue for traditional horror writing. They pay 3 CPW. Scroll down the home page to find the green text link to the submission guidelines.
- Gothic . A classic horror story venue alongside reviews, news, and feature articles. They pay a flat fee of $60 (US) per story. The link to the submissions guidelines is down in the footer.
- The No Sleep Podcast . You won’t see your work in print with this horror venue, but it will be published as an audio recording read by a skilled actor. They pay $125 (US) for short stories. The submission slink is in the menu at the top of the page.
Crime and Mystery Publications
- Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine . The granddaddy of them all and still going strong, this is the world’s most prestigious venue for short-form crime and mystery fiction. They pay up to 8 CPW. The link to the submissions guidelines is on the right hand side in the footer.
- Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine . The sister publication to Hitchcock’s, this is an equally prestigious venue for your short crime fiction. They pay up to 8 CPW. The link to the submissions guidelines is on the right hand side in the footer.
- Mystery Weekly Magazine . A popular weekly, this is a good venue to get your first by-line. They pay a token fee of 2 CPW. There’s a link to the submission guidelines in the banner menu at the top of the page.
- Over My Dead Body! . Unfortunately, crime doesn’t pay. This is a worthy magazine in which to be published, but you’ll only get a token payment of 1 CPW. Still, if it’s your first time in print, it’s a good title to have in your portfolio. The submissions link is in the left side panel.
Romance Publications
Note: the best markets for romance short fiction are the ‘women’s magazines’. But writing for them is a specialist and competitive business. You won’t find pay rates listed online, but they are among the best in the industry. If you’d like to sell your work to any of these markets, I recommend you give careful attention to this article: How to Write and Sell Articles to Women’s Magazines .While it focuses on articles, the information applies equally to fiction.
- My Weekly . This UK-based women’s magazine publishes lots of fiction, including romance stories. Pay rates aren’t listed on the site, but you can negotiate a professional fee. To submit, follow the contact link in the footer and then email the fiction editor. Format the subject line of your email like this: Fiction Submission [Title] [Your Name].
- Woman’s Weekly . A grandmother of the genre, this is a great place to sell your romance fiction. From the home page, click on the ‘fiction’ tab in the banner menu at the top. Click through to the article about how to write for the magazine and follow the guidelines.
- Yours Magazine . Go to the website and hover over the ‘Magazine’ tab at the top of the page and slide across to click on ‘Yours Fiction’. From there you can follow the text link to the writers’ guidelines.
- The People’s Friend . “The World’s Longest Running Women’s Magazine”. Click on the ‘Submission Guidelines” tab in the banner menu. From there you can download a PDF with everything you need to know. They publish huge numbers of stories and series. If you get ‘in the door’, you can become a regular contributor to the magazine.
- Portland Monthly . This award-winning glossy publishes fiction and will accept high-quality stories with a romantic theme. Go to the contact page and pitch an idea to the editor. Keep it brief and professional and be prepared to wait a while for a response.
- Cosmopolitan . Cosmo doesn’t have a fiction department, but they do run occasional short stories and novel excerpts in the ‘sex and relationships’ pages. If you can write an irresistible, professional pitch, go for it. Go to the ‘About’ page and scroll down to the ‘sex and relationships’ editorial team to find the best person to whom to send your pitch.
- Guideposts . This is a Christian glossy with a wide distribution. They publish fictionalized ‘true stories’ which can also be a romance. In the footer, follow the ‘Tell Us Your Story’ link to the writer’s guidelines and make sure you read everything with great care before you pitch or submit. Before approaching this market, I recommend that you read this article: How to Write and Sell Articles to the Religious and Inspirational Markets . While it focuses on articles, the information applies equally to fiction.
- Canthius . This is at the literary end of the market and is especially interested in work from LGBTQIA+ people. They pay $50 per published page and would welcome a literary romance that breaks the mold of the cis-gendered, heterosexual ‘boy meets girl’ story. Click on the ‘Submit’ button at the top of the page for details.
This list of 128 short story markets isn’t exhaustive. Many others exist. If you know of another paying market which you think should be mentioned here, let me know and I’ll add it in.
To vastly increase your chances of selling your work to any of these publications, you should carry out a full 7-step market analysis. To learn exactly what that means, how it will help you get published, and how to to do it, read this next:
The Complete How-to Guide to Market Research for Freelance Writers
Learn powerful research techniques to 10x your article sales.
writingcooperative.com
You should also read this, to help you understand what makes a short story sell in the modern marketplace:
Literary vs. Market Definitions: What Makes a Short Story Sell?
Learn the market definitions that will help you sell more stories, if you enjoyed this story and would like full access to more great reading, why not subscribe.
Your membership fee directly supports Austin Hackney and other writers you read. You’ll also get full, unlimited access to every story on Medium including feature articles locked behind the paywall. Sounds good? Join us!
Interesting fact: I wrote the first draft of this article — the informational introduction, not the list! — in about 20 minutes using my ‘1k Every Day’ technique. It helps writers generate an endless stream of ideas and outlines for articles and stories. No catch, no sign-up, no fee, no up-sell. Just a simple explanation of a powerful technique. It’s all explained here .
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Literary Magazines
The Big List of Literary Magazines
Best American Short Story
These are Literary magazines that have had work selected to appear in Best American Short Stories (Best American Short Stories Magazines). Our list is long and every growing. It is not like other list on the web. It is dynamic. These listings connect to detailed and condensed information about these magazines sent to us by the editors. Generally the listing will give you a very good idea of what the publication and the editor is looking for.
The Best American Short Stories Anthology is simply one of the best, if not the best, anthology in the country. They have published great American authors like Oates, King, Carver, Updike and many others. It is the standard of excellence for short story anthologies. Each issues is guest authored, and those authors are some of the best authors in the country. They pick work from magazines around the country. The Best American Short Stories magazines are listed here on this page.
Our listings are being updated every day. We listed 1000s of magazines on our site. Some of these listings are brand new, and some of these listings need to be updated. If you see a listing that needs updating, leave us a comment.
We also highly encourage you to buy and read Best American Short Stories.
Alaska Quarterly Review
February 19, 2016 by Every Writer
Antioch Review
July 21, 2017 by Every Writer
Black Warrior Review
August 11, 2017 by Every Writer
Fifth Wednesday Journal
April 4, 2012 by Every Writer
Fourteen Hills
May 22, 2019 by Every Writer
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Literary Magazines to Submit Your Short Stories To
Our 2020 writing goals are all about finishing projects and taking our passion for writing seriously. Although it may sound intimidating to submit your work to literary magazines, it’s imperative to the writing and publishing process. Not only will submitting your work help you to actually finish your short stories, but it will also help build your confidence. Keep in mind that rejection is part of the writing experience and your work might not be the right fit for every place you send it out to. But that doesn’t mean you should stop trying . Here is a list of literary magazines with open submission periods that you can submit your short fiction to today.
Crazy Horse
Crazyhorse has been publishing the best established and emerging writers for over 50 years., including many of the finest voices in literature such as John Updike, Raymond Carver, Jorie Graham, John Ashbery, Robert Bly, Ha Jin, Lee K. Abbott and Philip F. Deaver. Crazyhorse welcomes general submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from September 1st through May 31st. They as that submissions of fiction and nonfiction are between 2,500 and 8,500 words in length.
AGNI is a literary magazine housed at Boston University and known “among readers around the world,” as the writer’s group PEN put it, “for publishing important new writers early in their careers, many of them translated into English for the first time.” In an effort to cherish differences as much as the verities they share, they are drawn to writers of every creed, race, orientation, gender, ethnicity, culture, national origin, age, and experience. The print magazine appears twice yearly, in late April and late October. AGNI’s reading period is between September 1st and May 31st.
The Atlantic
With an ongoing submission period, The Atlantic is always interested in great nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. A general familiarity with what they have published in the past is the best guide to what they are looking for.
Black Warrior Review
Established in 1974 by graduate students in the MFA Program in Creative Writing, Black Warrior Review is named for the river that borders the campus of The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. BWR publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, and art twice a year. Contributors include Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners alongside emerging writers. Black Warrior Review reads general fiction, nonfiction, and poetry submissions from December 1 – March 1 and June 1 – September 1.
The Sun is a reader-supported ad-free magazine. They’ve been described in many ways: celebratory, fierce, unflinching, thoughtful, truthful, dark, darkly funny, tender. Writing from The Sun has won the Pushcart Prize and been selected for the Best American Essays and Best American Short Stories anthologies. They publish personal essays, fiction, and poetry. And they pay! “Writing is a solitary act, but when what you’ve written goes out to our loyal subscribers, it can feel a little less so.”
Virginia Quarterly
Each issue of Virginia Quarterly has contained work both moving and memorable; each has sought to provide the best that contemporary literature can offer. While they have a long history of publishing accomplished and award-winning authors, they also seek and support emerging writers. They accept short story submissions between 3,500–8,000 words. For short fiction, they generally pay $1,000 and above.
Vestal Review
Launched in March of 2000, Vestal Review is the world’s oldest magazine dedicated exclusively to flash fiction. Stories published in Vestal Review have been reprinted in numerous anthologies such as Best of the Net, Sudden Flash Youth and You have Time for This and their stories have been selected for Wigleaf Top 50 multiple times. Vestal Review is an eclectic magazine, open to all genres except children’s stories and hard science fiction.
Founded in 2006 by M. Bartley Seigel and Roxane Gay, PANK Magazine is a literary magazine fostering access to innovative poetry and prose, publishing the brightest and most promising writers for the most adventurous readers. They are looking for short stories that are sharp, honest, strange and beautiful.
Boulevard Magazine
Boulevard strives to publish only the finest in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. While they frequently publish writers with previous credits, they are very interested in less experienced or unpublished writers with exceptional promise. If you have practiced your craft and your work is the best it can be, send it to Boulevard. Their reading period is between October 1st - May 1st.
The Threepenny Review
Adam Zagajewski says, “The Threepenny Review is one of the most original literary magazines not only in the U.S. but also on the entire planet.” At present The Threepenny Review is paying $400 per story or article.
One Story Inc. is an award-winning , 501(c)(3) not-for-profit literary publisher committed to supporting the art form of the short story and the authors who write them—through One Story , One Teen Story , education , community, and mentorship. One Story is seeking literary fiction, between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good.
Do you feel alone in your writing practice? Have always wanted to write a book but haven’t started yet? Do you thrive under accountability? Or live in a part of the world without literary inspiration or support?
Our mentorship program might be just what you need! With three different options catered to support your individual and creative goals, now is the perfect time to take your writing seriously and work with another writer who seeks to help you grow.
About Kailey Brennan
Write or Die Tribe was created by Kailey Brennan, a freelance writer, blogger and content creator based in Plymouth, MA.
She currently writes for Read Poetry and a handful of other online platforms.
- Poetry Contests
- Submitting to Literary Magazines
- Literary Magazines for New Writers
- Literary Agents
- Flash Fiction Contest
- Short Story Contest
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List of the Best Literary Magazines for New Writers to Submit To
Literary magazines with a strong online presence, baltimore review, bellevue literary review, bayou magazine, new delta review, new reader magazine, longleaf review, literary orphans, halfway down the stairs, the magnolia review, foliate oak, wilderness house literary review, litbreak magazine, crack the spine, print literary journals i recommend to new writers, anak sastra, the london magazine, five 2 one magazine, dark lane anthology series, bitter oleander, lily poetry review, louisville review, black heart magazine, alaska quarterly review, passager journal, beloit fiction journal, beltway poetry quarterly, black fox literary magazine, why we recommend these literary journals to new writers.
WELCOME TO APPARITION LITERARY MAGAZINE
Apparition Lit is a quarterly speculative fiction magazine that features original short stories, poetry, and artwork.
As of November 2022, we are no longer accept submissions via email, we’re now using Moksha to manage submissions. Any submissions sent via email will be deleted unread.
Apparition Lit is a speculative fiction magazine that publishes themed issues four times a year.
We publish poems and stories between 1k-5k words in January, April, July, and October.
We also hold monthly flash fiction contests between the 1st and 15th of each month. Flash stories must be under 1000 words and be inspired or based on the chosen theme.
Read our submission guidelines and submit your work through our Moksha portal .
Apparition is a semi-pro rate magazine, paying $0.05 per word, minimum of $50.00 dollars for short stories and a flat fee of $50 per poem. If we accept your story, we are purchasing the right to publish the story online and in the quarterly edition. Rights will revert back to the artist after one year.
Equity Initiative
As Apparition Lit works to create a more equitable publishing community, we recognize that our open submission period is concurrent with some other really great literary magazines where marginalized writers also like to submit. Voices should be heard and we want to help increase that opportunity.
Our submission window will remain open for an additional week each quarter for writers who identify as BIPOC and self-identify in their cover letter.
We will also accept simultaneous submissions from writers who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQIA+. Please just note how you identify in your cover letter, that it is a simultaneous submission, and see further details in the menu below on how to submit for each category.
Past Contributors
Once you are published by Apparition Lit, you join our tiny but mighty family. We love our alumni and will always do what we can to support their publishing career.
We want to continually discover and champion new voices and different point-of-views. If we have published your work in any of the quarterly issues, please wait 3-4 submission periods before subbing again.
If you’ve won a monthly flash fiction contest, feel free to submit for the quarterly issues right away, but please wait 6 months after winning the flash contest to submit flash again.
What We’re Looking For
Please note that we will not accept AI-generated content submissions. This includes stories or poetry that are written or co-written by AI.
We are open to unpublished speculative fiction stories and spec fic poems!
Speculative fiction is weird, almost unclassifiable. It’s fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and literary. Send us your strange, misshapen stories with enough emotional heft to break a heart, with prose that’s as clear and delicious as broth. We love proactive characters and settings that feel lived in and real enough to touch. Stories with style, stories with emotion, stories with character. We want it all.
Please see “How to Submit” in each of the drop down categories below for formatting, subject line, and cover letter guidelines. Submissions that are sent outside of submission period or do not follow guidelines will be deleted unread.
If you want to better determine if your writing fits with our style, you can purchase past issues or check out our stories page .
What We Won’t Accept
We do not accept multiple or simultaneous submissions. Please send only one submission per category during each reading period. (See Equity Initiative for exceptions)
At this time, we do not accept nonfiction, reprints or resubmissions, excerpts from other works, or unsolicited interviews or reviews. We do not accept stories that have been published, whether in paper or on the internet. Do not send us stories we have rejected in the past. We currently do not accept translations.
Hard Passes
- While we love dark stories with macabre elements, we will not accept stories with gratuitous and graphic violence or rape, this includes any type of child abuse including sexual abuse.
- We will not consider stories that have extreme, purposeless violence toward animals.
- We do not publish erotica or thinly-veiled fan fiction.
- Stories sent outside of the reading periods will be deleted unread.
- Stories or poems with attached/embedded images or graphics files will be deleted unread.
Our Themes & Reading Periods – 2023:
Apparition lit is open for poetry and short story submissions four times a year..
Our submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.
