Click here for the Books Markets Page
Below is a list of short story markets which I have collected over a few years from various sources.
Abyss and Apex
www.abyssandapex.com
Abyss and Apex is open to short story four times a year. The four one-month reading periods are:
February May August November.
Our mission is to publish the finest in speculative and imaginative fiction and poetry, 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. We want to publish powerful stories with emotion that resonates in our minds and hearts long after the first reading and makes us want to read them again and again. We look for the unique: stories that stand out from the norm even in a genre that pushes the envelope of normal. We take special delight in detailed world-building, and we enjoy reading about the realms and inhabitants of your imagination.
Andromeda Spaceways
www.andromedaspaceways.com Each issue of this popular science fiction & fantasy magazine contains over 40,000 words of fiction, articles, interviews, reviews and editorial. Published every 2 months, Andromeda Spaceways has an enviable reputation for regularity. It accepts short stories, poetry and articles up to 20,000 words, and prefers light, humorous material. The journal pays 1.25 cents a word, with a $20 minimum.
Angels on Earth
Is a Guideposts publication that welcomes fillers related to angels: quotes, stories of good deeds, and mysterious encounters. Payment is from $25 – $100. They accept both email and snail mail submissions. See the guidelines at:
http://www.angelsonearth.com/writers_Guidelines.asp
Aurealis
www.aurealis.com.au
Aurealis is looking for science fiction, fantasy or horror short stories between 2000 and 8000 words. All types of science fiction, fantasy and horror will be considered, but we do not want stories that are derivative in nature, particularly those based on TV series.
Stories do not have to be explicitly Australian, although we always like to see some with Australian characterisation and background, provided the local element is not merely a self-conscious insertion into a standard plot.
Please only submit one story at a time. Stories must be unpublished and if accepted must remain unpublished until they appear in Aurealis. Although Aurealis does have new editors, many of our readers remain the same and we’re not interested in seeing stories that have been previously rejected by the magazine.
All stories are judged on merit. Submissions from subscribers will be fast-tracked through the assessment process. If you are a subscriber, please indicate this clearly in your e-mail or at the top of your manuscript.
Please use standard Australian punctuation and spelling for your submissions.
Please include at the front of your story a cover page with the author’s name, email address, postal address, phone and fax numbers, the title of the story and the word length. All manuscripts should be double-spaced with broad margins and numbered pages, and printed in 12 pt font. If making a hard copy submission, please print on one side of the page only and staple in the top left corner.
Aurealis pays between $20 and $60 per 1000 words, depending on the level of government grants received, and payment will be made soon after the publication of the issue containing your story. Minimum payment is $20. You will also receive a contributor’s copy of the issue containing your story, and the option to buy additional copies of the magazine containing your story at a special contributor’s rate.Our response time is no more than three months. Please do not query us before then. Where time permits, unsuccessful authors will be sent or emailed a reply in the form of a checklist critique and/or a personal note. All submissions by subscribers will receive a personal note or email.
Aurealis does not publish poetry or novel extracts that aren’t self-contained. We do not serialise longer stories.
Best Fishing Tackle
http://best-fishingtackle.com is looking for new writers, photographers, and video production professionals to share great content with our readers.
Dark Discoveries
142 Woodside Drive
Longview, WA. 98632
USA.
Be sure to include SASE for response. Manuscripts will be recycled. Note that snail mail submissions will have a longer response time than email. In our continuing effort to be as Green as possible (B&B Printsource, our new printer, uses wind power, vegetable-based inks, and recycled paper), we strongly encourage you to submit electronically.
Response times vary: query only if it has been longer than 4 months
Dirt Rag Magazine
www.dirtragmag.com
A magazine for mountain bike enthusiasts. Editor-in-Chief, Michael Browne welcomes fiction to 2000 words – adventure, fantasy, inspiration and humorous stories dealing with off-road mountain biking. Payment varies.
Duotrope’s Digest
Welcome to Duotrope’s Digest, a database of over 2150 current markets for short fiction, poetry, and novels/collections. Use this page to search for markets that may make a fine home for the piece you just polished. Use the menus at the top and right to explore the rest of the free services we offer writers and editors, including a free online submissions tracker for registered users.
www.duotrope.com/
Espresso Fiction
www.espressofiction.com
This is an innovative web service which is expanding into children’s teen fiction. we are looking for great short stories under 2500 words. Read guidelines before submitting. Stories may be submitted online. Payment is US$30 per story and also includes a 6 month subscription to Espresso Fiction.
Submission Guidelines: www.espressofiction.com/information_writers.php
Freya’s Bower
www.freyasbower.com
A non-subsidy publishing house. It pays royalties of 40% on electronic formats and 10% of the wholesale print price. It publishes erotica and romance. New writers as well as cross-genre experimental styles and short story collections are welcome. Short stories: 10,000-15,000 words.
This site accepts stories with sexual content. Do not enter if you are offended by such content.
Firefox News
http://tinyurl.com/22jcw8
Firefox News is looking for high-quality speculative fiction for publication on our website. We’re interested in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and cross-genre material such as romantic fantasy or comedy-horror. We are not looking for religious-themed works or any story whose summary is “prophesied hero saves the day.” The payment is $25 per accepted story, minimum length of 100 words, no maximum. Approximately one story will be selected per month for publication.
