Literary Magazines and Journals Accepting Submissions: 40 Places to Send Short Stories
Finding the right literary magazines and journals accepting submissions starts with your story: its genre, its length, and the kind of reader you want to reach.
This guide brings together 40 places to submit short stories, from literary journals and flash-fiction magazines to fantasy, horror, crime and audio publications. Use the summary to build a shortlist, then jump to each publication for its editor, background, payment, reading periods and submission details.
Literary magazines and journals at a glance
| Publication | Story length | Payment |
|---|---|---|
| CRAFT | Flash ≤1,000; stories ≤6,000 | $100–$200 |
| The Masters Review | Under 7,000 words | $100–$200 |
| The Sun | Usually under 7,000 words | $200 upwards |
| AGNI | No fixed limit | $30/page, up to $300 |
| Ploughshares | Stories ≤6,500; longform ≤15,000 | $90–$450 |
| The Common | Up to 10,000 words | Honorarium |
| The Missouri Review | No fixed limit | $25/page; $100 online |
| Narrative | Short fiction: 500–15,000 | $250–$1,000 |
| The Cincinnati Review | Print ≤10,000; miCRo ≤500 | $25/page; $25 miCRo |
| New England Review | Up to 20,000 words | $100 + subscription |
| One Story | 3,000–8,000 words | $500 + 25 copies |
| The Threepenny Review | Up to 4,000 words | $400 |
| Boulevard | Up to 8,000 words | $100–$300 |
| The Iowa Review | Up to 25 double-spaced pages | 8¢/word; minimum $100 |
| SmokeLong Quarterly | Up to 1,000 words | $100; $150 with audio |
| Fractured Lit | Micro ≤400; flash ≤1,000 | $50–$75 |
| Flash Fiction Online | 500–1,000 words | $100 original; $36 reprint |
| Wigleaf | Under 1,000 words | Unpaid |
| Pithead Chapel | Under 4,000 words | Unpaid |
| matchbook | Usually under 1,000 words | $20 |
| Okay Donkey | Up to 1,200 words | $25 |
| 100 Word Story | Exactly 100 words | Payment not listed |
| Ash Tales | Up to 2,500 words | Unpaid |
| Uncharted | 1,000–5,000 words | $200 original |
| Beneath Ceaseless Skies | Prefers under 15,000 words | 8¢/word |
| The Dark | 2,000–6,000 words | 5¢/word; 1¢ reprints |
| Strange Horizons | Latest call: up to 5,000 words | 9¢/word; minimum $60 |
| Uncanny Magazine | 750–10,000 words | 10¢/word |
| Apex Magazine | Up to 9,000 words | 8¢/word |
| Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine | Prefers 2,500–8,000 words | 6–8¢/word |
| Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine | Prefers no more than 12,000 | Payment not listed |
| The London Magazine | Up to 4,000 words | Print paid; online unpaid |
| The Stinging Fly | No fixed limit | €375–€1,250; €175 flash |
| Mslexia | Categories from 100–2,200 words | From £30 |
| The Fiction Desk | 1,000–15,000 words | £25/1,000 words + copies |
| Fictive Dream | Micro ≤400; stories ≤2,500 | Unpaid |
| Literally Stories | 500–3,000 words | Unpaid |
| Escape Pod | Originals 1,500–6,000; reprints ≤7,500 | 8¢/word; $100–$175 reprints |
| PseudoPod | Stories 1,500–6,000; flash <1,500 | 8¢/word; $20–$100 reprints |
| Cast of Wonders | Up to 6,000 words | 8¢/word; $20–$100 reprints |
Payments are in US dollars unless marked £ or €. The entries below distinguish original stories from reprints and explain submission fees.
Literary fiction and general short stories
These journals publish character-led fiction, formally inventive work and stories whose main appeal is their language or emotional impact.
CRAFT
CRAFT was established in 2017. Its editorial team includes Cole Meyer, editor in chief.
CRAFT accepts flash up to 1,000 words and short fiction up to 6,000 words throughout the year.
