Just Because It Trends, Does Not It An Author Make.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. It’s new, it’s big, it stinks, and it’s taking up way too much space in this cramped area. Heck, everyone is over-talking about it these days.

If you haven’t seen any blogs, news, articles, social media posts, chats, ads, or heard anyone talking about AI writing, then you must be hiding out in a very out-of-the-way writing retreat with no contact with the outside world. Kudos to you and how the heck did you find it? What’s your secret?

Back on topic.

If you just went, “Huh?” at the “AI”, it is Artificial Intelligence. ChatGPT is just one, but there’s a rush of companies jumping on that wagon, including, if you haven’t heard, Bing’s cringey chatbot Sydney, who apparently has shown some pretty manic personality traits to its testers, assuming a computer algorithm at this point can have a personality.

Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

What is the fuss all about?

Programs like ChatGPT are artificial intelligent chatbots. It simulates and processes conversation. You ask it a question, and its algorithm comes up with an answer. Will the answers be correct? You would have to fact check them to find out. The thing about programs is that their capabilities are limited to their programming. The responses have to come from somewhere, some kind of input. Is that input a pre-programmed catalogue of potential responses? Is it farming the internet for the data to give you? If it is pulling from the internet, how do you know it’s coming from reliable factual sources vs. simmering piles of bogusness? (That actually is a legitimate word. I didn’t even make this one up.)

AI chatbots are a new tool in the box. They are still in their infancy and need a lot of improvements before they’ll see their full potential. I have no doubt they will find their niche of being essential. But, like any other tool, it will have its time and place of usefulness. Do I want to use my Phillips screwdriver to put together that desk I bought at Ikea? As the saying goes, “Only if the screw fits.” (Okay, I might have made that up. Is it a real saying? I don’t know.) Probably I’ll need an Allen Key. I definitely won’t be using it to fix that hole in my pants. You get the idea, use the right tool for the job.

Can I or should I use AI chatbots for my writing?

That is the big debate these days. Some see nothing wrong with using it for research. The problem with that is at this point there is still open debate on whether or not those research answers are correct.

You likely already know that when you use search engines like Google for research, you need to check multiple sources. You also need to make sure those sources are reliable. A bad source only hurts your legitimacy. Can you get the chatbot to give you its sources? If it does, can you find them to verify them?

How about using chatbots to bounce writing ideas off of? Maybe you have writer’s block or are stuck on your project. Some see this as okay, while others are against it. There are strong opinions on both sides of this debate. But, how good are those responses going to be? Remember, this is a computer program running on a pre-determined set of algorithms and input data. What that means is, it is not coming up with anything intuitively new. It is not sentient and does not have an imagination. If it seems like it does, that’s likely your hopes mixed with some clever programmed responses.

Now the big question. Can you use chatbots to do your writing for you? Here is where the debate gets really heated and ugly. This is also where the question of cheating comes in and, of course, the questions of legitimacy, copyrights, and plagiarism. Let me ask you this, if you want to brag about how you drove a 1970 Dodge Charger RT, do you want to have ‘driven’ it from the passenger seat? How about if you ‘drive’ it from standing on the sidewalk watching it go by?

If you didn’t write it, if you had a chatbot write it for you, then you did not write it. Just like you didn’t actually drive that car if you are not in the driver’s seat, hands on the wheel and foot on the gas controlling it. If you are fine with that for something you are using for your own private purposes, then fine. If you are submitting something that is supposed to be written by you, for school, work, or as an author, then that means it should be written by you. You should be the author, not by your friend or neighbor, your partner or child, and not by a computer program.

Yes, famous people do hire ghost writers to write for them and publish under their own names. Some famous authors do this too. While some can argue that in a sense this is cheating, putting out work as your own that isn’t, they are hiring a service, paying the real author for their time, and it is considered legit. The difference is, they are hiring a service here to buy unique content created by the person they hired.

Can you hire a ghost writer to submit to that magazine or anthology you want your name in? It’s probably not a good idea. The well-known assumption, often not stated in the submission guidelines, is that your submission is written by you, not by someone else. Sometimes it is in the guidelines in wording like, “Entries must be original works of the Entrant.”

Can you copyright something you had a chatbot write for you? Don’t count on it. In countries like Canada, you own the copyright to your writing from the moment you create it until you sell the rights. The defining thing here being that you created it yourself. If a corporation or other business creates the text, likely through paid employees, freelancers, or otherwise hired, that business owns the copyright. If the AI program pulls the phrases from the internet, then it’s giving you something that is likely already copyrighted by someone else. So who actually owns the copyright to the work the AI chatbot generated for you?

The Abuse of AI Writing

Here is where things are going sideways and creating a lot of animosity in the publishing world we are all trying to find our way in.

There is a growing use and awareness of AI writing among writers, editors, and publishers. While an author takes hours, days, months, even years, to complete, edit, and perfect a piece of writing, an AI program can spit it out in seconds.

I’ve seen the first-for-me submission calls specifically spelling out that they do not accept any work ‘written’, co-‘written’, created, generated, or assisted in any way by the use of AI. I used the term ‘written’ loosely here. If you are not writing it, it is not ‘written’. ‘Written’ infers organically written. AI stories are generated through computer code using words and phrases input into it. They are not ‘written’ in the organic sense.

The market for submissions was already overloaded before AI ‘writing’ made its public debut. Many submission calls are absolutely deluged with hundreds of submissions for a handful or two of slots. Many of those will be poorly written and edited, maybe not taking the time to follow the simple submission instructions. And many are scam spam, mass-produced and submitted without care for the hope of a quick buck. Editors have to weed through all of that to find the, also many, well-written and carefully edited work by authors passionate about their craft.

Non-writers are abusing the use of AI generated stories to mass submit to the better paying publications in hopes of earning an easy payday, making an already tight market harder for authors. These are people who are just looking for that quick buck no matter how they can scam their way into getting it. Editors now have to weed through this mountain of submissions on top of those sent in by authors.

One well-known Sci-fi magazine recently announced the closure of its always-open submissions due to a deluge of AI created stories. Another editor shared that their publication is permanently blacklisting anyone submitting AI created content without notification. Wording like, “No stories written (generated), co-written, created with, or assisted by AI will be accepted or considered.” is beginning to show up in submission calls. When a well-known magazine editor floats reducing submission windows, accepting solicited submissions only, private submission opportunities (by invite only) to “known” authors, and regional bans among other steps publishers might consider to reduce AI generated content submission spam, it’s a good indicator of how serious the AI question is.

At present, it seems, the majority of editors are not willing to embrace work generated by or co-created with AI, and for good reason. The questions of quality, sources, copyrights, plagiarism, and legitimacy all need to be worked out still.

Writing, in our sense of the word, is organic. It is human creativity. Imagination. Things that a computer program is not yet truly capable of.

If you are tempted to take what feels like an easier route, know that writing is not supposed to be about easy over art. If you are considering having a computer program generate a story in seconds that would take you hours, days, or more, think again. Writing is not supposed to be easy. It’s an act of passion. It’s work.

Sure, it could be a faster route to self-publishing that story you feel the urge to get out. Why spend months or years writing what you can have AI do for you in a fraction of that time? Why spend hours or days on that short story that AI can pop out in seconds? Why actually put your own effort and passion into something when you can get instant gratification? And that is why. Instant gratification. But won’t that gratification sit hollowly? The seed of the story is yours, the idea, but you will always know the story, or poem, or whatever it is, really belongs to an AI bot. It’s not really ‘your’ story because it was generated by a computer program and not your own words. Won’t it be more fulfilling knowing you created it yourself? But maybe that doesn’t matter to everyone.

Then there is that lingering question of legitimacy. No matter how you come to have it, submitting work as your own that you did not create, in a market with the assumption of organically created work written by the person claiming authorship, is a lie. And at present, the market for AI generated writing calls is very small.

If the submission call does not specifically say they want AI generated or assisted submissions, assume that using AI will be an automatic rejection and possibly get you blacklisted permanently from the publication.

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Children’s Submission Deadlines Coming Soon

Grins and giggles. Here are a few markets sneaking up on us.

Photo by Carl Jorgensen on Unsplash

Loose the fuzzy creatures, these submission deadlines are ready to play – children’s markets:

ROLLING

Annick Press

Deadline: ongoing.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Currently accepting submissions of picture books, middle grade fiction, YA fiction, and non-fiction for kids of all ages. Our stories feature contemporary themes (even if the setting is historical) and aim to instill kids with the joy of reading.

Cricket Media: Babybug (ages 6 months – 3 years)

Deadline: ongoing.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Poetry, stories, first concepts. “We’re looking for narrative nonfiction (to 800 words), nonfiction and nature writing (to 400 words), and poetry (to 20 lines).” Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word, poems up to $3 per line, $25 maximum. General submissions are always open.

Cricket Media: Ladybug (ages 3 – 6)

Deadline: ongoing.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Compelling explorations of our world written for young  children. “We’re looking for narrative nonfiction (to 800 words), nonfiction and nature writing (to 400 words), and poetry (to 20 lines).” Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. General submissions are always open.

Cricket Media: Spider (ages 6-9)

Deadline: February 28, 2023.

(checked Jan 29/23)

Fiction stories and plays, poetry, nonfiction articles, crafts and activities for children 6–9 years old. Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Poems: up to $3.00 per line; $25.00 minimum. Activities, games, and recipes: $75.00 flat rate. 

Crow Toes Quarterly

Deadline: year round; doesn’t list deadlines for each issue. – CLOSED TO SUBMISSIONS DURING RESTRUCTURING FOR 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Art & literature for children who don’t scare easily. We are looking for “playfully dark”, intelligent, humorous, descriptive literature written for children ages 8 – 13. Reads general submissions all year round. See themes. Payment: $20 – $50.

Kids Can Press

Deadline: Rolling

(checked Feb 27/23)

Non-rhyming picture books for ages 3–5 / 3–7 / 4–8. Nonfiction for ages 5–8 / 7–10 / 8–12 / 10–14. Fiction for ages 6–9 / 7–10 / 8–12 /10–14. Graphic novels (fiction and nonfiction) for all age categories. 

Lorimer Press

Deadline: Rolling

(checked Feb 27/23)

James Lorimer & Company is seeking manuscripts for its children’s and teens’ imprint. We are looking for fiction, non-fiction and graphic novel manuscripts by Canadian creators. The goal of our publishing program is to provide engaging, accessible books for young people that address social-justice and human-rights issues as they uniquely affect Canadian society or individual Canadians. We aim to reflect a diverse range of cultural, regional and socio-economic experiences and issues in the books we publish.

Submissions can be emailed to submissions@lorimer.ca and should include a cover letter, a short biography outlining your past writing experience and qualifications, a plot summary or outline, a chapter-by-chapter outline and 3–4 sample chapters or a complete manuscript.

Spaceports & Spidersilk

Deadline: Rolling

(checked Feb 27/23)

Stories about kids for kids 8-14 years old. “Short stories, poems, and art, as well as brief essays on science and the environment, interviews, quizzes, contests, [and, quite frankly, anything else that is genre-oriented and will help encourage the younger generation to read…and to dream, especially about going to the stars]. We at Spaceports & Spidersilk hope that younger writers and artists, as well as adults, will submit their work. NOTE: We prefer to see stories that have young protagonists—someone the younger readers can connect with.”

Youth Imagination Magazine

Deadline: Closed/Defunct

(checked Feb 27/23)

2022

Cast of Wonders

Deadline: June 30, 2023 opens June 15,2023

(checked Feb 27/23)

General submissions. Cast of Wonders is a young adult short fiction market, open to stories up to 6,000 words in length; 3,000-4,500 preferred. Flash fiction up to 1,000 words. “We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language. Think Harry Potter or The Hunger Games.” Payment: $0.08/word for first rights, reprints at $100 flat for short fiction and $20 flat for flash fiction.

Cast of Wonders

Deadline: April 30, 2023 opens April 15,2023

(checked Feb 27/23)

Limited Demographic: Young Authors. Cast of Wonders is a young adult short fiction market, open to stories up to 6,000 words in length; 3,000-4,500 preferred. Flash fiction up to 1,000 words. “We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language. Think Harry Potter or The Hunger Games.” Payment: $0.08/word for first rights, reprints at $100 flat for short fiction and $20 flat for flash fiction.

Cast of Wonders

Deadline: April 14, 2023 opens April 1,2023

(checked Feb 27/23)

Banned Books Week. Cast of Wonders is a young adult short fiction market, open to stories up to 6,000 words in length; 3,000-4,500 preferred. Flash fiction up to 1,000 words. “We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language. Think Harry Potter or The Hunger Games.” Payment: $0.08/word for first rights, reprints at $100 flat for short fiction and $20 flat for flash fiction.

