By S. Kalekar

These magazines/anthologies pay up to $750 for fiction. A few are themed. Some also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry. They are open now, or will soon open for submissions.

Extra Teeth
They are reading submissions for Issue 12; send fiction, creative non-fiction, and translations. They champion Scottish writers, and also accept international submissions. “We look for short stories that stick with you, lingering in the memory long after reading, and essays that explore specific interests or issues from a new perspective. We offer a space for writers to be strange, bold and experimental, and to express their unique style however they see fit.” Pay has increased to £200 for the print magazine, and to £150 for their Substack, Bite. They also accept queries for Illustrations, and offer two fiction mentorships, as well (see guidelines).
Deadline: 30 June 2026 Midnight BST (see their post here)
Length: 800 to 4,000 words
Pay: See above
Details here.

Short Story, Long
Short Story, Long is a Substack-based magazine. You can read about them here. Each story will be paired with original artwork. They want stories of 2,000-8,000 words (3,000-5,500 words preferred).
Deadline: 30 June 2026
Length: See above
Pay: $150
Details here.

[RECORDED] A Found Media Anthology
The editor wants fiction submissions; any genre is welcome though horror is preferred. “I adore “found footage” horror. I want more found media fiction in my life. That’s why I’m editing [RECORDED] — an anthology of found media fiction, to be published in 2026.I’m seeking stories (any genre, horror strongly preferred), told as found media; think stories written as emails, as transcripts from videos, as social media posts, forum threads, audio recordings, whatever. I love it all.” Regarding genre, they say, “horror, science fiction, fantasy, noir, weird—I have a preference for speculative but will read anything as long as it’s about found media!” They also accept translations. Please note, they will run a crowdfunding campaign for this anthology. The submission form will be active during the reading period. They offer $50 for stories of 500-1,200 words, and $150 for stories of 1,201-3,000 words; more if funding stretch goals are met.
Deadline: 30June 2026
Length: 500-3,000 words
Pay: $50-150
Details here and here

Nightlight
Nightlight horror podcast only accepts fiction submissions from Black writers only (one or both your parents must be Black). They are open for short fiction submissions now, of works over 3,000 words. Flash fiction is closed.
Deadline: 30 June 2026
Length: 3,000-6,000 words
Pay: $200
Details here.

Cthonic Matter Quarterly
They are open for fiction submissions; they want “tales from the darkside. Its contents range in tone from the quiet horror of Shirley Jackson to the bleak stylings of Thomas Ligotti — and everything in between.”
Deadline: 30 June 2026
Length: 2,000-5,000 words
Pay: $10 per 1,000 words
Details here.

Filidh Publishing: Monstrously Misguided Anthology
This is a speculative fiction anthology. “We’re seeking original stories that reinvent, subvert, or completely upend traditional ideas of monsters. Think unexpected behaviour, strange evolutionary paths, or creatures trying poorly to adapt to modern life. The tone can range from dark and eerie to whimsical or wry, but the heart of your story should feature:

• A creature, supernatural entity, mythological being, cryptid, or “monster”…
• …presented in a way that surprises the reader.
• A twist, complication, or unanticipated consequence that sets your story apart.

Humour is welcome. Horror is welcome. Heart is welcome. Just make it inventive.” Accepted genres are: Fantasy, Horror, Speculative, Dark Humour, Weird Fiction, Slipstream, Light Sci‑Fi. Stories have to be PG-13. They also accept queries for reprints.
Deadline: 1 July 2026
Length: 1,500-6,000 words
Pay: 2.5 cents / word
Details here.
(Submissions are also open for the Jurassic Ghosts themed anthology from Tyche Books: “Paranormal hauntings plague our province of Alberta. When a life ends in violence, ghosts are sure to wander the land looking for justice and revenge. Some of these ghosts are not human but rather the giant beings and beasts of a prehistoric era. What unfinished business do they have?

Alberta is rich with paleontological sites. Dinosaurs that have laid buried under our feet for millions of years. Bone beds have been uncovered across the province, but so have stories of ghosts, revenants, necromancers, urban myths, time travel and worlds beyond our own. Stories of the humans who disturbed their slumber; the pioneers, colonists, scientists, capitalists and any entities who deserve the wrath of these long- lost giants. 