General submissions are free. Accepted flash pays $100; longer stories pay $200.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. contact@craftliterary.com
The Masters Review
The Masters Review was established in 2011. Its editorial team includes Cole Meyer, editor in chief.
The New Voices category accepts stories under 7,000 words year-round from emerging writers. Writers with major-press books should read the eligibility rules before submitting.
New Voices is free to enter and pays $100 for flash up to 1,000 words or $200 for longer stories.
Submission guidelines — New Voices on Submittable. contact@mastersreview.com
The Sun
The Sun was established in 1974. Its editorial team includes Rob Bowers, editor and publisher.
The Sun has no fixed word limit, though it rarely publishes stories over 7,000 words. Online fiction submissions reopen on the first of each month and close when the monthly cap is reached.
Payment starts at $200 and depends on page length. Online submissions cost $2.50; postal submissions have no reading fee.
Submission guidelines — Submittable or postal route. Editorial Department, 109 N. Roberson St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
AGNI
AGNI was established in 1972. Its editorial team includes William Pierce, editor; Mary O’Donoghue, senior fiction editor.
AGNI reads fiction from 1 September to 15 December and 15 January to 31 May, with no fixed word limit. Submit online through Subfolio or by post.
Payment is $30 per printed page, up to $300. Translations receive a 50% higher rate, subject to the cap. The online fee is $3, with waivers available; postal submissions are free.
Submission guidelines — Subfolio, or post. Contact form; agni@bu.edu.
Ploughshares
Ploughshares was established in 1971. Its editorial team includes Jenny Molberg, editor in chief; guest editors vary by issue.
Ploughshares reads general prose up to 6,500 words and a separate longform category up to 15,000 words. Its reading period runs from 1 June to 15 November, closing at 5 p.m. ET. Guest editors vary by issue.
It pays $45 per journal page, with a $90 minimum and $450 maximum. Online submissions cost $3.75; subscriber and postal options are also available.
Submission guidelines — own submission system. pshares@pshares.org
The Common
The Common published its first issue in 2011. It is led by Jennifer Acker, editor in chief.
The Common looks for fiction with a strong sense of place, up to 10,000 words. Reading periods run from 1 March to 1 June and 1 September to 1 December; subscribers can submit year-round.
Contributors receive an honorarium. Subscribers submit free, and hardship waivers are available for other writers. The active submission form lists the standard fee.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. info@thecommononline.org; 413-542-5453.
The Missouri Review
The Missouri Review was established in 1978. Its editorial team includes Speer Morgan, editor in chief.
The Missouri Review accepts fiction year-round without a fixed word-count limit. Writers can use its submission manager or send work by post.
Print fiction pays $25 per page; online BLAST stories pay $100. The submission manager lists the available fee options.
Submission guidelines — own submission manager or post. question@moreview.com
Narrative
Narrative was established in 2003. Its editorial team includes Tom Jenks and Carol Edgarian, editors.
Narrative has categories for short shorts of 500–2,000 words and stories of 2,000–15,000 words, as well as longer work. Select the appropriate category in its submission system.
Short shorts pay $250–$500 and short stories pay $500–$1,000. Story of the Week pays $500. Reading fees vary by category.
Submission guidelines — submission categories. Contact form.
The Cincinnati Review
The Cincinnati Review was established in 2003. Its editorial team includes Michael Griffith, fiction editor.
The Cincinnati Review accepts print fiction up to 10,000 words and miCRo pieces up to 500 words. Print windows normally open in September, December and May, with submission caps; miCRo follows a separate, mostly year-round schedule.
Print publication pays $25 per page and miCRo pays $25 per piece. Use the relevant Submittable category for its reading fee and opening dates.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. editors@cincinnatireview.com
New England Review
New England Review was established in 1978. Its editorial team includes Carolyn Kuebler, editor.
New England Review accepts fiction up to 20,000 words, though most published stories are under 10,000. Its usual windows are March–April and September–October. The autumn 2026 fiction call closed on 17 September after reaching its cap.
Accepted work earns $100 and a one-year subscription. The reading fee is $3, with subscription options also available.
Submission guidelines. nereview@middlebury.edu
One Story
One Story launched in 2002 and is led by Hannah Tinti, editor in chief.
