Happy Monday, everyone!

No reminders for today—just a note that the last day you will be able to drop courses without penalty is this Friday, April 11, at 11:59 PM. If you think that a course won’t work for you, have changed your plans, or are still waitlisted for a course, this might be the right option for you. Remember that after this date, you can no longer drop classes. Please contact advisor Jordan Kindle (jkindle@depaul.edu) if you have any questions or are still trying to register for your course(s).

Below, we’ve compiled a list of some genre-focused literary publications currently accepting submissions. Scroll down for more info on each of these!

Genre-Focused Submission Opportunities

For the lovers, the dreamers—and the sleuths, the horror fans, the history buffs, fans of sci-fi and fantasy worlds, and even aspiring children’s authors—we’ve compiled a (non-exhaustive!) list of genre-focused literary publications. If you’re looking for a home for your genre-specific fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or artwork (and/or want to find a community of writers who share your interests), journals like these might be a great place to start. Some journals even welcome nonfiction submissions from writers who wish to contribute information on an applicable topic of interest.

While some of these have specific deadlines, others accept work on a rolling basis.

Make sure to carefully read what types of pieces each journal is looking for, since some might be interested in certain topics more than others.

(The information below has been copied from each journal or institution’s website.)

1. Shoegaze Literary Magazine

Deadline: April 17, 2025

About:

Shoegaze Literary is a capsule project that publishes poetry and fiction. 

The magazine borrows its name and aesthetics from the eponymous musical genre where artists often perform looking down at their effect pedals.

We aim to support and uplift emerging writers through our digital venue by curating a third space for dreamy, distorted alternate realities. 

Guidelines:

Shoegaze Literary is now accepting submissions of poetry and short fiction for our inaugural, themed issue: in translation (lost).

As a mag primarily interested in dreamscapes and distorted realities, we are interested in themes of listlessness, indulgence, and irreverent longing. we seek work that engages with what may be lost in communication (verbal, physical, digital, etc). when inhabiting these unfamiliar spaces.

• Poetry:
  • Email shoegazeliterary [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line Poetry
  • Send 1-3 poems in a single document.
  • As our submissions are read blind, please do not include any identifying information in your submission. We will contact you for this information after your work has been accepted.

• Fiction:
  • Email shoegazeliterary [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line Fiction
  • Send 1-2 fiction pieces in a single document. Please keep your total word count under 6k. If you are submitting two fiction pieces, the word count for both pieces must add up to 6k. 
  • As our submissions are read blind, please do not include any identifying information in your submission. We will contact you for this information after your work has been accepted.

• General guidelines:
  • We only accept submissions during our open reading periods. We aim to publish two issues a year, one in the Summer and one in the Winter. 
  • Only send unpublished work. 
  • We gladly accept simultaneous submissions, as long as they fit the issue’s theme. If your piece is accepted elsewhere, email us. We will make a note to withdraw the particular piece from your submission packet.
  • Translations are welcome as long as contributors have retained the appropriate rights.
  • At this time we are not looking for unsolicited nonfiction, personal essay, or reported pieces.
  • We do not accept work made in part or through AI.
  • We do not charge a reading/submission fee.
  • Shoegaze Literary acquires first publication rights and rights revert to author upon publication.
  • Our collective is a labor of love, started and supported by two working-class writers. While we are currently not a paying market, we read every piece with care, and are working towards being able to compensate our writers.

Submission page: https://shoegazeliterary.com/translation-lost/

2. The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award

Deadline: April 30, 2025

About:

Twice each year TGS awards $1,500 and online publication to the winner of our short story competition. (Read our most recent award winners.)

Two other writers receive Honorable Mention awards that include publication and cash prizes of $300. Online publication dates are June 1, and October 31.

Our competition typically draws over 300 submissions from all around the world. The winning stories are selected by the editors of The Ghost Story, and contest winners have included writers with a long history of publishing their work and/or winning awards, as well as writers who have never before published a story.

Guidelines:

Ghost stories are welcome, of course—but your submission may involve any paranormal or supernatural theme, as well as magic realism. What we’re looking for is fine writing, fresh perspectives, and maybe a few surprises in the field of supernatural fiction. Story length should run between 1,500 and 10,000 words. Please be assured that we will read and carefully evaluate ALL submissions to The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award competition.

Submissions do NOT need to be “blind.”

For some tips on what we’re looking for in our winning stories, read the interview we recently did with Duotrope.

Further information about TGS and our competitions and publications, including some media coverage of us, is available here.

Entry fee is $20 per story. Multiple submissions and simultaneous submissions are permitted. ONE story per submission, please. We do not accept stories that have been published previously or that are scheduled for publication elsewhere. Please submit all entries via the link at the top of this page.

Submission page: https://theghoststory.submittable.com/submit

3. Dragon Bone Journal

Deadline: April 30, 2025

About:

Dragon Bone Publishing is a small press publishing label devoted to producing high quality works, particularity of Epic Fantasy, Sci-fi Sagas, Experimental Fiction, Anthologies, and Children’s Literature with deeper meanings.

Dragon Bone Publishing was born out of a dream of passion. Passion for writing, reading, learning, and for life itself. Believing everything has a deeper meaning and complexity than often explored, Dragon Bone Publishing seeks to expose the depth and intricacy of the world around us using the words of multi-faceted authors, the magic and mystery of epic fantasy, the science and possibility of sci-fi, the symbolism and truths of allegory, and the wonder of a child’s mind.

As compensation, authors will receive a digital copy of that year’s edition of The Dragon Bone Journal for free. They will also be able to purchase author copies of the Journal at near print price to sell and profit off of as they see fit (for events, signed copies, markets, bookstores etc.)

 Dragon Bone Publishing will not maintain exclusivity rights to stories published in any Dragon Bone Journal. Any stories previously published (that are not currently under an exclusivity agreement with another publisher) will be accepted and stories published The Dragon Bone Journal can be published elsewhere as long as the other publisher does not require exclusivity. 