Voyage Anthology 2 (YA)

Deadline: April 3, 2023; Entry Fee $20

(checked Feb 27/23)

Short story and poetry awards. Here at Voyage, we’re huge fans of short form fiction! What we don’t see enough of, is short fiction in the YA category. So, we’re hosting a contest! Can you tell us a good YA story in 5,000 words or less? Send us your best YA contemporary, romance, fantasy, science fiction, genre-bender, and more! We read widely in YA, and we’re simply looking for a well-told story. 

Owlkids Books

Deadline: March 17, 2023.

Restrictions: Open to authors and illustrators with disabilities, visible and invisible, Genre: Books for children up to age 13. Payment: Royalties. 

Fast Approaching Submission Deadlines For You – General Fiction:

Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash

Sharpen your writing pencils. Here are a few markets whose deadlines are looming over us.

Here are a few fast approaching submission deadlines for you – general fiction:

Nov-Dec 2023

Dragon Soul Press: Across Time (R)

Deadline: December 31, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All time travel romance stories. Happily Ever After not required. All genres accepted. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Dragon Soul Press: Fallen (R)

Deadline: December 31, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All stories involving angels who have fallen from grace. Examples include it being a misunderstanding or they are purposely wreaking havoc. The darker, the better. All genres accepted. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Freeze Frame Fiction

Deadline: December 31, 2023; opens August 1, 2023 (semi-annually).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Flash fiction up to 1,000 words. Payment: $10. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: December 31, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

A Coup of Owls

Deadline: December 15, 2023; December 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Restrictions: Only submit if you are aged 18 or over and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Fiction 100 – 8000 words (hard limits), all genres. Payment: £5 – 15. 

The Great Void

Deadline: December 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Zooscape

Deadline: TBA; opens planned for December 15,2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Short stories up to 5,000 words. Reprints up to 10,000 words. All stories must be furry. “An anthropomorphic animal figure should be significantly featured in your story — it could be anthropomorphic in body or only intelligence. We’ll consider any type of furry fiction from secret life of animals to fox in Starbucks. We love science-fiction with animal-like aliens and fantasy with talking dragons, unicorns, or witch familiars.” Payment: 8 cents/word for original fiction. $20 for reprints. 

Zero Street Fiction

Deadline: December 1, 2023, opens September 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Full-length LGBTQ fiction. The manuscript must be in English and should be between 60,000 and 100,000 words. Payment: Royalties. 

Dragon Soul Press: Digital Love (R)

Deadline: November 30, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All romance stories evolved from the internet, social media, dating apps, etc. Happily Ever After not required. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Red Cape Publishing: A – Z of Horror: V is for Voodoo. 

Deadline: November 30, 2023; opens October 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Horror 4,000-8,000 words on theme. Payment: £10. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: November 30, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: November 21, 2023; opens November 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

 

Luna Station Quarterly. 

Deadline: November 15, 2023; opens September 15, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Dec 1/22)

Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction 500-7,000 words. Payment: $5.  Some reprints accepted.

The Great Void

Deadline: November 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Sep-Oct 2023

Dragon Soul Press: Dragons & Heroes (R)

Deadline: October 31, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All dragon stories with a male main character. All genres accepted. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: October 31, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

Mythaxis

Deadline: October 30, 2023; opens October 23, 2023. Quarterly.

(checked Jan 31/23)

Speculative fiction 1,000-7,500 words. Under 5,000 preferred. Payment: $20. 

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: October 21, 2023; opens October 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

Medusa Tales

Deadline: October 15, 2023; opens October 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Speculative stories (sci-fi, fantasy, and horror) of human transformation and immobilization. Payment: 1 cent/word, $10 for reprints.  Submit early. Submissions are read as they are received. Accepts reprints.

The Great Void

Deadline: October 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Dragon Soul Press: A Winter Promise (R)

Deadline: September 30, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All Christmas stories. As long as Christmas is involved, the story qualifies. All genres. Happily Ever After not required. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Red Cape Publishing: A – Z of Horror: U is for Unexplained. 

Deadline: September 30, 2023; opens August 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Horror 4,000-8,000 words on theme. Payment: £10. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: September 30, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: September 21, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80.

 

A Coup of Owls

Deadline: September 15, 2023; September 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Restrictions: Only submit if you are aged 18 or over and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Fiction 100 – 8000 words (hard limits), all genres. Payment: £5 – 15. 

The Great Void

Deadline: September 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Solarpunk Magazine

Deadline: September 14, 2023; opens September 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 30/22)

Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  

Lethe Press

Deadline: September 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Speculative fiction, especially queer speculative fiction, historical fiction. Full-length manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Query first.

Jul-Aug 2023

Dragon Soul Press: Magic & Mystery (R)

Deadline: August 31, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All witch stories for all genres. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

JMS Books

Deadline: August 31, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum on theme of Christmans/winter holiday stories. See themes. Payment: Royalties. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: August 31, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

The Rumpus

Deadline: August 31, 2023; opens August 15, 2023 (bi-annually).

(checked Dec 27/22)

Fiction. Payment: $300 divided among all contributors.

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: August 21, 2023; opens August 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

Luna Station Quarterly. 

Deadline: August 15, 2023; opens June 15, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Dec 1/22)

Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction 500-7,000 words. Payment: $5.  Some reprints accepted.

The Great Void

Deadline: August 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

JMS Books

Deadline: July 31, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum on theme of Across the Divide (opposites attract or rivals). See themes. Payment: Royalties. 

Red Cape Publishing: A – Z of Horror: T is for Tarot. 

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Horror 4,000-8,000 words on theme. Payment: £10. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: July 31, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

Mythaxis

Deadline: July 30, 2023; opens July 23, 2023. (Quarterly.)

(checked Jan 31 /23)

Speculative fiction 1,000-7,500 words. Under 5,000 preferred. Payment: $20. 

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: July 21, 2023; opens July 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

A Coup of Owls

Deadline: July 15, 2023; July 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Restrictions: Only submit if you are aged 18 or over and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Fiction 100 – 8000 words (hard limits), all genres. Payment: £5 – 15. 

The Great Void

Deadline: July 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Lupercalia

Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 1, 2023; opens June 1, 2022.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Chapbooks. Art and writing by trans and queer creators that focuses on themes of transgender and queer sex/sexuality/excess/celebration. 

May-Jun 2023

B Cubed Press: Madam President

Deadline: June 30, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Speculative fiction up to 5,000 words. “Women are not new to power. But the role of women has changed. Those of us of a certain age have lived through the “firsts.”  The woman first elected governor, first woman Justice on the Supreme Court, first woman head of a union, first woman iron worker. A question comes from these firsts. What Changed?  What became different because a woman took the reins.” Payment: Royalties and 3 cents/word. 

Cast of Wonders. 

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens June 15, 2023

(checked Jan 29/23)

YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Theme: General Submissions. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. 

Dragon Soul Press: To Hunt and to Hold (R)

Deadline: June 30, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All stories featuring vampires. Any era, setting, genre is acceptable. Outer space is also an option. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

JMS Books

Deadline: June 30, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum on theme of Halloween Stories. See themes. Payment: Royalties. 

Freeze Frame Fiction

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens February 1, 2023 (semi-annually).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Flash fiction up to 1,000 words. Payment: $10. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: June 30, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: June 21, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

Luna Press

Deadline: June 18, 2023; opens June 16, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Speculative fiction novels and collections 50,000 words and up. Payment: Royalties. 

Medusa Tales

Deadline: June 15, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Speculative stories (sci-fi, fantasy, and horror) of human transformation and immobilization. Payment: 1 cent/word, $10 for reprints.  Submit early. Submissions are read as they are received. Accepts reprints.

The Great Void

Deadline: June 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Solarpunk Magazine

Deadline: June 14, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 30/22)

Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  

The Fairy Tale Magazine 

Deadline: June 2, 2023; opens May 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 22/22)

Fairy-tale inspired stories/poems. Payment: $50. 

Totally Entwined: Billionaire BDSM/Christmas Collection 2023

Deadline: June 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Novellas, 30,000 – 50,000 words. Theme: Billionaire BDSM romance set around an auction. LGBTQ focus. Payment: Royalties. 

Dragon Soul Press: A Death In The Night (R)

Deadline: May 31, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All stories featuring assassins are welcome. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Escape Pod

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Jan 31/23)

Science fiction (Audio and written format). Payment: $0.08 USD per word for original fiction. $100 USD per story for reprint fiction.  Reprints accepted. (Please visit PseudoPod for horror, Cast of Wonders for young adult, and PodCastle for fantasy fiction.)

JMS Books

Deadline: May 31, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum on theme of Silver Foxes. See themes. Payment: Royalties. 

Mythic

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens May 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 31/23)

Science fiction, fantasy short stories 2,000-5,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word for original fiction, $25 for reprints.  Reprints accepted.

One Story

Deadline: May 31, 2023 (or 1500 submissions cap is reached); opens January 15, 2023.

(checked Jan 31/23)

Short story 3,000 – 8,000 words. Payment: $500. 

Red Cape Publishing: A – Z of Horror: S is for Slasher. 

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens April 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Horror 4,000-8,000 words on theme. Payment: £10. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: May 31, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

Touchpoint Press: Christmas Anthology

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens November 1, 2022.

(checked Oct 22/22)

Wholesome stories 3000 to 7000 words that inspire, instill kindness and hope, and contain a sense of togetherness and community. Deep conflict (and multiple conflicts) is good, but your story must be HEA or HFN. Payment: $100 on publication ($50 for reprints). Reprints accepted. 

B Cubed Press: Scott’s Planet

Deadline: May 30, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Speculative fiction 500-5,000 words. “The story begins just after the Scott’s Planet colony is abandoned by the founding corporation. Nearly half of the colonists chose to immigrate to other viable colonies. But the rest of the settlers decided to stay. These remaining colonists continue the struggle to carve out a niche within the planet’s native ecology. While the Earth flora and fauna they’ve brought with them are more sophisticated and complex than those of Scott’s Planet, this hasn’t always served as an advantage. Simple algae and fungus exploit the more complex invaders and prove to be incredibly resistant to removal. What happens to the colonists now?” Payment: Royalties and 3 cents/word. 

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: May 21, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

Luna Station Quarterly. 

Deadline: May 15, 2023; opens March 15, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Dec 1/22)

Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction 500-7,000 words. Payment: $5.  Some reprints accepted.

The Great Void

Deadline: May 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Solarpunk Magazine

Deadline: May 14, 2023; opens May 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 30/22)

Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.

  

Abyss and Apex

Deadline: May 7, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (fiction submissions open 1st week of August only for 2022) – SUBMISSIONS CLOSED THROUGH FEB 2023 & POSSIBLY LONGER.

(checked Aug 1/22)

Speculative fiction. No horror: “We will consider dark speculative fiction, but we do not publish horror.” “…character-driven stories that examine the depths and heights of emotion and motivation from a broad variety of cultural and social perspectives.” Payment: USD $.06/word (six cents a word) up to 1,250 words, and a flat payment of $75.00 for longer stories. 

Grumpy Old Gods Anthology

Deadline: May 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Speculative fiction stories about retired gods on theme of “Grumpy Gods, particularly those who might be using their abilities in a post-internet environment.  Maybe Mercury is heavily invested in Google.  Janus might be the reason for crypto.  Heck, I bet that Aphrodite owns 90% of every single florist in the country.  Do your gods still have the juice, or have their powers gotten a little wonky as they have gotten older?  Make it Grumpy.  Make it funny.” Length: 3,000-4,000 words. Payment: A percentage of the profits. 

Rich People Being Shitty: Tales of the Super Wealthy and Depraved

Deadline: May 1, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 31/23)

Fictional short stories ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 words examining the ways in which the most affluent among us commit wrongs. Payment: $35 or $25 with contributor copy.

Tales of the Apocalypse

Deadline: May 1, 2023.

(checked May 26/23)

Post-Apocalyptic 5,000 to 10,000 words. Payment: Royalties. 

Mar-Apr 2023

JMS Books

Deadline: April 31, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum on theme of Change of Fortune. See themes. Payment: Royalties. 

Cast of Wonders. 

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 15, 2023

(checked Jan 29/23)

YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Theme: Limited Demographic: Young Authors. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. 

