These magazines/anthologies pay up to $750 for fiction; a few also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry. Some calls are themed. – S. Kalekar
Heartlines Spec
This is a Canadian magazine of speculative fiction and poetry, focused on long-term relationships; they will publish at least 50% work from Canadian writers for each issue. “We’re looking for short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. We don’t want the blaze of new love or the obsession of a new friend. We want pieces that show that comfort that develops when people know each other for years.
Give us deep space, dusty frontiers, or dreamy fantasy. We want stories and poetry with strong, confident relationships amid all the sci-fi/fantasy. While we are primarily looking for stories with happy endings (yeah, yeah), we also want endings that are earned. If things get a little teary or gory, that’s ok.
We are especially interested in stories featuring queer platonic relationships, ace/aro love stories, and polycules.” They have an early submission window for equity-deserving groups, and open for all writers thereafter.
Deadline: 30 April for equity-deserving groups; 1-31 May 2024 for all writers
Length: 1,000-3,500 words for fiction; up to 5 poems
Pay: CAD0.08/word for fiction; CAD60/poem
Details here (guidelines) and here (submission portal)
The Cincinnati Review
This literary magazine accepts fiction, fiction translations, literary non-fiction, poetry, poetry translations, and art. Query for drama submissions. They also have a weekly online Flash feature called miCRo. See their editors’ preferences. They accept online submissions only, except from writers with disabilities or those who are incarcerated. They will open for print submissions on 1st May, and will accept submissions until a cap is reached.
Deadline: Until filled for the print issue
Length: Fiction up to 40 pages, non-fiction up to 20 pages, and up to 5 poems for print
Pay: $25/page for prose in the journal, $30/page for poetry, $25 for miCRo contributions
Details here and here.
One Story
They publish literary fiction – one story per issue. They also accept translations, and some reprints (see guidelines). They pay cash, as well as 25 contributor copies. They will open for submissions via Submittable on 6th May, and will close when a submission cap is reached.
Opens on: 6 May 2024
Length: 3,000-6,000 words
Pay: $500
Details here and here.
The Sengkang Sci-FI Quarterly
This is a new Singapore-based magazine; “The Sengkang SF Quarterly is a Singapore-based zine dedicated to platforming bold speculative fiction and adjacent genre stories.” You can read more about them here. They accept submissions from all writers, and especially encourage writers from the Global South to submit. They also accept translations (see guidelines). Submission is via a form. They have rolling deadlines, with cut-off dates for issues.
Deadline: 8 May 2024 for the first issue (see the form)
Length: 1,000-10,000 words
Pay: SGD0.05/word (min-$100 SGD, max-$300 SGD)
Details here and here.
The Orange & Bee
This is a Substack-based project; they want works “that explore, expand on, and subvert the rich traditions of international folklore, including fairy tales, fables, myths, and legends.” You can read more about them here. They’re reading submissions for their second issue. They want fiction (including flash of up to 1,000 words) – “The Orange and Bee celebrates all styles and genres when it comes to fairy tales. We are seeking stories that stretch between the shadows, and we are as likely to accept a reimagining of a familiar fairy tale as a unique creation waiting to be added to the rich tradition of the continually evolving literary canon.” They also want poetry and hybrid (see ‘Other’) submissions for this issue – “We’re excited about the possibility of experimentation, and so also invite submissions of hybrid or experimental works, including but certainly not limited to works that combine life writing and fiction or poetry. Payment will usually be at the same rate as for fiction.” They’ve also given all the submission windows for the year on their website.
Deadline: 31 May 2024 (Midnight AEST)
Length: Up to 1,000 words for flash fiction; 1,000-4,000 words for short fiction; prefer up to 50 lines for poetry
Pay: $80 for flash fiction; $0.08/word for short stories and hybrid works; $50 for poetry
Details here.
Graveside Press: Three Anthologies
Graveside Press is a new horror imprint; you can read about the press, and their other projects, here. They’re currently open for three anthologies; Bite (stories featuring vampires); Howl (stories featuring werewolves and other shape-changing beings); and Soul (stories involving ghosts and possession). Please click on the links for details of each anthology. They also accept reprints for all three anthologies.
Deadline: 31 May 2024 for all three anthologies
Length: 2,000-6,000 words; for longer stories (5,000-12,000 words), see their Tiny Terrors short fiction program
Pay: $0.02/word
Details here (Bite); here (Howl); and here (Soul).
Flame Tree Publishing: Two anthologies
Flame Tree is open for two anthologies in their Myths, Gods, and Immortals series; Anansi, and Circe. The please see the links for details on each theme. A note on their website says, “All previous submissions for Anansi are still under consideration and authors will be contacted in due course, within 4 months of the new deadline.” They also accept reprints for both anthologies, which will be published in hardcover.
Deadline for both anthologies: 23 June 2024
Length: 3,000-4,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word for originals
Details here (Anansi) and here (Circe).
Farenheit Books: Two anthologies
Farenheit Books is part of Omicron World Entertainment. They’re open for fiction and poetry for two themed anthologies in their Spekulative Stories anthology series; Train Tales, and Aliens Among Us. A train or space alien should be such an integral part of the work, that the story or poem would collapse if the element were taken away. They accept all genres (please see guidelines). They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 30 November 2024, or until filled
Length: Up to 7,500 words for fiction; up to 50 lines for poetry
Pay: $0.10/word for fiction, $2/line for poetry
Details here.
Statute Magazine
This is a UK-based omni-genre magazine of short fiction. They have published two issues, so far.
Deadline: Open now (see their social media post here)
Length: 1,000-6,000 words (longer will be considered – see guidelines)
Pay: £80 per 1,000 words
Details here.
Big Smoke Pulp
This is a new pulp fiction magazine; you can read more about them here. Their guidelines say, “Pulp stories are one thing above all else: Fun. We are not looking for flowery prose or character pieces without a plot. We’re looking for breakneck pacing, thrilling action and relatable characters in heaps of trouble. We’re looking for something that readers can’t put down because they can’t imagine not knowing where it ends. … There is no limitation on genre or content. Bring us your young adult romance, hard-nosed noir or epic sci-fi.” Submission is via a form.
Deadline: Open now
Length: Microfiction – 101-750 words; Flash Fiction – 751-2,000 words; Short Stories – 2,001-7,500 words; they also accept serialized stories (see guidelines)
Pay: CAD0.01/word
Details here and here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.