Guidelines:

• Fiction
  • Fictional Short Stories: between 100-3,000 words long
  • All fiction submissions must be relatively clean with no graphic sexual content, no sex scenes, no excessive cursing, no graphic blood/gore/horror, and no smut. Fade to black is acceptable. Cursing on a PG-13 level is acceptable. Fade to grey is acceptable in some circumstances. Fighting, magic, & horror elements is acceptable. 
  • All genres are accepted except for smut and some extreme horror.
    • Accepted genres include but are not limited to: Romance, Fantasy, Thriller, Horror, Mystery, Contemporary, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Western, Paranormal, Historical.
  • Please contact us if you have questions about your story’s content. We are more than happy to review it to see if it’s acceptable. 
    • Please contact us by sending us a DM on social media, through the contact page on this website, or via email at dragonbonepublishing@outlook.com if you have any questions about your story’s content. 

• Poetry
  • Poetry: between 10-500 words long
  • (Follow the same rules as those listed in the fiction guidelines.)

• Non-fiction
  • Non-Fiction: between 100-3,000 words long
  • Content must be relative to publishing or writing.
    • Works about personal experience are accepted as long as they are also educational, motivational, inspiring, or helpful in some way to the reader. 
    • Extremely minimal cursing accepted. 
    • Find a list of example topics here.

Submission page: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFJoTjuknZBrf9sFts__g7KfR3eGXZeNhM4_t-ZJjD0eDfYw/viewform

4. Narratively x Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize

Deadline: May 1, 2025

About:

We never need an excuse to lean into love, but this is something a little different than we’ve done before and it has us all aflutter. We’ve absolutely fallen in love with our latest project, a collab with actor Emma Roberts, acclaimed producer Karah Preiss, and their production company/book club, Belletrist. The Narratively x Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize will award remarkable memoir and reported stories, from pieces about love quadrangles, to lost-and-found soulmates, unthinkable sacrifices and bizarre romantic connections that defy all odds. We’re seeking completely new perspectives that shift our understanding of romance and relationships and reignite our pride about being human in 2025. We’ll even be teaming up with Emma and the Belletrist crew to develop our favorite stories for the screen!

Narratively is a storytelling platform and global creator community that supports independent journalists and storytellers and celebrates humanity through true, authentic and diverse character-driven content. We publish our original stories on Narratively.com and often with top publishing partners across the globe, and we adapt our favorites into TV, film and podcasts with leading partners from Amazon Studios to Warner Bros. Television. We’re immensely proud and excited to do the same with our Narratively x Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize winners! (You can learn more about Narratively’s mission and business model here.)

Since its founding in 2017, Belletrist has chosen over 80 books for its book club and dozens more for myriad content features across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and its newsletter, The Belletrist Brief. In 2019, Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss spun out Belletrist Book Club into a production company called Belletrist Productions. To date, Belletrist Productions has produced two popular television series: First Kill (Netflix), and Tell Me Lies (Hulu), which just aired its second season and was picked up for a third. Belletrist also sold Second Wife to Hulu with the showrunner of Tell Me Lies, and sold Calabasas to Netflix with Kim Kardashian producing. Belletrist Productions has many more film and TV projects in development with entertainment outlets, such as Hulu, Netflix and Amazon.

Guidelines:

We’ll award winners in the following two categories:

• Longform (1,000-5,000 words)
  • One grand prize: $3,000
  • Two finalists: $1,000 each
• Shortread (up to 999 words)
  • One grand prize: $500
  • Two finalists: $250 each

Submissions are $20 per entry for longform and $10 per entry for shortreads. Narratively subscribers get one free entry to this (one in each category per person) and all Narratively prizes.

Submission page:

• For longform submissions: https://narratively.submittable.com/submit/323853/the-narratively-x-belletrist-true-romance-writing-prize-longform

• For shortreads: https://narratively.submittable.com/submit/323851/the-narratively-x-belletrist-true-romance-writing-prize-shortread

5. House of Long Shadows

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

House of Long Shadows is a multi-genre magazine of Gothic fiction. Each weekly issue consists of one short story by a contemporary author along with one piece of new or classic art.

Trad Gothic. You know it when you see it: graveyards, decrepit mansions, ghosts, curses, doomed love, family secrets, ineffable wickedness, and occasional mad science.

Horror is the most famously Gothic genre (and our number one aesthetic touchstone is horror cinema in the Corman–Hammer vein), but we’re interested in a variety of genres including domestic noir, dark literary fiction, murder mysteries, and moody romance. [And affectionate parodies of any of the above. Remember that the best parodies recreate the pleasures of the original and join them to the additional pleasure of laughter.] Mood and imagery are more important to us than genre distinctions.

We’re open to contemporary, historical, and secondary-world settings. Future-set science fiction is unlikely to be accepted.

Guidelines:

• Writing:
  • There are no firm length restrictions, but anything shorter than 2,000 words or longer than 10,000 is likely to be a hard sell.
  • We may occasionally have use for flash fiction or narrative (not lyric) poetry.
    • Don’t bother sending work that includes the following:
    • explicit sexual content
    • obscene or profane language
    • blasphemy or racial slurs uttered by non-villainous characters
    • We do not require authors or artists to disclose their use of AI tools.

• Artwork:
  • We will present one work of visual art along with each story. These works are selected from various sources. They are, for the most part, not specially commissioned; and, while linked in theme, mood, or subject to the stories they accompany, they are not illustrations.
  • We’re always in need of art! If your style seems even tangentially relevant to our aesthetic, we strongly encourage you to share your work. We’re open to any medium and a variety of styles.

• Submission instructions:
  • All submissions should be sent to sara.L.bickley@gmail.com. The subject line must include the letters HLS. Submissions that fail to follow this guideline might not be seen or responded to.
  • Fiction may be submitted as an attachment in any common file format, or pasted into the body of the email. Shunn Modern format is nice, but not obligatory.
  • Previously published works are considered for publication if the original publication was at least ten years before the date of submission and the story is not available for free online.
  • Please, no multiple or simultaneous submissions of fiction.
  • Artwork may be submitted as an attachment in any common file format. The submitted file should be at least 500 pixels wide. Be prepared to provide a higher-resolution file if your artwork is accepted.
  • For artwork only, previously published/posted submissions are considered without restrictions, and we do not ask for exclusivity.
  • Cover letters are welcome but not required. We will ask for necessary details after acceptance.
  • If we fail to send an acknowledgement with 36 hours, or if we do not respond with a decision within two weeks, please query.
  • We encourage you to report submissions and responses to Duotrope, The Submission Grinder, or Chill Subs.