Dragon Soul Press: Pirate Gold (R)

Deadline: April 30, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All stories featuring pirates are welcome. From Pirates of the Caribbean to Treasure Planet and everything in between. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Mythaxis

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 23, 2023. Quarterly. -Window canceled for 2023.

(checked Jan 31 /23)

Speculative fiction 1,000-7,500 words. Under 5,000 preferred. Payment: $20. 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: April 30, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

The Rabbit Hole

Deadline: April 30, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Weird stories up to 5000 words and poems. Payment: Royalties. 

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: April 21, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

FlowerSong Press

Deadline: April 15, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Restrictions: Open to Latinx authors. Genre: Horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Length: 75,000 to 150,000 words. Payment: Royalties. 

Mirrors Reflecting Shadows: A Trevor Project Charity Anthology

Deadline: April 15, 2023; opens February 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 28/23)

Considering the increasing marginilazation LGBTQ+ individuals and the attack on gender affirming care through legislation Outcast Press, Anxiety Press, and Roi Fainéant Press have teamed up to curate a charity anthology with proceeds going towards The Trevor Project. For over 20 years, The Trevor Project has worked tirelessly on suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth, who are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers (Johns et al., 2019; Johns et al., 2020). Payment: $40.

The Great Void

Deadline: April 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Translunar Travelers Lounge

Deadline: April 15, 2023; opens March 15, 2023. (Note: March 15-21 is reserved for writers of color)

(checked Nov 30/22)

Speculative fiction up to 5,000 words. Payment: $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20. 

Cast of Wonders. 

Deadline: April 14, 2023; opens April 1, 2023

(checked Jan 29/23)

YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Theme: Banned Books Week. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction.

 

Solarpunk Magazine

Deadline: April 14, 2023; opens April 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 30/22)

Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  

Havok

Deadline: April 2, 2023.

(checked Nov 29/22)

Season Nine: World Tour. Flash fiction on theme of Sky’s the Limit. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. 

Totally Entwined: All Hallow’s Harem/Paranormal

Deadline: April 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Novellas, 30,000 – 50,000 words. Theme: Harem with paranormal characters. LGBTQ focus. Payment: Royalties. 

Aurealis

Deadline: March 31, 2023. Opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

Science fiction, fantasy or horror short stories between 2000 and 8000 words. Payment: A$20 and A$60 per 1000 words. 

Campfire Stories Anthology

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens February 10, 2023.

(checked Feb 23/23)

Speculative short stories 2,000-5,000 words. “We want the stories you’d whisper in the dark. The kind that linger and leave readers with more questions than they answer. We want a little bit of campiness and a whole lot of speculation on the world around us.” Payment: $40 per piece. 

Dragon Soul Press: Honor (R)

Deadline: March 31, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: All stories featuring East Asian warriors are welcome. 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Fanatical

Deadline: March 31, 2023.

Sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Payment: £20. 

JMS Books

Deadline: March 31, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum on theme of Vacation Romance. See themes. Payment: Royalties. 

Legion of Dorks Presents: Resurrected – An Anthology of Second Chances

Deadline: March 31, 2022; opens January 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Short stories up to 7,000 words. “You must include some sort of resurrection, whether real or virtual, that concludes by the end of the story to meet the theme requirements. You cannot write in anyone else’s world. Otherwise, have fun and let your imagination dominate.” Payment: $50. 

Podcastle

Deadline: Not Listed; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Fantasy podcast. Fiction up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.06/word for original; $100 for reprints over 1500 words, $20 for flash fiction reprints (under 1500 words). 

Short Story Substack 

Deadline: March 31, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 22/23)

All genres 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.  Reprints accepted. Accepts one short story every month.

Small Harbor Publishing

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Restrictions: Open to marginalized writers only. Genre: Chapbooks 20-40 pages. Payment: Royalties.  

Southword

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Feb 23/23)

Fiction up to 5,000 words. Payment: €250 per short story. 

Beauty in Blood-Drenched Circuits–An AI-Only Anthology

Deadline: March 30, 2023 (tentative).

Speculative fiction. “For this anthology, we’re particularly interested in exploring the relationships that humans form with those different from themselves–be it AI, aliens, or even their own kind. We’d also like to see some space-age twists on the classics we’ve always loved. The weirder and less mainstream, the better.” Payment: $35. 

We Fear Not the Sea

Deadline: March 30, 2023; opens January 9, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Short stories 2,000-6,000 words  inspired by sea shanties. Payment: 2 cents per word. 

Flash Fiction Online

Deadline: March 21, 2023; opens March 1, 2023 (open 1st to 21st monthly, except Dec, unless cap reached).

(checked Sep 29/22)

Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction 500-1000 words. Payment: $80. 

A Coup of Owls

Deadline: March 15, 2023; March 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Restrictions: Only submit if you are aged 18 or over and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Fiction 100 – 8000 words (hard limits), all genres. Payment: £5 – 15. 

Iron Horse

Deadline: March 15, 2023. 

(checked Feb 22/23)

Flash stories up to 6,000 words. Payment: $50 per flash piece.  

Jay Henge: The Nameless Songs of Zadok Allen

Deadline: March 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Speculative fiction ip to 15k words. “What lurks in the deep? Who listens from the shadows? What sorts of abominable experiments are taking place at the mysterious ivy-covered university? We want your Lovecraftian tales. ” Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words.

Jay Henge: Sunshine Superhighway: Solar Sailings

Deadline: Opens until filled.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Speculative fiction ip to 15k words. “Solarpunk, cyberpunk, other planets, alternate worlds that might be nearly lost through our own hubris; futuristic fantasy and speculative-fiction stories of all kinds that are hopeful and leave us with the idea that despite the doom and gloom in the universe, things can possibly work out if we strive to make life better, even if in a small way.” Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words.

Jay Henge: The Back Forty

Deadline: Opens until filled.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Speculative fiction ip to 15k words. “In The Back Forty, we are looking for your stories that explore new, lawless frontiers, backwater towns, self-appointed sheriffs, lonesome explorers, bounty hunters, and other Wild West in Outer Space kinds of themes. We are sometimes flexible on themes, so if you have something you think might fit as an edge case, don’t hesitate to give us a holler. We’ll usually have a look at most anything.” Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words.

Tasavvur

Deadline: March 15, 2023; opens February 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

South Asian speculative fiction 1,000-5,000 words. Payment: 2.5 cents per word, up to a maximum of 5,000 words. *Open to pitches on rolling basis.

The Great Void

Deadline: March 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Speculative fiction: Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller. 4,000–15,000 words for website and anthologies; 500–2000 for flash fiction anthologies. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. 

Zooscape

Deadline: March 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Short stories up to 5,000 words. Reprints up to 10,000 words. All stories must be furry. “An anthropomorphic animal figure should be significantly featured in your story — it could be anthropomorphic in body or only intelligence. We’ll consider any type of furry fiction from secret life of animals to fox in Starbucks. We love science-fiction with animal-like aliens and fantasy with talking dragons, unicorns, or witch familiars.” Payment: 8 cents/word for original fiction. $20 for reprints. 

Beach Shorts

Deadline: March 14, 2023; opens January 10, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Short stories 1500-6000 words, art. “Think seaside retreats, warm sand and cool breezes. Stories that are captivating, easy to read and let your reader take an escape from reality.” Payment: $10, $20 for art. 

Solarpunk Magazine

Deadline: March 14, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 30/22)

Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  

Living With Demons

Deadline: March 12, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Short stories 3,000-7,500 words. “We are looking for fictional stories that give people with mental illness hope using metaphors. We want to hear from more than just depression and anxiety, we want to reach other mental illnesses as well.” Payment: $25 per piece. 

Double-Edged Sword

Deadline: March 8, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

“We’re after co-authored, original, unpublished dark fantasy short stories (4-6k words). No theme, but your submission piece must sit in the fantasy genre and contain dark elements – we aren’t after happy endings.” Payment: 1 cent/word. 

Havok

Deadline: March 5, 2023.

(checked Nov 29/22)

Season Nine: World Tour. Flash fiction on theme of Oceana. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. 

Markets for Young Writers Submission Deadlines Coming Soon

Like the next big trend, here are a few markets that are just around the corner.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Snap your friends, these submission deadlines are coming – markets for young writers only:

ROLLING

Poet2Poet

Deadline: rolling. 

(checked Oct 2/22)

Poetry. “You can submit your own poem and have it published on our website as well as have other passionate youth read to learn from your writing. We are a youth-oriented organization and our mission is to focus on the process of writing in order to help others understand your thought-process and gain valuable knowledge on poetry. To submit a poem, click the button below for a form and fill out all the details. Once you have submitted, we will send you a confirmation email within 1-2 days to inform you that your poem was posted. There is no word limit and you can submit poems on any topic!”

Stone Soup

“Stone Soup is the literary magazine and website 100% written and illustrated by kids through age 13. Our young authors’ and artists’ work is also published in our Annual and on our blog. Inspire the children in your life with great short stories and poetry, beautiful art and photography, and thought-provoking reviews–all written by their peers, published in a style and format they can take real pride in.”

Monthly Flash Fiction Contest Deadline: First week every month.

Flash fiction following the prompt given. Check after it opens monthly for that month’s prompt.

14 years old or under. Length varies with the theme. No entry fee.

Annual Book Contest: Look for an August 2023 deadline. $15 entry fee.

2023

Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

Deadline: November 30, 2023; opens November 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Oct 2/22)

The Kenyon Review. High School Sophomores and Juniors.

Award: First place: Full scholarship to the Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop and publication. Second and third place: Publication.

The Telling Room

Deadline: November 30, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Restrictions: For Maine residents only. Themed Poetry and Fiction.

Ages 6-18. All forms of creative writing are considered, including: poetry, prose, fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, and songwriting.

“I Matter” Poetry Contest

Deadline: July 23, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

National Youth Foundation. Open to residents of the United States, as well as international students. Topic: “Black Lives Matter”. Grades: K-12

Student Book Scholars

Deadline: July 15, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

National Youth Foundation. Theme: Anti-Bullying. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. The cover, dedication and back pages do not count towards this number. Grades K-8.

Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Award

Deadline: Postmark July 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 23/23)

Three categories: Adult; Youth (13-18); Youth (12 and under). No fee for 12 and under. Awards: adult $1,000, youths $200.

May-Jun 2023

Polyphony Pride Month Contest

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens June 1, 2023. 

(checked Oct 2/22)

Open to High School Students Globally 14-18 years old. Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction. “Students may submit for publication in our annual volume, and/or  our annual writing contests.” Submit early during the reading period. Some reading periods may close early if submission cap is reached. 

Polyphony Summer Contest

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 2/22)

Open to High School Students Globally 14-18 years old. Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction. “Students may submit for publication in our annual volume, and/or  our annual writing contests.” Submit early during the reading period. Some reading periods may close early if submission cap is reached. 

Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest

Deadline: June 13, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Restrictions: Students who have started college or university are not eligible to participate in the Contest. Art, Poetry, Prose, Film, Music, Multimedia, Performing Arts, Spoken Word. Theme of Climate Heroes in Action (see prompt). “Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate in the Ocean Awareness Contest.” Two age divisions for entries: Junior Division: Age 11-14; Senior Division: Age 15-18.

Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest

Deadline: June 1, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Open to students studying in Canada and Canadian students studying abroad. 2023 Essay Contest – What would our Essential Scholars say about the world today? “Relying on the ideas of one of our Essential Scholars, construct an essay that describes a scholar’s response, explanation, or rebuttal to a current event. You can use a scholar’s economic theory to examine unprecedented situations, propose potential policies that a scholar would have put forward, or suggest how certain existing policies would have been adapted by a particular Essential Scholar.” High School / Undergraduate / Graduate Categories. Topic changes each year. Multiple prizes: $250 to $1500.

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Deadline: June 1, 2023 (annual).

(checked Feb 23/23)

Ages High School / College / Graduate School

Topic changes each year. The 2023 Essay Contest topic is inspired by the theme of our upcoming Annual General Meeting: Pride and Prejudice. See different requirements for high school vs. undergraduate and graduate students. Prizes: 1st-$1,000 scholarship, 2nd-$500 scholarship, 3rd-$250 scholarship.

Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest

Deadline: June 1, 2023; opens January 15, 2023 (annual).

(checked Feb 23/23)

“The Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest is an annual event that welcomes entries from around the world to our artistic community in SE Minnesota – Winona.” No submission fee for entrants in the “Youth” Category of High School Age and Younger.

Natures Wild Neighbour Society

Deadline: June 1, 2023; opens September 1, 2022.