DREAD (Submission period: November 15-30, 2022 CLOSED – Published January 2023)
SYMMETRY (Submission period: General submission period: February 15-28 is CLOSED. Our EXTENDED window for BIPOC ONLY writers is OPEN March 1-7 – Publishing April 2023)
CREATURE (General submission period: May 15-31, 2023 CLOSED – Publishing July 2023)
RECLAMATION (General submission period: August 15-31, 2023 is CLOSED – Publishing October 2023)
Countdown to next Quarterly Open Submission Period - February 15-28 for Issue 22: Symmetry
SHORT FICTION
We are currently OPEN
We are currently in our BIPOC ONLY extended OPEN window to short, speculative fiction between 1k – 5k words between March 1-7 for stories based on the theme SYMMETRY only from writers who identify as BIPOC in their cover letters
Cover art by Edith Silva
short fiction Guidelines
Apparition Lit is open for poetry and short story submissions four times a year.
- 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)
Submissions received outside of posted open dates will be deleted unread.
We will only accept previously unpublished, complete stories between 1000-5000 words . If the story is complete with an extra hundred words, then it will still be considered. Any stories over 5,100 words, excerpted from a larger work, or incorrectly formatted, will automatically be rejected.
Apparition is a semi-pro magazine, paying $0.05 per word, a minimum of $50.00 USD (excluding flash contest). If we accept your story, we are purchasing the right to publish the story online and in the quarterly edition. Rights will revert back to the artist after one year.
- Format the story using the Shunn manuscript — you do not need to include your physical address or phone number.
- Please only use Times New Roman or Arial font in your document.
- Name the file using the story title and your last name, i.e. THE SWAMP EXCHANGE_Barker. This helps us find your story in the submissions list.
- Provide a brief cover letter that includes your full name, the title of the short story, word count, and any relevant publications. Please do not include a synopsis.
All acceptances and rejections will be emailed by the 15th day of the following month after submissions close. We currently do not have the available time or staff to provide personalized feedback on rejected submissions.
If you have not heard back by the 15th, send a query to: [email protected] with the title of your submission. Before emailing, please check your spam folder.
To make sure you receive all emails from Apparition Lit, please add us to your Safe Senders list in your email client.
We are currently in our BIPOC ONLY extended OPEN window to speculative poetry between March 1-7 for poems based on the theme SYMMETRY only from writers who identify as BIPOC in their cover letters
Poetry Guidelines
Apparition Lit is seeking original, unpublished speculative poetry that meets our quarterly theme. These poems must have obvious fantasy or sci-fi elements that make it clear it this isn’t a literary poem that you stuck an ogre into.
We want poetry that is more than just formatting. Send us all types of poetry, including traditional forms.
Writers can include up to five (5) poems per submission.
There is no minimum length.
Each poem must be no longer than 2-pages in length.
We pay a flat fee of $50 per poem.
- Include each poem as a separate page in one single document.
- You may submit up to five (5) poems in one file.
- Please only use Times New Roman or Arial font in your document
- Please include the name of one of your poems in the file name, i.e. TheBirds.rtf. This will make it easier for us to find the file as we read.
- Provide a brief cover letter that includes your full name, the titles of the poems, and any relevant publications. You do not need to include a synopsis of each piece.
All poetry acceptances and rejections will be emailed by the 15th day of the following month after submissions close. We currently do not have the available time or staff to provide personalized feedback on rejected submissions.
If you have not heard back by the 15th, send a query at: [email protected] with the title of your submission. Before emailing, please check your spam folder.
To make sure you receive all emails from Apparition Lit, please add us to your Safe Senders list in your email client.
FLASH FICTION
Currently OPEN
Monthly flash fiction challenge guidelines.
Submissions for Flash Fiction (pieces under 1k) will be accepted on the first 14 days of every month (For example, January Flash submissions will be accepted January 1-14). Stories must be based on the image prompt for that month. No rejections will be sent for flash submissions, and one winning story will be selected each month. After the selected writer is notified, their story will be posted the following month.
We want succinct speculative stories. Flex your writing muscles and send us flash fiction of 1k words or less.
Each month Apparition Lit holds a flash fiction contest. We’ll be looking for previously unpublished stories that are inspired by the monthly reality show prompt. Flash fiction should be a complete story, not an excerpt of a larger work. If you aren’t sure how to write a flash piece, check out the write-up at Writer’s Digest .
For 2023 we chose to highlight the crazy circus of reality TV!
No Fan Fiction please! We encourage you to create a full story (under 1k words) inspired by these situations and genres. They should be inspired by the shows, but not fan fiction directly pulled from show personalities.
Flash pieces must be under 1k words, must be speculative and must meet the requirements of the selected prompt for the appropriate month.
We will only accept stories 1000 words and under. This is a hard limit.
Apparition Lit is increasing the prize for the 2021 monthly flash fiction contest to $30 USD, to meet the minimum semi-pro payment. If we accept your story, we are purchasing the right to publish the story online.
The writer of the selected story will be notified and their story published the following month. Rejections will not be sent for the Flash Fiction contest.
Reality Show Madness! We are looking for flash in the vein of these reality shows with a heavy addition of the speculative. We are not looking for fan fiction though if you are very careful about filing off the serial numbers…
January – Antiques Roadshow/Pawn Stars
February – Inspired by Romance Reality TV (in the vein of (but not fan fiction of) Fboy Island/The Bachelor)
March – Taskmaster/Would I Lie to You?
April – Amazing Race/Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego
May – Great British Bake Off/Baking It/Cooking Shows
June – House Hunters/Love it or List It/Extreme Home Makeover/Flippers
July – Eurovision/Singing and Talent Competitions
August – Alone/Survivor/Naked and Afraid/The Nature of Things
September – Takeshi’s Castle/Hole in the Wall/Wipeout
October – Paranormal Investigators/Ghost Hunters
November – Do your worst month (Canada’s Worst Handyman, America’s Ugliest House, Nailed It)
December – Terrace House/Big Brother/The Real World
Our Previous Themes
CHARM ( Published January 2022)
WANDERLUST ( Published April 2022)
OMEN ( Published July 2022)
NOSTALGIA ( Published October 2022)
Justice ( Published Jan 2021)
Chance ( Published April 2021)
Contamination ( Published July 2021)
Wonder ( Published October 2021)
Experimentation ( Published Jan 2020)
Transfiguration ( Published April 2020)
Redemption ( Published July 2020)
Satisfaction ( Published October 2020)
Resistance ( Published January 2019)
Ambition ( Published April 2019)
Retribution ( Published July 2019)
Euphoria ( Published October 2019)
Apparition ( Published January 2018)
Delusion ( Published April 2018)
Vision ( Published July 2018)
Diversion ( Published October 2018)
The 5 Best Places to Submit Your Short Stories
We share our top literary magazine suggestions to submit your short stories.By Erin McReynolds
According to Duotrope, there are currently 5,000 markets for submitting fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. So how in the world do you decide where to send your work? It depends on your goal. If you want immediate readership, there are many lesser-known online magazines that respond faster and publish more submissions by emerging authors—it’s a great way to build confidence and a resume. But if you feel ready for the big leagues, and don’t mind waiting sometimes several months for what will likely be a rejection, (the rewards outweigh the risks, right?) shoot for the moon.
Most writers submit work in tiers. They first send their work to 5 or 10 “pie in the sky” places—maybe these pay more or are highly prestigious, but are also the most competitive. If rejected by all of those, they move on to the next 10, and so on. (If a magazine accepts simultaneous submissions, note in your cover letter that you’ll withdraw your work if it’s accepted elsewhere.)
Read more: Submitting Your Work to a Lit Mag? Follow These 5 Steps
Below are some examples of literary magazines typically considered “top tier,” based on the number of their stories that have gone on to win Pushcart and O. Henry Prizes or inclusion in Best American Short Stories. Check out an issue or two of any magazine you’re considering to be sure your work will be to their tastes.
Tin House : This Portland, OR/Brooklyn-based magazine and small press puts out four excellent issues each year, with Fall and Spring tied to a theme, like theft, ecstasy, or poison. Like most, they take electronic submissions, but they don’t charge a reading fee. Check their website to see what they’re reading for currently. You can also submit flash fiction (1000 words or fewer), which they publish weekly online.
- Reading period : September and March only (check the website for extensions)
- Notable alumni : Louise Erdrich, Steven Millhauser, Joy Williams
The Paris Review : Since its first printing in 1953, this journal has been considered the gold standard. In its first five years alone, it published Italo Calvino, Jack Kerouac, Adrienne Rich, and Samuel Beckett, so your work would be in legendary company. They only accept submissions by snail mail, though, and you have to let them know ASAP if your work gets accepted elsewhere—a postcard should suffice.
- Reading period : No restrictions
- Pay : Unspecified
- Notable alumni : Ursula K. LeGuin, Ben Marcus, Rachel Cusk
One Story : This slim, colorful reader comes out once a month and always contains a truly outstanding story, usually by a new or emerging author. There’s nothing wrong with seeing work by more well-known and successful writers in publications, but when you want to feel like yours could be the next big story appearing in mailboxes (and Best American Short Stories), One Story is a very encouraging prospect. Electronic submission, no fee.
- Reading period : January 15 – May 31 and September 1 – November 14
- Notable alumni : Ann Patchett, Joyce Carol Oates
Plougshares : Since 1971, this acclaimed magazine has been producing four issues annually, with two each year guest edited by luminaries like Tobias Wolff, Raymond Carver, and Elizabeth Strout. Work appearing in their pages is also scattered all over best-of anthologies. Electronic submissions are preferred and require a $3 fee (waived for subscribers).
Reading period : June 1 – January 15 Pay : $45 per printed page ($450 max) Notable alumni : Stephen King, Helen Oyeyemi, Deborah Eisenberg
The Gettysburg Review : The journal published by Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg College since 1988 has consistently ranked high for prizes and anthology inclusion, but it’s also a solid bet for emerging writers looking to make a name for themselves. Electronic submissions cost $3 for non-subscribers, but they’ll gladly take snail mail for free. Be advised that it can take up to eight months for them to respond, but they accept simultaneous submissions so your work doesn’t have to hang out in limbo while you wait.
- Reading period : September 1 – May 31
- Pay : $25 per printed page
- Notable alumni : E.L. Doctorow, Rita Dove
Read our Tips For Submitting to Literary Magazines before you hit submit or drop that envelope in the mail!
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30 Small But Awesome Online Literary Magazines
But the online literary journals below raise the bar far higher. They have made publishing online not just a vehicle for disseminating information, but used the best parts of the internet to create a legitimate art form.
The best way to evaluate a online literary magazine is to read a few of the stories. They’re all available, so why not? If they exclusively publish sestinas about the Iraq war and your story is about incest in a Midwestern family, it’s just not a good fit.
As they say, it’s not you, it’s just your writing. ( As if you could ever separate those things).
In any case, I have researched and found the best 30 online magazines, journals and quarterlies that publish exclusively online.
Some of the best online literary magazines listed below are currently taking submissions, will compensate their writers and have ongoing writing contest.
Also, when it comes to the differences between microfiction, flash fiction, short stories, and novellas, each of the online magazines listed below have length requirements (they tend to prefer shorter fiction, but some allow for longer pieces as well).
1. Literary Juice
Literary Juice is one of my favorite literary magazines! Founded in 2011 by Sara Rajan, this magazine is open to all types of prose. They accept flash fiction under 1,000 words, fiction with a max of 2,500 words and pulp writings, which are stories that are exactly 25 words; no more and no less.
2. Passing Through
Passing Through is a unique literary journal composed of artwork and fiction. They accept flash writings that are fiction, nonfiction and poetry with a max of 350 words. This journal is a themed journal, meaning all writings should be produced around a journey; figuratively or literally. “Passing Through” does publish only once a year.
3. Moonglasses Magazine
Moonglasses Magazine is a new and eccentric literary magazine founded in 2015 by college students. Moonglasses publishes monthly and accepts fiction and nonfiction stories up to 2,500 words and flash-writings (fiction and nonfiction) under 600 words. They also have two fun categories of writing called between the couch cushions and things we wrote when we had acne.
4. Mistake House
Mistake House was named after an architect’s attempt to create a new and original type of cottage. This eclectic and awesome journal features fiction, poetry and visual art. Fictional stories submitted should be no more than 5,000 words and should only consist of literary fiction. They won’t accept romance, fan-fiction, noir, fantasy or science fiction.
5. Waccamaw
Waccamaw is a journal of contemporary literature that encourages diversity, vulnerability and sincerity. Publishing twice a year, Waccamaw accepts 3-5 poems, essays, short stories (prose) that are under 7,500 words.
6. The Great American Literary Magazine
The Great American Literary Magazine is an online literary magazine based out of southern California and is a direct descendant of the Great American Novel. Publishing four times a year, they accept fictional prose with no more than 3,000 words and no more than 5 poems. Besides publishing poems they also nominate submitted writings for The Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net contest.
7. Ostrich Review
Founded in 2012, Ostrich Review is an online journal of poetry, storytelling and art. They accept fictional short stories under 30 pages, 3-5 poems and are currently taking blog content for their Tuesday grab bag (creative literary content) and / or Fifty word Friday (book reviews of any kind under 50 words) .
8. Pinball
Pinball is a forward-thinking literary magazine that publishes short fiction, nonfiction prose, comics, art, essays and interviews. Unlike most online literary magazines I’ve come across, Pinball compensates writers for their published works. They pay $25 for stories and essays, and $15 for flash/micro story/essays.
9. Milk Journal
Milk Journal is a biannual online literary magazine for all writers, established or emerging. Milk strives to empower the voices of people from all different walks of life. They accept up to 5 poems, flash fiction with a minimum of 250 words, fiction short stories with a max of 5,000 words, reviews and visual art. They are currently accepting submissions for their summer issue until June 30th .
10. The Harpoon Review
Established in 2014, The Harpoon Review publishes monthly and accepts submissions on a rolling basis. They accept up to 4 poems, 2 prose and short fiction with a max of 1500 words.
11. The Gravity of the Thing
The Gravity of the Thing is an online literary magazine that accepts short stories (fiction or creative nonfiction and self contained excerpts) under 3000 words, flash fiction or nonfiction under 500 words, 3 poems with a combined word count less than 500 and up to 5, six word stories. They are currently taking submissions for their summer issue until July 31st .
12. Lines+Stars
Established in 2006 in Washington, DC, Lines+Stars welcomes a variety of short prose and poems. They accept 3-5 poems and around 4,000 word prose. Occasionally they will accept 800-1000 word book reviews of new poetry or short fiction collections.
13. Chantwood Magazine
Chantwood is a neat literary magazine. They follow a blind selection process , meaning when you submit your work you never use your name. Instead, you use your email address and can only be judged only by the words you write. They accept fiction (of any genre) between 100-7500 words and 1 -2 pages of poetry (3-5 poems).
14. Juxtaprose
Juxtaprose is another one of my favorite online literary magazines (the website layout looks like an actual magazine). They accept fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry art and photography. Fiction and creative nonfiction stories must be between 500-5,000 words.
15. Bodega
Bodega Magazine calls themselves a literary cornerstore. They publish prose (fiction and nonfiction up to 3000 words) and poetry (up to 5 poems in a single document), the first Monday of every month. Currently accepting submissions.