Submission page: https://houseoflongshadows.substack.com/p/submission-guidelines

6. Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

From its earliest days in 1977 under the editorial direction of Isaac Asimov, Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine has maintained the tradition of publishing the best stories, unsurpassed in modern science fiction, from award-winning authors and first-time writers alike. In recent years, Asimov’s has placed more stories on the Final Hugo Ballot than all of its competitors combined, and more than twice as many as its closest competitor. Bestselling author Robert Silverberg calls Asimov’s “a truly distinguished magazine, worthy of being set beside such classics of the earlier golden ages as John W. Campbell’s Astounding Science Fiction of 1939-42.” The Austin Chronicle lauds Asimov’s as “the most consistently innovative and readable SF magazine on the newsstands today.”

Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine is an established market for science fiction stories. Asimov’s pays 8-10 cents per word for short stories up to 7,500 words, and 8 cents for each word over 7,500. We seldom buy stories shorter than 1,000 words or longer than 20,000 words, and we don’t serialize novels. We pay $1 a line for poetry, which should not exceed 40 lines. We buy First English Language serial rights plus certain non-exclusive rights explained in our contract. We do not publish reprints, and we do not accept “simultaneous submissions” (stories sent at the same time to a publication other than Asimov’s). Asimov’s will consider material submitted by any writer, previously published or not. We’ve bought some of our best stories from people who have never sold a story before.

Guidelines:

In general, we’re looking for “character oriented” stories, those in which the characters, rather than the science, provide the main focus for the reader’s interest. Serious, thoughtful, yet accessible fiction will constitute the majority of our purchases, but there’s always room for the humorous as well. SF dominates the fiction published in the magazine, but we also publish borderline fantasy, slipstream, and surreal fiction. No sword & Sorcery, please. Neither are we interested in explicit sex or violence. A good overview would be to consider that all fiction is written to examine or illuminate some aspect of human existence, but that in science fiction the backdrop you work against is the size of the Universe.

We will not consider any submissions written, developed, or assisted by these tools. Attempting to submit these works may result in being banned from submitting works in the future.

Asimov’s now uses an Online Submissions System that has been designed to streamline our process and improve communication with authors. We do not accept email submissions. Please see Manual Submission Guidelines for information about paper submissions.

Our online submissions form for fiction asks for your name, email address, cover letter, story title, and story. Cover letter is optional. If you choose to include it, it should contain the length of your story and your publishing history. Story word count can, and should, also be indicated in the upper right corner of the first page of the manuscript. We ask for the same information for poetry. Please fill out a separate form for each poem submitted for consideration. All stories and poems should be in standard manuscript format and submitted in .DOC, .DOCX, or .RTF format. For information about standard formatting, see William Shunn’s guide to Proper Manuscript Format. After you have submitted your work, a tracking number will be displayed and an automated email confirmation containing this information will be sent to you. If you have not received this email within twenty-four hours, please notify us by email. Your tracking number will allow you to monitor the status of your submission through our website, so please don’t lose it.

NOTE: Yahoo.com occasionally treats our email as spam, please keep an eye on your spam folder.

Submission page: http://asimovs.magazinesubmissions.com/

7. Analog Science Fiction & Fact Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling]

About:

Analog Science Fiction and Fact Magazine continues to bring together celebrated authors, new talent, and award-winning stories, poems, and articles, as it has since its launch in 1930. Originally published as Astounding Stories of Science Fiction, Analog remains the unparalleled literary magazine in the genre, and rewards readers with realistic stories that reflect both the highest standards of scientific accuracy and the far reaches of the imagination, as well as lively articles about current research on the cutting edge of science. The magazine is published by Must Read Books.

Analog’s Science Fiction and Fact magazine is an established market for science fiction stories. Analog pays 8-10 cents per word for short fiction (up to approximately 20,000 words), 6 cents per word for serials (40,000-80,000 words), 9 cents per word for fact articles, and $1 per line for poetry. We buy First English Language serial rights plus certain non-exclusive rights explained in our contract.

Guidelines:

• Fiction:
  • Analog will consider material submitted by any writer solely on the basis of merit. We are eager to find and develop new, capable writers.
  • We have no hard-and-fast editorial guidelines, because science fiction is such a broad field that I don’t want to inhibit a new writer’s thinking by imposing Thou Shalt Nots. Besides, a great story can make an editor swallow his preconceived taboos.
  • We publish science fiction stories in which some aspect of future science or technology is so integral to the plot that, if that aspect were removed, the story would collapse. Try to picture Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein without the science and you’ll see what I mean. No story!
  • The science can be physical, sociological, psychological. The technology can be anything from electronic engineering to biogenetic engineering. But the stories must be strong and realistic, with believable people (who needn’t be human) doing believable things–no matter how fantastic the background might be.

• Nonfiction:
  • Fact articles should be about 4,000 words in length and should deal with subjects of not only current but also future interest, i.e., topics at the present frontiers of research whose likely future developments have implications of wide interest. Necessary images should be provided by the author in camera-ready form.
  • Our readers are very intelligent and technically knowledgeable but represent a very wide diversity of backgrounds. Thus specialized jargon and mathematical detail should be kept to a necessary minimum. Our audience largely reads us for entertainment, and a suitable style for our articles is considerably more informal than many professional journals.

We will not consider any submissions written, developed, or assisted by these tools. Attempting to submit these works may result in being banned from submitting works in the future.

Analog uses an online submissions system—we do not accept email submissions. Please see Manuscript Guidelines for information about paper submissions.

