10 Markets for Short Stories Paying $50 to $1,000

These markets pay $50-1,000 for fiction. They are either open now, or will open soon for submissions. – S. Kalekar

Fairy Tale Magazine
They publish fairy tale themed fiction and poetry; both of these have to follow the specific yearly theme, while non-fiction can be on any fairy tale subject. They’re open for brief periods at the beginning of each month (January-November). For 2021, the theme is ‘Healers, Midwives and Cunning Folk.’ Their guidelines say, “I’m looking for old fashioned herbal healers who served villages way back in the day, midwives also tended to help with a variety of ailments, and “cunning folk,” who used folk magic as well as potions, salves and poultices, etc. Think of regular herbalists, hedge witches, kitchen witches, regular midwives, etc. I am looking for folklore to merge into fairy tales here. 

What does that mean? It means you should submit works that have at least an element of the theme above. You may retell an existing fairy tale or use a story for a jumping off place for your poem or story. You can mashup two or more fairy tales. The theme may figure into your work in subtle or large ways.”
Reading period: 1-3 January
Length: 750-1,000 words for prose; poetry of any length
Pay: $50
Details here.


Cossmass Infinities
This magazine of science fiction and fantasy is open during the first week of each month, alternating between under-represented and general submissions. During the first week of January they will be open for submissions by Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors; general submissions will be open during the first week of February.
Reading period: 1-7 January 2021
Length: 2,000-10,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.


The Stinging Fly
This Irish magazine publishes fiction and poetry from Ireland and abroad, as well as commissioned essays, and they have a particular interest in promoting the short story. They are currently open for fiction submissions only.  
Deadline: 8 January 2021
Length: No length guidelines for fiction
Pay: €30/page for fiction
Details here.

Jazz House Publications: Twisted Love Anthology
This is a fiction anthology about twisted love. Their guidelines say, “True love can have dark depths. “Till death do you part” might be prophetic. And beware the unrequited, shunned, and spited romantics.” They want “twisted, dark, and despairing stories about romantic and gothic horror and the people who find love to have a bitter aftertaste.” This is a Valentine’s Day-themed anthology, so incorporate this holiday’s themes and aesthetics. They encourage every interpretation of this theme, including supernatural, magical, Victorian, and contemporary settings and characters.
Deadline: 8 January 2021
Length: 7,000-9,000 words
Pay: $75
Details here.

Mysterion
They want science fiction, fantasy and horror stories that engage meaningfully with Christian themes, characters or cosmology. The stories need not teach a moral or be close to an approved theological position. Nor do they need to be pro-Christian – see their detailed guidelines on the kind of work they see too often, and what they would like to see. They are especially interested in stories that show Christians from cultures beyond those of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. They also accept translations and reprints, and art submissions.  
Reading period: 1-31 January 2021
Length: Up to 9,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.

The First Line: Four themes
They want stories that begin with a pre-set first line; they’re open to all genres. They also sometimes publish poetry, and these too have to begin with the first lines provided. For nonfiction, they want critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work. Fiction writers can also write a four-part story that uses the spring, summer, fall, and winter sentences (or a five-part story, if using the pre-set last line in The Last Line Journal – “Welcome to the family.”) and all parts must be submitted at once, in a single e-mail or snail mail, before the February 1st deadline.
Spring: “Darryl slid three quarters into the vending machine and weighed his options.” Deadline: 1 February 2021
Summer: “Lena was raised on violin lessons and minimal parental supervision.” Deadline: 1 May 2021
Fall: “What should we do with the body?” Deadline: 1 August 2021
Winter: “Later that evening, they sat alone in their apartment, wondering if they had made the right decision.” Deadline: 1 November 2021
Deadlines: Various; see above
Length: 300-5,000 words for fiction; 500-800 words for non-fiction
Pay: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for non-fiction, $5-10 for poetry
Details here (first lines) and here (guidelines).

We Cryptids
This is an urban fantasy anthology about cryptids (which exist in the luminal spaces between fact and fiction – like Bigfoot, Nessie, vampires, werewolves, kraken, and more). They invite writers to consider what would happen if cryptids lived among us. They want urban fantasy only – no science fiction or horror, although horror elements may be present in the story. Other forms of fantasy (epic fantasy, Historical Fantasy, or Steampunk, for example) will not be accepted. If the cryptid you choose to write about was sighted in a timeframe earlier than 2020, you are welcome to write within that time frame, but the more modern the story, the better. The editor wants noblebright, and not grimdark stories (see guidelines for more). Translated stories are welcome.
Deadline: 1 March 2021
Length: 3,000-6,000 words
Pay: $200 + royalties
Details here.

Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder
They want fiction by queer YA authors, about queer teen protagonists – stories that are set in the future. This will be extremely competitive, as they are looking to fill two slots for the anthology via the open call. This anthology is open to young writers also (see guidelines). Stories do not have to be #ownvoices, nor do they have to contain romantic elements.
Deadline: 1 March 2021
Length: 4,000-8,000 words
Pay: $900 + royalties
Details here.

Midnight From Beyond the Stars
This is a project by Silver Shamrock Publishing. They want original alien horror stories with a The Thing/Alien/The Blob/Critters/Night of the Creeps kind of vibe.
Deadline: 30 April 2021
Length: 2,500-6,000 words
Pay: $0.06/word
Details here.

Strange Horizons
This is a magazine of speculative fiction. They specially welcome work from groups that are under-represented or have been marginalized in the genre. They also accept poetry, reviews, essays, columns, interviews, and round-tables. They are open Monday to Tuesday (see guidelines), and are reopening submissions in January after a two-month hiatus.
Opens on: 4 January 2021
Length: Up to 10,000 words for fiction
Pay: $0.10/word for fiction; varies for others
Details here.
UPDATE: They will not open for general fiction submissions in January, and may open for these in February – see this announcement on their website; they’re open now for a special Palestine-themed issue, until 31 January 2021. 
(Samovar, published by Strange Horizons, publishes speculative fiction in translation; it is open now).


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.

 

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