16. Midway Journal
Midway Journal is an online literary journal named after the midway point between St. Paul and Minneapolis. The journal is not a themed journal but it does have specifics they are looking for in each writing category. They accept 3-5 poems, 1 fiction prose, 2 flash fiction and 1 creative nonfiction. Midway journal also hosts a literary contest called -1000 Below: Flash Prose and Poetry Contest . The deadline for the contest is May 31st and they are currently accepting submissions for the journal.
17. Failbetter
Failbetter publishes original fiction short stories, poetry, visual art and interviews with leading writers. They accept submissions through email and snail mail.
18. A-minor
Currently taking submissions for their next issue. A-minor magazine accepts short fiction prose between 1000-4000 words, flash fiction prose between 100 -1000 words and 3-5 poems. When submitting fiction, A-minor is looking for quirky, experimental and surreal.
19. Per Contra
Per Contra is an international journal of the arts, literature and ideas. In this online journal you can find ideas of individual liberty, freedom of expression and independence expressed through poetry, fiction and nonfiction short stories. They accept short fiction (fiction short stories or flash fiction) up to 4500 words.
20. Cheap Pop
Cheap Pop is the perfect place to unleash your inner creativity! All they are asking is that you submit your best flash fiction or microfiction that is under 500 words. They post new stories on their website every Tuesdays and Thursdays.
21. Decomp
Decomp is a literary magazine founded in 2004. Formally known as Decomposition magazine, Decomp publishes prose, poetry, art, book reviews. memoirs and journalistic nonfiction. They accept prose/flash fiction with a maximum of 4,000 words. Although you are allowed to submit fiction, they don’t want genres like horror, erotica, romance or science fiction.
22. Fiction Southeast
Fiction Southeast is a literary journal dedicated to all things short fiction. Besides being platform to submit and display your stories (Short fiction with 1,500 words or less and a fee 0f $2), Fiction Southeast has many helpful resources for writers. They have informative articles in reference to writing short fiction, editing services, and multiple interview series with authors, editors and agents.
Fiction Southeast also has three writing contest: Hell’s Belles short Fiction Prize (Taking submissions until October 1st) , The Fiction Southeast editors’ choice (Taking submissions until July 1st ) and The Ernest Hemingway Flash Fiction Prize .
23. Waxwing
I accidentally found the artsy literary journal Waxwing while searching for a completely different magazine. Waxwing is an online literary magazine that promotes “cultural diversity of contemporary American Literature, alongside international voices in translation.” They accept poetry, fiction, nonfiction and translations from all ethnic and religious backgrounds, with the goal broadcasting the voices of all people. Publishing only three issues a year, Waxwing requires short story writers to submit a maximum of 3 stories or 3 micro stories.
24. Eclectica Magazine
Founded in October of 1996, Eclectica is one of the longest running and consistent online literary magazine. They accept a wide variety of writings. For example short fiction, nonfiction, humor, travel, novellas and word poem challenges. Short fiction and nonfiction prose needs to be under 20,00 words. Anything over 20,000 words would be categorized as a novella. Eclectica does charge $2 to $4 dollars per submission.
25. Lunch Ticket
Founded in 2012, the literary journal Lunch Ticket is a production of Antioch University and their MFA community. They publish two issues a year (June and December) and accept fiction, creative nonfiction, flash prose, poetry and young adult (13+) etc. Lunch ticket also host two contest: The Diana Woods Memorial award in creative nonfiction and The Gabo prize for literature in translations and Multi-lingual texts.
26. SmokeLong Quaterly
Established in 2003 by Dave Clapper, Smokelong Quarterly is an online literary magazine dedicated to flash fiction. They accept flash fiction with a word max of 1000 and submissions are open year round. Besides their normal submissions, they have a series called Global flash series . Global flash series calls for short stories under 600 words in French, Spanish, Danish and German. Submissions for Global Flash open June 1st .
27. Literary Orphan
Literary Orphan is a mood-driven magazine and not a style-driven magazine. They are looking for pieces of work that leave you haunted and feeling nostalgic. They publish fiction (micro, flash and short story) under 2,000 words and creative nonfiction (under 5,000 words) for their blog. They also accept both fiction (under 3,000 words) and poetry (max 3 poems) from teenagers under the age of 19.
28. Every Day Fiction
Every Day Fiction is an interactive literary magazine that allows readers to interact with the contributing writers. Readers may leave comments under posted stories and rate how much they liked the story. They accept short (flash) fiction up to 1,00 words of any genre (nothing vulgar, violent or over sexualized). Every day Fiction does compensate their writers and offer $3 dollars for each published piece of writing through Paypal.
29. 100 Word Story
Another favorite of mine, 100 Words Story challenges writers to come up with a story with exactly 100 words. You can write a short story, an essay, a memoir or a prose poem. Also, for all you creative writers who need a little inspiration like myself, word story provides a monthly photo prompt , to get those creative juices flowing.
30. Brevity
Brevity magazine has been around for nearly two decades, publishing writings from both emerging and well-known writers. Brevity has also had the privilege of publishing the works from three Pulitzer Prize finalist and Pushcart winners. Some of the pieces published in Brevity Magazine have made their way into writing text books like the Best Creative Nonfiction. Submissions for Brevity include flash nonfiction essays of 750 words or less, book reviews and craft essays. Authors are paid $45 for essays and craft essays.
I hope you find the best online literary magazine that suits your writing.
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24 comments
Great list – and thanks for the shout out to Lunch Ticket, Maia!
Good list, though many of the choices go for brevity. Please check out Two Cities Review, The Opiate, Thoughtful Dog, and Del Sol Review also.
Should try to Gideon Poetry Review too ( https://www.facebook.com/Gideon-Poetry-Review-153059232153329/ ). Heard that it was just set up in 2018 by the Gideon Tay Poetry Foundation ( https://gideontaypoetryfoundation.weebly.com/ ).
Thanks for the list, I really appreciate it! We were discussing journals in class recently (I’m at Michigan), and some of these were mentioned. Another one that is really good is Belle Ombre (belleombre.org). It’s really beautiful and has a high standard of writing. Also, I don’t think there’s a word limit for fiction, which is rare these days.
From Whispers to Roars is a great publication. And they are now open for submissions, for a short window.
And check out The Cabinet Of Heed – a multi-drawered Cabinet ravenous for excellent flash fiction, short stories and poetry. Read worldwide! Pull open a drawer at cabinetofheed.com
Boy, you really hate anything that takes longer than 15 minutes to read, don’t you? I don’t think short word limits should be a necessary qualification for “best”
Poor. Many of the magazines are either not accepting submissions or they are out of business . The list is overdue for a rebore.
Appalling lack of opportunities for writers in literary journals listed without any submission information – or closed .
This list is great thanks Fox! There are so many though! I do think people need to take a breath and just read, be it long or short. Just enter a fiction world or history, can lead to good things and thoughts.
Thanks for this. While I appreciate that you wrote this in 2016 and some of these publications have tragically fallen by the wayside, you inspired me to submit something for the first time in years.
Hi T.R., yes the lifecycle of online literary magazines are often short. But glad you’re submitting!
Nice list! Please also check out Fecundus Magazine.
Hey everyone! This is a great list. I hope you make sure to check out Second Revolution Literary Magazine at https://www.secondrevolutionmag.com/ – we seek to empower secondary voices in society
Hi do these journals accept content from outside the states? say from India?
Hello! Please consider adding The Incandescent Review to your list, a global, youth-run literary magazine dedicated to illuminating youth voices.
Very few oppotunites. Disappointing.
Few free to add https://thequietreader.com in a future update. Brand new international literary magazine.
I just went through all 30. The dead ones seem to be Moonglasses, Passing Through, Literary Juice, the Great American Literary Magazine, Ostrich Review, Pinball, Milk Journal, Per Contra, and Chantwood Magazine. Many of the still-alive sites have bad certificates.
What about Valiant Scribe Literary Journal? (www.valiantscribe.com), I was very impressed by the quality of authors who were featured in the recent journal and the quality of the published pieces on the website. I’m not sure if they exclusively online, or US-based, but I saw authors from different countries so they seem to be global?
This is great! Thank you!!!
Greetings! The Red Megaphone is an initiative that pulls bashful writers into the limelight. We are based in India. We believe that absolutely anyone can write. Our motto is #OpenYourMindOut
Here’s our website: https://www.theredmegaphone.com/
Here are the submission guidelines: https://www.theredmegaphone.com/publish
We would be very grateful and highly honored if you could add us to your amazing list of literary magazines. We accept all kinds of writings of all genres. No word limit, no bounds, no limits. Kindly note that we don’t pay our contributors yet.
Awaiting your response Thank you! The Red Megaphone
Please consider checking out a newcomer on the scene, nominated as just one of four national finalists for the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) 2021 Firecracker Award in the category “Magazines: Best Debut,” read in 52 countries, 49 U.S. states: Subnivean.org
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Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff and listed in the Literary Magazines database. Here you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, and contact information—everything you need to determine which publications match your vision for your writing and your writing life. Use the filters below to find magazines with reading periods that are open now or opening soon (within the next thirty days), accept unsolicited submissions, and match all of your criteria for the perfect publisher of your work.
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2River View prefers poems with the following qualities: image, subtlety, and point of view; a surface of worldly exactitude, as well as a depth of semantic ambiguity; and a voice that negotiates with its body of...
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Last updated 28th February 2023
This page contains details of short story magazines that accept unsolicited submissions and regularly publish fiction. Some of them pay decent amounts of money to writers who have their work published. Others simply offer excellent opportunities for writers to see their work in print. I will try and keep the list up to date, but please check the submission requirements and terms & conditions on the different magazine’s websites before contacting them, as they do vary.
PLEASE NOTE: Most of the magazines and journals listed on this page accept entries from writers living anywhere in the world. The country each publication is run from is listed so you know which global market you are submitting to.
Most of the magazines advise that you subscribe or read a few back issues so you understand the format and style they favour. A lot of them receive high volumes of submissions each month, so it is worth noting the competitive nature of this market and only submitting your best work.
The lists I’ve created contain details of magazine submission addresses, required word count and how much money you might be paid if published (where I’ve managed to find details) plus any other notes that might be useful. I have provided links to the most relevant pages on the different websites to try and make this resource easy to use - this is often the homepage to stop links breaking when websites are updated. Usually, you will find an obvious 'submit' or 'submissions' link in the navigation of each magazine website.
If you run a magazine or journal that publishes short stories and would like to have your details listed on this page, please contact me and provide the following information:
- The name of your magazine/publication
- A link to your website
- The country you are based in
- Minimum/maximum word count of stories accepted
- How much you pay writers
- Any other details
If you are a writer and have had your work published through a short story magazine, either in print or online, and you’d be willing to share your experiences to help other writers achieve publication, please see my submission guidelines .
This page is updated regularly throughout the year. I undertake a full, in-depth update, checking every link, during January each year.
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Featured Short Story Magazines
Do you run a short story magazine? Do you want it featured at the top of this page, which receives between 2,000 and 5,000 visits a month)? If so, get in touch .
Featured Magazine: Elegant Literature
Elegant Literature is the first magazine to pay professional rates and only accept submissions from new writers. This means you won't be published alongside famous authors, but your work has a better chance to be selected and you are paid properly.
Elegant Literature pays $0.10/word, including the title, and accepts work in any genre. Length should be between 500 and 2,000 words, and they allow multiple and simultaneous submissions. No cover/query letter is needed, and it is not necessary to format your manuscript. The response time is one month from the close of the monthly submission window.
Wondering if you are a new writer? The magazine will accept your work if you have never traditionally published a novel, or if you are self-published but have sold less than 100 copies. Elegant Literature publishes aspiring authors from around the world. Submit your work today!
You can also find more details in the lists below.
More details of featured magazines will be added here soon...
Short Story Magazines UK
Short story magazines ireland.
Short Story Magazines USA
Short story magazines africa.
Short Story Magazines Australia
Short story magazines canada.
Short Story Magazines Germany
Short story magazines holland, short story magazines india, short story magazines new zealand, short story magazines sweden.
Other Short Story Magazine Lists
There are other sites that have lists like this one. As I hear about them I will add them here for easy reference.
- Every Writer's Resource - lists 50 magazines
- Let's Write A Short Story - lists 45 magazines
- Poets & Writers
- Richie Billing - lists multiple fantasy magazines
- The Write Life - lists 30 magazines
- Trish Hopkinson - lists 80 fast response & no fee literary magazines/journals
If you run a site with a similar list to the one above, please get in touch.
History of Short Story Magazines No Longer in Publication
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Kaylum J I found this very helpfull. Now, hopefully, I can follow my dream of being a fiction writer. Thank you!
June C Hi Chris, great site, here's a few stalwarts on the Irish literary scene that take short stories: Stinging Fly, The Dublin Review, The Penny Dreadful and The Moth Magazine
Chris Fielden Thanks June, added!!
June C That's super! Your resource/blog is brillo by the way! Well done. Best, June
Chris Fielden Thanking you June, much appreciated :-)
Jan H Hi Chris
Great blog; nice to get comp details without a fee/registration. Wondered whether you could perhaps give advice on which comps are worthy of entry and also which to avoid in terms of copyright. Heard some real horror stories about c/right issues.
Brilliant website though! Thank you. :)
Chris Fielden Hi Jan, all of the comps listed on the competitions page are worth entering. Obviously the more prestigious ones would look better on your writing CV if you managed to win one, but you'd be up against professional writers and thousands of entrants, so winning is less likely, even if you pen a masterpiece! That shouldn't stop you entering the big comps BTW. I'd just advise you enter a variety of competitions to give yourself the best chance of publication.
Re copyright - I haven't had any nightmare experiences with it yet, thankfully. Most comps and magazines ask for previously unpublished work and require first publication rights. You retain copyright, and can do what you want with them after they've been published. I'd just read the Ts and Cs ccarefully and make sure you're happy with the rights asked for before entering a comp or submitting to a magazine.
I have one interesting situation however - I was shortlisted in the Chater One Promotions short story competition at the beginning of 2012. They were supposed to be publishing my story in an anthology at the beginning of 2013 and were supposed to send me a draft to proofread last November. I signed a contract early in 2012, but have heard nothing from them since - they're not replying to emails or letters, which is frustrating. So I may have my first nightmare looming. If so, I'll be sure to write about it and let you know what happens.
Anyway, I hope that's useful. Cheers, Chris
Steven R Thank you so much for the work you've put into your site. As a beginner it's invaluable.
Kay J Excellent work. A wonderful guide for any one interested in submitting to magazines.Thank you, K J
Foti S Christopher, great resource, in Australia you need to add more especially Meanjin, Overland and if you like go to the Victorian Writers Centre and they have lists as well. Cheers
Chris Fielden Thanks Foti - Meanjin and Overland Literary Journal listed!
Tarak G I am a senior journalist and writer from Kolkata, India. Thanks a lot for presenting this website. It is very useful. Tarak
Jesse C Good list... very helpful thanks Chris...
Not always easy to submit with all of them...
American sites by far the most user-unfriendly...
I reposted this link on FB...
Chris Fielden Great, thanks Jesse :-)
Jesse C Going by the response I get from my submissions I realise that the conditions imposed by people who 'take' (or rather don't take) submissions are so many that in the end... they only end up turning most stuff down...