Our online submissions form for fiction asks for your name, email address, cover letter, story title, and story. Your cover letter should contain the length of your story, your publishing history, and any other relevant information (e.g., if you send us a story about a medical disaster and you happen to be an emergency room nurse, mention that). We ask for the same information for poetry. Please include up to six poems in one submission for poetry, and wait until you have heard back on those before sending us more.

All stories and poems should be in standard manuscript format and submitted in .DOC, .DOCX, or .RTF format. For information about standard formatting, see William Shunn’s guide to Proper Manuscript Format. After you have submitted your work, a tracking number will be displayed and an automated email confirmation containing this information will be sent to you. If you have not received this email within twenty-four hours, please notify us by email.  Your tracking number will allow you to monitor the status of your submission through our website, so please don’t lose it. 

NOTE: Email providers occasionally treat our email as spam.

Submission page: http://analog.magazinesubmissions.com/

8. Clarkesworld Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

Clarkesworld Magazine is a Hugo, World Fantasy, and British Fantasy Award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine that publishes short stories, interviews, articles and audio fiction. Issues are published monthly and available on our website, for purchase in ebook format, and via electronic subscription. All original fiction is also published in our trade paperback series from Wyrm Publishing. We are currently open for art, non-fiction and short story submissions.

Guidelines:

Fiction Guidelines:

Word Limit:
1000-22000 words, no exceptions

Pay Rate:
14¢ per word. Payment via PayPal or check. (International authors may request wire transfers.)

Genres:
Science fiction and fantasy. No horror, but dark SF/F is permitted.

Language:
English (We accept stories from all over the world. Translations are welcome and encouraged, even if the work has been previously published in another language.)

Rights:
We claim first world electronic rights (text and audio), first print rights, and non-exclusive anthology rights for our annual Clarkesworld anthology. If you are unfamiliar with the term “First Rights,” an explanation can be found here. All rights are restricted to English language unless specifically stated otherwise.

Simultaneous submissions (having a story under consideration at another market while it is under submission here) are not permitted.

Stories must be:

Well-written. Language is important. There is no distinction between “style” and “substance” or “story” and “writing.”

Convenient for on-screen reading. Very long paragraphs or typographical trickery may work against you.

Suitable for audio. Stories should be equally effective, but not necessarily the same, in text and audio formats.

Science fiction need not be “hard” SF, but rigor is appreciated. Fantasy can be folkloric, contemporary, surreal, etc. Though no particular setting, theme, or plot is anathema to us, the following are likely hard sells:

• zombies or zombie-wannabes (seriously, I’m not kidding)
• sexy vampires, wanton werewolves, wicked witches, or demonic children
• stories about rapists, murderers, child abusers, or cannibals
• stories where the climax is dependent on the spilling of intestines
• stories in which a milquetoast civilian government is depicted as the sole obstacle to either catching some depraved criminal or to an uncomplicated military victory
• stories where the Republicans, or Democrats, or Libertarians, or . . . (insert any political party or religion here) take over the world and either save or ruin it
• stories in which the words “thou” or “thine” appear
• talking cats or swords
• stories where FTL travel or time travel is as easy as is it on television shows or movies
• stories about young kids playing in some field and discovering ANYTHING. (a body, an alien craft, Excalibur, ANYTHING).
• stories about the stuff we all read in Scientific American three months ago
• stories about your RPG character’s adventures
• “funny” stories that depend on, or even include, puns
• stories where the protagonist is either widely despised or widely admired simply because he or she is just so smart and/or strange
• stories originally intended for someone’s upcoming theme anthology or issue (everyone is sending those out, wait a while)
• your trunk stories
• stories that try to include all of the above

Do not email or mail submissions. Clarkesworld uses an online submissions system that has been designed to streamline our process and improve communication with authors. Go here to submit your stories.

Our submissions form asks for your name, email address, cover letter, story title, word count, genre, and the file containing your story. Guidance for what you should and should not include in a cover letter can be found here. All stories should be in standard manuscript format (modern preferred, classic accepted) and can be submitted in either .RTF or .DOCX format. No images.

After you have submitted your story, a tracking number will be displayed on screen and sent to you via an automated email confirmation. If you do not receive this email within 24 hours, please email us. Your tracking number will allow you to monitor the status of your submission via our website, so please don’t lose or share it. NOTE: Some email services occasionally treat our tracking emails as spam, please keep an eye on your spam folder.

Our average response time is typically under two days, but we occasionally hold submissions for longer periods. Please:

• don’t send queries about pending submissions until after two weeks have passed. Use your tracking number to check on the status prior to reaching out. Email queries to Neil at neil@clarkesworldmagazine.com.
• don’t send revisions to a submission unless they have been requested.
• don’t submit another story for a period of seven days after receiving a rejection.
• don’t re-submit stories that have been rejected. Do not query for permission.
• don’t argue with rejection letters.

If you are uncertain about anything above, we recommend following the most conservative interpretation. Questions, concerns, or technical issues can be sent to Neil via email.

Non-fiction Guidelines:

Clarkesworld Magazine is looking for articles of interest to readers of science fiction and fantasy. We are looking for a wide range of types of article including, but not limited to: discussions of the genre publishing business, essays on the writing process and the reading experience, scientific material that might be of use in SF stories, and so on. We pay 10¢ a word up to our word limit of 2500 words.

There are some common types of non-fiction article that we are specifically not interested in receiving queries for. These are:

• Reviews: there are plenty of places that publish such material, we don’t;
• Literary Criticism: again no (especially if it is really just a review);
• Interviews: we do publish interviews, but they are handled separately from the non-fiction articles and are generally commissioned. Please do not pitch interviews to us.
• Reprints: every article we publish must be original to Clarkesworld. There is no point in sending us material that has already been published elsewhere, especially if it is elsewhere online.

We are not considering articles written, co-written, or assisted by “AI” at this time.