(checked Feb 23/23)

“Get to Know Your Wild Neighbors”. Art, Writing, Photography, Videography, Music. Ages 11-18.

The Fiddlehead’s Creative Nonfiction Contest

Deadline: June 1, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 24/23)

Creative nonfiction up to 6,000 words. Entry fee cost depends where you are from. Winner and 10-15 shortlisted entries will appear on The Fiddlehead website. Prize: $2,000 CAD for best creative nonfiction essay.

Skipping Stones Asian Celebration Haiku Contest

Deadline: May 5, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Ages 7-18. Your Haiku (and/or Tanka) entries should be ready for display. Use 8.5 x 11 paper and feel free to include your original nature art to illustrate your Haiku and/or Tanka. Select entries will be displayed at the 2023 Asian Celebration on Saturday, 29th of July, 2023 in Eugene. All entries will also be considered for publication in the Autumn 2023 issue of Skipping Stones Magazine as well as our website.

Skipping Stones Youth Honors Award

Deadline: May 5, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Promoting Multicultural Awareness, International Understanding and Nature Appreciation

Original writing (essays, interviews, poems, plays, short stories, etc.) and/or art (photos, paintings, cartoons, etc.) from youth, ages 7 to 17. Should be suitable for ages 7 to 17. Non-English writings are equally welcome with an English translation.

New Voices One-Act Competition for Young Playwrights

Deadline: May 1, 2023; opens January 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 23/23)

YouthPLAYS. Non-musical, one-act play suitable for HS audience. Written by Playwrights 19 years and under as of May 1, 2023. Guidelines.

World Historian Student Essay Competition

Deadline: May 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Open to K-12 students. Submit an essay approximately 1,000 words long  that addresses the issue: In what way has the study of world history affected my understanding of the world in which I live? Prize: $500.

Mar-Apr 2023

Polyphony: Volume 19 Reading Period 3

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 2/22)

Open to High School Students Globally 14-18 years old. Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction. “Students may submit for publication in our annual volume, and/or  our annual writing contests.” Submit early during the reading period. Some reading periods may close early if submission cap is reached.

The Wilbur & NISO Smith Foundation

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens January 16, 2023.

(checked Feb 23/23)

Author of Tomorrow Adventure Writing Contest. Open to writers of any nationality writing in Englis.h Category ages: 11 and under; 12-15; 16-21. Word counts vary by age category. Prizes: £100 to £1,000.

The Legacy Project

Deadline: April 14, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Restrictions: Open only to legal residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia (“United States”) and Canada (except Quebec) who are 8-18 years of age. “Listen to a Life” Writing Contest. Up to 300 words interview essay. The contest is open to young people 8-18 years, with a grandparent or grandfriend 50 years or older (cannot be a parent).

CV2 2-Day Poem Contest

Deadline for entries: April 10, 2023. Contest starts: April 21, 2023 (annual).

(checked Feb 24/23)

The Contemporary Verse 2 annual contest challenges you to write an original poem in 48 hours — with only one catch. The final poem must include ten words that we provide. These words are released at midnight CDT on Friday, April 21st, 2023 (when Friday becomes Saturday), leaving you 48 hours to use each of them at least once in an original poetry composition. Prizes include cash, publication, and a copy of the issue containing the winners, not to mention a whole weekend of wordy entertainment. Prizes: $150-$500 plus one year subscription, or subscription only.

#USvsHate

Deadline: April 7, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

All-Media Public Anti-Hate Message Contest. Grade Categories: K12; 7-12 Grade; Higher Education. Individual and Class Group Submissions.

American Foreign Service Association

Deadline: April 4, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Restrictions: Open only to those attending school in U.S. states and territories or U.S. citizens attending school overseas. High School Essay Contest. Grades 9-12. 

Project Yellow Light

Deadline: April 1, 2023

(checked Feb 23/23)

Restrictions: The Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Project Yellow Light is a scholarship competition designed to bring about change.

Grades High School or College. Video, Billboard, Radio PSA on not driving distracted.

Prizes: $8,000 scholarship for video, $2,000 scholarship each category for billboard and radio.

Princeton University

Deadline: March 31, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Lewis Arts Center. Ten-Minute Play Contest. Eligibility for this annual playwriting contest is limited to students in the eleventh grade in the U.S. (or international equivalent of the eleventh grade).

The Caterpillar

Deadline: March 31, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Best Poem for Children Contest. This contest is actually for adults writing for readers ages 7-11(ish). The Prize is open to anyone (over 16), as long as the work is original and previously unpublished.

The Sejong Cultural Society

Deadline: March 31, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Restrictions: This competition is open to all residents of the US and Canada regardless of ethnic background. Essay, Sijo (Poetry). Open to Pre-college and Young Adults. 

Radiant Peace Education Awards

Deadline: Postmark March 23, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Essay, Art, Video, Projects. All students in grades 1-12 — from public and private schools, home schools, youth and after-school groups, and abroad — are welcome to enter the spring 2023 national program of The Radiant Peace Education Awards®! The Radiant Peace Education Awards program gives students an opportunity to express themselves about Radiant Peace in their own lives in essays, art, videos and projects. 

The Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival Competition

Deadline: March 15, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Original Plays or Musicals on any subject. Nationwide contest (USA). Ages 9-19.

West Chester University

Deadline: March 15, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Several contests for undergraduate college/university.

Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program

Deadline: March 12, 2022; opens February 10, 2023.

(checked Jan 31/23)

Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction/Memoir. Online Flexible Dates June 20-August 1. High School and Gap Year Students.

Mixed/Multi-Genre Submission Deadlines Coming Soon

Sharpen your writing pencils. Here are a few markets whose deadlines are looming over us.

Photo by Aryan Dhiman on Unsplash

Warm up the keyboard, these submission deadlines are closing fast – mixed/multi genre markets:

Dec 2023

Arc Poetry Magazine

Deadline: December 31, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Jan 31/23)

Poems, prose (essays, interviews, and articles on poetry), art. Payment: $50 per printed page. “Poets who are living with a disability and/or poets for whom English is not their first language are welcome to reach out to seek assistance with the submission process if necessary.”

Chestnut Review

Deadline: December 31, 2023; opens October 1, 2023. (quarterly).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Restrictions: minimum age to submit is 18. Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Cincinnati Review

Deadline: December 31, 2023, opens December 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal. $30/page for poetry in journal. Submit early in the month. Submissions close when cap is reached.

Haven Speculative

Deadline: December 31, 2023; opens December 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

General submissions. Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

The Ex-Puritan

Deadline: December 25, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, reviews, interviews, essays, and experimental work. “The Ex-Puritan now seeks to publish the best in all forms of writing.” Payment: $100 – $200 (CAD).  

Copper Nickel

Deadline: December 15, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Poetry, fiction, essays, and translation folios. Payment: $30 per printed page + two copies of the issue in which the author’s work appears + a one-year subscription.  Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Southern Indiana Review

Deadline: December 15, 2023, opens September 1, 2023

(checked Oct 22/22)

Fiction, CNF, poetry. Payment: $50-$100 per piece. 

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: December 14, 2023; opens December 1, 2023 (tip jar submissions).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Revolute

Deadline: December 8, 2023, opens September 15, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Payment: $25. 

Contrary

Deadline: December 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. 

Tim Saunders Publications: Sport Anthology

Deadline: December 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Sport.

Nov 2023

Crannóg

Deadline: November 30, 2023; opens November 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Jan 29/23)

Poetry (up to 3 poems under 50 lines each), short stories up to 2,000 words. Payment: €120 per poem and €200 per story, €200 per author interview and €200 per cover image. 

Haven Speculative

Deadline: November 30, 2023; opens November 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

Restrictions: “…explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups.” Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

parABnormal

Deadline: November 30, 2023; opens October 1, 2023 (triannually).

(checked Feb 22/23)

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry on the paranormal. “For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores.” Payment: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints.$6.00 for each poem. $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. 

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: November 30, 2023; opens November 1, 2023 (free submission month).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Apparition Lit

November 28, 2023. Opens November 15, 2023. *Check dates.

(checked Jan 30/23) *check dates!

Speculative fiction 1000-5000 words and poetry on theme of (not yet announced). Payment: $30. Deadline: . Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only. Note: also open monthly 1st – 15th for Flash stories under 1k.

The First Line

Deadline: November 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 – $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 – $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. 

Thema

Deadline: November 1, 2023

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle. “The premise (target theme) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental.” Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Accepts reprints.

Tim Saunders Publications: Easter Anthology

Deadline: November 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Easter.

Tim Saunders Publications: Health Anthology

Deadline: November 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Health.

Haven Speculative

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens October 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

General submissions. Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens October 1, 2023 (tip jar submissions).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Consequence Magazine: The Culture of War

Deadline: October 15, 2023; opens July 15, 2023 (biannually.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and visual art mainly focused on the culture of war. “All submissions need to address in some manner the human consequences and realities of war or geopolitical violence.” Payment: $20 – $60 for prose and poetry, $150 for art. 

Tim Saunders Publications: Money Anthology

Deadline: October 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Money.

VA Press

Deadline: October 1, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Feb 22/23)

Nonprofit “committed to the idea that books have the power to change lives. We print works by authors often overlooked by traditional outlets, authors whose words we believe will inspire and benefit those who read them. We invite you to read the future.” Poetry (24 pages min), prose (10,000 words min), art. Payment: Royalties.  

Sep 2023

Chestnut Review

Deadline: September 30, 2023; opens July 1, 2023. (quarterly).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Restrictions: minimum age to submit is 18. Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Cincinnati Review

Deadline: September 30, 2023, opens September 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal. $30/page for poetry in journal. Submit early in the month. Submissions close when cap is reached.

Event

Deadline: September 30, 2023, opens August 1, 2022 (biannually).

(checked Dec 27/22)

Fiction, poetry, non-fiction and book reviews. Payment: $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. 

Haven Speculative

Deadline: September 30, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

Restrictions: “…explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups.” Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

Nashville Review

Deadline:  September 30, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Dec 1/22)

Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. No fee to submit. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections.

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: September 30, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (free submission month).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

The Ex-Puritan

Deadline: September 25, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, reviews, interviews, essays, and experimental work. “The Ex-Puritan now seeks to publish the best in all forms of writing.” Payment: $100 – $200 (CAD).  

Full House Literary

Deadline: September 22, 2023 (UK time); opens September 1, 2023. Winter issue.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Poetry, prose, art, and hybrid work. General submissions. Payment: Royalties. 

Reckoning

Deadline: September 22, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Creative writing and art about environmental justice. Poetry and prose. Payment: 8 cents a word for prose, $30 a page for poetry, art negotiable, minimum $25 per piece. 

Pyre

Deadline: September 18, 2023; opens August 17, 2023 (biannual).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Horror, sci-fi, the weird, the macabre, fantasy, and magical realism: Flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, videos. Payment: $10. 

Penumbric

Deadline:  September 15, 2023, opens June 15, 2023 (bi-annually).

(checked Dec 1/22)

Speculative fiction and poetry up to 10,000 words, art, animation, and music. Payment: $10.  

Contrary

Deadline: September 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. 

Parabola

Deadline: September 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 23/22)

Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews on theme of Comfort & Joy. Payment: Not specified.  See themes.

Tim Saunders Publications: Fashion Anthology

Deadline: September 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Fashion.

Gwyllion

Deadline: August 31, 2023; opens July 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Speculative fiction up to 10,000 words, poetry up to 30 lines, and book reviews up to 200 words. Payment: £10 per accepted story or poem.

Haven Speculative

Deadline: August 31, 2023; opens August 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

General submissions. Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: August 31, 2023; opens August 1, 2023 (free submission month).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Sundog

Deadline: August 31, 2023; opens July 15, 2023. Submit early to avoid submission fee. 

(checked Oct 1/22)

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. We want writing that attempts to salvage something pure from the collision of warmth and cold, that says what it can about the world it finds itself in. Payment: $25. 

Apparition Lit

August 31, 2023. Opens August 15, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Speculative fiction 1000-5000 words and poetry on theme of Symmetry. Payment: $30. Deadline: . Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only. Note: also open monthly 1st – 15th for Flash stories under 1k.

Variant Lit

Deadline: August 31, 2023; opens August 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry, art. Payment: $10. 

Wandering Aengus Press Book Award

Deadline: August 31, 2023, opens July 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Feb 23/23)

Each year, our editors select up to three winning manuscripts in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. The winners are published as perfect-bound books. Authors receive 50 copies of their book and 10% royalties on net sales.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

Deadline: August 2, 2023; opens August 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Speculative stories, poetry up to 40 lines, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 – 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Accepts reprints.