One Story publishes literary fiction of 3,000–8,000 words. Its next submission period is scheduled for early December 2026.
Payment is $500 plus 25 copies of the issue featuring your story.
Submission guidelines — follow the current portal link when open. submissions@one-story.com
The Threepenny Review
The Threepenny Review was established in 1980. Its editorial team includes Wendy Lesser, editor.
The Threepenny Review reads stories of up to 4,000 words from 1 January to 14 April. It does not accept simultaneous submissions. Submit through its online system or by post during the reading period.
Accepted stories pay $400. Send questions, rather than manuscripts, to the editor’s email address below.
Submission guidelines — online system or post during the reading period. wlesser@threepennyreview.com (questions, not manuscripts).
Boulevard
Boulevard was founded in 1984 and published its first issue in 1986. Its editor is Dusty Freund.
Boulevard accepts prose up to 8,000 words between 1 November and 1 May. It welcomes both experienced and unpublished writers.
Prose pays $100–$300; Natural Bridge Online publication pays $50. The online reading fee is $3.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. editors@boulevardmagazine.org.
The Iowa Review
The Iowa Review was established in 1970. Its editorial team includes Lynne Nugent, editor.
The Iowa Review accepts up to 25 double-spaced pages of prose during its 1 August–1 October fiction window. Nonfiction follows a different calendar.
Fiction pays 8¢ per word, with a $100 minimum. Online submissions cost $4 and are free for subscribers; a postal route is also available.
Submission guidelines — Submittable or post. iowa-review@uiowa.edu
Flash fiction, microfiction and experimental prose
A 100-word story, a 400-word micro and a 1,000-word flash are different submissions. Start with the length that suits your story; Pithead Chapel also takes longer literary work.
SmokeLong Quarterly
SmokeLong Quarterly was established in 2003. Its editorial team includes Christopher Allen, editor in chief and publisher.
SmokeLong publishes flash narratives up to 1,000 words. The December issue’s reading period runs from 16 August to 15 November.
Payment is $100, or $150 with audio. Each reading period includes a free submission window followed by paid submissions.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. Contact and submission-query routes.
Fractured Lit
Fractured Lit was established in 2020. Its editorial team includes Tommy Dean, editor in chief.
Fractured Lit accepts microfiction up to 400 words and flash of 401–1,000 words year-round. Reprints are also considered.
General submissions are free. Original microfiction pays $50 and flash pays $75; reprints are unpaid.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. contact@fracturedlit.com
Flash Fiction Online
Flash Fiction Online was established in 2007. Its editorial team includes Rebecca Halsey, publisher and editor in chief.
Flash Fiction Online publishes complete literary and speculative stories of 500–1,000 words. Its October 2026 window closed on 6 October when the submission cap was reached; opening announcements appear in its submission portal.
The 2026 rates are $100 for original stories and $36 for reprints.
Live submission page. editor@flashfictiononline.com
Wigleaf
Wigleaf was established in 2008. Its editorial team includes Scott Garson, editor.
Wigleaf takes stories under 1,000 words. Its windows are the final seven days of August, September, October, January, February and March, plus 8–14 November and April. Calls can close early when full.
It is listed as an unpaid, free-to-submit market in Chill Subs. The editors ask writers not to send routine status queries.
Submission guidelines and masthead — Submittable. wigleaf.fiction@gmail.com; no routine status queries.
Pithead Chapel
Pithead Chapel was established in 2012. Its editorial team includes Kim Magowan, editor in chief and fiction editor.
Pithead Chapel accepts one literary story under 4,000 words per submission. It opens on the first of each month and closes after receiving 300 submissions across genres.
General publication is unpaid. Its Larry Brown award is a separate competition with its own fees and terms.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. pitheadchapel@gmail.com
matchbook
matchbook began in 2009 and relaunched in 2024. Its editorial staff includes Brian Mihok.
matchbook welcomes experimental and indeterminate prose, usually under 1,000 words. Fiction submissions are currently closed in its Duosuma portal.
Accepted website submissions pay $20. Use Duosuma for the next fiction opening.
