{"id":13191,"date":"2026-08-18T18:08:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T01:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/?p=13191"},"modified":"2026-08-18T18:08:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T01:08:32","slug":"10-fiction-magazines-paying-up-to-1000-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/uncategorized\/10-fiction-magazines-paying-up-to-1000-2\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Fiction magazines paying up to $1,000"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By S. Kalekar

<\/strong>These magazines and anthologies pay up to $1,000 words for short stories, and one pays more for works of longer fiction. A few of them also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry. They are open now, or will soon open for fiction submissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncanny<\/strong>
This award-winning speculative fiction magazine is currently open for speculative poetry. They will open for short story submissions from 24 August to 7 September 2026. \u201cWe want  intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs. Uncanny<\/em> believes there\u2019s still plenty of room in the genre for tales that make you feel<\/em>.\u201d Submission is via their Moksha portal.
Deadline: 31 August for poetry; reading 24th<\/sup> August to 7th<\/sup> September 2026 for fiction
Length: 750-10,000 words for fiction, up to 5 poems
Pay: $0.10\/word for fiction, $40 for poetry
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Owl Hollow Press: The Unopened Door Anthology
<\/strong>This is a fiction anthology. \u201cSome doors are locked to keep danger out. Others are locked to secrets inside.
In literature, we see it often: Narnia\u2019s wardrobe, Alice\u2019s rabbit hole, Coraline\u2019s door to the Other World. These are just a few examples, but any mundane entry could be a story waiting to be told.
An abandoned fallout shelter. A hatch buried beneath Antarctic ice. A forgotten room behind a fireplace. A cave sealed by an ancient civilization. A rusted submarine airlock. A child’s bedroom closet that suddenly appears where no closet existed before.
In this anthology, we will explore stories where someone ignores the warnings and opens something that should have remained shut.
What waits on the other side isn\u2019t always a monster\u2014but it always comes with a price. From mysterious happenings and supernatural suspense to psychological thrillers and dark fantasy, The Unopened Door explores humanity\u2019s oldest temptation: the irresistible need to know what’s hidden behind the next threshold.\u201d Stories can be \u201cany genre, any topic, any gateway your heart desires.\u201d
Deadline: 31 August 2026
Length: Up to 7,000 words
Pay: $50
Details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Reckoning
<\/strong>This magazine publishes fiction, creative non-fiction, critical essays, poetry, translations, book reviews, and art on environmental justice. About fiction, they say, \u201cThe fiction we publish is mostly, but not exclusively, speculative. We appreciate surreal, literary, and experimental pieces as well as strong plotting, but prefer writing that doesn\u2019t lean too far into pulp.\u201d They have detailed guidelines. They are reading submissions for Issue 11. (They are also accepting novellas on environmental justice, of 17,500 \u2013 40,000 words, for which pay starts at $0.02\/word. Submit a synopsis initially via Moksha; see here<\/a>.)
Deadline: 31 August 2026
Length: Up to 15,000 words for fiction, up to 20,000 words for creative non-fiction, up to 10 pages for poetry
Pay: $0.15\/word for fiction and creative non-fiction, and S75\/page for poetry
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.

(Reckoning is also accepting flash fiction<\/strong> of 1,000 words or less on environmental themes for a special call \u2013 \u201cOutside of flash, what we specifically want are weird stories, dark stories, horror stories\u200a.\u200a.\u200a.\u200aand yet stories with some bit of hope to them, even if that hope is simply, We will persist, we will exist, we will endure<\/em>. You can\u2019t make the world a better place, after all, if you aren\u2019t there to do the work.\u201d The deadline for this call is 31st<\/sup> October 2026. Details here<\/a>.)

Haven Speculative
<\/strong>They publish speculative fiction and poetry. \u201cWe like stories that are subtle in their telling and stick with us long after we’ve finished, and we’re more likely to buy stories that balance a sense of wonder with a bold plot and emotional depth. For our two issues focused on the climate crisis, we’re particularly interested in publishing stories from people displaced by or threatened by the climate emergency (see our themes below). For our other four issues, we’re open to a wide variety of stories across the SFF and weird spectra (e.g., science fiction, fantasy, speculative horror, and beyond).\u201d They also publish climate crisis focused Dry<\/strong> and Wet<\/strong> issues each year; scroll down on the guidelines page for details. They accept translations, as well. During each submission cycle, they have one month reserved for submissions from underrepresented writers, and one month, for all writers. In August, they are reading submissions from all writers.
Deadline: 31 August 2026
Length: Up to 5,000 words for fiction, up to 5 poems
Pay: $0.08\/word for fiction, $20\/poem
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.