 Here are a few comments about the style of articles that we prefer:

• Keep yourself out of the article. We are looking for objective analysis of issues, not touchy-feely journalism;
• We are not an academic journal. Footnotes are fine, indeed we like them (though we don’t include them in the word count), especially if they come with web links. However, you need to pitch your writing style for a general audience, not for a group of fellow scientists or literature professors;
• Please, no interviews in disguise. An article about the work of an individual, stuffed with quotes from that individual, is functionally equivalent to an interview. An article that is mainly quotes from a group of people is functionally equivalent to an interview. We want your words, not someone else’s;
• Don’t bait the audience. There’s a certain style of article that deliberately seeks to incite rage across the blogosphere. We are not that desperate for eyeballs;
• Make sure you know your topic. If you are going to write about quantum physics, bear in mind that we probably have several quantum physicists reading this magazine and they will laugh at you (and us) if we run an article full of errors. You don’t have to have a PhD in the topic before you write for us, and we’d be happy to find someone to fact-check for you, but we do need to ensure articles are not an embarrassment to us, or to you.

Finally, what do we like to see?

• Articles that are thoughtful, in-depth, and well-written;
• Subjects that we haven’t covered before;
• Accompanying illustrations (but please do check the copyright situation);
• A clear passion for the subject matter.

Please do not send completed articles. Instead send a query letter with the subject header NONFICTION QUERY: [title or concept] to nonfiction@clarkesworldmagazine.com. There are no response times. We will generally only respond to queries we wish to follow-up on. A follow-up email should not be taken as a guarantee of publication.

Artwork Guidelines:

The cover for each issue of Clarkesworld is used across all editions (online, ebook, digital subscription, and print) of the magazine. Our rights are restricted to those covers and marketing materials for that specific issue. All other rights remain with the artist. Payment is $450 and two copies of the print edition. The artist’s bio and link to their online portfolio will be included in the issue featuring their art.

What Kind of Art We’re Looking For:

1. Genre art doesn’t have to look genre. It can, but we strongly suggest that you take a look at the cover art from prior issues.
2. We consider our cover art to be its own story. We do not look for pieces that have overlap with that issue’s fiction, so tell us a story through your art.
3. Color artwork is preferred. We have bought B&W art, but it is a very hard sell.
4. We prefer digital or traditional 2D paintings and illustrations. No photography, photomanipulations, or “AI”/“AI-assisted” works.
5. Author names and our header will appear on all finished covers. If your art contains crucial elements that appear in these locations, it probably won’t work for us. If we’re very enthusiastic about a piece that suffers from this problem, we may ask if you’d be willing to make changes.
6. Landscape artwork is preferred but not required. Since we use landscape art as wrap-around covers for the print edition, it should be able to stand alone when only the right half is visible.
7. Artwork must be available in a 300dpi .tif or other high-resolution format. Landscape covers measure 11″ wide by 8.5″ high. (Portrait 5.5″ wide by 8.5 high.) Artwork for covers must include a 1/4″ bleed. Do not crop your own artwork if it goes outside these margins.
8. Artwork must be friendly to resizing. We publish in a variety of formats. Something that looks great at full-size on our print edition needs to be remain impressive at 350px tall on our website.
9. We will not consider artwork that has been previously used for magazine or book covers. We reserve the right to make exceptions, but they will be rare and by invitation only. Unpublished portfolio work will be considered.

Artists interested in submitting their work for consideration should send the URL of their online gallery or portfolio to Neil Clarke (art@clarkesworldmagazine.com). Please do not attach images to the message. We will get in-touch with you if we’re interested in licensing a particular piece as a cover. Your online portfolio will be periodically reviewed for new works, so there should be no need to send us updates unless you change the location of your portfolio.

Submission page: https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions_tracker/

9. Tamarind Literary Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

We’re a semi-annual literary magazine published in both print and as a digital download carrying fiction and non-fiction relating to science, scientists, and the interaction between science and society.

Guidelines:

• Fiction:
  • We are open to fiction writing in almost any style or format, from short stories to free-form writing. Submissions can cover any number of genres and styles, from historical fiction, to slice-of-life stories, and speculative science-fiction. Our only requirement is that the pieces relate to science, scientists, or the interaction of science and society. We welcome stories that look creatively at science and the philosophy of science.
  • We have a particular interest in writing which reflects on science as an artistic and emotional endeavour, or about forgotten, marginalised, or currently underrepresented scientists. Although our core interest is in natural sciences, we will also consider pieces involving related areas such as medicine, engineering, technology, and social sciences.
  • Submissions should be between 1,500 and 5,000 words long.

• Non-fiction:
  • We’re open to non-fiction writing in almost any style or format. Essays, comment, features, biographies, histories, creative non-fiction, personal reflections, or any combination of these are all welcome. The only requirement is that it is related to science, scientists, or the interaction of science with society.
  • We have a particular interest in writing which reflects on science as an artistic and emotional endeavour, or about forgotten, marginalised, or currently underrepresented scientists. Although our core interest is in natural sciences, we will also consider non-fiction about related areas such as medicine, engineering, technology, and social sciences.
  • Submissions should be between 1,500 and 5,000 words long.

• Poetry:
  • We are open to poems in any style or format. The only requirement is that it is related to science, scientists, or the interaction of science with society. 
  • As with non-fiction and fiction, a maximum of 3 simultaneous submissions is permitted. However, all your submissions should be collected together in a single document with clear demarcation between poems. Your submissions should total no more than 120 lines all together. For example, you could submit 3 poems of 40 lines each or 1 long poem of 120 lines. Please indicate the line count of the full poem in your submission.
  • In exceptional cases, we may consider publishing single poems longer than 120 lines in length, but please submit an extract of up to 120 lines in the first instance, indicating the line count of the full poem in your submission.

Submissions are accepted online through our submissions portal at submgr.tamarindlit.co.uk. Submissions should preferably be in plain text (i.e., txt), rtf, doc, docx, odt, or fodt formats. Other plain text markup (e.g., tex or html) is also permissible. PDF submissions are permitted but we will require you to provide an editable version if your submission is accepted. Uploads of any other format will be rejected.

You can include a short pitch or submissions statement in your submission comment if desired. Please also include the pen name under which you wish to publish your piece (if required) and details about any previous publication of the work. It would also help us to know where you heard about the magazine (Duotrope, social media, from your university, word-of-mouth, etc).

