Narrative Magazine, a non-profit focused on ” advancing literary arts in the digital age by supporting the finest writing talent and encouraging readership across generations, in schools, and around the globe,” is just opened for submissions without a fee.

They normally charge a reading fee, but for the first 2 weeks in April, writers can submit for free.

They pay up to $1,000 for personal essays and short stories.

They accept submissions of short stories, longer essays, plays, novellas, poetry, and more. Pay varies:

—$150 for a Story of the Week, with $400 each for the annual Top Five Stories of the Week.
—$150 to $350 for 500 to 2,000 word manuscripts.
—$350 to $1,000 for 2,000 to 15,000 word manuscripts.
—Rates for book-length works vary, depending on the length and nature of the work.
—$50 minimum for each accepted poem and audio piece. ($25 for poetry reprints.)
—$200 each for the annual Top Five Poems of the Week.
—$100 for Readers’ Narratives.

When submitting, be sure to select the “Open Reading” category, otherwise they will ask for a submission fee.

To learn more, read their submission guidelines.