Also see this list, and this one for fiction markets paying $150 and up.
Author Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She is the author of 182 Short Fiction Publishers. She can be reached here.
Stories should be in a dark, medieval fantasy/science fiction setting. They want morally ambiguous decisions, grey characters, and grit. They also accept reprints of stories that aren’t available for free online currently.
Deadline: 14 November 2019
Word count: Up to 4,000 words; reprints up to 10,000 words
Pay: AUD0.07/word
Details here.
This is a literary journal produced by the MFA Program of McNeese State University. They welcome submissions of fiction and poetry, and the deadline is approaching quickly for submissions to their annual print edition. They also accept work for their online magazine, but this is unpaid.
Deadline: 15 November 2019
Length: Up to 1,000 words for flash fiction (send up to three pieces); up to 6,000 words for fiction; up to three poems
Pay: $50 for work in the print magazine
Details here.
This is a voice-driven literary journal with a pop culture twist. They publish online monthly and in print annually. They accept flash fiction, short stories, memoir, and poetry. November is one of the months when they accept fee-free submissions – sometimes the fee-free options are closed earlier than scheduled due to overwhelming response.
Deadline: 30 November 2019 (for fee-free submissions)
Length: Up to 2,500 words for fiction, up to 2,000 words for memoir, one poem
Pay: $50 for web contributions, $5/page for print
Details here.
This anthology will publish new mysteries with classic reprints from yesteryear. Their guidelines say, “You’ll need an engaging and memorable protagonist who can hold his or her own against Sherlock Holmes and Auguste Dupin. Above all, we want a clever puzzle the reader can try to solve. … The mystery could be a crime, but it could also be a historical or archaeological investigation, a treasure hunt, getting to the bottom of a local legend…” Think Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, Jonathan Creek, even Nancy Drew or Scooby Doo. Black Beacon Books is based in France but publishes in English. They accept submissions in both English and French. Any French submissions accepted will be translated into English for publication. They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 30 November 2019
Length: 2,500-7,000 words for short fiction; up to 25,000 words for novellas
Pay: £0.01/word for short fiction; £100 for novellas
Details here.
They are reading fiction for these three themes: Sensory Perceptions (erotic speculative fiction where erotica and romance enhance the story rather than being the main goal), Whigmaleeries & Wives’ Tales (about superstitions), and Sunshine Superhighway (Solarpunk, futuristic fantasy, cyberpunk with a hopeful outlook). Read the guidelines carefully – they ask writers to send a short query rather than the work itself, and say they have long lead times. They also have a list of tropes they do not want stories on.
Deadline: Various
Length: From flash length to 20,000 words
Pay: $5 per 1,000 words
Details here and here.
This anthology is open for authors and poets from the African continent and the African Diaspora. According to their guidelines, they seek “speculative fiction that grapples with the question: “What is the legacy and the future of Africa and the African Diaspora?” We want authors and poets from the African continent and the African Diaspora. More specifically, we want horror, science fiction, fantasy, and alternate history in the following sub-genres: Horror Noire, Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, Sword and Soul, Rococoa, Steamfunk, and Dieselfunk.” They also accept reprints of both prose and poetry, translations, and multiple submissions (see guidelines).
Deadline: 31 December 2019
Length: 1,000-17,500 words for fiction
Pay: $0.08USD per word for the first 1,000 words, and $0.01USD above 1,000 words
Details here.
This is a folk horror anthology. Their guidelines say, “Folk Horror continues to stalk sunlit fields and shadowed groves with its grafting of the mundane and the sublime. The pervasive themes of isolation, paranoia, depravity, loss of individuality, and rustic madness captivate and terrify audiences.
Nosetouch Press is pleased to conjure up FIENDS IN THE FURROWS II: More Tales of Folk Horror, a call for submissions for Folk Horror from around the world—from Britain and Ireland, to continental Europe, to North and South America, Africa, and Asia.
We encourage writers to continue to explore the wilderness of Folk Horror, while honoring the elemental essence of this subgenre’s tangled, grasping roots.”
Deadline: 7 January 2020
Length: 4,000-8,000 words
Pay: $0.04/word
Details here.
This is a romantic ghost story themed fiction anthology. Their guidelines say, “The end of October marks the final shift into darkness, also known as the liminal time of Samhain. During this period of time, the veil between our physical world and the spiritual world comes down, allowing more communication with the citizens of the Otherworld than at any other time of the year.
Originally, Samhain marked the beginning of Winter in Gaelic Ireland. It was believed that the Lord of the Underworld walked the earth during Samhain, along with all his cohorts: ghosts, spirits, fairies, and many other creatures. How can you use this pagan holiday in your character’s lives?” They love diversity, strong women with agency, and feminist fiction. They enjoy historical, contemporary, thrillers, YA, and even futuristic tales. Stories do not have to be set in a completely fantastical world. They love seeing the fantastical theme blended with the real world. They definitely want a good romance, so stories should have a Happily Ever After or a Happy for Now ending. No erotica or horror. They welcome translations. They can receive only 50 submissions a month via Submittable.
Deadline: 1 February 2020 (extended)
Length: 7,000-15,000 words
Pay: $75
Details here.
They want creative writing in all genres, including fiction, and art. They are not charging a reading fee this year. This online magazine is looking for work that “challenges, experiments, provokes – work that pushes literary and artistic forms and conventions.”
Deadline: Open now
Length: No length restrictions for fiction
Pay: $20-60
Details here.
This magazine pays for flash fiction. See detailed guidelines under ‘Info to Help Increase Your Chances of Publication’. Also see their essay/blog and book reviews guidelines, and Global Flash Series (currently open for Filipino, French, and German). They have a category for submissions by writers under 12 years, as well.
Deadline: Open now
Length: Up to 1,000 words
Pay: $50 for fiction
Details here and here.