Submissions will be reviewed blind by the section editors. They will only be able to see the document you upload. Your name, personal details, and submission comment will be hidden from them and only visible to the Publisher.

We pay in royalties. As we are published by a non-profit, surplus revenue from the magazine will be distributed equally between the contributors. Royalties will be calculated from the following income sources:

• Patreon: donations received during the time your issue is the ‘current issue’.
• Print & digital sales: revenue from sales of your issue for 12 months after the issue’s publication date.

Contributors will receive an equal share of the revenue from these sources once production costs have been accounted for. Due to our lack of funding, we’re unable to pay advances at this time.

We accept simultaneous and multiple submissions (max. 3 per author) and don’t require first or perpetual exclusive rights to your work. This means the work may have been previously published elsewhere and you may, in the future, publish it elsewhere. However, some restrictions apply:

1. We require six months of exclusivity either side of publication by us. That is, your work can’t be published elsewhere within six months before and six months after publication by us.
2. As such, if your work is accepted elsewhere, you will need to withdraw your submission from us. On the other hand, if we accept your work, you will need to let any other publications know the work cannot be published by them until six months after publication by TAMARIND.
3. If your work has been previously published we require a reference that we can include under your work and evidence that you have the rights to re-publish the work.

Submissions should be predominantly in English.

Submission page: https://submgr.tamarindlit.co.uk/

10. The Greyhound Journal

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

This is The Greyhound Journal, a periodic publication of historically-oriented literary work in Mandarin and English. We pursue chronology, deconstruction, nostalgia, work that treads the intersecting axes of time and distance.

We are open to Mandarin and English fiction and poetry, as we always are, from talented writers interested in retelling historical narratives. There is no particular theme, except ‘history’ in general — though we have a special admiration for works with strong visual imagery and vivid historical setting. We also wish to celebrate diverse, marginalized, and subaltern voices.

Guidelines:

The Greyhound Journal is open for submissions to FEATURED year-round. We accept poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, and we consider all submissions at the end of the month.

Submission page: https://airtable.com/apptTREBFztP6SdnP/shrECWoEAq2Vzp26A

11. Cold Caller Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

Cold Caller is a publisher of crime and mystery fiction, and we define those terms broadly. We’re looking for stories of bad decisions and worse consequences; unlucky losers who can’t catch a break; grifters and con men convinced they’re about to score big; good men and women who have very good reasons to do terrible things.

We lean toward noir and realism, so generally speaking we aren’t looking for cozy mysteries, spy thrillers, or for cross-genre work such as mystery-romance, mystery-science fiction, mystery-fantasy, etc.

In general, we like grounded story and character. We’d rather read a well-told story about a single mom swiping bills from a register drawer than a suave super spy who disables a nuclear bomb.

Guidelines:

• How long should my story be?
  • Our sweet spot is 2,000 – 6,000 words, but we’ll consider stories up to 10,000 words. Any longer than that and it will be an automatic rejection – no hard feelings, that’s just not what we’re after.

• How soon should I expect a response?
  • We’re going to strive for a 3 – 6 month response time, though we will adjust as needed once we see what kind of submission volume we receive. Please feel free to query if you haven’t received a response after 6 months.

• Do you accept simultaneous submissions?
  • Absolutely. Just let us know if your work gets accepted somewhere else.

• Do you accept multiple submissions?
  • No. We ask that you please only send one piece of short fiction at a time. We’re a small operation, and this helps keep our reading more manageable!

• If you decline my story, how long should I wait to submit something else?
  • We’d ask that you wait at least a month between submissions, unless we specify otherwise. Again, this rule is just to help us keep the reading pile manageable, and we appreciate your consideration.

• Do you accept previously published work?
  • As we work to grow a subscriber base, we’re only going to publish original fiction that can’t be found anywhere else. That means we do not accept previously published work, even if seems like it would otherwise be a great fit.

• How much does Cold Caller pay for short stories?
  • We offer a base payment of $125 for all short fiction we publish.

• What does publication entail?
  • If your story is accepted for publication, we will work with you on any necessary edits or revisions. (These probably will not be extensive–if we accepted your story, it’s not because we thought the plot needed a major overhaul.) We’ll also send you a contract for first North American serial rights.
  • After your story is finalized, we will send you a one-time $125 payment. We prefer Venmo for this kind of thing, but can also do Zelle or Paypal as needed. (We can not send paper checks at this time, and don’t send cash in the mail.)
  • Publication also includes an author interview, to be featured on the site along with your story.

• How do I submit?
  • Please email your story as an attachment to cold.caller.mag@gmail.com
  • We request you send your work as a .doc, .docx, or .ods file. Please follow standard manuscript formatting.

Submission page: https://coldcallermag.substack.com/about

12. Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

For over sixty years, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine has been one of the foremost publishers of mystery, crime, and suspense short stories, offering mystery fiction of the broadest range and the highest quality. Home to many renowned authors, including Martin Limón, Jane K. Cleland, Loren Estleman, Rhys Bowen, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Hitchcock’s stories represent every subgenre of mystery fiction, from the classic whodunit to the hardboiled tale of suspense, and everything in between. AHMM has also introduced numerous new authors who have taken their places among the luminaries of the genre. Stories featured in AHMM have won dozens of awards, including many Robert L. Fish awards for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year.

Finding new authors is a great pleasure for all of us here, and we look forward to reading the fiction you send us. Since we do read all submissions, there is no need to query first; please send the entire story. You don’t need an agent.

Because this is a mystery magazine, the stories we buy must fall into that genre in some sense or another. We are interested in nearly every kind of mystery: stories of detection of the classic kind, police procedurals, private eye tales, suspense, courtroom dramas, stories of espionage, and so on. We ask only that the story be about a crime (or the threat or fear of one). We sometimes accept ghost stories or supernatural tales, but those also should involve a crime.

