By S. Kalekar
These fiction magazines pay up to approximately $600 for fiction. A few also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry.
Abyss & Apex
This magazine is open for speculative fiction only for this reading period. They want work “with special attention to character-driven stories that examine the depths and heights of emotion and motivation from a broad variety of cultural and social perspectives. A&A wants to publish powerful stories that resonate in our minds and hearts long after a first reading, stories that make us want to read them again and again. We look for the unique: stories that stand out in a genre that pushes the envelope of unusual. We take special delight in detailed world-building: we like slipstream, YA, hypertext fiction, dark fantasy, science fiction puzzle stories, magical realism, hard science fiction, soft science fiction, science fantasy, urban fantasy, military science fiction, ghost stories, space opera, cyberpunk, steampunk . . . there is very little we will not look at, although we have a severe allergy to zombies, elves, retold fairy tales, sports, westerns, werewolves, vampires, and gratuitous sex and violence. We also are not interested in severely political stories, whether slanted left or right.”
Deadline: 7 February 2025
Length: Up to 10,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word for the first 1,000 words, flat rate of $80 for longer stories.
Details here.
(And, Worlds of Possibility has issued its last submission call for speculative fiction, poetry, and art. “Worlds of Possibility is a bimonthly ebook magazine of uplifting science fiction and fantasy. Issues started in August of 2022 and will end in June of 2025 for a total of a three year run of issues. For this project, I am especially excited for works that leave the reader feeling hopeful, peaceful, or happy.” They pay $0.10/word for stories up to 5,000 words, and $50 for poetry. The deadline is 17 February 2025. Details here.)
SmokeLong Quarterly
They publish flash narratives – fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid (between fiction and nonfiction).
“The SmokeLong aesthetic remains an ever-changing set of principles, but it most likely has to do with these kinds of things:
* language that surprises and excites,
* narratives that strive toward something other than a final punch line or twist,
* pieces that add up to something, often (but not necessarily always) meaning or emotional resonance,
* honest work that feels as if it has far more purpose than a writer wanting to write a clever story.”
Do not send poetry. They also accept reviews of flash collections, essays on craft, and articles on teaching flash for their blog, though there’s no payment for these.
Deadline: 15 February 2025
Length: Up to 1,000 words
Pay: $100/$150 with audio
Details here and here.
The Tributary
They only accept fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry from undergraduate writers in the US. “You do not have to be a creative writing, English, or fine arts major to submit! We are open to all U. S. candidates, and we especially encourage and welcome submissions from diverse voices and under-represented populations, including, but not limited to, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, those with disabilities, and nontraditional students. We welcome all genres, including literary fiction, speculative fiction (science fiction and fantasy), romance, etc.” They also accept reprints. The Tributary a student-run journal affiliated with Lycoming College; you can read about them here.
Deadline: 15 February 2025
Length: 1,000-5,000 words for prose, 3-5 poems
Pay: $0.08/word for prose, $100 for poetry (see guidelines)
Details here.
Fission #5 Anthology
This is a science fiction anthology published by the British Science Fiction Association. Genre-bending works are welcome. You do not need to be a BSFA member to submit. They will soon open for submissions.
Reading period: 13 February – 26 February 2025 (see guidelines)
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: £0.02/word
Details here.
Southword
This is the magazine of the Munster Literature Centre, and they are accepting fiction for their Winter issue during the February reading period. There is a submission cap, and submissions may close earlier than the deadline. Do not send poetry during this reading period.
Deadline: 28 February 2025, or until filled
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: €300 per short story
Details here and here.
The Paris Review
They opened for fiction and nonfiction submissions on 1st February 2025, and will accept submissions via Submittable until they hit their submission cap (which is early on during their reading periods). They will continue to accept postal submissions of prose until end-February (postmarked). They have listed their reading periods for prose and poetry on their website.
Deadline: See above
Length: Unspecified
Pay: Unspecified
Details here and here.
Pulp Literature
They’re open for fiction submissions by BIPOC writers only through February; their period for general submissions (from all writers) will be March. They want any genre or between-genre work of literature up to 50 pages in length. They accept short stories, novellas, poetry, and comics. They take all genres of fiction, not just pulp – including fantasy, romance, mystery, literary. They do not publish non-fiction, memoir, or children’s stories. They take more short fiction than novellas, and stories under 5,000 words have the best chance of publication. They also publish reprints. Please note, fiction submission is via a form on their website, which may close temporarily even during open reading periods, if submissions get overwhelming. They accept queries for art.
Deadline: 28 February 2025 (BIPOC writers only)
Length: See above
Pay: $0.05-0.08/word for short stories (to 5,000 words), $0.03-0.06/word for stories between 5,000 and 10,000 words, $0.02-0.04/word for stories over 10,000 words; $25-50 for poetry and art; $25-75/page for sequential art
Details here.
Toronto Journal
This journal publishes in print and sound. You can read about them here. They accept short stories from anywhere in the world, and non-fiction pieces about local history (Toronto, the GTA, or surrounding areas – see guidelines). They’re currently accepting submissions for their Summer issue. Submission is via a form on their website.
Deadline: 1 March 2025
Length: Up to 7,500 words
Pay: $50
Details here.
Incensepunk Magazine
This is a new magazine, and they want incensepunk fiction. Please read their Incensepunk Manifesto here to see if your work is a good fit; it is detailed, including, “Incensepunk is, at its core, a genre of longing. It desires a world in which traditional faiths and churches play a major role in society. Incensepunk extrapolates Byzantine and Gothic architecture styles into a modern world of skyscrapers and globalization. However, it is not regressive. It doesn’t view the past as good and the present as wicked and depraved. Instead, it tries to envision what the world could look like if faith and society were more integrated.” They also have detailed guidelines, including the kind of work they’re looking for: Sci-fi worlds that embrace the breadth of human religion; Complex characters that experience doubt as well as faith; Compelling journeys, whether metaphysical or adventurous; A light at the end of the tunnel, even if the way there is fraught; and Thoughtful re-imagining of religious aesthetics in future settings.
Deadline: Open now
Length: 4,000-6,000 words
Pay: $100 + royalties if story is anthologized
Details here.
Space Cowboy Books: Simultaneous Times
Simultaneous Times is a science fiction podcast. Their website says, “We open to submissions temporarily. … We are accepting short story submissions for our podcast Simultaneous Times. We are looking for science fiction short stories in the 500 to 2500 words range. We are not interested in fantasy or horror”. Submission is via a form on their website.
Deadline: Open now
Length: 500-2,500 words
Pay: $0.03/word
Details here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.