Tasavvur<\/strong>
<\/a>They publish submissions of South Asian speculative fiction of all kinds – fantasy, sci-fi, horror, magical realism, mythpunk, weird fiction, or anything genre-bending during their reading periods. They also accept non-fiction pitches<\/strong><\/a> and art<\/a> on an ongoing basis. You can read the latest issue here<\/a> and past issues here<\/a> to get a sense of what they publish. They accept work from \u201cWriters of South Asian origin or association (broadly defined \u2014 including diaspora, mixed heritage, or meaningful cultural affiliation)
Non\u2013South Asian writers whose speculative fiction stories are deeply rooted in South Asian themes or settings\u201d.
Deadline: 31 August 2026 for fiction
Length: Up to 5,000 words for fiction
Pay: $0.05\/word for fiction, $100 for non-fiction
Details here<\/a>.

Flame Tree: Four Anthologies
<\/strong>They are open for four anthologies: two romantic fantasy anthologies, as well two anthologies in their Myths, Gods, & Immortals series.

—<\/strong> Of Love Forbidden<\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>\u201cSupernatural lore forges together lands, courts and families. It is in place to tighten generations and is knitted together by legend and tradition. If mistreated, it threatens to unravel entire realms. Forbidden love is the trickiest of all, and these compelling stories will explore the heart\u2019s desires set against the backdrop of complicated politics and societal expectations. Where alliances are everything, these flawed romances play out before fae, mortals and beasts. When the head and heart battle one another, one must seal their fate: either keeping peace and harmony or severing deep bonds that could threaten to tear apart worlds\u2026 all in the name of love.\u201d (Deadline: 13th<\/sup> September 2026 for Of Love Forbidden.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— <\/strong>Of Fae & Fire<\/strong><\/a> (scroll down): <\/strong>\u201cThe world of fae is the perfect bewitching setting for matters of the heart. These mysterious beings can be trickster figures, ruthless and immortal, morally dubious or harmoniously good. They can take a range of forms, and we encourage originality and creativity in imagining how their magic unfolds. Drawing on ancient folklore or reflecting the modern world, we welcome stories that explore the politics and power surrounding fae courts, hidden forest realms, or other fantasy lands beyond human laws. Combined with fire, whether that\u2019s through elemental magic, dragons, precious objects forged in flame, slow-burn romance or intense passion, we\u2019re looking for stories turning up the heat with high stakes!\u201d (Deadline: 13th<\/sup> September 2026 for Of Fae & Fire.)

— <\/strong>Pandora<\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>\u201cForever identified with the box \u2013 or more accurately, jar \u2013 that unleashed all the horrors in the world, Pandora is the archetypal first woman of Greek myth. According to Hesiod, she was the \u2018beautiful evil\u2019 that set the precedent for all women to follow. Pandora was devised by Zeus (in punishment on mortals for the gift of fire by Prometheus), moulded from clay by Hephaestus and endowed with gifts from other gods. She herself was presented as a gift \u2013 and a curse. Variously interpreted through the ages as an act of mild naivety, insatiable curiosity, or malicious intent, Pandora\u2019s opening of the jar and the nature of its contents have often reflected attitudes and beliefs of the times. We\u2019re looking for stories that give voice to the character of Pandora, explore wider events, motives and consequences, or imagine alternative settings and modern equivalents.\u201d (Deadline: 4th<\/sup> October 2026 for Pandora.)

— <\/strong>Icarus<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cHe is famous for flying too close to the sun, but what else do we know about Icarus? Son of master craftsman Daedalus, he is inextricably linked to the myth of the labyrinth, Theseus and the minotaur. But he does not play the role of hero, merely of a boy who succumbs to hubris, high-flying ambition or weakness in the face of dizzying heights, depending on your interpretation. Mentioned only fleetingly by various classical writers, this character nonetheless possesses strong moral and psychological symbolism that has inspired art and literature throughout the mediaeval, Renaissance and modern periods. Now it is your turn to investigate and extrapolate his possible stories, whether following his path in the mythological era, reinterpreting him for today’s world or setting him in an imagined future, whether literally ‘Icarus’ or metaphorically so. We seek original stories riffing on the theme.\u201d (Deadline: 4th<\/sup> October 2026 for Icarus.)
Deadlines: See above
Length: 2,000-4,000 words
Pay: $0.08\/word for originals, $0.06\/word for reprints
Details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.