How can a magazine turn down multiple submissions if they are genuinely interested in writers? All the same... how can most of the press refuse email submissions? What age do those people live in?
Chris Fielden Thanks for the comment Jesse. I understand your frustration, but you have to bear in mind that most fiction magazines receive hundreds / thousands of submissions a month. If you read a lot of magazine submission pages, they state that they receive a huge volume of stories but only have room to publish a fraction of the work submitted. It's industry standard. Don't be disheartened.
A lot of writers submit to magazines without reading previous issues to see if their stories might be appropriate. Do your research thoroughly. Write with the market in mind. Submit to magazines that might appreciate your style. Don't be put off by rejection. One editor might dismiss a story that another might love.
Re email subs, I think that the majority of magazines offer online submissions nowadays. Some still only accept submissions via post, but they are an ever growing minority.
Jesse C Hi Chris !
Thanks for your return... I only mean to be informative and not to contradict... still...
More than frustration, we writers feel there is ample room for more space for our work. To top it all very often when we are published the press never even tell us or send us a copy (a PDF would suffice)...
Believe it or not, I've contacted hundreds of magazines and I hear this from other writers too... a lot of them never voice their feeling... for fear of not being read next time they submit their work...
As to emails subs, speaking from experience most magazines won't take them and, when they do, it's one submission at a time...
I have created groups, pages and blogs to welcome writers to gain exposure...
Thanks again for all your good work and kind help ! Nothing but the best, Jesse
Chris Fielden Hi Jesse
Thanks again for your comments.
I've found when writing for newspapers that they don't always tell you if they're going to use your work, but I haven't experienced this problem when writing fiction. But you and I may well be writing different genres and therefore submitting to different publications!
I never use the post, so always submit via email or online submission forms, hence my experience is different to yours again. Do you submit to a lot of French magazines? I only have experience with Australia, Ireland, UK and USA markets. Maybe that's the difference?
I think most magazines are forced to take only one submission from a writer at a time due to the sheer volume of submissions they receive. Often magazines are run by a small number of people and they simply can't read thousands of stories a week. I've also found that magazines often close submissions from time to time, just so they can get on top of all their reading!
It's great that you offer blogs to help other writers - keep up the fab work :-)
Best of luck with your writing! Chris
Hi Chris, love the article – very handy for those of us studying Creative Writing with the OU, who are (as part of an assignment) required to find a publication suitable for our work.
My question is hopefully a relatively simple one – the top item on your listing – “Crimewave” magazine – the current issue (11) according to the link is November 2010. As the ‘zine is supposed to be issued quarterly, would it be correct to assume it’s no longer active, or am I being too presumptuous and there’s simply a typo in the year? I hope you might know the answer. Thankyou for providing such a useful resource – this problem aside!
Chris Fielden Hi Sarah - it looks like their Contributors' Guidelines page is out of date. If you look on the main Crimewave page you will see that they have current updates and fresh content. So it looks like it's still running to me :-) Best of luck with your course!
Sarah P Hi Chris, I looked there too, and the “main news” page is the same whichever publication you select at the top (whether it be Interzone, Crimewave or Black Static). I’m still thinking that although the publisher (ttapress) may be going, that Crimewave itself isn’t. Actually, having revisited that, Black Static has one additional entry, but Interzone and Crimewave share the same information.
Thanks for the reply though – I just thought it might be worth mentioning it. I will contact TTA Press for a definitive answer.
Thanks also for the luck – two more assignments, and I’m back in my maths comfort zone – Creative Writing has been a lot of fun, and it’ll be something I continue to do for pleasure, but I am not sure I am ready to try to get published yet!
Best wishes, Sarah
Chris Fielden Thanks for pointing all this out Sarah, it's really helpful :-)
If you do get a response from TTA Press, could you let me know? Then I can update the page accordingly!
Cheers, Chris
Gill J A long time ago I was stationed in a place called Aden with the Royal Marines. I would write copious short stories and articles on the Sgt Maj's old battered typewriter. Most were accepted around the world at that time, and payment was given for all. Years later I lived in NZ, and again sold many short stories and articles. I then lived in SA and sold a lot of short stories there.
I've now written 20 novels, and had 8 published as Print on Demand - but no agent has ever read anything I've done - they just won't accept submissions. I now have several crime stories, mainly written from experience as a Det/Sgt in the NZ Police - but still no luck.
What do we have to do - be a "celebrity", a serial killer or something?
Best of luck with your own writing, Chris, looks like you've hit it!
Chris Fielden Hi Gill. 20 novels - that's pretty prolific! I've managed 1 to date, although others are in the pipeline.
It's a shame you haven't had any luck with publishers or agents, but I guess they must receive a huge amount of submissions. You could try looking through my novel / book competitions page and see if there is anything suitable for your work there?
Best of luck with your writing. Chris
Erin Thanks for the link to Spry Literary Journal. I just wanted to note that we are actually based out of the USA, and not the UK. Thanks!
Chris Fielden Hi Erin, apologies for the mistake and thanks for letting me know - I've updated the listing for you!
Maureen O I just found out about the Coffin Factory. They publish short stories three times a year. There is a 5 dollar submission fee. Cheers Maureen
Chris Fielden Thanks, Maureen. Coffin Factory has been added to the list.
Janet E I was looking up information for my 21 year old son. He is under a doctor's care, but is able to write some very creative short stories. He leans toward the horror genre, but he strives for fresh images and situations. Any suggestion would be helpful. Thank you.
Chris Fielden Janet, you could try Darker Times. They run a monthly horror competition and publish an anthology once a quarter, so that might be appropriate. You could also try Albedo One who also run a competition that states horror as one its genres.
Aside from that, you can try Writers' Forum, Scribble and other magazines of that nature, as they will consider all different types of fiction.
Try having a look through my short story competition page , as a lot of these comps accept entries from all genres, including horror :-)
Janet E Thank you very much!
Grainne M Fabulous resource! Thank you Chris.
Miranda H Thanks for the listing of Sassafras, Christopher!
It's a great website you have, lots of useful links, and your posts are so worth stopping by to read, I'll be looking out for new posts, cheers, Mira
Sheela J I stumbled across this page, and thought I must thank you for it's useful. I live in Goa, India and write short stories.
Chris Fielden Janet, Grainne, Mira and Sheela - thank you all very much :-)
Dave M Hey great resource - thanks a lot! I've been tinkering around with various stories and this site has given me lots of ideas where to submit them :)
Dee L Chris, please can you advise on the protocol for submitting short stories to publications - for example do you have to wait for your submission to be rejected by one before sending it to another for consideration or can you send the same submission to several at the same time? Regards Dee
Chris Fielden Thanks Dave :-)
Dee, the rules vary from magazine to magazine and competition to competition. I find magazines are often more open to simultaneous submissions than competitions, but it's best to read the submission criteria for each magazine / competition you wish to approach.
Some magazines and many competitions ask you not to submit elsewhere while a story is under their consideration, but sometimes (especially with annual competitions or magazines with very long editorial queues) you can be waiting 6 months to a year for a reply. If the turnaround time is short (say up to 3 months) I won't submit a story elsewhere if it's a requirement. But if the turnaround time is longer than this I tend to submit elsewhere anyway. If you don't, you just limit your chances of being published - in my opinion, life is too short to be waiting six months to a year for a decision! In all honesty, the likelihood of a story being accepted twice is pretty slim, even if your story is amazing. In all the time I've been writing and submitting stories, I've only had to withdraw from a competition that asked you not to submit elsewhere once. I wrote them a polite email explaining the situation and they wrote back saying, 'Thanks for letting us know.'
That's how I deal with it, but you have to do what you're comfortable with :-)
Hope that's helpful.
Carolyn T I sent a story to Crimewave but got no reply. Three months later I sent a letter enquiring about it and enclosed a stamped addressed envelope for a reply but again I got no response. Before sending the story I sent for a copy of their latest magazine which I received but it seemed to have been published in 2011 and they are still advertising that magazine on their website so I am wondering whether the magazine is still being published although they claim it is published twice a year.
Chris Fielden Thanks for letting me know Carolyn. I have linked to your comment from the listing so that other users can see the problems you experienced. Please let me know if you hear anything more from them so I can update the listing. Thanks :-)
Catherine B Dear Christopher, thank you for doing such a fantastic job compiling all this information! Truly appreciated! I wanted to recommend two websites that might be of interest:
Apart from contests, the Glimmer Train Literary Magazine also accepts standard submissions. And then there's something called the Submission Calendar for Writing Contests, Grants, etc. From what I gather it has mostly American contests.
Chris Fielden Thanks Catherine. I've listed Glimmer Train and have linked to the competition calendar in your comment as it will be useful to other readers.
Catherine B Dear Christopher, thank you for your reply. Regarding your list of magazines that accept short stories, would you happen to know which one of these magazines accept stories from beginning writers? For example, The New Yorker tends to only accept stories from more established writers, and that might also be the case for some of the other magazines.
Chris Fielden Catherine, you’d have to read the submissions guidelines for each magazine really. And it’s advisable to read previous issues before submitting, to get a flavour of what the editors might be looking for.
I know that Writers’ Forum and Scribble both consider work from beginners, as they were the first two magazines to publish my work in print. So you could start there maybe?
Catherine B Hello Chris, thank you very much for your advice, and I will look into the Writers´ Forum and Scribble magazines. If I stumble upon new contests or magazines I will let you know.
Chris Fielden Fab, thanks Catherine :-)
Claire J Wow! What an amazing website, just what I've been looking for! Thank You. Best get scribbling..... :)
Chris Fielden Thanks Claire, best of luck with your scribbling :-)
Nayan S Thanks for this brilliant site. A quick question though... do these publications accept stories/write-ups from countries outside the geography of publication?
Chris Fielden Nayan, most of the magazines accept listing from authors residing anywhere in the world, as long as the stories are written in English. But it's best to check each of their submission guidelines, as there are some exceptions to the rule.
Anthony E Your blog, Chris - which I stumbled upon by the way - is the best in this generation and I hope many upcoming authors will make a stop here. I've already sent out a couple of my dormant stories hoping one hits the mark. Best regards.
Chris Fielden Thank Anthony! Best of luck with your story submissions :-)
Steve C Thank you - I have been trying to find help on publishing, getting published and literary agents for a while now but it isn't easy. Then I chanced upon this little jewel. I hope it works.
Chris Fielden Welcome Steve - best of luck with your submissions :-)
David W This is an excellent site, thank you for taking the trouble to make so much useful information available to aspiring short story writers , like myself, who have had nowhere to go for some time now :)
Chris Fielden Thanks David, you're welcome :-)
Richard H I found this so helpful as l have joined a writers course and want to write a book and get it published.
Chris Fielden Glad you found it helpful, Richard. Best of luck with your book :-)
Darryl A Thanks for the help. Learning to write well is such an arduous process that I am always amazed that it is not more prized. I write humorous fiction and the people I send it to love to read something light that may make them laugh. It seems a market should exist for this and not be so complicated to be considered for publication.
Your efforts are truly appreciated, Darryl
Chris Fielden Thanks very much Darryl :-)
I am currently running a humorous short story competition - maybe you'd like to enter that?
Hope This is helpful. Keep up the good job.
Chris Fielden Thanks Hope :-)
Sudhanwa P Hi, this is Sudhanwa from India. I found this very interesting and extremely helpful. Thank you for creating such page.
Margie W I need to get a listing of magazine publishers and the addresses for children and their guidelines. Please help me.
Chris Fielden Sudhanwa, thanks, I'm glad you found the page useful :-)
Margie, you could try the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook . That might have what you need. Hope that's helpful :-)
Ashley B I submitted two of my short stories to Glimmer Train. Hopefully something good will come of it. I'm very excited, and hope to at least get some feedback on my work.
Chris Fielden Excellent, Ashley! Best of luck with your submissions :-)
Lally M I've been writing since the early ninties, I am a bad speller, but have writen ten stories. I am seventy now and still hoping to get somone to publish at least one before i kick the bucket. Any decent sugestions please?
Vito S Thanks for the guidance. I found this very helpful. I will thank you forever when I sell my first story. It feels good having a dream to pursue. Thank you!
Chris Fielden
Thanks Vito!
Lally, I'd look through the lists of short story competitions and magazines on my site and see which ones might be most appropriate for your style. If your spelling is bad, I'd use a spell checker before submitting as lots of errors can seriously hinder your chances of success.
Hope that's helpful :-)
Roshan K Sir,I am really feeling great to read all your books. I am a young writer and I'm looking for a good platform to send my articles and work. Please let me know where I could start, i.e, those magazines which I could send my articles to. They are mostly issue based.
Chris Fielden Roshan, you will need to do some research and see where your writing would fit best. I compile these lists in the hope that it's easier for writers to find websites and magazines that might publish their work, but you will have to read their submission guidelines and see what will work best for you and your style of writing. It's best to read the magazines and websites where possible, to see what kind of work they publish.
Best of luck with your writing!
D Schultz I'm trying to find magazines that publish short stories in German. Can you help? Thanks.
Chris Fielden David, I'm afraid I don't know of any magazines that publish fiction in German. Sorry I can't be of more help.
If you find any, please let me know and I'll list them on the site.
Varun V This is just to inform you that there is another magazine which accepts fiction works from writers. It is titled Clarkesworld Magazine. It has a fair turnaround and good payment for selected works.
Chris Fielden Thanks for letting me know, Varun. I've added it to the lists!
Varun V I forgot to mention Tor.com...
It accepts stories upto 17.5k words, recommended amount is 15k words... No entry fee... Turnaround time is high but quality-wise, this is one of the best. It pays 25 cents per word for first 5k words, 15 cents per word for the next 5k words, and 10 cents a word after that. Online submissions only... I think this is the highest paying of the entire list, but as can be predicted, hard to get in.
Chris Fielden Awesome, thanks Varun. Tor.com also added to the lists :-)
Asma E I want to send one of my stories to a publisher to read. What shoud I do? Is it possible they'll accept my writing?
Chris Fielden Asma, you will have to research publishers, see what their submission guidelines say and then decide whether your work is appropriate for that market. Usually all this information is on a publisher's website. If not, you could try calling them to find out.
Hope that's helpful!
Charles V I am eighty four years young and have been married to the same lady for sixty-six years. I retired from three major corporations and after retirement was a free-lance columnist, authored three books, and have made over three hundred speeches to senior organizations.
My writings deal with growing up in the 30's and 40's and how life was with the writings intended for the seniors, so they can search their memory data bank for their stories and for the young to give them a history lesson on the last great generation. In searching for an outlet to publish my type of stories, I was unable to find a source.
So if you can direct me to a source, I would deeply appreciate it. Thank you.
Chris Fielden Charles, at the moment, with the 75th anniversary of D Day, there are quite a few one-off war story competitions running. Most of the competitions do not require the story to about the war, but need to be set within that period of history. As your stories are set in the 30's and 40's, they might fit here. You can find details of these on the Short Story Competitions page .
I hope that's helpful. Best of luck with publishing your stories.
Lorraine K I have written a story entitled "The Hidden Baby" with a little less than 10,000 words. I can shorten it if someone is interested. I originally intended to make it a novelette. I would like some advice on where to submit "The Hidden Baby" as a short story.
