By S. Kalekar
These magazines pay up to $600 for short fiction, and more for longer stories. Some also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry. They’re are open now, or will soon open for submissions.
The Waxed Lemon
This print magazine accepts flash, short fiction, and poetry. They are not accepting art currently. And, “Irish language submissions encouraged.” Apart from a contributor copy, they are offering cash payment now, under a pilot payment scheme. Submission is via a form.
Deadline: 30 May 2026
Length: Up to 500 words for flash fiction, up to 2,000 words for short fiction, up to 3 poems
Pay: €50 per poem, €50 per flash fiction piece, and €100 per short story
Details here.
(And, submissions are now open for Electric Lit for The Commuter and Personal Narrative essays; The Commuter (their home for short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and graphic narrative) and Personal Narrative. Both sections opened on 18th May, and will close on 24th May 2026, or when they reach a submission cap, whichever is earlier. Length guidelines are up to 1,500 words for prose or 4-6 poems for The Commuter (see guidelines), fiction of 2,000-6,500 words for essays. Pay is $100; submit here.)
Don’t Go for the Vault: A Bank Robbery Horror Anthology
This horror anthology is from Cat Eye Press. They have detailed guidelines; they want “horror stories involving bank robberies. While the title for the anthology is “Don’t Go for the Vault,” we want characters who do exactly that. We want to see what you have hidden behind that giant metal door. Give us a reason to heed this legendary piece of bank robbery advice.
Stories can take place in any time period and do not need to occur exclusively within the confines of a bank.” They also accept reprints. They close on 20th May for general submissions from all writers, and have an extended submission window for BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+, Disabled, Neurodiverse, and other underrepresented voices till end-May.
Deadline: 20 May 2026 for all writers; 21st May-31st May for underrepresented writers
Length: 1,500-4,500 words
Pay: $0.05/word for originals
Details here.
Tasavvur
Tasavvur is a magazine of South Asian speculative fiction and non-fiction. Regarding who can submit, “Writers of South Asian origin or association (broadly defined — including diaspora, mixed heritage, or meaningful cultural affiliation)
Non–South Asian writers whose speculative fiction stories are deeply rooted in South Asian themes or settings”. They accept fiction submissions, pitches for non-fiction, and queries for artwork.
Deadline: 31 May 2026
Length: Up to 5,000 words for fiction
Pay: $0.05/word for fiction, $100 for commissioned non-fiction
Details here, here and here.
(– Also, Augur, which publishes speculative fiction and poetry, is open for submission from underrepresented Canadian writers; “From May 5th to 31st 2026, Augur Magazine’s priority call is open for submissions from BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and/or disabled creators who are living within the settler-defined border of the land colonially known as Canada; or creators who hold dual citizenship; or Canadian ex-pats.” They pay CAD112 for flash fiction up to 800 words, CAD0.14/word for fiction of 800+ to 5,000 words and CAD100 per poem, send up to 5 poems; the deadline is 31st May for this call; they’ll open for general submissions from all creators from 1st to 15th July 2026; details here.
— And, AGNI charges for online submissions (via Subfolio) of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and hybrid forms, but postal submissions are free. Also online submissions of conversation/interviews, reviews, art, and submissions for Proximity: An AGNI Portfolio of Writing and Art by Women of Color – see guidelines for details – are free. They pay $30/page for prose, $50/page for poetry, up to $300, and the deadline is 31 May 2026; details here and here.)
Heartlines Spec
This Canadian magazine of speculative fiction and poetry wants work on long-term relationships; their goal us to 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.”
Deadline: 31 May 2026
Length: 500-3,500 words for fiction; up to 5 poems
Pay: CAD0.08/word for fiction; CAD60/poem
Details here and here
(Heartlines will next open an early submission window for equity-deserving groups from August 24th to 31st, and will open for general submissions from 1st to 30th September.)
Zombies Need Brains: Were-2 Anthology
This is a fiction anthology. “WERE-2 is to feature urban fantasy stories where the story revolves around were-creatures other than werewolves. Werewolves are permitted in the story, but they cannot be the main focus of the story. We are open to other genres involving were-creatures, such as science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, etc., although the main focus will be urban fantasy. As always, we are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark.”
Deadline: 31 May 2026
Length: Up to 7,500 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
Escape Pod
Escape Pod is an online science fiction magazine and podcast from the Escape Artists suite of magazines. “We are fairly flexible on what counts as science (superheroes! steampunk! space opera! time travel!) and are interested in exploring the range of the genre. We want stories that center science, technology, future projections, and/or alternate history, and how any or all of these things impact individuals and society.
Escape Pod leans in the direction of escapism, hopepunk and optimism rather than grimdark and gloom.” They also accept translations. They are open for novelette reprints, as well.
Deadline: 31 May 2026 (see schedule)
Length: 1,500-6,000 words for original stories, 1,500 – 7,500 words for sort story reprints; and 7500 to 18,000 words for novelette reprints
Pay: $0.08/word for original fiction; $100-175 for novelette reprints
Details here and here.
