By S. Kalekar
These magazines/anthologies pay up to $750 for fiction. A few also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry. They are either open now, or will soon open for submissions.
Swords Against!
This is as new sword & sorcery magazine. They have detailed guidelines. They are open until 30th September, or till they reach a submission cap, whichever is earlier, for short fiction. They are also accepting flash fiction of up to 500 words for their newsletter; work sent outside the reading period will not be read. Click on the various tabs on the guidelines page for details, and also see the submission tracker at the bottom of the page, which records the number of submissions received.
Deadline: 30 September 2026, or until filled, for short fiction; until filled for newsletter submissions
Length: 1,500-5,000 words for general submissions, up to 500 words for newsletter fiction
Pay: $0.04/word
Details here.
Strange Horizons
This speculative fiction magazine will open for fiction submissions on 1st October, and will stay open till they hit their submission cap. Their non-fiction, poetry, and more (click on individual links) are open on an ongoing basis. Their submission portal for fiction will be open during the reading period.
Opens on: 1st October 2026 for fiction
Length: Up to 5,000 words for fiction
Pay: $0.09/word for fiction
Details here and here.
Flash Fiction Online
They will open for unthemed flash fiction – both speculative and literary – on 1st October 2026, and close when they hit their submission cap.
Opens on: 1st October 2026
Length: 500-1,000 words
Pay: $100
Details here.
Wallstrait
Their tagline is ‘A Journal of Hard-to-Define Fiction’. “No limitations on genre. … See our home page for a weirdly detailed example of the many genres we’ll consider. But then again, the whole point of that list is that we’ll consider pretty much anything.
We welcome flash fiction, longer stories, hybrid, and experimental stuff you can’t quite define. We publish a new piece every three weeks.” And see ‘What we publish’ on this page: “We’ll read and publish short stories in the realm of action, adventure, coming-of-age, crime, detective, drama, dystopia, fairytale, fantasy (high/low/second-world/portal/Eldritch/magical realism/paranormal; just go for it), gothic, horror, humor literary, mystery, noir, philosophy, psychology, politics, realism, romance, satire, science fiction, steampunk, supernatural, thriller/suspense, tragedy, Western, etc. If your genre isn’t on this list, just pretend it is and send it.” They charge a submission fee except for fee-free submission periods. Submission is via Submittable.
Reading period: 1-8 October 2026 (for fee-free submissions)
Length: 500-3,000 words (can read up to 5,000 words)
Pay: $100
Details here.
Solarpunk Magazine
They will soon open submissions for solarpunk fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and will also soon as well as for solarpunk horror stories. “Our last submission window of 2026 will be from October 1-14. Read the submission guidelines … and then send us your general solarpunk. This is also the last submission window we’ll be accepting work for our special Solarpunk Horror issue.” They have detailed guidelines. They also accept translations and art. Submission is via a submission portal.
Reading period: 1-14 October 2026
Length: 1,500-7,500 words 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 non-fiction
Details here.
Little District Books: Radiant Dawn – A Queer Hopepunk Anthology
They want stories of optimism, community, and kindness overcoming the odds. “Hopepunk is defined by weaponizing kindness, community and optimism to overcome oppressive systems. Hopepunk can be cozy, like Becky Chambers or TJ Klune, or not, like Sam J. Miller and Ryka Aoki. Either way it is a glass half-full kind of vibe.” This is the first publishing project of Little District Books, “a queer-owned and operated Washington, DC based independent book store that celebrates LGBTQ+ authors and stories.”
Deadline: 15 October 2026
Length: 2,500-10,000 words
Pay: $0.05/word
Details here.