Chris Fielden Lorraine, you'll have to do some research and see which magazines might be most appropriate for your writing style. It's best to buy back issues and see what kinds of stories they publish. That way you'll be able to tell if your style of writing is appropriate for them.
There are very few short story competitions that accept 10,000 word stories. So magazines are probably a better bet for you. You can start your researching by using this page. Try Booktrust as they have some useful lists too.
Best of luck with getting your stories published :-)
Shaniah B Hello , I know you get this a lot but , I would like to publish my short story . My story is about a young lady that falls in love with a man named David who gave her aids . This story is a life lesson that I know women around the country can relate too.
Chris Fielden Shaniah, I don't publish other writers' stories on my website, accept through my short story competition .
There are a lot of magazines listed on this page that you could approach, but you will have to do some research. Try buying a back copy of any you want to approach and see if your style of writing is appropriate for the magazine. Or try some of the short story competitions I list. There are lots of opportunities for writers now, you just need to research and see where you want to submit.
Best of luck with getting your work published :-)
Moragh C Thanks, Chris. A very helpful list.
Chris Fielden Welcome, Moragh, glad you found it useful :-)
Marion H I am three-quarters 0f the way through my writers course with the Writers Bureau and have written several articles: fiction and non-fiction, which I'd like to have published. My preference is fiction really and eventually I'd like to complete the novel I've already started and publish that as well.
What do you advise as the most cost-effective avenue for publishing my work?
Many thanks for your kindness.
Chris Fielden Marion, the best bet is to do some market research. While it's best to do this before writing, particularly with non-fiction - so you can write with your market in mind - you can still submit successfully after writing. You'll still have to do market research though. Have a look for publications that cover the subject matters and style you write in. Then buy back issues and read them. If it's a blog you're considering approaching, read the blog and see what kind of writing they publish. Then tweak your work to give it the best chance of publication and approach them.
For fiction, try Writers' Forum. They consider most styles and genres of story, so it's a good place to start. They also run a monthly short story competition, so turnaround times are quick, and they offer affordable and useful critiques.
I hope that's helpful, and best of luck with your writing.
Agam I have been writing stories for quite a long time. Could you help me to submit? I am from India. Writing is my utmost passion. Please do help me. Thank you
Chris Fielden Agam, you will have to undertake some research - see which magazines accept the kind of style and genre of stories that you write. Read some back issues and see if your writing fits, then submit.
Ricky M As a freelance writer, I am always looking for solid sites, companies and magazines to work with. Your site seems to consist of pretty good leads, and seems to be better than most. Being that I am returning to writing after a long absence, I am grateful for your informational site, and have made contact with some of these companies to clarify exactly what they are looking for, and what their desired format consists of. I hope to be back writing full time very soon and it seems that I have your site to thank for making the process much quicker. Thank you for your great informational site.
Chris Fielden Thanks Ricky, glad you found the site useful :-)
Saiful Thank you so very much for this. It is wonderful. Do these magazines accept writing from all over the world or is it restricted to certain geographies?
Chris Fielden Saiful, most of the magazines will accept stories from writers based anywhere in the world. You will just have to check the submission guidelines for each one before submitting to them. Best of luck with your writing!
Kartik P This was really helpful. And the list covers a wide range of magazines but you should also write about some Indian magazines. Gotta check the whole website for some more good stuff like this.
Chris Fielden Kartik, I would be happy to list magazines in India but don't know of any. If you know of any, please let me know :-)
Christopher O Hello. I have short stories that I've written and I thought that I should sell them or enter them into competitions. Is this platform beneficial, safe and worthy for my writing?
Chris Fielden Christopher, yes, entering short story competitions is a great way to see your first story published.
It is safe (you just have to read all the rules and terms and conditions and make sure you are happy with them) and it is also beneficial as most competitions and magazines have an audience who will then read your work and become aware of you as an author.
Best of luck with your writing :-)
Thirungana S Dear Sir, we are a primary school workbooks producer in Malaysia and have a network to market books to appx 2,000 schools in Malaysia. We are keen to market your magazines related to school children and seeking your advise as to how we could go about doing so. Thanks.
Chris Fielden Thirungana, I don't run any magazines - I simply list them. Most of the users on my site are writers of fiction, and they use the lists to find opportunities for submitting their short stories.
You'll need to approach the magazines directly if you want to explore supplying copies to schools. I hope that's helpful :-)
Nicole J Thank you for this information, I found it all very helpful. Being new to trying to get my work out there, this was very useful. Thank you.
Chris Fielden Welcome Nicole, I'm glad you found the site useful :-)
Phil B Hi Chris, thanks for all the work on the site - it's really helpful. Re your mags list, I wondered if you wanted to add Gorse and Crannog (both Irish productions) and The Manchester Review (UK)? All v good publications.
All the best, Phil
Chris Fielden Thanks very much Phil, I've added all 3 to the lists :-)
Paul R Very, very helpful. Excited to find one doorway at least. Will be going ahead, and try my luck. Will keep you posted. Thanks.
Chris Fielden You're welcome, Paul, best of luck with your submissions!
Luiz F Dear Mr. Fielden, thank you for the valuable information in your post. But I would like to know if it would be more interesting for a guy, who thinks that he has a very good 12,000 word short story, to have it published by Amazon (for Kindle - where he could receive good money depending on the quality of his writing) or to publish it in one of the above magazines listed by you. Thanks a lot.
Chris Fielden Luiz, you could self-publish on Amazon, but unless you have a way of marketing your work you are unlikely to make many sales.
The advantage of having your work published through a magazine is that they usually have an audience that your story will be exposed to, which helps you as an author. People will read your work and become aware of you.
So unless you have a website that attracts 1,000's of visits a month, or something similar, I'd say that approaching magazines is probably best.
I hope that's helpful :-)
Luiz F Dear Mr. Fielden, thank you for your kind reply. Yes, it has helped me a lot. I've just decided I am going to look for a publisher right here in Brazil, where I live. I have had some publishing experience, but with finance books. So, I've had 3 finance books published by 3 different houses. Although writing a short story is totaly different from a technical book, I believe my short story is a good one and the author's royalties - if I manage to publish my short story - should be, in theory, much less than what Amazon promises to pay. But I hope I will sell much more there than on Amazon - as you said. What do you think about it? Do I have any chance of succeeding?
Chris Fielden Luiz, yes, there is always a chance, and it sounds like you have the right kind of experience to make it work :-)
I wish you the best of luck with finding a publisher for your short story.
Luiz F Hi Chris, thank you again. I will let you know about it and, hopefuly I expect to keep counting with your suggestions and advise. Best regards, Luiz
Naima A Hi Chris, what you do is really great. I just wanted to note that Pithy Pages is no longer publishing. Take care, salam... :)
Chris Fielden Thanks very much for letting me know, Naima - I've updated the lists accordingly :)
Naima A It's a pleasure! I was just checking a few links and found (404 Not Found). I think you should check the list of links above, like The New Writer and others... take care!!!!
Chris Fielden Thanks Naima! I'm right in the middle of reviewing all the links on the site (it's a New Year ritual I go through, which takes longer each year due to the volume of links!). I'm currently halfway through the 'short story competitions' page, and the 'short story magazine' page is next on the list. In the meantime, I've removed The New Writer :-)
Naima A Good luck then!
Marcos D You're great, great help!
Chris Fielden Thanks Marcos :-)
Srijaya N I am an Indian residing in Bangalore, India. I have some Indian folktales told to us by our grandmother and I have written them as short stories. Will you accept them? Srijaya
Chris Fielden Srijaya, I'm afraid I don't publish other writer's work, except through my short story competition which you would have to enter.
This page simply lists magazines that will accept short stories. You will have to visit each magazine website, decide whether they are appropriate for your writing style and then submit directly to them.
I wish you the best of luck with your writing.
Scott S Hi Chris, thanks for this great list. For a new writer it's been very helpful and I hope it continues to grow. Good luck out there.
Chris Fielden Thanks Scott :-)
Beryl HB Thank you for your compilation of magazines. Your work made mine easier. Keep up the good work!
Chris Fielden Thanks very much Beryl :)
Sonali Roy Thanks Chris! Your list is really helpful for me. I'll not go wandering anymore. Thanks again!
Chris Fielden Glad you found the list useful Sonali :-)
Titas C Hey Chris, thanks for the list. It's proved to be really informative.
Do you know where I can submit a whodunit? None of these websites seem to have crime as a theme except Crimewave and I gathered from a comment that there are some problems with that magazine.
Thanka again!!!!
Chris Fielden Hi Titas, I know of one short story competition about crime called Bloody Scotland. You could try that.
It might also be worth looking at the Crime Writers' Association website or contacting them as they are likely to know of more crime writing opportunities.
Hope that's helpful and best of luck with getting your story published!
Marguerite S Hello Chris, thank you for your excellent website. I am trying to establish myself as a literary translator and wonder: should I contact these magazines and offer my services? Or is there a better way to approach this?
I am a French-speaking Belgian native, living in the USA since 1996.
I have been a freelance translator (EN to FR) for over 15 years, and I have translated a few books already, for one Belgian publisher. I would like to expand my client base...
Thank you for any advice you can give me.
Chris Fielden Marguerite, I’m afraid I don’t know anything about literary translation services. You might be better off approaching larger publishers, as I guess they are more likely to want books translated into foreign languages. If nothing else, you might be able to find out which agencies they use and then approach them as a freelancer.
Through my day job, I work with K International. It might be worth approaching them – they’re lovely people and take on freelancers, but I’m not sure if they do literary translation. Still, worth a look.
I hope that’s helpful!
Marguerite S Sure! Thank you for your quick response. I will look into your tips.
Mark G Dark Lane Quarterly Collaberative on your site - it is no longer functioning.
Chris Fielden Thanks for letting me know, Mark. I've updated the lists accordingly :-)
Mark G Hi Chris, I've just found another one - Tales From The Shadow Realm - it states 'this account has been suspended'.
Chris Fielden Thanks Mark, have updated the page accordingly!
Mark G Hi Chris, JJ Adams of Lightspeed advised the magazine won't be opening til next year.
'We're not sure when we're going to open again yet, but it won't be until next year some time...'
Chris Fielden Thanks Mark – Lightspeed (and quite a few of the other magazines) do this kind of thing from time to time for a variety of reasons, so I tend to leave the details as they are on the site simply because it’s too time consuming to keep up to date with it all (unfortunately). If only I made enough money to employ someone!
Thanks though - much appreciated.
Mark G Hi Chris, on your list, there's a SF magazine, Australian, called ASIM. They ask anyone who wants, to evaluate submitted material. What's more peculiar, to me at least, is this is called 'slush duty' or something similar. Is this normal?
Chris Fielden Hi Mark, the term ‘slush pile’ is common. I haven’t heard of ‘slush duty’ but I guess it’s a way of evaluating a large number of submissions in a manageable manner.
The more submissions a publisher receives, the harder it is to read and consider them in a timely manner. It sounds like ASIM have come up with a way of dealing with this problem by involving their readers / audience. So it might be unusual, but it’s innovative and fair, I guess, assuming the people doing the slush reading are vetted to ensure they are experienced enough to evaluate stories for the publication’s needs.
I hope that answers the question!
Zvee G An excellent site that makes it easy to access all SF Magazines.
Chris Fielden Thanks Zvee, glad you find the site useful :-)
Mark G Chris, have you heard of Threshold website?
It seems to have been created some time ago; one of the magazines cited makes material for bathrooms etc! But there might be a few you might like to check out.
Chris Fielden Thanks for sending this through to me, Mark.
I’ve added a new section to the page, listing other lists – seemed like the easiest way to deal with it!
Sisir KC Immensely useful. A tremendous help for the aspiring, competent and talented but obscure and therefore unpublished writers. I convey my gratitude. Will come back to the site again and again.
Chris Fielden Thank you, Sisir :-)
Saman BA Right now, I am interested in writing short stories. One of my novels named All Of A Sudden has also been published. Can you please inform me about any literary stuff where I can publish my short stories and where they can be easily published.
P.S. Happy!!!
Chris Fielden Hi Saman, congratulations on having your novel published.
The best bet is to look through the lists of short story magazines above and lists of short story competitions . You can research the different publications and see which would be most suitable and likely to publish your work.
I hope that's helpful and wish the best of luck with publishing your short stories.
Saman BA Chris!!! Thank you so much for your reply. Going to research and hope that I shall be published soon.
Chris B I had a submission accepted by Aesop Magazine, who are listed on your website. Just so you know - unless you know differently - this magazine is pretty much a non-starter. They haven't even released their first issue, even though their website says that they've been publishing since 2014. Had a lot of correspondence with them earlier in the year, they said there had been delays but that the proposed publication date for the first issue was April. Nothing has materialised and they haven't updated their Twitter or Facebook for a year. I enquired as to what was happening a month ago, but have heard nothing.
Just thought I'd update you since they're listed on your website!
Chris Fielden Thanks, Chris - updated listing accordingly.
Nigel J I agree with the comments on Aesop magazine. I submitted something which they acknowledged but follow-up inquiries have yielded nothing. They simply don't reply, even though they have a copy of my work. Not very professional. Writers need to make sure their work is copyright and not to be dealt with cavalierly.
Chris Fielden Thanks for sharing your experiences Nigel.
Vijay L I want to start writing right away.
Chris Fielden Glad you feel inspired, Vijay :)
Henry D Your list was very helpful and I have sent my stories to many of the magazines you have listed. It has saved me a lot of time finding and using these sources. Thank you for your work.
Chris Fielden No problem, thanks Henry :-)
Elle Great list, thanks for sharing. Success is still elusive though. You might want to add Three Penny Review to your list. They pay up to $400 for fiction.
Chris Fielden Thanks, Elle. I've added The Threepenny review to the lists. Keep on writing and submitting - success only eludes those who give up. I wish you the best of luck with your writing :-)
Laura C A wonderful resource--thanks!
Chris Fielden Thanks, Laura.
Glad you found it useful :-)
Aranya N This is very helpful to me.
Chris Fielden Thanks, Aranya, glad you're finding the lists useful.
Katherine G Thank you for sharing this list, Chris! I'm finding it difficult to place my Gothic fiction, but I hope to find a home for my stories in a few of these magazines.
Chris Fielden No problem Katherine, glad to hear you found the lists useful :-)
If your stories are under 3,000 words, Writers' Forum is a good magazine to try as they will publish any genre through their monthly competition - I've seen them publish all sorts of really interesting stuff.
John H Dear Chris (and anyone else reading this). Great blog! I have a question which I hope you could help me with. I wonder if anyone could let me know which magazine would best suit the following short story I have: it's based in Staffordshire, so employs dialect, and has elements of fantasy (a man is transported to a fantasy world) but also deals with real world issues; unemployment, working men's culture, etc.
Any tips would be much appreciated!
Chris Fielden Hi John. Thanks, I'm glad to hear you like the blog.
I often recommend Writers' Forum as a good starting point. They publish a wide variety of styles and genres and run a monthly competition with a £300 prize. They also offer reasonably priced terse critiques, which can be very helpful. InkTears also publish a wide variety of authors, so their annual competition is worth a look too.