Send us a tale worthy to be shared around the campfire. Send us your dinosaur ghost stories.” They pay CAD50 for stories up to 7,500 words, and the deadline is 30^th June 2026.)

Cosmic Horror Monthly
This magazine will soon open for Weird and cosmic fiction submissions. Their submission portal will open during the reading period.
Reading period: 1^st to 7^th July 2026
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: $0.03/word
Details here.

Baneberry Literary Horror Annual
This is a new horror annual. Their tagline is ‘Unsettling stories for unquiet minds’. They want literary horror / thriller stories. “We consider fiction stories … with horror elements. We take a broad view of the horror genre, from the conceptual and ethereal to the visceral and gory. We look for prose style and thematic complexity over commercial formula. 
We do not consider poetry, serials, novels, fan fiction, or non-fiction.”
Deadline: 8 July 3036
Length: 500-7,000 words
Pay: $500 USD / $600 CDN
Details here.  

Solarpunk
They accept solarpunk fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. They are open for the first two weeks in July. Their 2026 schedule is on their website. Writers can submit unthemed solarpunk stories, as well as stories for their Solarpunk Horror issue (to be published later in the year) during their July submission period. They also accept translations and art. Regarding story length, they say, “Generally, we are looking for stories between 1,500 and 4,000 words. Our word limit remains 7,500 words, but 1,500 and 4,000 words hit our sweet spot.”
Submission period: 1^st to 14^th July 2026
Length: See above for fiction; up to 5 poems (see guidelines); 1,000-2,000 words for non-fiction
Pay: $0.10/word for fiction, $50/poem, $100 for essays / articles
Details here and here.

Ragaire Literary Journal
This journal welcomes submissions of fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry from Ireland and abroad. They are reading submissions for Issue 6. Submission is via a form (see guidelines). 
Deadline: 15 July 2026, or until filled
Length: 1,000-3,000 words for prose, up to 3 poems
Pay: €150 per story/essay, €80 per poem
Details here.

Plott Hound 
This is a magazine of speculative fiction and poetry starring animals. They will soon open submissions for their next issue. Regarding the kind of stories they want: “Stories with anthropomorphized animals as viewpoint characters and protagonists
-Animal-centric speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror)
-Underrepresented voices (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent) that engage with animal myths, tales, and futures
-Stories with uncommonly written about animals as protagonists
-Stories that dig deep into the senses and experience of animals
-Stories that explore the cultures and societies of animals, not just cultures and societies with animals. Think of rabbit language and warren infrastructure in Watership Down, or the clans and warrior code of feral cats in Warriors.” They also welcome translations. They publish one essay per issue, as well. Their submission portal will open during the reading period.
Reading period: 1^st to 15^th July 2026
Length: 1,000-5,000 words (prefer 3,000-4,000 words) for fiction, up to 5 poems, 1,000-2,500 words for essay
Pay: $0.08/word for stories, $50 for poetry, $100 for essay
Details here.

Ominous Thrill
This is a “genre-bending audio drama of character-driven adult dark fiction.” You can read about it here. They have detailed guidelines, including the kind of fiction they want: “character-driven
– Feminist & Intersectional Horror/Thrillers/Suspense
– Dark & Unruly Fiction / Fantasy / Humor
– Feminine Rage·Erotic·Weird Girl·Surrealist·
– Queer / LGBTQAI+·Under-Represented Voices·Good For Her / Them
Stories from authors with lived experience where the horror, thrills and suspense ride or die with social / political critique.” They prefer stories of 2,000-8,000 words, though they will consider stories up to 10,000 words. They also accept reprints.
Deadline: Open now
Length: See above
Pay: $0.05/word for originals
Details here.

Night Shades
This speculative fiction magazine publishes two stories a month; they opened for submissions on 1^st June.
Deadline: Open now
Length: Up to 500 words
Pay: $75
Details here.

Gotham Literature
They publish “short-form creative content that can be read by most people in under 5 minutes. We accept submissions on an ongoing basis, and are seeking flash fiction, poetry, comics, and dialogue, although we will consider submissions that don’t fit neatly into these categories. … We also want to make high-quality lit accessible, meaning we are trying to reach people who are not already plugged into literary circles.” They pay up to $50 for unsolicited submissions, and more for commissioned work.
Deadline: Open now
Length: Up to 1,200 words
Pay: Up to $50 (click on ‘rate schedule’)
Details here.

Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.