Grass Roots Magazine
As the name suggests, Love Stories Magazine publishes love stories. This new venture from Grass Roots Publishing is looking for “short stories of love and romance. These stories may be contemporary, historic, inspirational, paranormal, or any other theme as long as love and romance are the main thrust of the story. Story length should range from 3,000 to 5,000 Words. While we will accept any story having to do with love and romance, we are currently seeking stories with some sexuality incorporated into the plot to stimulate interest and allow the reader to live vicariously. However, stories should not be overtly graphic or pornographic in nature. Suggestive phrases should be used in the place of reference to body parts and inappropriate language.” Payment is $300 on publication.
http://www.grassrootsmag.com/wrgu.html
Intergalactic Medicine Show
www.intergalacticmedicineshow.com This quarterly publication is interested in all types of science fiction and fantasy including adventure,alternate history, near future, far future, alien an other types of science fiction. Fantasy includes heroic fantasy, fairy tales, contemporary fantasy, and horror but no blood and guts. They pay 6 cents a word for the first 7500 wds and 5 cents a word thereafter. The word limit is wide open, since this is an online publication. Submissions should be made through the submission form on the website.
Jim Baen’s Universe
www.baensuniverse.com is another beautiful online publication, this one is bi-monthly. The publication recently reopened to submissions. Editors are looking for all kinds of science fiction and fantasy stories, of various lengths. At least two spots per issue are dedicated to new writers. There are various pay rates for new and experienced writers including royalties. Length is from short stories to novellas.
Les Bonnes Fees
Is a monthly e-zine devoted to fairy tales and folklore. They publish nonfiction about fairy tales, but also fiction — both new, modern fairy tales and re-tellings of old tales. They pay one to three cents a word for up to 3000 words. Reprints are welcome.
http://www.les-bonnes-fees.com/guidelines.html
Over My Dead Body
www.overmydeadbody.com
Query by email before sending manuscript. Your query letter should contain the title of the story, word count, type of story (cozy, hardboiled, psychological suspense, crime, etc.). Pays $.01/word for fiction.
Submission Guidelines: www.overmydeadbody.com/wguide20.htm
Postcards From…
postcardtales.blogspot.com
Postcards From…is a webzine that publishes science fiction, fantasy and horror flash fiction. Payment is five cents a word.
Hell is full and there’s precious little money (because you can’t take it with you), so there’s not much room around here to tell your story. We like stories that run about 500 words. More is ok, but the closer you get to 1,000, the hotter the flames that spark from our fingertips. If we like your story, we’ll do our dead level best to make it fit into a corset of demon bones and flayed human skin.
Redstone Science Fiction
http://redstonesciencefiction.com/guidelines/
Redstone Science Fiction will reopen to submissions June 1 -15 only. The magazine publishes science fiction (“post cyber-punk to new space opera”) 750 to 4000 words. Payment is 5 cents a word. They also accept reprints at 1 cent a word. Follow their submission guidelines.
The Rose & Thorn Ezine
www.theroseandthornezine.com
Barbara Quinn
Publisher & Managing Editor
The Rose & Thorn Ezine
Barbara accept short fiction which is romantic in nature. Check out the website for details.
The Thyazine Foundation
world@thyazine.org
The Thyazine Foundation seeks submissions of prose (non-fiction or fiction) with the purpose of initiating positive personal and social change. Previously published work is acceptable with appropriate acknowledgements. Include a piece of writing (500 – 1,000 words) on what we can do to make the world a better place, a photo and a 300-500 word biography via email. All enquiries/ submissions to Liz Hall-Downs:
Short Bread Stories
Check out the tips for writing on this site and submit your own work.
www.shortbreadstories.com
Second Story Press is a Canadian publisher of books of special interest to women. They publish fiction, nonfiction and children’s books. They’re open to both agented and unagented manuscripts, and while they focus on Canadian authors, you don’t have to live in Canada to be published by them. Fiction author should send a synopsis and sample chapters or the complete manuscript. Check their submission guidelines. http://www.secondstorypress.ca/submissions
Quill Pen Press
http://www.Quill-Pen.net is accepting submissions for its Magazine of Unbelievable stories. This is a print magazine published four to six times per year that publishes genre fiction in the tradition of “penny dreadful” pulp fiction magazines of earlier times. They are looking for the following: romance, science fiction, western, horror, mystery and time-travel stories. Word count 4000 to 7000 words. They are also looking for cover stories in September in the areas of Spring Love, Summer Heat, Halloween and Christmas which will pay $100 US.
Vestal Review
Vestal Review is a semi-annual perfect-bound print magazine with a Web presence, devoted to what we consider an underrepresented type of fiction: flash (or short-short) stories. A good flash, replete with a cohesive plot, rich language and enticing imagery, is perhaps the hardest type of fiction to write. A good flash is so condensed that it borderlines poetry. A good flash engages your mind not only for the short duration of its read, but for a long time after.Vestal Review is an eclectic magazine, open to all genres except children’s stories and hard science fiction. It includes four live flash stories per quarterly Web issue, plus a teaser for three or four more that will be available only in the semi-annual print edition. We pay professional rates of 3 – 10 cents a word plus a contributor’s copy.
http://www.vestalreview.net/Guidelines.html
Winning Writers
Winning Writers finds and creates resources for poets and writers. Get access to detailed profiles of over 150 quality free poetry contests when you subscribe to our free email newsletter.
http://www.winningwriters.com/
Wet Ink
http://www.wetink.com.au is a quarterly magazine publishing fiction, poetry and non-fiction by new and emerging writers and high-quality work in all genres (eg, crime, sci-fi, romance,horror, thriller, speculative etc) as well as those with light-hearted themes. There are no word count restrictions, extremely short pieces are welcomed and long work will be considered. All published work receives payment. Check submission guidelines at above link.
Zoetrope: All Story
Zoetrope: All Story (http://www.allstory.com) is a quarterly publication devoted to short stories of all types. Competition here is tough, but the pay is tops — $1200 per story. The magazine was founded in 1997 by Francis Ford Coppola. Editor Tamara Straus accepts submissions of all types of short stories and one-act plays to 7000 words. Details are available at http://www.all-story.com/submissions.cgi