WordFire Press: Superheroes, Super Problems
This is a fiction anthology. “Being super means dealing with super problems, as well as mundane ones. Superheroes, Super Problems is an original anthology exploring the balance between the extraordinary responsibility of being a superhero and the ordinary struggles of human existence… Imagine a superhero has been battling villains all day long, but his kids refuse to eat the dinner he made. Or a gloating villain returns to her lair only to find her chihuahua has chewed through the cord to her death laser. … As you create your own superheroes, we not only want to know their powers, but how they juggle life. Show us that the only superpower that matters is humanity. … The main character doesn’t have to possess powers, and could even be the super villain.” Humor is welcome, as are darker themes. They do not want stories with copyrighted material. And, “Original fiction and poetry in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, suspense, humor, and romance, appropriate for up to a “PG-13” audience. Superheroes or super powers must be central to the story. Diverse cultures and non-traditional legends and persons welcomed.”
Deadline: 15 October 2026
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
(Submissions are also open for the Superheroes/Supervillains anthology from Big Bear Press: “we’re looking for speculative short stories that show your original interpretation on the theme of “Superheroes/Supervillains.” One man’s superhero is another man’s supervillain (and vice versa), so let’s see what you’ve got. Show us your classic superhero reimaginings. Your take on what makes a superhero or supervillain “super.” Undersung heroes, overachieving villains, supes originating in fairy tales or folk tales or fables—we want to read all about them.” They pay $100 for stories of 8,000-10,000 words, and the deadline is 1 December 2026; details here and here.)
Neon Hemlock Press Chapbooks / Novelettes
They are open for speculative fiction chapbooks/novelettes. The work can be a single novelette of 7,500 to 12,000 words, or multiple short stories(including flash); and they are particularly interested in work that explores some element of queer experience. “Selected manuscripts will be printed as 5” x 5” chapbooks. Our standard chapbook contract pays $100 and 25 copies from a limited print run of 100, with an option to discuss a 50/50 split when the initial print run sells out”.
Deadline: 15th October 2026
Length: 7,500 to 12,000 words
Pay: $100, 25 contributor copies
Details here and here
(A note on their website says they will open for their Novella Series in October, and for Baffling Magazine submissions in December; they are currently open for a reprint anthology, Neon Hemlock Press: We’re Here – The Best of Queer Speculative Fiction 2026 until 31st December 2026, details here and here.)
Consequence Magazine
They publish work “that addresses the human experiences, realities, and consequences of war and geopolitical violence through literature and art.” They accept fiction (including flash and excerpts), non-fiction (interviews, essays, and narrative non-fiction), poetry, translations, and art. All works will be considered for online and print.
They are also reading submissions for two special features: The America Feature (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, art – “for a special feature on America that documents, illustrates, or addresses geopolitical violence in the United States”), and The Iran Feature (translations – “Consequence Forum invites previously unpublished translations from Farsi into English that examine the manifold human, cultural, psychological, or historical consequences of war in Iran”), apart from general submissions. See their Duosuma for details on these features.
Deadline: 15th October 2026
Length: Up to 5,000 words for fiction, up to 4,000 words for non-fiction, up to 3 poems
Pay: $30-50 for print prose, $40 for online prose, and $20-30 for poetry
Details here and here
The Fiddlehead
They are open now via Submittable for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and translations; they also accept queries for reviews of Canadian fiction and poetry (see guidelines). The deadline for Submittable is mid-October; they take mailed submissions year-round. There is a submission fee for international submissions, but no fee for Canadian writers, including Canadian writers living abroad.
Deadline: 15 October 2026 (for Submittable)
Length: Up to 6,000 words for prose, up to 6 poems
Pay: CAD65/page for creative writing, $45 for reviews
Details here and here
Flame Tree: Dark Ages — Folk Horror Stories
They want stories for an anthology in their Beyond & Within series. Dark Ages: Folk Horror Stories is an anthology exploring that meeting of differing cultures after the fall of Rome. What is real? What is supernatural? The old ways bloom across Europe once more, bringing vast potential for both life and death. Rumours of secluded communities hiding in old forests spread. Disciples of the Christian god spread across the land, seeking to convert true believers. Kings rise while others fall. And there, in the marshes, things long forgotten emerge. Dark Ages: Folk Horror Stories charts these tales, recording the meetings of people from different ways of life. Exploring what was, what is, and what might be.” They do not want reprints for this anthology.