Submission guidelines; live Duosuma portal. editor@matchbooklitmag.com
Okay Donkey
Okay Donkey has been publishing since 2018. Its fiction editor is Steve Chang.
Okay Donkey wants odd, surreal and experimental flash: one story up to 1,200 words or a batch of micros within the same total. Free submissions open on the first of each month except December, closing at the cap.
The magazine pays $25 per piece. Optional tip-jar and expedited-response routes remain available when the free category fills.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. okaydonkeymag@gmail.com
100 Word Story
100 Word Story was established in 2011. Its editorial team includes Beret Olsen, Michelle Ross, Kari Treese and Christina Lopez, editors.
100 Word Story takes stories of exactly 100 words, excluding the title. Its next announced window is 1–10 November.
The reading fee is $2 per story, with a free route for underrepresented writers. A publication payment is not publicly listed.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. Official contact page.
Science fiction, fantasy, horror and apocalyptic stories
Match the speculative element to the publication. Beneath Ceaseless Skies wants secondary-world fantasy; Ash Tales wants the end of the world or its aftermath.
Ash Tales
Ash Tales was established in 2015. Its editorial team includes Ryan Law, founder and editor.
Ash Tales accepts apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction up to 2,500 words, with some dystopian fiction also considered. Reprints are welcome with disclosure. Submit through the website form.
Publication is unpaid, and there is no submission fee.
Guidelines and submission form. ryan@ashtales.com
Uncharted
Uncharted launched in 2021 with Tommy Dean and Josh Roark as its founding editorial team.
Uncharted accepts science fiction, fantasy, dystopian fiction, thrillers and mysteries of 1,000–5,000 words. General fiction categories are open year-round, and eligible reprints are considered.
General submissions are free. Original stories pay $200; reprints are unpaid.
Submission guidelines — Submittable; use the portal’s correspondence route for an existing submission.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Beneath Ceaseless Skies was established in 2008. Its editorial team includes Scott H. Andrews, editor.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies publishes literary adventure fantasy set in secondary worlds and strongly prefers stories under 15,000 words. Send manuscripts by email following its formatting instructions.
Original stories pay 8¢ per word. Submission announcements and query instructions are linked below.
Submission guidelines — email as instructed. Contact/query guidance.
The Dark
The Dark was established in 2013. Its editorial team includes Sean Wallace, co-editor and publisher.
The Dark accepts horror and dark fantasy of 2,000–6,000 words by email. It does not accept simultaneous submissions.
Original fiction pays 5¢ per word and reprints pay 1¢ per word. Contact the editors about reprint eligibility before sending previously published work.
Submission guidelines. submissions@thedarkmagazine.com.
Strange Horizons
Strange Horizons was established in 2000. Its editorial team includes Austin Dewar and Myna Chang, managing fiction editors.
Strange Horizons publishes speculative fiction. Its latest call accepts stories up to 5,000 words and is capped at 1,000 submissions. Use its Moksha category for opening availability; simultaneous submissions are not allowed.
Payment is 9¢ per word, with a $60 minimum. Submission-query subject lines should begin with “QUERY:”.
Fiction guidelines — Moksha. fiction@strangehorizons.com; start query subjects with “QUERY:”.
Uncanny Magazine
Uncanny Magazine was established in 2014. Its editorial team includes Michael Damian Thomas, editor in chief, per submission guidelines.
Uncanny publishes science fiction and fantasy of 750–10,000 words. Fiction submissions are closed, and the next opening will be announced on its guidelines page.
Payment is 10¢ per word, including audio rights. The magazine asks writers not to email for reopening dates.
Submission guidelines — Moksha when open. uncannymagazine@gmail.com; do not query reopening dates.
Apex Magazine
Apex Magazine was established in 2005. Its editorial team includes Lesley Conner, editor in chief.
Apex accepts dark speculative fiction up to 9,000 words during odd-numbered months. Its next general submission month is November.
Fiction pays 8¢ per word. The monthly flash contest is a separate opportunity with its own entry terms.
Submission guidelines — Moksha when open. Contact form; rebecca@apexbookcompany.com.