Guidelines:

AHMM uses an online submission system that was designed to streamline our process and improve communication with authors. We encourage all submissions to be made electronically using this system, rather than on paper. Our online submissions form for fiction asks for your name, e-mail address, cover letter, story title, and story. Your cover letter should state a little about you and your publishing history (briefly!), and any other relevant information.  All stories and poems should be in standard manuscript format and submitted in .DOC, .DOCX, or .RTF format. For information about standard formatting, see William Shunn’s guide to Proper Manuscript Format.

After you have submitted your work, a tracking number will be displayed and an automated e-mail confirmation containing this information will be sent to you. If you have not received this e-mail within twenty-four hours, please notify us by e-mail. Your tracking number will allow you to monitor the status of your submission through our Web site, so please don’t lose it. NOTE: Some service providers occasionally treat our e-mails as spam, so please keep an eye on your spam folder.

Paper submissions can be mailed to: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 6 Prowitt Street, Norwalk, CT 06855. Please include an SASE for our response.

Style. We prefer that stories not be longer than 12,000 words; most of the stories in the magazine are considerably shorter than that. They should, of course, be well written. We are looking for stories that are fresh, well told, and absorbing, and have not been previously published elsewhere. They should be entirely fiction: Please do not send us stories based on actual crimes, for instance, or other real-life events.

Revisions. Revised versions of a story should be submitted only on our request, as a rule. At the very least, tell us in the cover letter that the story has been submitted before but has been revised, and explain how.

NOTE: Stories submitted to AHMM are not also considered by or for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, though we share the same address. Submissions to EQMM must be made separately.

Although we do accept simultaneous submissions, we ask that you notify us immediately if your story has been accepted elsewhere before we’ve had a chance to read your story.  We do ask that you do not simultaneously submit the same story to AHMM and EQMM. If we reject your story, for whatever reason, you are then free to submit it to EQMM (and vice versa).

Submission page: http://ahmm.magazinesubmissions.com/

13. Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

Launched in 1941, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine is credited with setting the standard for the modern crime and mystery short story. The magazine has been cited as “the finest periodical of its kind” by The Readers Encyclopedia of American Literature and as “the best mystery magazine in the world, bar none” by author Stephen King. EQMM has received more than 100 awards, including more than 20 Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America, and more than 40 Nobel, Pulitzer, and National Book Award winners have appeared in its pages, including William Faulkner and frequent current contributor Joyce Carol Oates.

Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine welcomes submissions from both new and established writers. We publish every kind of mystery short story: the psychological suspense tale, the deductive puzzle, the private eye case—the gamut of crime and detection from the realistic (including the policeman’s lot and stories of police procedure) to the more imaginative (including “locked rooms” and “impossible crimes”). We need hard-boiled stories as well as “cozies,” but we are not interested in explicit sex or violence. We do not want true detective or crime stories. We are especially happy to review first stories by authors who have never before published fiction professionally. Please indicate in your cover letter if your submission is eligible for the Department of First Stories.

EQMM has been in continuous publication since 1941. From the beginning three general criteria have been employed in evaluating submissions: We look for strong writing, an original and exciting plot, and professional craftsmanship. We encourage writers whose work meets these general criteria to read an issue of EQMM before making a submission. EQMM’s range in the mystery genre is extensive: Almost any story that involves crime or the threat of crime comes within our purview. However, like all magazines, EQMM has a distinctive tone and style and you can only get a sense of whether your work will suit us by reading an issue.

Guidelines:

EQMM uses an online submission system that was designed to streamline our process and improve communication with authors. We ask that all submissions be made electronically, using this system, rather than on paper. Our online submissions form for fiction asks for your name, e-mail address, cover letter, story title, and story. Your cover letter should state the length of your story, your publishing history (briefly!), and any other relevant information. If you have not been previously published, let us know that your story should be considered for our Department of First Stories. We ask for the same information for poetry. Please fill out a separate form for each poem submitted for consideration.  All stories and poems should be in standard manuscript format and submitted in .DOC, .DOCX, or .RTF format. For information about standard formatting, see William Shunn’s guide to Proper Manuscript Format.

After you have submitted your work, a tracking number will be displayed and an automated e-mail confirmation containing this information will be sent to you. If you have not received this e-mail within twenty-four hours, please notify us by e-mail. Your tracking number will allow you to monitor the status of your submission through our website, so please don’t lose it. NOTE: Some service providers occasionally treat our e-mails as spam, so please keep an eye on your spam folder.

EQMM uses stories of almost every length. 2,500-8,000 words is the preferred range, but we occasionally use stories of up to 12,000 words and we feature one or two short novels (up to 20,000 words) each year, although these spaces are usually reserved for established writers. Shorter stories are also considered, including minute mysteries of as little as 250 words. Our rates for original stories are from 5 to 8¢ a word, sometimes higher for established authors. It is not necessary to query EQMM as to subject matter or to ask permission to submit a story. EQMM does not accept stories previously published in the United States.

We regret that we cannot provide criticism with returned stories. Response time is up to three months. Please do not send a query about a submission until at least three months have passed.

We will continue to accept paper submissions only from authors who have a publishing history with EQMM and lack the technical capability to submit electronically. With any questions or concerns about our guidelines or online submissions system, please e-mail us.

Submission page: http://eqmm.magazinesubmissions.com/

14. Shotgun Honey

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

Established 2011, Shotgun Honey has been a steady outlet for crime, noir, and hard-boiled flash fiction. After a decade of submissions, we’ve seen nearly every permutation of the genre that can fit within this tiny 700 word world. So surprise us and send your best original crime flash stories.

Guidelines:

Please consider and follow the following guidelines prior to submitting.

• No Multiple Submissions¹
• 700 words or less (recommended no less than 300 words)
• Genre is Crime, Noir, or Hard-boiled²
• No content that could be deemed as condoning or promoting:
  • sexual abuse
  • child abuse
  • animal abuse
• No romance, fetish, or pornographic fiction
• As of 2022, accepted flash submissions will receive $15 upon publication.

1. Submit only one story at a time. You may submit a new story as soon as your current submission is either accepted or rejected.
2. We have published western and horror fiction in the past, but unless otherwise stated, do not submit works outside the crime genre.