(Escape Pod is also open for fiction and fiction reprints for a special theme, Democratic Futures, relating to the future of democracy, the deadline for that is 30th June 2026; details here.)
Channel Magazine
They publish fiction, non-fiction, and poetry inspired by nature and environment. “Channel is a literary journal born out of the climate crisis, publishing poetry and prose that brings humanity and the more-than-human world closer together. … Our goal at Channel is to provide a space for literary work that fosters re-connection with the natural world. We publish work from Ireland and abroad that displays and celebrates the relationships between plant and animal life, landscape and humanity.” You can read more about them here. They publish in print and online, and have detailed guidelines. They accept submissions in English and Irish. They also accept translations. “Poetry and fiction submissions are invited during a dedicated submission window ahead of each print issue. Non-fiction/essay submissions, which will be considered for publication either in print or online, are welcomed year-round.” They accept art submissions year-round, as well. And, “we are unlikely to offer a home for prose pieces of over 6000 words or poems of over 300 lines” (see guidelines).
Deadline: 31 May 2026 for fiction and poetry, ongoing for non-fiction
Length: See above
Pay: €35 per printed page, up to €250 per piece and with a minimum fee of €60 for single-page works; and €35 per 400 words, up to a maximum of €250 per piece and with a minimum fee of €60
Details here.
(Also see Tundra Swan Press’s Earth Resists and Reclaims, an eco-horror anthology. They have detailed guidelines and pay $50 for stories of 2,000-6,000 words; the deadline is 15th June 2026; details here.)
Big Score Lit
They will open for narrative prose (fiction/non-fiction/memoir/what-be-it) and poetry submissions on 24th May, and will stay open till 1st June or when they hit a submission cap, whichever is earlier. They’re also open for pitches (not submissions) of critical prose currently.
Reading period: See above
Length: 1,500 – 3,500 words for narrative prose preferred; up to 3 poems (see guidelines)
Pay: $400 for narrative prose, $100 for poetry, $400 for 4,000 words of critical prose and more for longer (see guidelines)
Details here.
adventitious
This is a new fiction magazine and they’ll soon open a brief submission window for their 4th issue. “Adventitioushopes to be an intelligently mischievous literary magazine for the curious and unclassifiable. … We love speculative, surreal, and literary fiction. We admire its reach, its weirdness, and its refusal to color inside any lines. We believe in the work of the magazines and writers already making noise in that space, and we want to join in the ruckus: to publish fiction that’s as thoughtful as it is surprising, and to do it with style, respect, and a great sense of nonsense.” You can read about them here. “We want stories that offer a sense of wonder through their language, characters, plots, or all of the above. Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and all speculative/surreal will always be welcomed, but we’re also happy with stories that shock and delight right here on this plane of existence.” They are looking for stories from micro to novelette length. They will open for fiction submissions on 1st June and close on 5th June or when they hit their submission cap, whichever is earlier; their Duosuma portal will open during this submission period. Art submissions are open now.
Submission period: 1st to 5th June 2026 (or until filled)
Length: Flash up to 1,000 words; short fiction of 1,000-6,000 words; novelettes of 6,000-17,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here , here, and here.
(Submissions are also open for speculative fiction novellas of 15,000-25,000 words for Heavy Are the Years; About the theme, their guidelines are, “Time is constant and ever present. But what does that mean to an immortal, to an elderly retiree suddenly on a quest meant for someone half their age, or even to an otherworldly being with responsibilities that stretch over a millennia?
Heavy Are The Years is an illustrated story collection about the weight of time on our minds, our bodies, and our souls. Is it a slow crush of despair under an endless toil? Looking back over decades of a well-lived life? The regrets of missing out, or the joys of discovering something new and unexpected?
We want to see your interpretation of this theme and what time means to you.” Submission is via a form. Please note, payment seems contingent on crowdfunding: “Payment will be $0.05 per word, plus royalties, upon successful crowdfunding.” The deadline is 31st May 2026. Details here.)
Flame Tree: The Book of Demons
They want horror stories for The Book of Demons, an anthology in their Beyond & Within series. “Whether they be evil spirits and fallen angels from the ranks of the Judeo-Christian Devil and his infernal minions, or listed in the magick dictionaries and grimoires from the late 16th century to the 20th century, or spirits and tricksters from myriad cultures and legends around the world, or even the perils of addiction or trauma – in one form or another, demons pervade storytelling globally. They are legion.
So the demons in your story could derive from an existing belief or culture, could be newly imagined, or could be a metaphor for human tragedy and struggles. We want your unique, horror-inflected, interpretation for this next anthology of stories, all about the otherworld of demons.” They do not want reprints. They are looking to get around four stories from this open call for the anthology.
Deadline: 7 June 2026
Length: 3,000-4,000 words (will also read slightly outside this range – see guidelines)
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.