50 Magazines and Anthologies That Pay for Horror Fiction

The following is a list of fifty magazines and anthologies that pay writers for horror fiction. Some of them publish horror fiction exclusively, while others publish a range of different genres as well.  Although there are different themes and requirements for submissions, they are all looking for flash fiction or short stories related to the horror genre. These magazines and anthologies are currently open to submissions and don’t charge submissions fees.  — Jaclyn Grimm
  1. Allegory Zine is a biannual online magazine of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The deadline for the current submission period is June 30, 2018. They have no minimum or maximum length and payment is a flat rate of $15.00 USD. Read more about the magazine and how to submit on their website.
  2. Anathema Magazine is a tri-annual online magazine featuring speculative fiction, including horror. They only publish work from “queer people of color on every range of the LGBTQIA spectrum.” They are open year round to unsolicited submissions. For fiction between 1,500 – 6,000, they pay CAD $50.00. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  3. Andromena Spaceways seeks speculative fiction in the “supernatural horror” genre up to 10,000 words in length. For short fiction, they pay $0.01 AUD per word with a $20.00 minimum and $100.00 maximum. Read more about the magazine and how to submit.
  4. Apex Magazine is currently accepting fiction under 7,500 words. Payment for original fiction is $0.06 USD per word with a minimum of $60.00. If they choose to podcast the story, payment is $0.01 per word. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  5. Arsenika is a quarterly journal magazine for speculative fiction and poetry. They are looking for previously unpublished flash fiction under 1,000 words. For fiction, payment is $60.00 USD. Please submit no more than two pieces of fiction at a time. Read submissions guidelines on their website.
  6. Aurealis is open to submissions from Australian and New Zealand based writers from February 1st to September 30th and submissions from anyone from August 1st to September 30th. They are looking for “science fiction, fantasy or horror short stories between 2000 and 8000 words,” and do not accept horror fiction that does not have a supernatural element. Aurealis pays between $20.00 AUD and $60.00 AUD per 1000 words, with unsolicited submissions usually receiving the lower rate. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  7. Body Parts Magazine is seeking fiction for it’s Fall / Winter 2018 issue. The theme for this issue is “A is for Aliens, Apocalypse, and Armageddon,” and the deadline for submissions is August 1st 2018. They accept flash fiction under 1,000 words and short stories up to 8,000 words. If you are interested in submitting longer fiction or serialized work, please query with the total word count. Body Parts Magazine offers $5.00 USD for flash fiction and between $10.00 and $20.00 for short stories, depending on length. Read more about how to submit.
  8. Clarkesworld Magazine seeks speculative fiction, including horror that can be “supernatural or psychological, so long as it is frightening.” They publish fiction between 1,000 and 16,000 words and pay $0.10 USD per word for the first 5,000 words, and $0.08 for each word over 5,000. They also request that stories be suitable for audio. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  9. The Cockroach Conservatory seeks speculative fiction under 3,000 words. Submissions should include a short bio. Payment is $0.06 USD per word. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  10. Crazy Town Anthology is looking for speculative fiction between 3,000 and 7,000 words. Simultaneous submissions, multiple submissions, and reprints are allowed. Payment is a flat rate of $25.00 USD per story. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  11. Crimson Streets is interested in fiction that “with a focus on action and atmosphere over characterization.” They publish stories from 800 to 6,000 words shines because of its exploration of craft.” Their standard pay rate is $0.01 per word. Read more about how to submit.
  12. The Dark Magazine is seeking fiction between 2,000 and 6,000 words. They’re looking for horror and dark fantasy stories, but do not accept dark, graphic horror. The Dark Magazine pays $0.06 per word for original fiction up to 6,000 words.They don’t accept simultaneous submissions. Read their submissions guidelines on their website.
  13. Disturbed Digest is a quarterly magazine that publishes original dark fantasy and horror short stories and flash fiction. For original short stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words, they pay $20.00 USD and $10.00 USD for reprints. For original flash fiction under 1,200 words they offer $8.00 USD. Read submissions guidelines on their website.
  14. Dreams & Nightmares seeks speculative “short short fiction,” under two single spaced pages. They are interested in “experimental formats and content,” and “prefer fantastic horror a la Lovecraft or Blackwood to the blood and gore type.” Payment is $12.00 USD plus two contributor’s copies. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  15. Electric Spec is not-for-profit speculative fiction magazine published four times per year. They consider any story between 250 and 7000 words with speculative fiction elements. Electric Spec pays $20.00 USD for every story they publish. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  16. Flash Fiction Online is an open-genre publication seeking flash fiction between 500 and 1000 words. They do not accept simultaneous submissions, but they do publish reprints. Payment is $60.00 USD for original fiction and $0.02 per word for reprints. Read more about how to submit and what they’re looking for on their website.