Aside from that, I'd recommend researching fantasy publications. There are quite a few. The best bet is to order back issues and see which magazines / competitions best suit our style of writing.
I hope that’s helpful and wish you the best of luck with getting your work published.
Jerry V Thanks. Great info.
Celine D Hi there, I've just noticed that Reading Hour, the Indian magazine, has been discontinued.
I'm just sharing the news so the list can be updated.
Chris Fielden Thanks, Celine - much appreciated.
I've updated the lists accordingly :-)
John H Hi Chris, thanks for the message and apologies for my (very) late reply. Sorry to bother you further, but does the story become the magazine's property once they have it, or can you send it to different magazines at the same time? Thanks again.
Chris Fielden Hi John. The copyright remains with you, so in theory you can do what you want with it.
Most magazines and competitions ask you not to undertake simultaneous submissions and the vast majority want first publication rights. You’d have to look at the submission criteria for each market you intend to submit to. It’s best not to do anything that will get you blacklisted with a publisher. Personally, I do sometimes undertake simultaneous submissions (if turnaround times are slow or the financial payment is low/non-existent), but not when I’m dealing reputable or prestigious publishers, I respect their submission criteria and adhere to them.
Writers’ Forum is good as they have quick turnaround times. So even if they don’t allow simultaneous submissions, your story won’t be tied up in their submissions process for ages.
I hope that’s helpful.
Sobia I have written a story. The genre is a bit ambiguous. It has an echo of Edgar Allen Poe stories - supernatural and madness and such elements. Which magazine do you think is suitable to send it to? Mention some good magazines as I think my story is a good one.
Chris Fielden Hi Sobia. It's impossible to say without conducting thorough market research I'm afraid. I'd recommend you do some research and see which publications would suit your style of writing. Order some back issues, read them and see if your story would fit. Also, read any submission guidelines that the magazines offer. They often tell you what they're looking for. You can then work out if the magazine is right for you.
I wish you the best of luck with getting your work published.
Joseph K Dear friend, my Personal Computer crashed twice. I lost 60 files. I lost files of email IDs both local and foreign. I have no way to contact anyone. Kathakshetre is in Limbo. I lost materials collected for the KK.
Some technician put the PC on a ventilater. It is breathing. He asked me to use it for the minimum time possible as it is old and an outdated make. I do not know what to do. I need breathing time. I want to continue my literary works.
You are doing a wonderful service to the tribe of writers all over the world and many would benefit from your works. Please stay in touch with me. With good wishes and regards JK
Chris Fielden Hi JK. Really sorry to hear that.
Please let me know if you manage to get things up and running again.
Kam V Dear Mr. Fielden. Thanks for the great site. It is people like you who make life easier. Can a person send the same short fiction or short-inspirational to 10-100 different publishers?
Chris Fielden Hi Kam. It depends. Some publishers accept simultaneous submissions. Some do not. You’d have to review each publishers’ submission guidelines and see what they say.
Good luck with your writing and submitting :-)
Arunodaya C I write in English but I write about India. There are no English publications in India which accept creative writing.
Chris Fielden Hi Arunodaya. The only one I knew of was Katha Kshetre and Reading Hour.
But Reading Hour seems to be closed, and Katha Kshetre is in limbo.
If you hear of any others, please let me know and I'll add them to the lists :-)
Penny VH Daily Science Fiction is an online subscription magazine. They accept stories 100-1500 words long and pay 8c per word. Really enjoying the stories but haven't yet submitted to them.
Chris Fielden Hi Penny. Thanks for letting me know about Daily Science Fiction - much appreciated. I've added them to my lists :-)
James L Thanks for this list. Which are the best magazines for Young Adult fiction?
Chris Fielden Hi James. I'm not familiar with any magazines that specifically look for YA fiction I'm afraid.
I'm sure there are some on the lists though. The best bet is to look at the submission criteria for the various mags and read back issues, to see what types of story they favour. Requires lots of research I'm afraid :-)
Kevin J Hi! Thank you for this. I was wondering, does the payment section mean that that's how much we WILL make or how much we need TO PAY in order to enter?
Chris Fielden Hi Kevin. The payment section gives details of how much the publisher pays the writer.
The vast majority of magazines won't expect you to pay to submit, but some do have a reading fee. Just check the submission guidelines of each publication for details.
David H A great list - not only very useful for finding possible publishers but also gives a great picture of how alive and varied the scene is. Granta (on your list of apparently dead magazines) actually seems very much alive but the submission page is difficult to find - it's at the bottom right of the 'about' page. My impression is that they seem to find most of what they publish on their own and don't really need unsolicited work so don't make it easy.
Chris Fielden Hi David. Thanks for letting me know about Granta - much appreciated.
I've reinstated their listing and included a direct link to their submissions page in the notes.
Nigel J Hi. If any of your subscribers come across a magazine called Crimewave, they should be wary. The magazine's 'current' issue is dated 2013. With such gaps, it would be unwise to subscribe, yet subscription is offered.
Chris Fielden Hi Nigel. Thanks for sharing this. You're not the first person to raise concerns about Crimewave. I've added a link to your comment on the Crimewave listing so users are aware of the concerns surrounding the magazine.
Martin R Hi Chris, thanks for the list, with fewer and fewer magazines in print now and even less taking submissions it is getting harder to find paying recipients. You have missed three big ones in the UK though: People's Friend, Weekly News, and Yours magazine. The latter is in the form of a readers short story comp. Take a break and Women's Weekly are no longer accepting unsolicited submissions sadly.
Chris Fielden Hi Martin. Thanks for letting me know about the magazines.
I've added The People's Friend to the lists.
However, I can't find any submissions guidelines or details of the short stories accepted to The Weekly News or Yours magazine, so have been unable to create listings for them. Do you know where I can find these details online?
Martin R Hi Chris, attached 2 pages (jpegs) of the rules for Yours magazine. Is a couple of years old but details are still valid - had one of mine in there issue 279 a couple of weeks ago. They pay £100 a story.
Weekly News, I couldn't either any more although they do still print 2 stories every issue, and I know it is email submission with a 'if you haven't heard anything in six weeks, consider it a no,' policy.
Hope this helps.
Chris Fielden Thanks very much Martin.
That is helpful, but I only list mags if they have submission guidelines I can link to – that’s how the lists on my site work.
I’ll drop the mags in question a query email and see if they can point me in the right direction.
Thanks again – your help is much appreciated.
John H Hi Christopher. You may like to know, so you can update your site, that on the part 'short story magazines UK' of your lists, the 'People's Friend' magazine do not accept submissions on line only by post. their own website is a bit ambiguous, but they answered my email telling me to post my submission.
Chris Fielden Hi John. Thanks for letting me know about the People’s Friend – much appreciated.
I’ve updated the listing accordingly.
DT W Does anyone know of any publications that accept longer short stories i.e. 15-25k words. I have a few dozen stories, the smallest of which is 15k, but there doesn\'t seem to be anywhere that publishes stories of this size. If I can't find one, I'll have no choice but to start my own.
Chris Fielden Hi DT. That length of story could be serialised by some magazines, so worth looking at submission guidelines to see if they accept serials.
Or try novella competitions. There are some listed on my book and novel competition lists .
I hope that helps :-)
Bill M Another great resource for writers looking to submit to literary magazines (and hopefully launch their writing careers) is Reedsy's directory of the best 100 literary magazines of 2018.
I like that you can filter by different things like circulation and genre!
Chris Fielden Thanks for sharing this, Bill.
Have added a link to the 'other short story magazine lists' section of the page.
Jerry V Thank you, Christopher.
Chris Fielden No problem, Jerry :-)
Maxwell M Very informative page. Liked it very much. Thanks.
Chris Fielden No problem, Maxwell - glad to hear your liked it :-)
Sarah N I'm just beginning my research into where to submit a sci-fi story and am grateful for this list - thanks for sharing. Just wondering why you haven't included Asimov's?
Chris Fielden Hi Sarah. Glad to hear you found the lists useful.
Most of the magazines listed have requested to be listed, which is how I become aware of them.
I hadn't heard of Asimov's, so thanks for making me aware of the magazine. I have added them to the lists.
Sarah N Oh great. Glad to return the favour then!
Sue C Hi Chris, what a brilliant page!
Can I add that Woman's Weekly is open to submissions again. Also I can't see any mention of Ellery Queen mystery magazine or the Alfred Hitchcock magazine (both well known for crime).
Chris Fielden Thanks, Sue - have added all of those to the lists!
Sue C Hi Chris, I don't know whether you are aware but Woman's Weekly recently changed their contract to take ALL RIGHTS to published stories and dropped their payment as well (though it's still about £100 a story, I gather). There's a lot on Twitter about this at the moment.
Chris Fielden Thanks for letting me know, Sue - much appreciated. I've updated their listing and linked to a blog about it.
Godfrey K I'm so thrilled to have found your guidance for us writers. I'm sure that my career's going to be boosted from the information you provide.
Chris Fielden Thanks very much, Godfrey. Good luck with your writing :-)
Anita F The information does not seem helpful at all in terms of magazines that actually still exist that do take stories. If web pages have been removed then how do we (people in foreign countries) know that it is worth the effort to send a manuscript?
Chris Fielden Hi Anita. Sorry to hear you're having trouble with this resource. Can you let me know which links you're having problems with please? Then I can fix them. I list thousands of opportunities on the website and it's very hard to stay on top of every publication.
That said, I do an overhaul once a year at the beginning of January, and that's not far away. So it will get fully updated soon. I would like to do it more often, but it's very time consuming...!
W.J.Q Hi Chris, I come back and forth to the site regularly, as it's so genuinely useful. I salute the endeavour.
I'm just leaving a comment to suggest adding the Scottish publication, Gutter, to the list of short story magazines. They are a publication on the up, having received funding which permits a small payment to successful contributors.
Keep on keeping on!
Chris Fielden Hi W.J. Thank you for the heads-up - very much appreciated.
Looks like a great mag - have added it to the lists.
W.J.Q Hi Chris. You’re welcome! Thanks as always for the superb site.
Chris Fielden No problem, thanks Will!
Gerald M Nice research. Please help me find a suitable one that needs a weekly writer and that pays. If they want previously published work, I would share my published stories.
Chris Fielden Hi Gerald. I don't know of any publications that need a weekly writer, sorry. You'll have to undertake some research and see what you can find.
Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck with your writing.
Shashi K Hello Chris, thanks for listing our site ActiveMuse under the link short story magazines India.
Chris Fielden No problem, Shashi - thank you for making me aware of it :)
Matt C Hey Chris, thank you for such a great resource - wish I'd found it much sooner!
There is, however, one glaring omission that I feel I must rectify. There is a wonderful (US) magazine called The Arcanist which publishes flash fiction of up to 1,000 words. They love sci-fi and fantasy, pay $50 per story and I was lucky enough to have a story published by them last year, so I know first-hand that the staff are lovely too. They have started branching out into essays on pop-culture ($25 per piece) as well as contests with respectable cash prizes (their first one just closed).
Keep up the great work!
Chris Fielden Hi Matt. Thanks for letting me know about The Arcanist - much appreciated.
I have created a listing for them :-)
Steve B Hi Chris. Great list and resource.
I would be particularly interested in knowing whether you know of, or take a view on The Fortnightly Review New Series, being a quality outlet for a short story. It doesn't seem to feature on many lists.
Really appreciated.
Chris Fielden Hi Steve. Thanks for your message.
I haven't heard of The Fortnightly Review, hence it doesn't appear on the lists. I usually add mags if I receive a request from the editors or their PR team, or users who rate the magazine and think it should be listed. Do you have any experience with Fortnightly? If so, I can add it to the lists.
Muhammad K There are several sites for writers guidance, but yours is unique very easy to surf. All the details are available at a glance.
What are your thoughts on sending a declined literary piece to the same magazine, journal or webpage again?
Chris Fielden Hi Muhammad. Thank you for your comment.
If a story has been rejected, then I would not recommend sending it to the same publication again. It is likely to annoy the editors. However, some magazines accept reworked / edited new versions of stories they have read previously.
You will have to read the terms and conditions for each individual magazine to see if they accept submissions of this nature. If they don't stipulate any guidance, then you would have to contact them and ask.
In my experience, it is best not to send a story to the same magazine twice unless you have been invited to rework the story by the editor.
I hope that is helpful :-)
Muhammad K Thank you, that much care is amazing. I am from Pakistan.
Chris Fielden No Problem :-)
Kabir H I have come to know about some short story magazines from the list above. But I couldn't find one to which I can send my story. Please tell the name of a magazine so that I can be helped to submit my story. Thank you so much.
Chris Fielden Hi Kabir. Most the magazines listed accept submissions from writers living anywhere in the world. You will have to research each magazine and see which ones fit your writing style. Check out the submission guidelines on each magazine's website.
I wish you the best of luck with your submissions.
B.B. F Just got an email. Sad news. Conjunctions is closing. Thanks for your work here, Christopher.
Chris Fielden Hi B.B. Thank you for your message and for letting me know - very much appreciated.
That is sad news. A casualty of the pandemic by the sounds of it. Regretfully, I have removed their listing.
All the best to you :-)
Susan M Hi, Chris. I can tell you that the fee structure for The People's Friend is £90 for each of your first six stories, £100 for each of your next six and £110 thereafter. Not to be sniffed at!
Chris Fielden Thanks for letting me know, Susan - very much appreciated. Have you been published by The People's Friend? I just wondered how you knew :-)
I've added that info to the listing. All the best to you, and thanks again.
Susan M Yes, I have been published by them. I've just hit the top rate. You get paid more for writing serials but it's a flipping slow process.