Deadline: 18th October 2026
Length: 2,000-4,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
(Flame Tree regularly announces calls for anthologies; at the time of writing, they had also announced their Pandora and Icarus themed anthologies and the deadline for both is 4th October; see all of their open calls here.)
Hybris Press: OTHERSIDE
This is a speculative fiction magazine; they only accept submissions from 2SLGBTQIA+ authors. ”We have a diverse team of editors, all with different tastes. Some of us like dreamy literary tales and some of us like high-stakes adventures. Some love fantasy and some prefer science fiction. Some like hopeful stories and some like bleak ones. And sometimes we don’t know what we like until you send it to us!” During their October submission window, they want submissions for the Explorations theme. They are open for non-fiction/essays year-round, and for fiction and other genres during specific submission windows; they’ll open October 1-7 only for trans, BIPOC, and/or disabled 2SLGBTQIA+ authors, and will open October 8-21 for general 2SLGBTQIA+ submissions.
Reading period: See above
Length: 500-4,000 words for fiction, any length for poetry (see guidelines), up to 4,000 words for non-fiction
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction, $50 for poetry, $100 for non-fiction
Details here and here.
Orion’s Belt
They publishspeculative microfiction, flash fiction, and poetry. Their website says, “Orion’s Belt is a literary speculative-fiction online magazine. We specialize in the strange and poignant and awe-inspiring, stories that have a cosmic scale and intimate personal stakes.
Speculative fiction for us encompasses a wide range of fiction that includes non-realist elements. While we focus on science-fiction and fantasy, we’re open to slipstream, horror, magic realism, myth retellings, surrealism, superhero stories, and all other fantastical genres and subgenres.” They have detailed guidelines, including preferences and hard sells. They also publish translations, as well as reviews and art. Submission is via Duosuma.
Deadline: 31st October 2026
Length: Micros up to 400 words, flash fiction of 401-1,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word for stories, and $40 for poetry
Details here.
Nimrod International Journal
This print journal is affiliated with the University of Tulsa. You can read about them here. They publish prose and poetry. They accept submissions via Submittable during October.
Reading period: 1 to 31 October 2026
Length: Up to 5,000 words for prose, 3-7 poems (see guidelines)
Pay: $20 per poem/page of prose, up to $300
Details here and here
(The Paris Review will open for prose and poetry submissions via Submittable on 1st October 2026: “Submissions of prose are also accepted via Submittable in February, June, and October, and unsolicited submissions of poetry are accepted via Submittable in January, April, July, and October, until we reach capacity.” They accept postal submissions in both categories year-round; payment is unspecified.)
Belanger Books: Sherlock Holmes – The Science-Fictional Adventures
This is a fiction anthology; they want sci-fi Sherlock Holmes stories. “In 1960, the Denver based scion society The Council of Four published a collection of science-fiction Sherlock Holmes stories titled, The Science-Fictional Sherlock Holmes. … Rather than making it a strict traditional Sherlock Holmes anthology, the authors put Holmes (and characters similar to Sherlock Holmes) in all sorts of different sci-fi settings.
This anthology will continue the tradition of The Science-Fictional Sherlock Holmes with all new Sherlock Holmes science-fiction adventures. Authors are encouraged to submit traditional Victorian era Sherlock Holmes science-fiction stories or stories set in futuristic settings. You can play around with Holmes and make him a robot, an AI, an alien lifeform, or any other creative way you see fit. He just has to still be traditional (i.e. a force for good).”
Deadline: 20 November 2026
Length: 5,000-10,000 words
Pay: $100
Details here (scroll down)
(Belanger Books is also open for two other anthologies, which pay royalties: Steel True, Blade Straight 2026-2027, deadline 11th October 2026; and The Pontine Dossier: Millennium Edition 2026 Annual, deadline 31 October 2026; details here – scroll down.)
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.