  17. Freeze Frame Fiction seeks flash fiction under 1,000 words, including horror fiction. They are open to submissions from March 1st to July 31st and from September 1st to January 31st. Payment is $10.00 USD per accepted piece. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  18. The Future Fire is a free online magazine that publishes “social political & speculative cyber-fiction.” They are particularly interested in feminist, queer, postcolonial and ecological themes. Submissions should be under 10,000 words. Payment is $20.00 USD for fiction over 1,000 words and $10.00 per flash piece up to 1,000 words. More information and how to submit can be found on their website. 
  19. Gallows Hill Magazine publishes horror fiction and other writing that falls under “dark fiction,” including “dark fantasy, gothic, supernatural and ghost stories, black comedy, and genre-benders.” Submissions should be no longer than 9,000 words. Current payment rates are $25.00 to $50.00 USD for fiction. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  20. GlitterShip is a “science fiction and fantasy podcast devoted to publishing audio versions of LGBTQ stories from authors of all backgrounds.” They publish short fiction between 100 and 7,500 words and pay $0.03 USD per word with a $30.00 minimum. Keep in mind submissions should contain some queer content including “trans, genderqueer, intersex, two-spirit, pan and ace/aro identities in addition to LGB.” More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  21. Gothic.net seeks high quality horror fiction submissions. They look for work between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Payment is “net 60 on on-sale date” and they generally purchase “first worldwide rights (exclusive from acceptance to one year after publication) along with nonexclusive reprint rights.” Read more about how to submit.
  22. Havok publishes short stories between 300 and 1,000 words long that fits into one of their upcoming themes. The October Issue’s theme is “Skeletons, Slashes, and Succubi,” and the deadline to submit is July 27, 2018. Due to layout restrictions, stories under 700 words are more likely to be accepted. Payment is $0.02 USD per word plus one complimentary copy of the magazine. More information on how to submit can be found on their website.
  23. Iridium Magazine is looking for short stories up to 5,000 words long. Payment is $0.03 USD per word for original fiction and $0.01 per word for reprints. They publish genre fiction including horror fiction and require that submissions include QUILTBAG+ content. More information can be found on their website.
  24. Ink Stains Anthology is looking for fiction between 3,000 and 20,000 words that fit under genres like dark fiction, gothic fiction, supernatural fiction, horror, steampunk, black comedy, and dark fantasy. Payment is a flat fee of $5.00 USD for stories under 5,000 words, $10.00 for stories under 10,000 words, $15.00 for stories under 15,000 words and $20.00 for stories under 20,0000 words. Include a synopsis and short bio with your submission. Read more about how to submit on their website. 
  25. Jitter Press features both new and established writers and accept all kinds of horror fiction and non-fiction under 4,000 words. Payment is a token of $1.50 and a year long subscription to the magazine. More information can be found on their website.
  26. Kzine is a genre magazine for the Kindle, with a print option. The magazine is published three times a year and accepts science fiction, horror, fantasy, and crime fiction. Submissions should be between 1,000 and 8,000 words. Payment is a royalty of 50% of profits per issue divided between authors and an advance against royalties of £3 per 1000 words. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  27. LampLight is a quarterly magazine of dark fiction and publish both short stories and flash fiction. They seek original fiction and reprints up to 7,000 words. Payment is $0.03 USD per word with a $150.00 maximum for previously unpublished fiction and $0.01 per word for reprints. Read more about the magazine and their submission guidelines.
  28. The Literary Hatchet “publishes provocative contemporary short fiction, poetry, illustrations, interviews, and reviews by established and emerging writers and artists from around the world.” For short fiction, they accept submissions between 500 and 6,000 words in length. They consider works of general fiction, horror, detective fiction, and stories about monsters, either real or imagined. Payment is a flat rate of $10.00 USD. More information can be found on their website.
  29. Liquid Imagination publishes speculative flash fiction and short stories. Submissions for upcoming issues are cut off roughly a month before the publication date. Payment is a flat rate of $8.00 USD for short stories between 1,000 and 6,000 words and $3.00 for flash fiction under 1,000 words. A $2.00 bonus will be added for authors accepting payment via PayPal. Read more about the magazine and their submissions guidelines.
  30. Mad Scientist Journal seeks short fiction between 500 and 8,000 words long written in first person. Simultaneous submissions are not accepted. For flash fiction under 2,000 words, payment is $10.00 USD for original fiction and $5.00 for reprints. For short stories between 2,000 and 8,000 words, payment is $20.00 for original fiction and $10.00 for reprints. Read more about the magazine on their website.
  31. Mithila Review is a quarterly journal of international science fiction and fantasy “devoted to the best of speculative writing, arts or culture from around the world.” Payment is $10.00 USD for flash fiction under 2,500 words and $50.00 for original stories between 4,000 and 8,000 words or longer. Response time is two to eight weeks, but generally closer to two weeks. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  32. Monstrous Outlines is an anthology of horror and weird fiction “with a focus on the theme of camouflage.” The submission period closes on November 31st, 2018. The anthology will be released in trade paperback and electronic book formats in early March 2019. They accept short fiction between 1,500 and 7,000 words and flash fiction under 1,500 words. Payment is $0.03 CAD per word plus a paperback contributor copy and copies in all electronic formats. More information can be found on their website.