The First Line

Deadline: August 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 – $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 – $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. 

Tim Saunders Publications: Christmas Anthology

Deadline: August 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Christmas.

https://tsaunderspubs.weebly.com/publishing-schedule.html

Tim Saunders Publications: Nature Anthology

Deadline: August 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Nature.

https://tsaunderspubs.weebly.com/publishing-schedule.html

Jul 2023

Arc Poetry Magazine

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Jan 31/23)

Poems, prose (essays, interviews, and articles on poetry), art. Payment: $50 per printed page. “Poets who are living with a disability and/or poets for whom English is not their first language are welcome to reach out to seek assistance with the submission process if necessary.”

Haven Speculative

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens July 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

Restrictions: “…explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups.” Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

New Myths

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Speculative fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $30 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry; $50 for book reviews; $80 for art. 

parABnormal

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (triannually).

(checked Feb 22/23)

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry on the paranormal. “For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores.” Payment: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints.$6.00 for each poem. $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. 

Reservoir Road Literary Review. 

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens July 1, 2023. Note: Submit early in the month.

(checked Oct 1/22)

Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

Variant Lit

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens July 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $10. 

Able Muse

Deadline: July 15, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (yearly)

(checked Jun 27/22)

Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction books. Payment: Royalties.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

Deadline: July 2, 2023; opens July 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Speculative stories, poetry up to 40 lines, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 – 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Accepts reprints.

Thema

Deadline: July 1, 2023

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Magic of Light and Shadow. “The premise (target theme) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental.” Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Accepts reprints.

Tim Saunders Publications: Transport Anthology

Deadline: July 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Transport.

Bamboo Ridge

Deadline: June 30, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

This is a regular issue open to all works for, by, and about the people and places of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Payment: $50. 

Chestnut Review

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023. (quarterly).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Restrictions: minimum age to submit is 18. Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Haven Speculative

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

General submissions. Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

Small Harbor Publishing

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Hybrid chapbooks 20-50 pages. “We define hybrid as a collection that combines genres or defies classification.  We will consider books that incorporate art.” Payment: Royalties.  Submission fee waived for BIPOC writers only.

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (tip jar submissions).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

The Ex-Puritan

Deadline: June 25, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, reviews, interviews, essays, and experimental work. “The Ex-Puritan now seeks to publish the best in all forms of writing.” Payment: $100 – $200 (CAD).

  

Neon

Deadline: June 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Speculative fiction, poetry, photography, and comics on theme of Childhood. “Neon is a magazine of slipstream fiction, poetry, and artwork. We publish creative work that is fantastic or surreal, and which crosses the boundaries between science-fiction, horror and literary fiction.” Payment: Minimum of £10. 

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

Deadline: June 2, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Speculative stories, poetry up to 40 lines, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 – 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Accepts reprints.

Contrary

Deadline: June 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. 

Eternal Haunted Summer

Deadline: June 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 31/23)

Poetry, short fiction. Theme: Genesis. Payment: $5. 

Parabola

Deadline: June 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 23/22)

Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews on theme of Saints & Sinners. Payment: Not specified.  See themes.

Tim Saunders Publications: Holidays Anthology

Deadline: June 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Holidays.

May 2023

Apparition Lit

May 31, 2023. Opens May 15, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Speculative fiction 1000-5000 words and poetry on theme of Creature. Payment: $30. Deadline: . Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only. Note: also open monthly 1st – 15th for Flash stories under 1k.

Cincinnati Review

Deadline: May 31, 2023, opens May 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal. $30/page for poetry in journal. Submit early in the month. Submissions close when cap is reached.

Crannóg

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Jan 29/23)

Poetry (up to 3 poems under 50 lines each), short stories up to 2,000 words. Payment: €120 per poem and €200 per story, €200 per author interview and €200 per cover image. 

Exile Editions: Through the Portal – Stories from a Hopeful Dystopia

Deadline: May 31, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Eco-fiction stories up to 3500 words or prose poems––literary, magical, speculative, solarpunk, supernatural, slipstream, reimagined folk/fairy tales. “We want eco-fiction that envisions imaginaries and relationships in a new or changing world. How do we walk through the portal to the other side? How will we address or overcome the legacy of the past: the negative actors and social constructs, environmental devastation, racism, exploitation, pathologies?” Payment: CAD0.05/word. 

Farmer-ish

Deadline: May 31, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Special online issue: Farmer-is Kids. Nonfiction, CNF, poetry related to farming (including recipes). Payment: $25.  See themes.

Haven Speculative

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

Restrictions: “…explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups.” Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

Nashville Review

Deadline:  May 31, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Dec 1/22)

Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. No fee to submit. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections.

Quarter Press: Quarter(ly)

Deadline: May 31, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. See themes. Payment: $5. 

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (free submission month).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

the other side of hope

Deadline: May 31, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Fiction and poetry by refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants only. Accepts non-fiction, reviews, and interview submissions by anyone as long as the subject matter sheds light on the refugee and immigrant life. Payment: £100 per published author in the print issue, and £50 per published author in the online issue. 

Variant Lit

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens May 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry, art. Payment: $10. 

The Storyteller Series 

Deadline: May 28, 2023; opens May 21, 2023.

(checked Oct 1/22)

Podcast and print. Fiction, non-fiction, memoir up to 10,000 words. No fan fiction. Payment: $50. Reprints accepted.

Full House Literary

Deadline: May 22, 2023 (UK time); opens May 1, 2023. Summer issue.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Poetry, prose, art, and hybrid work. General submissions. Payment: Royalties. 

Arc Poetry Magazine: Disability Desirability

Deadline: May 15, 2023.

(checked Jan 31/23)

“Crip Lives: Restoring Subjectivity.” Theme of Disability Desirability. “Arc Poetry Magazine invites artists who live with disability/chronic illness/mental illness and other forms of existence that are impacted by ableism to send us poems, prose, essays, and reviews exploring what it means to be in the world, or your topic of choice.” Payment: $50 per page. 

See Submission Guide.

Farmer-ish

Deadline: May 15, 2023 (annual print).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Nonfiction, CNF, poetry related to farming (including recipes). Payment: $25.  See themes.

Kelp Journal

Deadline: May 15, 2023; opens February 15, 2023.

(checked Oct 1/22)

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Oceanic themes. Payment: $35. Kelps  Books is open to submissions on an ongoing basis.

Southern Indiana Review

Deadline: May 15, 2023, opens February 1, 2023

(checked Oct 22/22)

Fiction, CNF, poetry. Payment: $50-$100 per piece. 

Newfound

Deadline: May 14, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Reviews, Poetry, and Visual Arts. Payment: $25. 

Orion’s Beau

Deadline: May 10, 2023.

(checked Jan 31/23)

LGBTQ fantasy on theme of LGBTQ+ Fairytales & Folklore: fiction up to 5,000 words, poetry (up to 5 poems), art. Payment: $3.  Magazine is dedicated to LGBTQ+ fantasy. *Accepts submissions on a rolling basis for quarterly issues.

Tin House

Deadline: May 7, 2023. Opens May 6, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Poetry collections + Short Story collections that focus on Food and/or Place. Payment: Royalties. 

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

Deadline: May 2, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Speculative stories, poetry up to 40 lines, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 – 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Accepts reprints.

The First Line

Deadline: May 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 – $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 – $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. 

Tim Saunders Publications: Farming Anthology

Deadline: May 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Farming.

Foglifter

Deadline: May 1, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 1/22)

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Foglifter is a biannual compendium of  queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. “Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you’re working on now that’s keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it.” Payment: $25. 

Nonbinary Review: Epic Fail

Deadline: May 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry, fiction, essays, and art around the theme of Epic Fail. Payment: 1 cent per word for prose, and a flat fee of $10 for poetry. 

Sundog

Deadline: May 1, 2023; opens March 1, 2023. Submit early to avoid submission fee. 

(checked Oct 1/22)

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. We want writing that attempts to salvage something pure from the collision of warmth and cold, that says what it can about the world it finds itself in. Payment: $25. 

Apr 2023

Haven Speculative

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

General submissions. Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

Hub City Press

Deadline: April 30, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Books of literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, regional nonfiction, nature, and art. “We are seeking new and extraordinary voices from the American South.” Payment: Royalties. 

Plenitude Magazine

Deadline: April 30, 2023 for international writers. Rolling submissions for Canadians.

(checked Feb 26/23)

“Plenitude Magazine aims to promote the growth and development of LGBTTQI literature through an online publication of literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic narrative, book reviews and short film by both emerging and established LGBTTQI writers. We define queer literature and arts as works created by LGBTTQI people, rather than works which feature queer content alone.” Payment: $50 – $100. 

Reservoir Road Literary Review. 

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023. Note: Submit early in the month.

(checked Oct 1/22)

Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (tip jar submissions).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Terrain.org

Deadline: April 30, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Poetry, nonfiction, fiction, artwork, videos, and other contributions on place, climate, and justice. Payment: $50. 

The Threepenny Review

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens January 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Jan 20/23)

Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $400 per story or article, $200 per poem or Table Talk piece.  (Nonreading period: May 1 through December 31.)

Variant Lit

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $10. 

Consequence Magazine: The Culture of War

Deadline: April 15, 2023; opens January 15, 2023 (biannually.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and visual art mainly focused on the culture of war. “All submissions need to address in some manner the human consequences and realities of war or geopolitical violence.” Payment: $20 – $60 for prose and poetry, $150 for art. 

Tim Saunders Publications: Memories Anthology

Deadline: April 15, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Memories.

Mslexia

Deadline: April 10, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction, pitches for interviews. Payment: £25. 

Scum – DEFUNCT

Deadline: April 7, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (Open 1st to 7th every month.

(checked Jan 31/23)

Feminist-friendly work of any variety, but as a general rule your piece should be under 2000 words (50 lines for poetry, max. 3 poems) and able to be classified as “fiction”, “culture”, “memoir”, “column”, “poetry”, and/or “review”. Payment: $60 AUD. 

Arkana: Micro Issue

Deadline: April 2, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry up to 10 lines, flash fiction, short CNF up to 500 words, illustrated narrative up to four panels. “We want work that celebrates its smallness, amplifies the tiniest voices with the most to say, and challenges society’s perceptions of the marginal, modest, and miniscule.” Payment: All entries will be considered for an editor’s choice payment of $50. 

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

Deadline: April 2, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23) *having trouble opening/opening to blank screen.

Speculative stories, poetry up to 40 lines, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 – 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Accepts reprints.

Gordon Square Review

Deadline: April 1, 2023; opens February 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry (one poem), short stories up to 7,500 words, creative nonfiction up to 1,000 words, and hybrid prose works.  “All general submissions from writers in any geographical location are eligible for our competitive editorial mentorships.” Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. 

Ninth Letter

Deadline: April 1, 2023; opens February 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Web edition. Poems, nonfiction, and short fiction. Payment: $25 for poetry, $75 for prose.  See theme.

Salamander

Deadline: April 1, 2023, opens October 1, 2022.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. 

The Woodward Review

Deadline: Apri 1, 2023; opens January 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Poetry, prose, art, and digital media from anyone, anywhere. Payment: $50.  

Tim Saunders Publications: Life Anthology

Deadline: April 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Life.

Toronto Journal

Deadline: April 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Short stories from anywhere in the world. “We will also consider non-fiction pieces about local history (Toronto, GTA, and surrounding).” Payment: $50 CAD per piece. All published writers will also receive two printed copies of the issue in which they appear.  

West Branch

Deadline: April 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. Payment: $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100. 

Witness

Deadline: April 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: $50. Free submissions for Black and Indigenous writers only. May close early.

Mar 2023

Kansas City Voices

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 23/23)

Poetry up to 3 poems, prose up to 5,000 words, and art of all media up to 3 pieces. “There is no type of work we are looking for.” Payment: “Small” 

Chestnut Review

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 2023. (quarterly).

(checked Nov 29/22)

Restrictions: minimum age to submit is 18. Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

FIYAH

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens February 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to people of the African Diaspora. Speculative fiction, art, and poetry about African Diaspora. Length: Short fiction 2,000 – 7,000 words and novelettes up to 15,000 words. Theme: Carnival. Payment: $150 per story. $50 per poem. $300 per novelette. 

Haven Speculative

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens March 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 29/23)

Restrictions: “…explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups.” Speculative fiction up to 6,000 words, poetry any length, nonfiction up to $3,000 words, translations, and art. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction, nonfiction, and translations; $5 – $10 for poetry. 