Submission page: https://shotgunhoney.com/submissions/flash-fiction/

15. The School Magazine

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

In 1916, in the middle of World War I, the NSW Department of Education published the first edition of a free literary magazine for public school children that was aptly titled The School Magazine.

At the time this was seen to be quite bold and innovative.

To put this into context, when the first edition of The School Magazine made its way to schools it was no doubt delivered in some parts by horse and cart. Australian troops, having just been withdrawn from Gallipoli, were fighting on the Western Front and elsewhere. Australia’s population was under five million and the Prime Minister was Billy Hughes. Model T Ford cars were rolling off the world’s first automated production lines.

The School Magazine has been published continuously since then — through World Wars, the Depression, the Moon landings, many Olympic Games and a global pandemic. The stories, poems, articles and plays published throughout these events reflect the times, making The School Magazine a unique documentation of Australia’s history.

Operating as a self-funded business unit within the NSW Department of Education, The School Magazine has made a significant contribution to Australia’s educational landscape and nurtured the careers of many Australian writers and illustrators.

Guidelines:

The School Magazine produces four magazines catering to different ages and reading levels. Familiarising yourself with these can help you confirm where your piece might fit best:

1. COUNTDOWN – YEAR 3
   – Ages 7-9
   – Inspires and captivates newly independent readers
2. BLAST OFF – YEAR 4
   – Ages 9-10
   – Delights independent readers, consolidating their knowledge of English
3. ORBIT – YEAR 5
   – Ages 10-11
   – Captures the imagination of skilled readers through crafted texts and engaging illustrations
4. TOUCHDOWN – YEAR 6
   – Ages 11+
   – Delivers a rich array of texts, allowing capable readers to explore the world of literature

Factors that impact the suitability of a piece for each magazine level include:

• Length and difficulty:
  • In general, Countdown and Blast Off feature shorter fiction pieces under 1200 words. As readers become more independent and confident, they can tackle longer pieces in Orbit and Touchdown. Our younger levels also tend to feature simpler words and sentence structure.
• Content:
  • Ensure the content of your piece is age appropriate. Children often enjoy reading about protagonists their own age or a few years older. For example, pieces set in high school won’t resonate with Countdown readers. Similarly, pieces that are too simple or better suited to a picture book are too young for our readership. While difficult or complex topics can be written about with sensitivity and deftness, it is always worth keeping the age of the reader in mind and considering whether or not your work could confidently be read and appreciated in a primary classroom. As a general rule, topics that would require a content warning are not suitable for The School Magazine.
• Novelty:
  • We are always looking for novel and original ideas to present in the magazine. Reading through recent issues, including the free issues offered online, will give you a feel for the type of topics we cover. However, age suitability does factor into these decisions. For example, if we’ve covered a particular topic at a Touchdown level, but you have approached it in a way more accessible for younger audiences, we may consider running the piece despite its similarities to previously published material.
• Relevance:
  • Write for our readers: most are Australian children between the ages of 8 and 12. Remember that The School Magazine aims to reflect the diversity and inclusivity of Australian society. While we are always interested in stories that portray and reflect other cultures, be sure these ideas are still accessible and relevant for an Australian audience—particularly if your story is set in a school.

For full submission guidelines for stories, articles, poetry, plays, and more, please refer to the guide here.

Submission page: https://www.theschoolmagazine.com.au/contribute-form

16. Spotify: Call for Short-Form Audio Books

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

Submit your short-form stories to Spotify Audiobooks, Spotify’s in house audiobook publisher, for publication consideration.

Guidelines:

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• A novelette of approximately 10,000-20,000 words, written specifically for audio.
• A story that sounds great read out loud, featuring sharp characters, atmospheric settings, and engaging dialogue that leaves the listener feeling something and wanting more.
• Focus on three genres: romance, mystery/thriller, or sci-fi/fantasy (cross-genre appeal encouraged, such as romantasy, dark romance thriller, mystery sci-fi, or psychological thriller). Note: Please do not submit erotica or children’s content.

If Spotify makes an offer for your audiobook rights and you accept, Spotify will publish the audiobook. Spotify will pay an advance and royalties, and manage all aspects of the production process. You’re welcome to promote, market, and distribute the work in other formats (ebook, paper) and platforms (KDP, Ingram Spark, Kobo, etc.).

[Click here to view the list of Q&As.]

Submission page: https://coda.io/form/Author-Submissions_dAqe6yYzsV_

17. The Agency: Call for Children’s Books

Deadline: N/A [rolling basis]

About:

The Children’s Books department [Department Head: Jessica Hare] is a bespoke division of The Agency representing authors and illustrators at every stage of their careers working across all age ranges and genres. 

We are interested in submissions from authors writing brilliant stories for children and young adults and illustrators with distinctive commercial styles, including graphic novelists. When it comes to picture books and graphic novels, we are currently only looking at work by author/illustrators. It would be lovely to see more non-fiction proposals too.

We are always on the lookout for fresh, thoughtful, funny voices that capture the zeitgeist, tell us an untold story – or a tale as old as time through a new lens.

Crucially, we are looking for clients who are available to promote their work, whether online or at events, and have an awareness of what it means to be an author, illustrator or both in today’s world with all the demands and complications that brings.

We are eager to see work from underrepresented creatives across all ages.

Guidelines:

Please send all submissions to our dedicated inbox childrensbooksubmissions@theagency.co.uk only.

Everyone, please send us a concise covering email with relevant information about yourself and your work and where it might sit in terms of genre and age in a bookshop.

Authors, please attach the full manuscript (attached as a double-spaced Word document) and a short synopsis – and include the title and the type of submission in the subject line e.g. Picture Book, Middle Grade, YA Submission etc.

Illustrators, please send either a link to your website, Instagram or attached illustrations as PDFs or jpegs with “Illustration Submission” in the subject line.

Do not send submissions to Jessica Hare’s email address directly, or copy her in to your submission, as this does not benefit your submission, and only causes delays for us when managing submissions.

Submission page: https://theagency.co.uk/childrens-books/submissions/