  33. The No Sleep Podcast is a horror fiction podcast intended for mature adults. They are open to flash fiction under 1,200 words, short fiction between 1,200 and 2,500 words, and regular fiction over 2,500 words. Payment for flash fiction is $40.00 USD, $100.00 for short fiction, and $125.00 for regular fiction. Read more about the podcast and how to submit on their website. 
  34. Not One of Us prefers stories under 6,000 words, although they will consider stories as long as 7,500 words. Payment is $0.0025 USD per word with a $5.00 minimum plus one contributors copy. More information can be found on their website. 
  35. Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show seeks science fiction and fantasy stories, including horror “in the sense of supernatural suspense.” Submissions should be under 17,500 words, although they are open to queries to the editor for longer works. Payment is $0.06 USD per word. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  36. The Anatomy of Hate: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology seeks short speculative fiction focused on the theme of hatred. Submissions should be between 4,000 and 10,000 words. Payment for fiction is a flat rate of $30.00 USD. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  37. Perpetual Motion Machine is a small press based in San Antonio, TX. They accept original fiction for their quarterly horror magazine, Dark Moon Digest. There is no deadline for submissions. Submissions should be between 1,500 and 7,000 words and payment is $0.01 per word. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but multiple submissions at a time are not. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  38. Polychrome Ink accepts submissions of almost every genre and subject, including horror, as long as the submission contains “the multi-facets of diversity.” Simultaneous submissions are accepted and reprints will be considered. Payment is $15.00 USD for flash fiction and $40 for long fiction. Reprints are paid half of the payment for original fiction. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  39. Poe’s Shadows, Tales of Poe for the 21st Century is an anthology published by Black Mirror Press. They are seeking modern reinterpretations of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic stories. Stories should be between 3,000 and 7,000 words, but please only submit synopses. If they are interested, they will ask you to submit the full story. Payment for unsolicited submissions is $10.00 USD and an eBook copy of the anthology. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  40. Sanitarium is an independent publishing house “dedicated to bringing audiences the best in horror from around the globe.” Sanitarium Magazine seeks works which fall under any form of horror and supernatural fiction. They accept short stories between 500 and 10,000 words and serial fiction ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 words long. Authors will receive a $5.00 USD honorarium, as well as a digital copy of the issue their work was featured in. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  41. Shimmer Magazine publishes speculative fiction, including literary horror. Submissions should be no longer than 7,500 words. Payment is $0.05 USD per word, with a minimum of $50.00. They usually respond to submissions within a month. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  42. The Society of Misfit Stories will be a journal published three times a year beginning in February 2019. They are interested in “all speculative genres (horror, fantasy, science fiction, slipstream, steampunk, magical realism, etc), as well as mysteries, thrillers, and action-adventure stories.” Stories should be original, unpublished, and between 5,000 and 20,000 words. Payment is a flat rate of $50.00 USD. More information can be found on their website.
  43. Spaceports & Spidersilk is an online magazine for young readers. Submissions should be genre fiction up to 3,000 words that are appropriate for young readers between 8 and 17 years old. Payment is $6.00 for original fiction and $2.00 for reprints. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  44. sub-Q Magazine seeks fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and romance interactive fiction. Submissions should be between 1,000 and 3,5000 words of one-time user experience. Payment for original submissions is $0.06 USD per word for prose, and $0.03 per word for interactivity. For more information, check out their submission guidelines.
  45. Theme of Absence publishes original fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Flash fiction submissions should be under 1,000 words and short stories should be under 3,000 words. Payment is $3.00 for flash fiction and $5.00 for short stories. Reprints, multiple submissions, or simultaneous submissions are not accepted. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  46. Three-lobed Burning Eye Magazine is “a speculative fiction magazine published online twice per year and in print biannually.” Each issue features six original stories, some with audio readings. Submissions should be between 500 and 7,000, although 2,000 to 5,000 is preferred. Payment is $100.00 USD for short fiction between 1,000 and 7,000 words and $30.00 for flash fiction under 1,000 words. Simultaneous or multiple submissions are not allowed. More information and how to submit can be found on their website.
  47. Voices of Tomorrow is seeking short story submissions from authors aged 12 to 18 for an anthology series. Stories should be no more than 5,000 words and fall into the speculative fiction genre. Payment is a flat rate of $20.00 USD. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  48. The Worlds of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Vol IV seeks stories between 5,000 and 10,000 words. The deadline to submit is October 15th, 2018. Payment is $75.00 AUD. More information can be found on their website.
  49. The Wyrd is “a speculative short fiction market for authors and artists who have a fondness for weird and slipstream themes.” Submissions should be between 1,000 and 5,000 words. Payment is $10.00 USD per short story. Read more about how to submit on their website.
  50. Comet Press seeks short fiction submissions for their Year’s Best Hardcore Horror Vol. 4. Stories must be previously published in 2018 and under 6,000 words. The deadline to submit is December 31, 2018 and payment is $0.01 per word. For more information on how to submit, check out their website.
 

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