Long Hauler Publishing

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 31, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Restrictions: anthology by and for Covid long-haulers. Short stories, commentary, letters, essays 800-1500 words, or poems up to 2 pages addressing the lived experience of COVID long-haulers. The goal of the Long COVID anthology is to harness support for American COVID long-haulers while furthering a wider understanding of Long COVID’s ongoing effects. Payment: $50. 

Midnight & Indigo

Deadline: March 31, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Restrictions: Open to black women. Genre: Fiction, personal essays. Payment: $50 for essays, and $50-$75 for fiction. 

Palimpsest Press 

Deadline: March 31, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Full-length poetry, literary fiction, and non-fiction titles that deal with poetics, cultural criticism, and literary biography. Read their submission guidelines here. Payment: Royalties. 

parABnormal

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens February 1, 2023. *Fiction closed until June 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Nonfiction, poetry on the paranormal. “For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores.” Payment: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints.$6.00 for each poem. $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. 

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens March 1, 2023 (free submission month).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 – $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription.  Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

The Fiddlehead

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 20023. -Full. Submissions closed until fall.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. 

The Paris Review. 

Deadline: Opens March 1, 2023, and closes when they reach capacity. 

(checked Feb 22/23)

Prose and poetry. Payment: Not specified. 

Trail to Table

Deadline: March 31, 2023, or until cap reached.

(checked Feb 23/23)

Fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction chapbooks, or full-length works. “Trail to Table seeks to publish literary works that transform our thinking about how we engage with the earth and each other as thoughtful, generous stewards in our actions and interactions.” Payment: Royalties.  Closes when cap is reached, so submit early in the month.

The Ex-Puritan

Deadline: March 25, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, reviews, interviews, essays, and experimental work. “The Ex-Puritan now seeks to publish the best in all forms of writing.” Payment: $100 – $200 (CAD).  

Gutter

Deadline: March 24, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry and prose in Scotland and beyond. Poetry submissions can consist of up to five poems, totaling no more than 120 lines. Prose, up to 3000 words. Payment: £25. 

Westerly

Deadline: March 19, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Restrictions: required to subscribe to magazine. Short stories, poetry, memoir and creative non-fiction, essays and literary criticism. “We expect our contributors to be subscribers of the Magazine. While we will accept submissions from non-subscribers, should your work be accepted for publication in this instance, you will be asked to accept a subscription to the Magazine as part payment for your work.” Payment: Poems: $120 for one poem or $150 for two or more poems; Stories: $180; Articles: $180; Visual art/Intro essay: $120; Reviews: $100; Online Publication: $100. 

Canthius

Deadline: March 15, 2023; opens February 5, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Restrictions: Open to women, trans men, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming writers. Unpublished poetry and prose (both fiction and creative non-fiction – “we welcome experimental works and play excerpts). Please limit prose submissions to 3500 words and poetry submissions to five poems.” Payment: $50 for one page, $75 for two pages, $100 for three, $125 for four pages, and $150 for five pages or more, regardless of genre. 

FU Review: Still

Deadline: March 15, 2023; opens February 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

“Send us your poems, stories, essays, translations, plays, manuscripts, old love letters, journal pages, collage-work, whiteout poetry, text-based art, cutouts, critical pieces —” on theme of Still. Payment: €20. 

Penumbric

Deadline:  March 15, 2023, opens December 15, 2022 (bi-annually).

(checked Dec 1/22)

Speculative fiction and poetry up to 10,000 words, art, animation, and music. Payment: $10.  

White Enso

Deadline: March 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Original, unpublished short fiction, essays, creative non-fiction up to 10,000 words, Japanese-style poetry (haiku, haibun, rengay, waka, etc.) and artwork that encapsulates the Japan experience. Payment: Between 1000 and 1500 yen (US$10-$15).  Accepts reprints.

Hungry Zine

Deadline: March 13, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Foodie erotica/romance writing. Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Payment: $50.  Pitches only.

Tim Saunders Publications: Charity Anthology

Deadline: March 11, 2024

(checked Feb 28/23)

“The horrendous scenes in Turkey and Syria have spurred me on to produce my next charity anthology. I shall be publishing Hope (a response to disaster) and I am looking for a creative response to disaster whether it be art, poetry, short stories or observations. Publication will be in March/April. All proceeds will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee.”

Carte Blanche (Canada)

Deadline: March 10, 2023; opens January 10, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations. comics, photography. Payment: “Modest”. 

Fantasy Magazine

Deadline: March 7, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Fantasy short stories 1500-7500 words, flash fiction up to 1500 words, poetry up to 6 poems. Payment: 8 cents per word; $40 per poem. 

Scum – DEFUNCT

Deadline: March 7, 2023; opens March 1, 2023 (Open 1st to 7th every month.

*Site not working Jan 19th

(checked Jan 31/23)

Feminist-friendly work of any variety, but as a general rule your piece should be under 2000 words (50 lines for poetry, max. 3 poems) and able to be classified as “fiction”, “culture”, “memoir”, “column”, “poetry”, and/or “review”. Payment: $60 AUD. 

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores

Deadline: March 2, 2023; opens March 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Speculative stories, poetry up to 40 lines, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 – 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Accepts reprints.

Alternative Milk

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays and other text based submissions up to 4,000 words. Poems up to three. Art. Payment: Not specified. 

Block Party Press

Deadline: March 1, 2023; opens October 1, 2022.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction chapbook manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. 

Carousel

Deadline: March 1, 2023; opens January 23, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Poetry and fiction. Payment: Poetry: $20 per poem — Fiction: $40–$80 per story — Experimental Reviews: $20–$40 per review.  Note: They only have 200 free submissions per month; if they exceed that number, their free submissions categories will close for the remainder of the month.

Contrary

Deadline: March 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. 

Copper Nickel

Deadline: March 1, 2023; opens January 15, 2023 (annually).

(checked Nov 28/22)

Poetry, fiction, essays, and translation folios. Payment: $30 per printed page + two copies of the issue in which the author’s work appears + a one-year subscription.  Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Cunning Folk

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Non-fiction pitches and short fiction and poetry on theme: The Vampire. Payment: £100 per article, interview or short story and £50 for poetry and rituals. 

Ecotone

Deadline: March 1, 2023; opens January 26, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Prose and poetry. No-fee submissions from current subscribers, via post and Submittable. “We are particularly interested in place-based work by people historically underrepresented in literary publishing and in place-based contexts: writers and artists who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities, gender-nonconforming, LGBTQIA+, women, and others. We welcome the work of emerging writers.” Payment: “Honorarium.” 

Linda Leith Publishing

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Literary fiction and non-fiction titles in English and in translation 25,000 – 80,000 words. Payment: Royalties. 

Iron Horse

Deadline: March 1, 2023 FREE SUBMISSION DAY. Fee free for one day only. 

(checked Feb 22/23)

Poems, stories, essays on any topic. Payment: $50 per poem or flash piece and $100 per story or essay.  

Parabola

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Nov 23/22)

Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews on theme of The Cosmos. Payment: Not specified.  See themes.

Particular Passages

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

Poetry, fiction, art on theme of Autumn. Wants warm, fuzzy, and cozy stories. Payment: Royalties.

Teach. Write

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction, poetry, CNF. “Submissions are open to all, although I prefer writing that is either written by composition teachers and writing students OR about teaching and learning.” Payment: $15. 

The Polyglot

Deadline: March 1, 2023 (biannual).

(checked Feb 22/23)

Multilingual art, poems, essays, stories, artworks, and translations on any theme. Payment: $100 CAD. 

Thema

Deadline: March 1, 2023

(checked Jan 19/23)

Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: Help from a Stranger. “The premise (target theme) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental.” Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Accepts reprints.

Tim Saunders Publications: Family Anthology

Deadline: March 1, 2023

(checked Oct 12/22)

Poems (up to 30 lines) or short story up to 1,000 words on subject of Family.

VA Press

Deadline: March 1, 2023; opens December 1, 2022 (biannually).

(checked Feb 22/23)

Nonprofit “committed to the idea that books have the power to change lives. We print works by authors often overlooked by traditional outlets, authors whose words we believe will inspire and benefit those who read them. We invite you to read the future.” Poetry (24 pages min), prose (10,000 words min), art. Payment: Royalties.  

Looming Submission Deadlines – Crime and Horror

Sharpen your writing pencils. Here are a few markets whose deadlines are looming over us.

Photo by BSD on Unsplash

Darkness is Closing In. These Crime & Horror Submission Deadlines Are Imminent:

CRIME, MYSTERY, TRUE CRIME, & DARK FICTION CRIME MARKETS:

Jump to Horror Markets

Close to the Bone

Deadline: Rolling/Closed – to open again April 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

“…gritty and interesting short fiction across multiple genres from a range of talented writers. We are looking for bank robberies gone bad, double-crossing bastards going at it, serial killers with a heart (maybe literally), redemption and revenge. We like it thoughtful and well written. We publish work that is gritty, graphic and disturbing and stress readers err on the side of caution when reading certain themes.” 500 to 5,000 words. 

Ellery Queen

Deadline: Rolling.

(checked Feb 28/23)

Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine welcomes submissions from both new and established writers. We publish every kind of mystery short story: the psychological suspense tale, the deductive puzzle, the private eye case—the gamut of crime and detection from the realistic (including the policeman’s lot and stories of police procedure) to the more imaginative (including “locked rooms” and “impossible crimes”). We need hard-boiled stories as well as “cozies,” but we are not interested in explicit sex or violence. We do not want true detective or crime stories.

Mystery Magazine

Deadline: rolling

(checked Feb 28/23)

“If your story is accepted, a digital agreement must be signed and payment will be sent by PayPal to the email address you specify below. Your story may appear in our monthly print and digital magazine, on our website, in audio format, in our App, as social media excerpts, and possibly in printed collections of our monthly issues. We require first-publication and archival rights with an exclusivity period of 2 years.”

Noir Nation

Deadline: No set reading periods. Sign up to newsletter to find when they are.

(checked Feb 28/23)

We have no regular reading periods. Much depends on available editorial resources. But if you want updates on the reading period and what we may be needing for a particular issue, please subscribe to our newsletter. 

The newsletter provides subscribers advance notice of open calls and pay and official announcements of Golden Fedora winners and publication releases. Additionally, editors rely on subscribers for ideas and referrals when working on special by-invite-only issues.

Suspense Magazine

Deadline: Rolling – appears to be defunct.

(checked Feb 28/23)

Suspense Publishing only accepts manuscripts in the suspense, thriller, mystery, and horror genres. Up to 5,000 words. 

The Dark City

Deadline: rolling.

(checked Feb 28/23)

The Dark City is dedicated to the love of story, and in particular, the rough and tumble of the world of crime and violence. We are fans of story that has roots in reality but we do consider humorous situations and characters to be part of reality. We hope to acquire stories that leave readers thinking about the characters and their dilemma. 1,000 to 7,500 words. Pays: $25.

2023

Red Dog Press Crime Fiction

Deadline: Closed – looking to reopen “towards the end of January 2023.”

(checked Feb 28/23)

Crime fiction within all sub-genres of crime fiction.

The Raven Short Story Contest

Deadline: October 15, 2023; opens September 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

We Pulp Literature editors collect stories like ravens in the woods, swooping down on what catches our eye and bringing the treasures — sometimes sparkling, sometimes grisly, but always fascinating — home to our nests.  Show us your most scintillating treasures in the form of short fiction 250 to 2500 words in length and you could be the one bringing home $300 to line your nest!

Stone’s Throw

Deadline: September 7, 2023, opens September 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. 

Jane Nightshade’s Serial Encounters

Deadline: August 30, 2023

(checked Feb 28/23) *frequent anthology calls

Hellbound Books. For this anthology, we’re looking for short stories about casual encounters of fictional people with serial killers, that turned creepy or deadly. Stories can be straight crime/thriller stories or ones with a supernatural bent (haunted objects, ghosts, demons, etc.). Up to  5,000 words. Payment: $5.

Stone’s Throw

Deadline: August 7, 2023, opens August 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. 

Stone’s Throw

Deadline: July 7, 2023, opens July 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. 

Stone’s Throw

Deadline: June 7, 2023, opens June 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. 

Black Orchid Novella Award Contest

Deadline: May 21, 2023

(checked Oct 23/22)

AHMM and The Wolfe Pack, the official Nero Wolfe appreciation society, team up each year to sponsor an annual writing contest that seeks to honor an unpublished work of fiction written in the tradition of the Nero Wolfe mystery stories by Rex Stout. Entries must be 15,000 to 20,000 words in length.