(And, Flame Tree is accepting 10-minute script <\/strong>submissions for \u2018Live & Spooky\u2019 A Halloween Scratch Night<\/strong>; \u201cWe want short, sharp, spooky new work that can hold a room in ten minutes flat. Ghosts, curses, folk horror, cosmic dread, the thing under the bed. If it unsettles us, we want to see it. This is a scratch night, which means we’re looking for early-stage, low-tech, high-impact writing. Think fewer props, tighter casts, bigger scares.\u201d They\u2019ll pay \u00a350 for these scripts; the deadline is 23rd<\/sup> August 2026; submit via a form on their website<\/a>.

Submissions are also open for Exquisite Undead: An Anthology of Vampires<\/strong>, a fiction and poetry anthology. Regarding genre, \u201cHorror, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, historical, a weird blend of everything\u2014all are welcome\u201d. Stories can be flash length of up to 1,500 words, or longer of up to 7,000 words; they pay $30\/flash or poetry, $65 for longer stories; the deadline is 1 September 2026; details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.)

<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Branch<\/strong>
West Branch<\/a> reopened for submissions on 1st<\/sup> August. They accept fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and translations. They also accept queries<\/strong> for poetry book reviews. The magazine is affiliated with Bucknell University.
Deadline: 1 April 2027
Length: Up to 30 pages of prose, up to 6 poems
Pay: $100 for poetry, $0.10\/word up to $200 for prose
Details here<\/a>.

(And, Griffith Review <\/strong>is open for their 95th<\/sup> issue, the theme is Bodies of Work<\/strong>; they want fiction and nonfiction submissions, and have detailed guidelines. They mostly accept work from writers in Australia, and some work from overseas writers. Do not send poetry. They pay AUD0.75\/word for up to 4,000 words of prose; the deadline is 23 August 2026, 11:59 pm AEST; details here<\/a> and here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n


More Distant Shores
<\/strong>This is a new magazine, and they opened submissions in July. \u201cMore Distant Shores<\/em>\u00a0is an upcoming magazine striving to publish the highest quality short fiction, irrespective of genre.\u201d They also say, \u201cFirst and foremost, the most important criterion in whether we select your piece for publication is the quality of the writing. We want pieces that are\u00a0clear, tight, and highly edited<\/em>. Overly literary passages may work against you (or they may not; as with all writing advice, you can flout the rule if you do a good enough job of it).

As mentioned, you may submit pieces of any genre (or pieces that defy genre classification). We are\u00a0especially<\/em>\u00a0interested in pieces that are just a little odd\u2014think The Twilight Zone. If a pieces feels too speculative for a traditional literary magazine, but not speculative enough for an SFWA magazine, it might find a good home with More Distant Shores.\u201d Submission is via a form.
Deadline: Open now
Length: 1,000-10,000 words
Pay: $0.10\/word
Details here<\/a>. \u00a0

Bullet Points<\/strong>
\u201cBullet Points<\/em> publishes speculative military fiction that is sensitive to the complexity, tragedy, and hope of warfare and violence in human (and nonhuman) society. Stories must<\/strong> have both a speculative and<\/strong> a military element \u2026 Original stories run between 100 and 5,000 words, although reprints can deviate from this guideline.\u201d
Deadline: Ongoing
Length: 100-5,000 words
Pay: $0.01\/word for original stories and $0.005\/word for reprints
Details here<\/a>.

Funny Times<\/strong>
They publish cartoons and stories. \u201cOur print publication pokes fun at politics, news, relationships, food, technology, pets, work, death, environmental issues, business, religion (yes, even religion) and the human condition in general. Not much is off limits, so do your best to make us laugh.\u201d And, \u201cStories \u2014 the funniest you have ever written \u2014 should be about 500-700 words. Don\u2019t send us things that aren\u2019t funny. We won\u2019t publish them.\u201d And, \u201cThere is a lead-time of several months because of our editorial calendar, meaning, i.e., December holiday material should be mailed for consideration in September.\u201d\u00a0
Deadline: Ongoing
Length: 500-700 words
Pay: $75 for stories, $30-$50 per cartoon
Details here<\/a>. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bio:<\/strong>\u00a0S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By S. Kalekar These magazines and anthologies pay up to $1,000 words for short stories, and one pays more for works of longer fiction. A few of them also accept other genres, like non-fiction and poetry. They are open now, or will soon open for fiction submissions. UncannyThis award-winning speculative fiction magazine is currently open…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13191"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13192,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13191\/revisions\/13192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomwithwriting.com\/freedom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}