These markets pay from $100 to $800 for fiction and a few also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry. Deadlines are approaching quickly for some of these magazines. – S. Kalekar
Lightspeed
Lightspeed is an award-winning speculative fiction magazine. They are currently open for fantasy fiction submissions only.
Deadline: 14 March 2021
Length: 1,500-10,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here (guidelines) and here (submission portal).
Flame Tree Publishing: Chilling Crime Anthology
They want stories of crime for this anthology. Their guidelines say, “We’ve looked at cosy crime and detective thrillers, now it’s time to turn to the darker side: the cold cases, the grim murders, the desperate villains, and the race against time to solve the crime. We’re seeking up to 20 new stories to join our powerful collection of Chilling Crime Short Stories, new and classic tales reaching back into ancient, medieval, Elizabethan and Victorian fiction.” They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 14 March 2021
Length: 2,000-4,000 words most likely to succeed; will also read slightly outside this range
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
Nightmare Magazine
This award-winning horror and dark fantasy magazine is open for two brief submission periods in March; one is for BIPOC writers only. Apart from flash fiction and short fiction, they also want poetry and creative non-fiction. Do not send work previously rejected by Lightspeed, which is its sister magazine.
Reading periods: Up to 13 March for work by BIPOC authors; 14-20 March for general submissions
Length: Up to 1,500 words for flash fiction, 1,500-7,500 words for short fiction, up to five poems, up to 1,000 words for creative non-fiction
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction, varies for others
Details here (guidelines) and here (submission portal).
Thunderbird Studios: Decades of San Cicaro
This is a fiction anthology, set in the imaginary town of San Cicaro, and taking place between 1930-1989. Their guidelines say, “This winter season, Thunderbird Studios is opening its doors to another round of stories for their “Decades of San Cicaro” project. This new anthology will continue the tradition of unusual fantasy and macabre tales in the “Jewel of California.”
As before, we’re looking for tales of urban fantasy, magical realism, the weird, the dark and the hopeful. But unlike the prior anthologies, we’re unlocking the past. You’ll have to add a bit of historical fiction to the mix, with stories taking place between 1930 all the way to the 1980’s.” See their thematic rules for details.
Deadline: 22 March 2021 (extended)
Length: 5,000-8,000 words
Pay: $200
Details here.
Southword Literary Journal
This is a print literary journal published in spring and autumn by the Muster Literature Centre. They have published the likes of Helen Ivory, Haruki Murakami, Tess Gallagher, and Colm Toibín. They are accepting fiction currently.
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: €250 per short story
Details here and here.
West Branch
This respected literary magazine publishes fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, and translations. Their reading period is from August to April.
Deadline: 1 April 2021
Length: Up to 30 pages of prose; up to six poems
Pay: $0.05/word for prose up to $100, $50 for poetry
Details here.
Translunar Travelers Lounge
This speculative fiction magazine will open soon for submissions. The editors want stories that are “fun”. Their guidelines say, “A fun story, at its core, is one that works on the premise that things aren’t all bad; that ultimately, good wins out. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your story has to be silly or lighthearted (though it certainly can be). Joy can be made all the more powerful when juxtaposed against tragedy. In the end, though, there should be hope, and we want stories that are truly fun for as many different kinds of people as possible.” ” Also, “Swashbuckling adventure, deadly intrigue, and gleeful romance are some of the most obvious examples of what we’re looking for, but we won’t say no to more subtle or complicated topics, as long as they fit under the wider “fun” umbrella.” The first week of the reading period is reserved for writers of color, and the rest is for general submissions (see guidelines).
Reading period: 15 March-15 April 2021
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: $0.03/word ($20 minimum)
Details here.
AGNI
This respected literary journal accepts fiction, poetry, non-fiction, translations, and essays. All work will be considered for print and online publishing.
Deadline: 31 May 2021
Length: No word limit for prose; up to five poems
Pay: $10/page of prose, $20/page of poetry, up to $150
Details here.
Room Magazine
This is Canada’s oldest feminist literary journal and they accept work by women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people. They are open for submissions of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork.
Deadline: Open now
Length: Up to 3,500 words for fiction and non-fiction, up to five poems
Pay: $50-150 (Canadian)
Details here.
The Dark Magazine
They publish horror and dark fantasy, though not graphic, violent horror. The editors ask writers to try them with fiction that falls out of regular categories and welcome experimental works.
Deadline: Open now
Length: 2,000-6,000 words
Pay: $0.06/word
Details here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She is the author of 182 Short Fiction Publishers. She can be reached here.