Chris Fielden Brilliant, thanks for letting me know Sue. All the best, and congratulations on having all those stories published by them :-)
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💼 Agency - InkWell Management 🌍 Location - New York, US 🧑💻 Website - http://inkwellmanagement.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email
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Anthony Bourdain, Cindy Crawford, Lena Dunham, Dean Koontz, José Andrés
Molly Friedrich
💼 Agency - The Friedrich Agency 🌍 Location - New York City, US 🧑💻 Website - http://www.friedrichagency.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email ☑️ Interested in debut authors
Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Diverse Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Short Story, Thriller
Jane Smiley, Frank McCourt, Terry McMillan, Melissa Bank, Leslie Daniels, Alison Espach
Henry Dunow
💼 Agency - Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency 🌍 Location - New York City, US 🧑💻 Website - https://www.dclagency.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email ☑️ Interested in debut authors
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Aimee Bender, Alice Sebold, Peter Mountford, Jean Thompson, Robin Black, Hilma Wolitzer
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Warren Frazier
💼 Agency - John Hawkins & Associates 🌍 Location - New York, US 🧑💻 Website - http://www.jhalit.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email ☑️ Interested in debut authors
Fiction, Literary Fiction, Business Book, Graphic Novel, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Short Story
Joyce Carol Oates, Mark Z. Danielewski, Olga Grushin, Jess Walter
Terra Chalberg
💼 Agency - Chalberg & Sussman Literary Agency 🌍 Location - New York, US 🧑💻 Website - https://www.chalbergsussman.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email
Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Literary Fiction, Short Story, Nonfiction, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction
Victoria Fedden, Margaux Fragoso, Elizabeth Isadora Gold, Lori Ostlund
Adam Schear
💼 Agency - DeFiore and Company 🌍 Location - New York City, US 🧑💻 Website - http://www.defliterary.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email ☑️ Interested in debut authors
Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult, Nonfiction, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Politics, #ownvoices
Jake Wolff, Julie Lekstrom Himes, Scott Bedford, Jen Adams
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Alice Tasman
💼 Agency - Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency 🌍 Location - New York City, US 🧑💻 Website - http://www.jvnla.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email ☑️ Interested in debut authors
Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Women's Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Children's Book, Middle Grade
Emily Gray Tedrowe, Dianne Dixon, Catherine Greenman, Stephen Wetta, Ellen Potter
Renee Zuckerbrot
💼 Agency - Massie & McQuilkin 🌍 Location - New York City, US 🧑💻 Website - http://www.mmqlit.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email
Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Short Story, Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction
Kelly Link, Dan Chaon, Keith Lee Morris, Shawn Vestal, Karin Tidbeck, Nathan Ballingrud
Monica Odom
💼 Agency - Odom Media Management 🌍 Location - San Diego, US 🧑💻 Website - https://odommediamgmt.com/ 📣 Preferred contact method - Email ☑️ Interested in debut authors
Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Nonfiction, Cookbook, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Sports, Children's Book, Picture Book, Diverse Fiction, African-American, BIPOC, LGBTQ
Keiko Agena, Victoria Blanco, Camille Chew, Morgan Jerkins
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Creative Nonfiction Magazines: Reputable Literary Journals to Submit To
The following literary magazines and creative nonfiction journals can be tough competition, but with a few previous publications under your belt and a special story ready for print, the following journals could jumpstart your literary career. All of these journals have fantastic literary nonfiction examples!
9. Conjunctions
Conjunctions publishes daring works of poetry and prose, living by its motto to “Read Dangerously!” Submitted works should provoke, excite, and linger with the reader. Conjunctions publishes both a biannual magazine and a weekly online journal, both of which house fantastic literary journalism.
10. Black Warrior Review
Black Warrior Review is a biannual literary journal run by the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. This Whiting Awarded journal nurtures groundbreaking literary nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, with many of its authors going on to win Pushcarts and Best of the Net prizes!
11. Hippocampus
Hippocampus Magazine is one of the best creative nonfiction magazines out there, as it focuses solely on the publication of personal essays and nonfiction stories. Their strictly digital publication is highly literary and has many great creative nonfiction examples and pieces. Despite being a highly competitive journal, both new and emerging writers can find a home at Hippocampus .
12. American Literary Review
The American Literary Review , run out of the University of North Texas, publishes engaging and precise stories and poetry. The journal is currently on hiatus, but read some of its back issues and you’ll understand why it’s a great literary journal to submit to.
13. Fourth Genre
Fourth Genre is a biannual creative nonfiction journal published through Michigan State University. The journal amplifies diverse and powerful voices, seeking stories that are refreshing, earnest, and imaginative. Fourth Genre only publishes nonfiction, so read its back issues for some great creative nonfiction examples!
14. The Cincinnati Review
The Cincinnati Review is interested in literary nonfiction that can “knock your socks off.” Submissions for personal essays are open between September and January; writers can also submit flash nonfiction year-round to its miCRo series.
15. Creative Nonfiction
“True stories, well told” is the motto of Creative Nonfiction , the aptly-named journal of all things CNF. Creative Nonfiction celebrates a diverse range of voices and experiences, championing both new and established essayists. Between its literary publications and its creative nonfiction blog, writers can learn a lot from this journal. Send your creative nonfiction submissions to Creative Nonfiction !
16. Witness
Witness publishes prose and poetry that examines and analyzes the modern day. They seek stories about modern issues and events, often publishing bold and eclectic takes on serious issues. Witness is a more politically-oriented journal, making it a leader in contemporary literary journalism.
Creative Nonfiction Magazines: The Summit of Literary Nonfiction
The following journals are notoriously difficult to publish in, as writers often have to have a name built for themselves in the literary world. Nonetheless, the following publications exist at the summit of CNF, so keep these publications on your radar as top literary journals to submit to.
AGNI , a highly literary publication run at Boston University, publishes fiery, transformative prose and poetry. Creative nonfiction submissions should be polished, inventive, and highly original. Be sure to read their previous publications for an idea of what they look for!
18. The Atlantic
The Atlantic is well-respected for its literary journalism, making it a premier publisher of creative nonfiction. Though many of its published pieces are solicited, The Atlantic is always looking for fresh, bold stories and poetry, so it’s a premier place for nonfiction magazine submissions.
Salon does not present itself as a creative nonfiction journal, but many of its previous magazine issues are highly literary in nature, examining current issues with a sharp, educated lens. If you have nonfiction stories that are both personal and global in nature, Salon accepts queries for articles and editorials, so check them out!
20. The Antioch Review
The Antioch Review is a real page-turner, as their past publications can attest to. This highly literary journal publishes fantastic prose and poetry, and if you have a creative nonfiction piece that’s riveting and influential, The Antioch Review is looking for your creative nonfiction submissions.
21. The Colorado Review
The Colorado Review is a tri-annual publication steeped in history, with original issues featuring poetry and prose from Langston Hughes, E. E. Cummings, Henry Miller, etc. The journal is committed to contemporary literature, seeking voices that are transformative and capture today’s (or tomorrow’s) zeitgeist. The Colorado Review is a fantastic space for literary journalism and will certainly welcome your creative nonfiction.
22. The Virginia Quarterly
The Virginia Quarterly publishes a wide array of literary nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, promising both ample readership and ample pay. VQR seeks inventive and imaginative stories, and it accepts both personal essays and nonfiction pieces on literary and cultural criticism. Submissions are generally open in July, but keep tuned for any special announcements or brief reading periods!
23. New England Review
New England Review is a quarterly publication of all things literary. The journal is dedicated to publishing both emerging and established voices, though it remains a highly competitive journal for creative nonfiction. NER is a great literary journal to submit to for stories that are engaged, critical, and sparkling.
24. North American Review
The North American Review is the oldest literary magazine in the United States. Since its inception in 1815, it remains one of the best nonfiction magazines to submit to, publishing strong literary voices with imaginative story arcs and moving messages. Nonfiction magazine submissions at North American Review are always spectacular—go check them out!
Tips for Publishing Your Creative Nonfiction Submissions
“How do I get my nonfiction published with so many other voices in the room?” This is a question we hear often, and as writers in the modern day, we can’t help but notice how diverse the publishing world is, and how everything “has already been written.” How can you make sure your story gets published in the right creative nonfiction magazines?
Of course, no story is guaranteed publication, but if you’ve written an earnest, sparkling story with grit, character, and truth, then the right literary journals to submit to are in this list. Additionally, you can boost your chances of success with the following publishing tips:
Start With a Powerful Title
Your creative nonfiction submissions should draw the reader in right away, which means starting with an attention-grabbing title. Your title could be a singular and obscure word, or it could be a long description, or anything in-between—the goal is to stand out while representing your story faithfully.
Here are some great titles we saw from a brief glance at the literary nonfiction examples from Hippocampus :
- Bar Bathroom Graffiti in New Orleans: A One Year Catalog by Kirsten Reneau
- Necrokedeia for Children by Mark Hall
- Ford Motor Company Tells Me About Perseverance by Alexis Annunziata
These titles give you an idea about the story itself while also drawing you in with wit, humor, or obscurity. Literary editors have thousands of stories to read each year; give them something to notice so you can stand out among the rest!
Follow the Creative Nonfiction Journal’s Formatting Guidelines
A surefire way to receive rejections on your literary nonfiction is to ignore the formatting guidelines. Each journal has its own requirements, though they often align with MLA formatting requirements, but be sure you follow the journal’s instructions faithfully, or else they may discard your submission without even reading it.
Read the Creative Nonfiction Magazine’s Past Issues
The 24 publications mentioned in this article are some of the best nonfiction magazines in the world, in part because they adhere so strongly to their tastes and preferences. As such, no two journals are alike, and each publication has its own expectations for the nonfiction they read and publish. Before you submit your creative nonfiction, be sure to read some past publications and gauge whether your essay will fit in with the journal’s literary tastes.
Keep Track of Your Submissions
Many creative nonfiction journals allow simultaneous submissions, meaning you can submit the same piece to multiple journals. However, if one journal accepts your work, you need to notify the other journals that it has been accepted and is no longer available for consideration.
Keeping track of your creative nonfiction submissions in a spreadsheet or personal organizer is essential: if multiple journals publish your story, it could harm your chances of getting published in the future.
Aim High—But Not Too High
Your personal essay deserves to be read, but if you’re only submitting to journals like VQR or The Atlantic, it might never see the light of day. Part of the publishing process means building your publication history and portfolio.
Your literary journalism will one day get published in Salon or the New York Times, but until then, focus on getting recognized in smaller and medium sized journals—and don’t let rejections bring you down, because it’s only up from here!
Fine-Tune Your Creative Nonfiction Submissions with Writers.com
Looking for extra help on writing your personal essay, lyric essay, or hybrid nonfiction piece? The instructors at Writers.com are ready to assist you. Gain valuable insight and diverse perspectives on your nonfiction stories before submitting them to the 24 creative nonfiction magazines we’ve listed.
Good luck, and happy writing!
Sean Glatch
This is a very well written, informative and inclusive article, and I will follow up. The art piece is wonderful.
Here is another market that pays authors https://www.authormag.com/paying-market/
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200 Fantasy Magazines and Journals Who Want Your Stories
I can still vividly recall reading my first-ever acceptance email from a fantasy journal. It banished my doubt, filled me with confidence, and spurred me to write even more short stories. I didn’t get much sleep that night for the excitement.
You may also be looking for fantasy magazines that pay, and ones that offer more than some token form of compensation.
I’ve also included a small section on fantasy writing magazines beneath the table. And I’ve got a section on dark fantasy publishers too and fantasy literary magazines too.
Jump To A Section
Glossary of publishing industry terms, list of fantasy magazines and fantasy journals, is it worth submitting to a fantasy journal.
You may think that writing short stories is a distraction, that if your focus is on becoming a novelist that it’s all a waste of time.
Third, you get to sharpen your writing skills. If you just write novels, you may miss out on the crucial skills that other forms of fiction can teach you. For example, writing short stories teaches you the need to use every word—you don’t have the luxury to waste them.
Useful Resources For Fantasy Magazine Submissions
Quick tips for submitting to fantasy magazines.
Here are some tips for submitting stories to fantasy magazines:
Advice On Getting Stories Published By Online Fantasy Magazines and Journals
How long do fantasy magazine submissions take.
There’s no definitive answer on the length of time fantasy magazine submissions takes. Prior to the introduction of platforms like Moksha and Submittable, writers were very much left in the dark as to the progress of their submission. Unless there’s some kind of automatic email response system in place, there may not even be a way of verifying that fantasy magazines have received them.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazines
In the table above I’ve obviously included a good few fantasy magazines and journals, but there are also a lot of Science Fiction magazines in there too. So here, I wanted to highlight some of my favourites that I think you might enjoy.
Analog Science Fiction
Asimov’s science fiction.
It’s regarded as an innovative magazine, and one of the most readable in the sci-fi genre. And it’s a publisher that gives opportunities to newer writers too. Learn more about Asimov’s here.
Dark Fantasy Publishers
Fantasy literary magazines.
The distinguishing feature lies in the style of the stories published.
Fantasy Writing Magazines
Fantasy magazines and journals faq.
A publication that specialises in fantasy fiction. Publication of such magazines may be monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, every 6 months or yearly. Some online fantasy magazines may focus on specific sub-genres like dark fantasy or epic fantasy.
More Writing Tools and Guides
Below you can find some more writing guides and tools you may find useful:
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Accepted Genre:
– Fiction – Romance – Fantasy – Science Fiction – Women’s Fiction – Young Adult – Historical – Dystopian – EROTICA – Paranormal – ZOMBIE – Hero stories – fairy tale retellings / fractured fairy tales – Fantasy- Werewolf / shifter
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Digital Escapes for Readers & Writers: 20 Must-Read Online Literary Journals
We are in a renaissance for online literary journals. Especially in regards to the pandemic, reading online is the easiest and fastest way to digest the most current literature. It’s also becoming easier for writers and readers to find their niche journals, from dark literary fiction to genre fiction, varying in length from novelettes to drabbles (a short work of fiction precisely 100 words in length). If you have a domain, you can start a journal. If you have access to the internet, you can read it. And in a world of isolation and burnout, the online literary journal, especially for me, has been an essential source of community among editors, writers, and readers.
List Criteria
In compiling a list of online literary journals, I leaned heavily on those that are only online. Some may do a print anthology over a volume of issues. Yet for the most part, these journals publish exclusively via their website or through digital issues (PDFs, ebook, etc.).
I also wanted to showcase an array of genres and lengths, from flash fiction publications to those specializing in science fiction and fantasy. Some literary journals below feature multiple mediums, including art and photography. I was tempted to split the list into categories (speculative, flash, etc.) but so many online journals belong in more than category; they are chameleons of literature, pushing against restrictions and labels.
Finally, I wanted to highlight some online journals that debuted within the past year or two. These new online literary journals are making great impacts on the literary scene, featuring voices from the around the world, sometimes in more than one language, and giving voice to marginalized communities. Especially having debuted during a pandemic and featuring such astounding work, these particular journals deserve much gratitude and celebration.
Online Literary Journals Are For Both Readers and Writers
The below roundup is by no means an exhaustive list of what’s all out there. If you’re a reader looking for new outlets to discover the latest in fiction, this will act as a jumping-off point. The same goes for writers. As you dive into creating worlds and characters, perhaps you’ll find a journal seeking precisely the work you write.
So, without further ado, I give present the below list in alphabetical order by name.
20 Must-Read Online Literary Journals
Apparition Literary Magazine
Apparition Literary Magazine is an online speculative journal that publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction essays. Each issue is compiled around a theme, from Transfiguration, Contamination, Chance, to its latest issue: Wonder. Recently, Apparition has brought on talented guest editors, such as Premee Mohamed, Aigner Loren Wilson, and Maria Dong.
I had the honor of having a short story published in the Transfiguration issue in 2020. There is so much amazing work coming out of this magazine, with a staff that deeply cares for its writers and growing readership. I highly recommend Zebib K.A.’s story “ Commodities ” in the Justice issue, published in January 2021.
Baffling Magazine
Let’s start off strong and bow down to that cover art. Baffling Magazine is a project of Neon Hemlock Press. It publishes quarterly, and features speculative flash work with a queer bent. Its first issue published in October 2020 featuring work by renown writers of speculative fiction, such as Nino Cipri and Izzy Wasserstein. Its first year of issues is forthcoming as a print volume with Neon Hemlock Press.
There are SO many brilliant stories just in the first four issues. I especially fell in love with Hailey Piper’s robot western “ The Heart is a Spare Part ” from Issue 4 and M.L. Krishnan’s “ A Lamentation, While Full ” from Issue 3.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Those in an escapist mood with a taste for secondary world fantasy, BCS is the online journal for you. Even more specific, BCS is a nonprofit, SFWA pro-qualifying online literary journal that publishes “literary adventure fantasy: fantasy set in secondary-world or historical paranormal settings, written with a literary focus on the characters.”