Mystery, crime and suspense
These long-running crime magazines accept complete stories directly from writers, including writers without previous publication credits.
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine was established in 1941. Its editorial team includes Jackie Sherbow, editor.
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine publishes crime, detection and psychological suspense, preferring 2,500–8,000 words while considering other lengths. Its Department of First Stories welcomes writers making their first professional sale.
Original fiction pays 6–8¢ per word. Submit through the magazine’s own submission system.
Submission guidelines — own submission system. elleryqueenmm@mustreadbookspublishing.com
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine was established in 1956. Its editorial team includes Linda Landrigan, editor.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine prefers stories no longer than 12,000 words, with most published work considerably shorter. Submit online or by post. Do not send the same story to AHMM and EQMM simultaneously.
Its public writers’ guidelines do not list a current payment rate.
Submission guidelines — own system or postal route. alfredhitchcockmm@mustreadbookspublishing.com
UK and Irish publications
These publications offer additional routes for short fiction from around the world. Mslexia focuses on women writers; The Fiction Desk publishes anthology volumes.
The London Magazine
The London Magazine traces its origins to 1732 and its modern relaunch to 1954. It is edited by Steven O’Brien.
The London Magazine accepts stories up to 4,000 words. Free windows run in January, March, May, July, September and November, subject to caps. General fiction closes while its fiction prize is running.
Print work is paid; online work is unpaid. Submissions outside the free windows cost £3.50, with free-entry requests available for writers on low incomes.
Submission guidelines — Submittable. info@thelondonmagazine.org
The Stinging Fly
The Stinging Fly was founded in 1997 and published its first issue in 1998. Its magazine editor is Lisa McInerney.
The Stinging Fly accepts short fiction and standalone novel extracts without a fixed word limit. Its May 2026 call filled the next two issues, and submissions are closed until the next announced window. Simultaneous submissions are not allowed.
Submissions are free. Fiction pays €50 per page, with a €375 minimum and €1,250 maximum; one- or two-page flash pays €175.
Submission guidelines — Submittable when open. info@stingingfly.org
Mslexia
Mslexia was established in 1999. Its editorial team includes Debbie Taylor, founder and editor.
Mslexia offers several fiction categories, from 100-word pieces to stories of 2,200 words. Most are open to women internationally; individual calls set themes, deadlines and any subscriber or Salon requirements.
Contributor fees start at £30, depending on the category. Competitions and memberships have separate terms.
Fiction calls and form. editor@mslexia.co.uk for general editorial enquiries, not unsolicited manuscripts.
The Fiction Desk
The Fiction Desk’s first anthology appeared in 2011, edited by Rob Redman.
The Fiction Desk publishes recurring anthologies rather than a conventional magazine. It accepts stories of 1,000–15,000 words through seasonal calls, including general fiction and lightly speculative work. The next winter call will appear on its submissions page.
It pays £25 per 1,000 words plus six copies. Each submission costs £5.
Submission opportunities; full guidelines. General and submission-query contacts.
Fictive Dream
Fictive Dream was established in 2016. Its editorial team includes Laura Black, editor.
Fictive Dream takes microfiction up to 400 words, flash up to 1,000 words and stories up to 2,500 words. Send unpublished work as a Word attachment by email. Simultaneous submissions are welcome.
Publication is unpaid.
Submission guidelines. Send Word attachments to fictivedream@gmail.com.
Literally Stories
Literally Stories was established in 2014. Its editorial team includes Diane M. Dickson, Hugh Cron and Leila Allison, editorial team.
Literally Stories accepts fiction across a broad range of genres, from 500–3,000 words. Include the word count and genre with your email submission. Reprints and simultaneous submissions are considered with disclosure.
Publication is unpaid.
Submission guidelines. literallystories2014@gmail.com; include word count and genre.
Audio publications accepting written stories
Submit a written story for professional narration. Audio can also give a previously published story a second audience through a reprint sale.
Escape Pod
Escape Pod was established in 2005. Its editorial team includes Mur Lafferty and Valerie Valdes, co-editors.