Stone’s Throw

Deadline: May 7, 2023, opens May 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. 

Stone’s Throw

Deadline: April 7, 2023, opens April 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. 

Wolfsbane—Best New England Crime Stories

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 2023. 

(checked Jan 30/23)

Restrictions: Open to all writers who currently live in one of the six New England states. Crime stories: mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, historical, and horror. Length: 1,000 and 5,000 words. Payment: $25 per story. 

Stone’s Throw

Deadline: March 7, 2023, opens March 1, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Nov 23/22)

Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. 

HORROR MARKETS:

Oct – Dec 2023

Eerie River

Deadline: December 31, 2023; opens December 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Four book anthology series: horror inspired by Tarot. Book 4 theme of Wands. 1500 – 7000 firm. Payment: ¢1 per word CAD. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: December 9, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of The End. Payment: 15 GBT. See monthly themes.

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: November 11, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Infestation. Payment: 15 GBT.

Last Girls Club

Deadline: November 1, 2023; opens October 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Feminist horror: short stories and poems – see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. 

Dark Recesses Press

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens August 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 31/23)

Quarterly print magazine. Winter issue. Horror/dark fiction pieces between 500-5000 words. Payment: 5 cents/word.

Otoroshi Journal

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens October 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horrorku, horror tanka, and horror haibun, art. Payment: Poetry, $1. Art, $10. 

Dose of Dread

Deadline: October 15, 2023; opens October 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Horror flash fiction 500 – 1,000 words. Payment: 2c/word. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: October 14, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Crime II. Payment: 15 GBT.

Jul – Sep 2023

Eerie River

Deadline: September 30, 2023; opens September 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Four book anthology series: horror inspired by Tarot. Book 3 theme of Blades/Swords. 1500 – 7000 firm. Payment: ¢1 per word CAD.

So, I Married a Narcissist

Deadline: September 30, 2023

(checked Feb 28/23) *frequent anthology calls

Hellbound Books. “It’s a golden opportunity to tell your tales of terror and woe at the hands of that most heinous of monsters, a narcissist – not necessarily a spouse – and deliver the most delicious revenge in the form of the written word. Of course, names and some details may be changed to protect the innocent (and avoid lawsuits!), but we ask that you tell your true story – it’s the ultimate catharsis, and will hopefully serve as a cautionary tale to others.” 2,500-6,000 words. Payment: $10.

Weird Horror Magazine

Deadline: September 30, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (biannually).

Restrictions: no stories written, co-written, created, or assisted by AI. Horror and weird fiction 500 to 6,000 words. No extreme horror. Payment: 1.5 cents/word. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: September 16, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Fame. Payment: 15 GBT.

The Wicked Bestiary: An Anthology of Monstrous Folktales

Deadline: September 1, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

“Short stories (5,000 – 8,000 words) that include creatures from legend, world myth, and folk tales. Give us your horrifying tales of El Chupacabra, bring to life vodianoi or the Jorogumo, bring us unique tales from diverse voices often unheard.” Payment: $40 + author copy. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: August 19, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Masks II. Payment: 15 GBT.

Last Girls Club

Deadline: August 1, 2023; opens July 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Feminist horror: short stories and poems – see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. 

Madame Gray’s Graveyard Of Blood

Deadline: August 1, 2023

(checked Feb 28/23) *frequent anthology calls

Hellbound Books. Graveyard themed horror 2,500-8,000 words.. Open to all subgenres of horror, as long as the story takes place in, or is connected in some way to a cemetery. The more ghoulish, the better! The scarier, the merrier! And a bit of gallows humor is always welcome, but not required. No reprints. Payment: $5.00.

Dark Recesses Press

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens May 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 31/23)

Quarterly print magazine. Winter issue. Horror/dark fiction pieces between 500-5000 words. Payment: 5 cents/word.

Otoroshi Journal

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens July 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horrorku, horror tanka, and horror haibun, art. Payment: Poetry, $1. Art, $10. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: July 22, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Rituals. Payment: 15 GBT.

Dose of Dread

Deadline: July 15, 2023; opens July 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Horror flash fiction 500 – 1,000 words. Payment: 2c/word. 

Diet Milk: Gothic

Deadline: July 8, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Gothic fiction, poetry, and art (drawings, paintings, comics, collages). Give us withering romance, creatures that lurk and lure, families to be feared and houses that haunt; give us isolation and creeping, oppressive unwellness. Quietly thrill, terrify, and leave us wanting more. Payment: $0.01/word for fiction (minimum $40); $15/poem; $50/art piece. 

Cosmic Horror Monthly

Deadline: July 7, 2023; opens July 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Dec 18/22)

Cosmic Horror, Lovecraftian, Weird stories, fiction and nonfiction, art. 1,000 to 6,000 words (3,000-5,000 preferred). Payment: 6 cents/word. $50 for artwork chosen as interior content. $200 for cover art. Negotiable. 

Apr – Jun 2023

Dragon Soul Press: Beautiful Darkness 2 (BD2) (R)

Deadline: June 30, 2023

(checked Dec 1/22)

Theme: In a world where so many dark things go bump in the night, terror awaits around every corner as these authors take horror stories to the next level. This series replaces All Dark Places 3,000-15,000 words. Payment:  Royalties. 

Eerie River

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Four book anthology series: horror inspired by Tarot. Book 2 theme of Pentacles. 1500 – 7000 firm. Payment: ¢1 per word CAD. 

Happy Hellidays!

Deadline: June 30, 2023

(checked Feb 28/23) *frequent anthology calls

Hellbound Books. We want your stories of of holidays (any holiday at all!) filled with terror and dread, blood and guts, ghosts, and demons most foul. 4,000-10,000 words. Payment: $5.

They Hunt By Night

Deadline: June 30, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Horror stories 6,000-9,000 words set in the real world, before 1950. “Vampires and werewolves. Ghouls and gargoyles. History is filled with legends of those who walk among us, living seemingly innocent lives by day, only to transform into fearsome creatures as the daylight fades and the shadows deepen.” Payment: Royalties. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: June 24, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Artificial Intelligence II. Payment: 15 GBT.

Touchpoint Press: Nightmares of Strangers Anthology

Deadline: May 31, 2023; opens November 1, 2022. 

(checked Oct 23/22)

Horror. “We’re looking for stories that send a chill down your spine and send your imagination into overdrive, that keep you up at night and leave you shaking.” Payment: $100 on publication ($50 for reprints). Reprints accepted. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: May 27, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Mazes. Payment: 15 GBT.

The Horror Zine: Book of Monster Stories

Deadline: May 15, 2023; opens February 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Monster stories 2,000-5,000 words. “We are looking for monsters, creatures, beasts, mutants, monstrosities, frightening oddities, malformations, altered insects or animals, mythical creatures, monsters from space or from bodies of water, or something we can’t even imagine but you can.” Payment: $20. 

Last Girls Club

Deadline: May 1, 2023; opens April 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Feminist horror: short stories and poems – see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. 

Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers, Vol 8

Deadline: May 1, 2023

(checked Feb 28/23) *frequent anthology calls

Hellbound Books. The stories must be written and submitted by Texas authors and must be set (based) here – hence the title. 1,500-10,000 words. Payment: $30 to $200 based on work count.

The Horrorzine’s Book of Monsters

Deadline: open until full; opens February 1, 2023

(checked Feb 28/23) *frequent anthology calls

Hellbound Books. All stories must be original: never before published anywhere. Word count is between 1.9K and 5K words. Payment will be $20 per accepted story. Of course, the theme is monsters.

Crimes of Hate

Deadline: open until full; opens not listed.

(checked Feb 28/23) *frequent anthology calls

Hellbound Books. Up to 5,000 words. “What the title refers to is crimes of passion, the most primitive, powerful sort of passion found within the human consciousness. This type of hate, whether it’s a slow burn before action, or an entirely spontaneous explosion of violence, is what I would like to read about. The psychology of the criminal is as important or perhaps more important than the specifics of the crime in these stories. Murder is generally held to be the most extreme crime in our culture but maybe it’s not. I’m willing to be convinced otherwise.” Payment: $25 or $50.

Dark Recesses Press

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens February 1, 2023 (quarterly)

(checked Jan 31/23)

Quarterly print magazine. Winter issue. Horror/dark fiction pieces between 500-5000 words. Payment: 5 cents/word.

Strange Aeon

Deadline: April 30, 2023, or until filled.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Stories in a cosmic horror/Lovecraftian vein. 5,000-10,000 words preferred. Payment: $20 – $35.  See theme,

Otoroshi Journal

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horrorku, horror tanka, and horror haibun, art. Payment: Poetry, $1. Art, $10. 

The Haunted Zone: A Horror Anthology Written by Women Military Veterans

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens March 16, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Short Stories: 2,000 to 4,000 words. Poems: 60 lines or less. Payment: $0.03 per word minimum (dependent on kickstarter).

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: April 29, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Cryptids. Payment: 15 GBT.

The Devil Take You: Tales of Medieval Horror

Deadline: April 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Weird (see definition on site) tales 3,000-6,000 words set in the medieval period that explore the human (and inhuman) experience through the lens of horror. Payment: $125 – $200. 

Splatter Ink Publishing: No Lives Left

Deadline: April 1, 2023; opens December 1, 2022.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Video game horror 5,000-7,500 words. “What we want to see are stories related to gaming experiences.” Length: Up to 7,500 words. Payment: $30. 

Dose of Dread

Deadline: April 15, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (quarterly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Horror flash fiction 500 – 1,000 words. Payment: 2c/word. 

The Other Stories (Audio/Podcast)

Deadline: April 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror 2,000 words (10% tolerance +/-) on theme of Dark Magic. Payment: 15 GBT.

Violent Delights & Midsummer Dreams: An Anthology of Shakespeare Retellings

Deadline: April 1, 2023; opens February 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Dark/Gothic Shakespeare retellings (5,000 – 8,000 words) “We want stories that bring fresh new perspectives on the classic stories, bonus points for providing a Gothic twist. Give us Romeo & Juliet with Zombies or the real story of the Wayward Sisters. Deconstruct tropes and bring unique voices to life.” Payment: US: $40 + author copy/non-US: $45 + ebook author copy). 

Mar 2023

Campfire Stories Anthologies

Deadline: March 31st, 2023

(checked Feb 27/23)

2,000-5,000 words. “We want the stories you’d whisper in the dark. The kind that linger and leave readers with more questions than they answer. We want a little bit of campiness and a whole lot of speculation on the world around us.” Payment: $40 USD.

Eerie River

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Four book anthology series: horror inspired by Tarot. Book 1 theme of Chalice. 1500 – 7000 firm. Payment: ¢1 per word CAD. 

Mother Knows Best (a Women in Horror Anthology)

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Horror about bad mothers. 1000-5000 words. Payment: 6 cents per word.  MOTHER KNOWS BEST is a women-in-horror anthology. All writers who identify as women (cis, trans, and non-binary femmes) are welcome to submit. International submissions always welcomed!

Snafu—Punk’d

Deadline: March 31, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Military horror/specific within conflict in a past, present, or future filled with the aspects that make your story a ‘punk’ sub-genre tale. Payment: 5 cents AUD per word. 

Weird Horror Magazine

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens March 1, 2023 (biannually).

Restrictions: no stories written, co-written, created, or assisted by AI. Horror and weird fiction 500 to 6,000 words. No extreme horror. Payment: 1.5 cents/word. 

The Midnight Zone

Deadline: March 30, 2023; opens February 2, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Weird, dark, speculative stories 1,000-5,000 words (3,000 preferred). “To qualify, your story must feature, meaningfully, a never-before-seen monster (however you define the word) and must contain a speculative element.” Payment: 3 cents/word.  

No Trouble at All

Deadline: March 15, 2023; opens March 1, 2023. (Deadline will be extended one week for BIPOC writers.)

(checked Feb 26/23)

Polite horror 2,000-4,500 words: horror disguised through polite faces/manners, horror allowed to exist when politeness comes at the cost of self-preservation, and any other interpretation of the theme. Payment: 5 cents/word.

 

Cemetery Gates

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Horror novels and novellas. Payment: Novel: $500-2,000 advance, 60% royalties to author. Novella: $500-1,000 advance, 60% royalties to author.  

Nonfiction Submission Deadlines Coming Soon

Sharpen your writing pencils. Here are a few markets whose deadlines are looming over us.

Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash

Dust the writing cogs, these submission deadlines are coming up – nonfiction markets:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Cat Stories

Deadline: December 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

True stories and poems. “Our cats enrich our lives so much and in so many ways. What would we do without them? We are looking for first-person true stories and poems up to 1200 words that highlight the unique personalities that cats have. Celebrate your cat, or a cat you know, with a wonderful story about what he or she does.” Payment: $250. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dog Stories

Deadline: December 15, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

True stories and poems. “Our dogs enrich our lives so much and in so many ways. What would we do without them? We are looking for first-person true stories and poems up to 1200 words that highlight the unique personalities that dogs have. Celebrate your dog, or a dog you know, with a wonderful story about what he or she does. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both.” Payment: $250. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Make Me Laugh!

Deadline: November 20, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

True stories and poems. “We are looking for stories about something that happened to you in your life – in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Did you mean for it to be funny?” Payment: $250. 

How2Conquer

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens September 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Nonfiction books 40,000-70,000 words. Payment: Royalties. 

 

The Rumpus

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens September 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Essays. Payment: $300 divided among all contributors.

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: October 10, 2023; opens September 15, 2023 (approx dates, monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on monthly theme. Payment: $50. 

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: September 10, 2023; opens August 15, 2023 (approx dates, monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on monthly theme. Payment: $50. 

Tin House

Deadline: September 3, 2023. Opens September 2, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Nonfiction Nature Writing (including Memoirs, Essay collections, and Graphic nonfiction). Payment: Royalties. 

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: August 10, 2023; opens July 15, 2023 (approx dates, monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on monthly theme. Payment: $50. 

The Rumpus

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 27/22)

Essays. Payment: $300 divided among all contributors.

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: July 10, 2023; opens June 15, 2023 (approx dates, monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on monthly theme. Payment: $50. 

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: June 10, 2023; opens May 15, 2023 (approx dates, monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on monthly theme. Payment: $50. 

The Fiddlehead’s Creative Nonfiction Contest

Deadline: June 1, 2023; opens March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 24/23)

Creative nonfiction up to 6,000 words. Entry fee cost depends where you are from. Winner and 10-15 shortlisted entries will appear on The Fiddlehead website. Prize: $2,000 CAD for best creative nonfiction essay.

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: May 10, 2023; opens April 15, 2023 (approx dates, monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on monthly theme. Payment: $50. 

Sixth Annual Pottersfield Prize for Creative Nonfiction

Deadline: April 30, 2023.

(checked Feb 28/23)

Manuscript of 30,000 to 150,000 words in any of the following categories: history, memoir, autobiography, biography, literary journalism, political or social commentary, travel writing or virtually any existing or new category that uses the nonfiction medium to tell a story or put forward an idea. First prize: publication with $1000 advance and 10% royalties. 2nd prize: publication with $800 advance and 10% royalties.

Brick

Deadline: April 30, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Essays, reviews, interviews, belle lettres, memoir, translations, and all manner of incidental literary ephemera. Payment: $55–660, depending on the length of accepted work, plus two copies of the issue the work appears in and a one-year subscription to the magazine. 

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: April 10, 2023; opens March 15, 2023 (approx dates, monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on monthly theme. Payment: $50. 

Every Animal Project

Deadline: March 31, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Nonfiction. “True stories must relate to non-human animals (of any species) and can be about your personal experiences/growth because of an animal, an issue threatening animals today, or other aspects of the human/non-human animal relationship. For the upcoming anthology, please weave the theme of courage/bravery into your story. ” Payment: One writer will get an award of $300, another will be awarded $200, and other writers whose work is chosen for the print anthology get $50; writers whose work features online get $20.  

How2Conquer

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens February 1, 2023 (biannually).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Nonfiction books 40,000-70,000 words. Payment: Royalties.  

The Hudson Review

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens January 1, 2023 (Nonfiction only)

(checked Jan 19/23)

Publishes fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews; criticism of literature, art, theatre, dance, film, and music; and articles on contemporary cultural developments. Payment: Not specified. 

Iron Horse

Deadline: March 15, 2023. 

(checked Feb 22/23)

Memoirs, personal essays, cultural criticism with a personal angle, or immersion nonfiction on any topic. Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $100 per essay.  

Bright Wall/Dark Room

Deadline: March 10, 2023; opens February 15, 2023 (monthly).

(checked Feb 26/23)

Essay on theme: Siblings. “They bring out the best and the worst in us; we love them; we hate them; what would we do without them? For our April issue, we’re looking at Siblings in film.” Payment: $50. 

Poetry Submission Deadlines On The Horizon

Sharpen your writing pencils. Here are a few markets whose deadlines are looming over us.

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

Time to wax poetic. These Poetry Submission Deadlines Are Coming Upon Us:

2023

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review.

Deadline: November 15, 2023; opens November 1, 2023

(checked Oct 1/22)

Poetry and art on theme of form poetry. Payment: $7 per poem, $12 for cover art and $7 for inside art.  Theme TBA.

bath magg

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens October 1, 2023 (triannual).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Poetry up to three poems. Payment: £20.

Harbor Review

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens August 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry, art. Payment: $10.

Nine Arches

Deadline: October 31, 2023; opens October 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties.

Black Ocean

Deadline: October 27, 2023; opens October 13, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

Full-length poetry manuscripts by BIPOC writers only. Payment: Royalties? 

Diana Brebner Prize

Deadline: September 4, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Restrictions: Open to authors who have had their principal home and actual residence in the National Capital Region for at least 6 months immediately prior to the date of submission, and who have not yet pub­lished their poetry in book form. Prize: $500.

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review.

Deadline: August 15, 2023; opens August 1, 2023

(checked Oct 1/22)

Poetry and art on theme of form poetry. Payment: $7 per poem, $12 for cover art and $7 for inside art.  Theme TBA.

Arc Poetry Magazine

Deadline: July 31, 2023; opens April 1, 2023.

(checked Oct 1/22)

Poetry up to 3 poems / 360 lines. Payment: $50 per page.

Black Ocean

Deadline: July 28, 2023; opens July 14, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

Full-length poetry manuscripts in translation. Payment: Royalties? 

BOA Editions — Blessing the Boats Selections

Deadline: July 14, 2023; opens June 1, 2023.

(checked Dec 18/22)

Book of poetry by Women of Color. Payment: $5,000 + Publication.

bath magg

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens June 1, 2023 (triannual).

(checked Jan 19/23)

Poetry up to three poems. Payment: £20.

The Hudson Review

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023 (Poetry  only)

(checked Oct 1/22)

Publishes fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews; criticism of literature, art, theatre, dance, film, and music; and articles on contemporary cultural developments. Payment: Not specified.

Unicorn Press

Deadline: June 30, 2023; opens May 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 27/23)

Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties.

MAR-MAY 2023

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box

Deadline: May 25, 2023. This is a monthly call.

(checked Sep 29/22)

Submit 1-3 poems of no more than 15 lines (including blanks) in any style and theme. “Poetry Box – A Physical Poetry Card Sent Out With Tea And Chocolate To Subscribers. Rolling Deadline: Submit By The 25th Of Each Month.” Payment $40 CAD.

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review.

Deadline: May 15, 2023; opens May 1, 2023

(checked Oct 1/22)

Poetry and art on theme of form poetry. Payment: $7 per poem, $12 for cover art and $7 for inside art.  Theme TBA.

Harbor Review

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens February 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry, art. Theme of Merge / Divide. Payment: $10.

Nine Arches

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens April 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties.

Soul Ink: Volume 1

Deadline: April 30, 2023.

(checked Oct 23/22)

Poetry. 1,000 word count minimum (not line count).

The Jewish Women’s Prize (Harbor Review)

Deadline: April 30, 2023; opens February 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Restrictions: Open to any person who identifies as a woman (includes all women, including transgender and all female-identifying individuals) and Jewish. Poems or prose poems. Theme of Merge / Divide. Payment: $10.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box

Deadline: April 25, 2023. This is a monthly call.

(checked Sep 29/22)

Submit 1-3 poems of no more than 15 lines (including blanks) in any style and theme. “Poetry Box – A Physical Poetry Card Sent Out With Tea And Chocolate To Subscribers. Rolling Deadline: Submit By The 25th Of Each Month.” Payment $40 CAD.

Our Stories Redefined Anthology

Deadline: April 15, 2023; opens February 15, 2023.

*Mystery Publishers is an author services provider in Kenya.

(checked Feb 28/23)

Poetry up to 45 lines on theme of Strange Water. Submitted works should appreciate the futuristic Africa, our myths and beliefs, magical realms, and fantastical creatures. Payment $5 USD (Ksh.500).

CV2 2-Day Poem Contest

Deadline for entries: April 10, 2023. Contest starts: April 21, 2023 (annual).

(checked Feb 24/23)

The Contemporary Verse 2 annual contest challenges you to write an original poem in 48 hours — with only one catch. The final poem must include ten words that we provide. These words are released at midnight CDT on Friday, April 21st, 2023 (when Friday becomes Saturday), leaving you 48 hours to use each of them at least once in an original poetry composition. Prizes include cash, publication, and a copy of the issue containing the winners, not to mention a whole weekend of wordy entertainment. Prizes: $150-$500 plus one year subscription, or subscription only.

Poetry Wales

Deadline: April 1, 2023; opens March 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry, reviews, articles. See theme. Payment: Poems £20/page. Reviews £67.50/1500-word review. Articles £200/3000 word, or in that proportion, depending on number of published words.

Archibald Lampman Award

Deadline: April 1, 2023

(checked Jan 31/23)

Collections published in 2022. Eligible entries are English-language books of poetry published by a recognized publisher. Eligible books must be no less than 48 pages in length. Prize: $1500.

Glass Poetry Press

Deadline: March 31, 2023; opens March 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Feb 23/23)

Poetry chapbooks 15 to 25 pages. “We are interested in poetry that enacts the artistic and creative precision of glass. We are not bound by any specific aesthetic; our only mission is to publish collections of high quality writing. All styles, forms and schools of poetry are welcome, though easy rhymes and “light” verse are less likely to inspire us.” Payment: Royalties.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box

Deadline: March 25, 2023. This is a monthly call.

(checked Sep 29/22)

Submit 1-3 poems of no more than 15 lines (including blanks) in any style and theme. “Poetry Box – A Physical Poetry Card Sent Out With Tea And Chocolate To Subscribers. Rolling Deadline: Submit By The 25th Of Each Month.” Payment $40 CAD.

Black Ocean

Deadline: March 24, 2023; opens March 3, 2023.

(checked Dec 1/22)

Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties? 

Eye to the Telescope

Deadline: March 15, 2023.

(checked Jan 19/23)

Speculative poetry. Payment: $0.04/word, up to $25.  See theme.

Iron Horse

Deadline: March 15, 2023; opens February 1, 2023. Free submission day Mar 1st.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Chapbook contest: Poetry chapbook 28 to 36 manuscript pages. Payment: winner receives $1,000 and 15 copies of their chapbook.

Iron Horse

Deadline: March 15, 2023; opens February 1, 2023. Free submission day Mar 1st.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Open issue: Poetry, no length requirements. Up to five poems. Payment: $50 per poem. 

Farmer-ish

Deadline: March 14, 2023.

(checked Feb 26/23)

Poems for the Winter Solstice Poetry Contest. Payment: $25.

Cordite

Deadline: March 5, 2023.

(checked Jan 30/23)

Poetry. Payment: Not specified. Payment is available for Australian contributors only.

Middle West Press

Deadline: March 4, 2023, or when 25 submissions are received.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Poetry manuscripts of 50 to 100 poems. “We are particularly seeking manuscripts that intersect in some way with military experience or service. Our projects are often inspired by the people, places, and history of the American Midwest.” Payment: $100 advance and royalties. 

Inside the Castle

Deadline: March 1, 2023; opens January 1, 2023 (annually).

(checked Feb 22/23)

 Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties.

Maza Arts Collective Anthology

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

(checked Feb 22/23)

Restrictions: Open to South Asian people “currently living and residing in so called “Canada.” (Turtle Island)”. Genre: Poem. Payment: $250 CAD per selected poem.

Writing Prompt: Grandma’s Kitchen

What sinister story or poem does this antiquated kitchen inspire?

Writing Prompt: Grandma’s Kitchen

It might be your grandmother’s kitchen, or someone else’s. You may not even know who they are.

What story or poem does this picture inspire? Write what you feel.

Write what you feel.

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Writing Prompt: Check-Mate

What sinister story or poem does this delightfully somber picture inspire?

Write what you feel.