For writers who enjoyed Alix E. Harrow’s brilliant novels The Once and Future Witches and The Ten Thousand Doors of January , she also published a brilliant story in BCS titled, “ Do Not Look Back, My Lion .”
Catapult is an independent online literary journal publishing essays, fiction, poetry, and art. In 2020 it won the National Magazine Award for columns and commentary.
Since its inception, Catapult as grown and now publishes books and offers online classes. I can personally attest to how awesome the Catapult classes are, having taken a flash fiction online workshop with Lindsay Hunter.
Clarkesworld Magazine
Clarkesworld magazine first published in 2006 and has been presenting monthly online issues ever since. In almost 15 years of publishing, Clarkesworld has accumulated many awards, including nominations and/or winning the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, BSFA, Sturgeon, Locus, Shirley Jackson, Ditmar, Aurora, Aurealis, WSFA Small Press and Stoker Awards.
It is a solid magazine for dipping into the very latest science fiction and fantasy, and it’s a pro-paying publication for writers looking to break into SFWA-qualifying markets.
The Deadlands
For those of the gothic heart, I give you The Deadlands , a new online literary magazine publishing speculative fiction, non-fiction, and poetry surrounding the subject of death.
Issue 4 published in August , and I had the honor of having one of my own short stories included (a Bluebeard retelling where his ghost brides get revenge!). From ghostly stories, to stories of the afterlife, to an essay on being a mortician, The Deadlands will provide all the spooky, ethereal, haunting vibes readers crave.
Electric Literature
Electric Literature is a well-known headquarters for those seeking quality online literature. It offers two online journals under its umbrella, from Recommended Reading , which publishes short fiction and novel excerpts with personal recommendations, to The Commuter , which caters to flash fiction, poetry, and graphic narratives.
Electric Lit began as a quarterly in 2009 and then became a nonprofit in 2014. All of Electric Lit’s content is free, and it has received numerous accolades, including selection in the Best American Short Stories, Essays, Poetry, and Comics, the Pushcart Prize, Best Canadian Short Stories, and The Best of the Small Presses.
Flash Fiction Online
When one thinks flash fiction online literary magazine, FFO is often a favorite. First published in 2006, FFO publishes fiction from 500 to 1,000 words in length in just about every literary and speculative genre. In 2020, FFO had three stories listed in Best Small Fictions, and much of its work is widely shared on social media.
My most recent favorite flash story is a heart-wrenching piece by Aimee Ogden titled “ The Songs Her Mother Used to Sing .”
khōréō
khōréō is a quarterly magazine of speculative fiction and migration and seeks to feature voices of immigrant and diaspora authors. its focus is on stories, essays, and art as long as there is a speculative element.
The first issue published in February 2021 with much acclaim. From its most recent issue, I recommend the brilliant (and awesomely-titled) story, “ Evelina, My Tentacles! ” by Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas.
khōréō recently closed submissions for its next themed issue but will open again in October.
Troy Onyango started the online literary journal Lolwe in 2020, with the mission to publish more Black writers, poets, and photographers in Africa and around the world.
In a profile in The New York Times , he explained that the name Lolwe comes from “Luo name for Lake Victoria, whose waters hug this city in western Kenya, and means ‘endless lake or water body’.” Lolwe recently opened for submissions for the month of August for its fourth issue, which will be guest-edited by Nsah Mala, Harriet Anena and Loic Ekinga.
Mermaids Monthly
Do you like mermaids? Do you like anything and everything related to mermaids? Look no further, because you can find your mermaid lore fix with the recently-established Mermaids Monthly . Its tagline is “a magazine about mermaids. that’s it. that’s the shell.”
It recently published Issue 7 in July 2021, which revolves around the ever-popular selkie, with beautiful fiction, art, and poetry. Jennifer Mace’s brief but gorgeous poem “ Seal Bride ” is fantastic.
Milk Candy Review
Milk Candy Review is a lovely online literary journal run by the talented flash writer Cathy Ulrich. MCR publishes fiction under 750 words and caters to “beautifully weird flash fiction.” I had the pleasure of having my own weird flash published here, though my favorite story in MCR is by another fellow Book Riot writer, Annika Barranti Klein titled, “ Anaphora (Ten Ways to Greet a Time Traveler) .”
I highly recommend Milk Candy Review , both as an outlet for readers seeking to dive into flash fiction and for writers seeking a place to send work that may not quire fit at other venues.
The Offing is an online literary magazine that publishes a wide spectrum of literature and art, from micro fiction (“10 to 560-character works — or one to five tweets — in any genre”) to poetry, fiction, and essays/memoir. It actively seeks to feature underrepresented voices as well as challenge writers to use their fiction to experiment and provoke.
The recently-published micro “ I feel like an adult when I worry about money ,” by Raina Greifer is particularly stunning.
SmokeLong Quarterly
Created in 2003, SmokeLong is one of the longest-running online literary journals, and recently published Issue 72. According to its website “The term “smoke-long” comes anecdotally from the Chinese, who noted that reading a piece of flash takes about the same length of time as smoking a cigarette.”
SmokeLong recently established two competitions in the past year, one for comedic flash fiction and one for micro fiction. They also publish global flash fiction, as well as flash in Spanish. One of my all-time favorite flash stories, which still resonates today, is the 2019 flash by Amber Sparks titled “ Everything is Terrible but You Should Read This Story .”
Strange Horizons
Strange Horizons is an online literary journal publishing weekly issues of and about speculative fiction. Founded in September 2000, Strange Horizons has since published critically-acclaimed speculative fiction, having been nominated or won Hugo, Nebula, Rhysling, Theodore Sturgeon, James Tiptree Jr., and World Fantasy Awards.
In addition to fiction, they also publish poetry, art, interviews, and reviews. In the August 23, 2021 issue, for the Writing While Disabled column, Kristy Ann Cox interviewed the great Nisi Shawl on upcoming projects, how disability informs and impacts her work, and how women and nonbinary folk often come to milestones one expects of a writer later in life because of all the marginalization. A necessary, important read.
Sukoon: Arab-Themed Art & Literature
Sukoon ‘s last-known issue was in Winter 2020 , but it’s an important literary journal to feature nonetheless. It is an independent, online literary journal publishing Arab-themed art and literature in English, with an aim to show the diversity of Arab identity.
It was founded by the poet and writer Rewa Zeinati. According to its website, the name Sukoon is an Arabic word meaning stillness. “What we mean by Sukoon is the stillness found within as the artist follows his/her inner calling to express and create; a calling that compels the artist to continue on his/her creative path for the sole reason that he/she doesn’t know how not to.”
Uncanny Magazine
One can’t do a list of online literary journals without mentioning Uncanny . A staple in the science fiction and fantasy community, Uncanny has racked up the nominations and awards year-to-year , publishing the most established and up-and-coming names in SFF.
One of my favorite stories in Uncanny (and it’s hard to choose because there are so many excellent stories) is the award-nominated “ My Country is a Ghost ” by Eugenia Triantafyllou from Issue 32.
Uncharted launched in August 2021and has already published a collection of talented writers and stories, including “ Evolution ” by Paul Crenshaw. Additionally, its first judge for the inaugural Science Fiction & Fantasy contest is the award-winning author Ken Liu.
Uncharted is under the same umbrella company as other well-known online literary magazines, such as The Masters Review , Craft , and Fractured Lit . They, too, are all excellent online literary journals, but I wanted to highlight Uncharted for debuting this year. Uncharted publishes science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, and thriller fiction.
Words Without Border : The Online Magazine for International Literature
WWB was founded in 2003 and has published more than 2,700 writers from 140 countries, translated from 126 languages. It has a monthly online magazine showcasing contemporary fiction, with the aim to introduce writers from around the world to the general public. Some major writers it’s published include Elena Ferrante, Mariana Enríquez, Svetlana Alexievich, and more.
In the latest monthly issue for July/August 2021, WWB featured Afro-Italian Women Writers .
Wrongdoing Magazine
Last but certainly not least is the achingly beautiful Wrongdoing Magazine . Another debut on the list, Wrongdoing published its first issue in Spring 2021 and makes the offer to writers that if they’ve ever written work “so blatantly wrong for most markets, then pretty please, do try us out.”
As an examples, Lindz McLeod’s fiction story “Heavenly Bodies” is about a woman who keeps the sun in a spare room. A haunting and sensual story.
Other Resources
If you’re looking to find more online literary magazines, or really any literary magazine, here are a couple resources to utilize:
The Submission Grinder
The Submission Grinder is run by Diabolical Plots (another fantastic online literary journal of speculative fiction) for writers to search for markets and track their submissions. It is completely free to use, and has a database of more than 11,000 markets.
Duotrope is another resource for searching and tracking submissions for writers, though it does require a monthly or yearly subscription. It lists more than 7,000 active markets (including literary agents, for those querying their longer projects) and features a new market every day for writers to discover.
Lit Mag News Roundup
Becky Tuck started The Review Review in 2008, providing information on literary magazines, interviews with editors, and calls for submissions. In 2019, she sold the site to Gonzaga University, which still continues its mission. Becky continues her good work and now offers a bi-weekly newsletter via Substack with news on all things literary magazine. You can read free content or sign up for a subscription to pay for premium content.
Finally, Book Riot continues to provide great content about varying genres, structures, and forms. You can read a couple of my own articles, such as a small roundup of flash fiction journals , definitions of speculative fiction and slipstream , and a roundup of 2021 speculative short story collections .
Support Your Favorite Online Literary Journals
One of the best ways to support online literary magazines — in addition to subscribing and donating — is sharing the work of their writers. Tweet, post, TikTok, etc. As I mentioned; this list is by no means exhaustive. If your favorite online literary journal was not listed, highlight that journal on social media. Share your favorite stories, essays, poetry, and art. Celebrate and applaud the work of these brilliant journals and give thanks to their hard-working staff.
Many literary journals are discovering and publishing the next great writers. By reading these, you may just discover the future of the literature.
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The following 8 short story publishers publish works from both new and established authors, giving you an opportunity to jumpstart your fiction writingcareer. 1. Apparition Lit Apparition Litis a themed quarterly journal. They put out speculative fiction, sci-fi, and horror with a literary bent.
About: "One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone."
Lit Magazine (short stories and poetry) Ash Tales (post-apocalyptic, apocalyptic, or dystopian) Midnight Hour (dark fiction) Fantasy & Science Fiction Cicada Magazine (YA) Clarkesworld...
Short stories should be no more than 4,000 words, while submissions to the "Table Talk" section (pithy, irreverent and humorous musings on culture, art, politics and life) should be 1,000 words or less. Deadline: January to June Payment: $400 for short stories; $200 for Table Talk pieces 4. One Story
"Literary" Literary Magazines Tin House Crazy Horse AGNI Black Warrior Review One Story The New Yorker The Threepenny Review Zoetrope: All-Story Boulevard The Sun Magazine McSweeney's Quarterly Camera Obscura Virginia Quarterly The Atlantic Granta Pank Science Fiction / Fantasy Literary Magazines Strange Horizons Clarkesworld
Clinch—A Martial Arts Literary Magazine is now open for Issue 3 submissions AND is now a paying market! ... For our yearly print anthology, we are looking for poems, short stories, comics, and visual art that will wow our readers, accepted as both contest and normal submissions. We are a paying market, and our published writers also get to ...
128 Active Publications That Pay for Short Stories in 2023 | by Austin Hackney | The Writing Cooperative | The Writing Cooperative 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. Austin Hackney 2.2K Followers
They have published great American authors like Oates, King, Carver, Updike and many others. It is the standard of excellence for short story anthologies. Each issues is guest authored, and those authors are some of the best authors in the country. They pick work from magazines around the country.
Founded in 2006 by M. Bartley Seigel and Roxane Gay, PANK Magazine is a literary magazine fostering access to innovative poetry and prose, publishing the brightest and most promising writers for the most adventurous readers. They are looking for short stories that are sharp, honest, strange and beautiful. Boulevard Magazine
Black Heart Magazine publishes short-form modern literature, including pulp and literary fiction, and poetry. Do not submit epic or rhyming poetry. They have a three-time yearly publishing cycle but accept submissions year-round. Look for themed issues, digital anthologies, and times when they nominate pieces for Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize.
Apparition is a semi-pro rate magazine, paying $0.05 per word, minimum of $50.00 dollars for short stories and a flat fee of $50 per poem. If we accept your story, we are purchasing the right to publish the story online and in the quarterly edition. Rights will revert back to the artist after one year.
Based in Central Texas, The Raven Review is a literary magazine that publishes poetry and short fiction that explores the human experience through dark, atmospheric writing. Since 2019, the magazine has been publishing both seasoned and newbie writers with the explicit goal of helping them gain exposure.
Plougshares: Since 1971, this acclaimed magazine has been producing four issues annually, with two each year guest edited by luminaries like Tobias Wolff, Raymond Carver, and Elizabeth Strout. Work appearing in their pages is also scattered all over best-of anthologies. Electronic submissions are preferred and require a $3 fee (waived for ...
The Gravity of the Thing is an online literary magazine that accepts short stories (fiction or creative nonfiction and self contained excerpts) under 3000 words, flash fiction or nonfiction under 500 words, 3 poems with a combined word count less than 500 and up to 5, six word stories.
45th Parallel is an online Oregon-based literary magazine produced by graduate students at Oregon State University. Reading Period: Sep 23 to Dec 31 Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction 86 Logic 86 Logic is a quarterly magazine representing artists with roots in the hospitality industry.
Let's Write A Short Story - lists 45 magazines Neon Books Poets & Writers Reedsy Richie Billing - lists multiple fantasy magazines The Write Life - lists 30 magazines Trish Hopkinson - lists 80 fast response & no fee literary magazines/journals If you run a site with a similar list to the one above, please get in touch.
The Best Literary Agents Seeking Short Story Submissions Showing 24 agents that match your search. Research the literary agency Study the agent's submission guidelines, wishlist, and portfolio Personalize your query or book proposal Dorian Karchmar Add to shortlist 💼 Agency - William Morris Endeavor 🌍 Location - Los Angeles, US
NER is a great literary journal to submit to for stories that are engaged, critical, and sparkling. 24. North American Review. The North American Review is the oldest literary magazine in the United States. Since its inception in 1815, it remains one of the best nonfiction magazines to submit to, publishing strong literary voices with ...
Here are a few examples of fantasy literary magazines: Clarkesworld - one of the heavyweights of the fantasy short fiction genre, Clarkesworld consistently publishes high-quality fiction, sometimes taking a literary style. Beneath Ceaseless Skies - one of my favourite fantasy literary magazines. They publish brilliant fiction.
Apparition Literary Magazine is an online speculative journal that publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction essays. Each issue is compiled around a theme, from Transfiguration, Contamination, Chance, to its latest issue: Wonder. Recently, Apparition has brought on talented guest editors, such as Premee Mohamed, Aigner Loren Wilson, and Maria Dong. I had the honor of having a short story ...