Escape Pod buys science fiction for narration: original short stories of 1,500–6,000 words and reprints of 1,500–7,500 words. It is open for general and novelette submissions, normally reading from September to May. Novelette reprints have separate guidance.
Originals pay 8¢ per word. Short-story reprints pay $100–$175, depending on length. Send the written manuscript through Moksha.
Submission guidelines — Moksha. ansible@escapeartists.net
PseudoPod
PseudoPod was established in 2006. Its editorial team includes Kat Day and Alex Hofelich, co-editors.
PseudoPod buys horror for narration, including short stories of about 1,500–6,000 words and flash under 1,500 words. Its next general call runs 1–9 August 2027; a separate anthology and collection reprint call starts on 1 March 2027.
Originals pay 8¢ per word; reprints pay $100 for short stories or $20 for flash. Send the written manuscript through Moksha during the appropriate window.
Submission guidelines — Moksha when eligible. PseudoPod@escapeartists.net
Cast of Wonders
Cast of Wonders was established in 2011. Its editorial team includes Katherine Inskip, editor.
Cast of Wonders publishes young-adult speculative fiction in audio, accepting stories up to 6,000 words and welcoming flash. Use its submission schedule for the next opening and remove identifying information from the manuscript.
Originals pay 8¢ per word; reprints pay $100 for short stories or $20 for flash. Submit written manuscripts through Moksha.
Submission guidelines — Moksha; anonymize the manuscript. backstage@escapeartists.net
Build a systematic submission plan
- Make a shortlist for each story. Start with genre, length and eligibility. Read two or three recent stories at each shortlisted publication before spending money on a submission.
- Choose the right submission category. Use the general fiction call for an ordinary story submission, and note the opening date, deadline and any submission cap.
- Send a finished manuscript. Fiction editors generally want the whole story, not a pitch for something unwritten. Follow the requested file format, anonymity rules and cover-letter instructions. A brief title, word count and bio will often be enough; the individual guidelines take priority.
- Track every submission. Record story title/version, journal, date sent, fee, word count, simultaneous-submission policy, expected response, query date, outcome and rights offered. Add opening dates to your calendar for temporarily closed markets.
- Withdraw promptly when required. If simultaneous submissions are allowed and the story is accepted elsewhere, withdraw the remaining submissions immediately. If exclusivity is required, wait for the decision or withdraw before submitting elsewhere.
- Check the agreement before accepting. Look at payment timing, first-publication versus reprint rights, exclusivity, audio, anthology and archive rights. A publication credit and an optional feedback purchase are different things.
Many of the linked journals prohibit AI-generated or AI-assisted fiction, with definitions that vary by publisher. Read each policy, including restrictions on revision, translation and cover letters, before submitting.
Common questions about submitting short stories
Do literary magazines accept unpublished writers?
Yes. You do not need an agent or a previous publication credit for many of these markets. The Masters Review explicitly focuses on emerging writers, while Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine has a Department of First Stories. Eligibility still varies, especially for university-affiliated journals and demographic-specific calls.
Which literary magazines pay writers without charging a submission fee?
CRAFT, The Masters Review’s New Voices, Fractured Lit and Uncharted advertise free general submissions and payment for accepted original fiction. Choose the ordinary submission category: optional feedback and contests have different terms.
Can I submit a story that appeared on my blog?
Many journals treat public blogs and personal websites as previous publication. Ash Tales, Uncharted, Fractured Lit and the audio outlets listed here consider eligible reprints, but payment and rights differ. SmokeLong has a specific personal-blog exception in its guidelines. Disclose where and when the story appeared rather than assuming an online posting does not count.
Does paying a reading fee improve my chance of acceptance?
A fee buys entry to the specified submission process, not publication. Optional editorial feedback buys a different service. Compare the fee with the journal’s fit for your story and your submission budget; use free windows or waivers where available.
How long should I wait before querying?
Use the journal’s stated query threshold. For example, The Masters Review asks writers to wait twelve weeks; AGNI asks online submitters to wait four months. Some publications specifically discourage routine queries. Keep the original acknowledgment and use the portal to check status where possible.