14 Paying Markets for Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction

Updated 11/21/24

Finding a paying market for short stories, poetry, and creative nonfiction is not easy if you are an emerging writer. The Poets & Writers database includes 1135 markets, only 154 of which are listed as paying. (Some of those only pay if your work is selected as a "best of." Others pay a token amount that can be as little as $1.50.)

In short, 90% of journals don't pay. The most a writer can expect from most literary magazines is a couple of contributor copies - provided the journal has a print version.

Here are 14 journals that pay their contributors and don't charge a reading fee. All accept online submissions.

If you submit to several journals at once, keep careful records. As soon as your story is accepted make sure to withdraw it immediately from the remaining journals, either through an email notification or directly on submittable. (If you have submitted through submittable, just click "withdraw.")

Also see: 

325 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction

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Agni

"We see literature and the arts as part of a broad, ongoing cultural conversation that every society needs to remain vibrant and alive. We look for the honest voice, the idiosyncratic signature, experimental where necessary but not willfully so. Writing that grows from a vision, a perspective, and a passion will interest us, regardless of structure or approach."

Submission period: September 1st to midnight December 15th, and again from January 15th to midnight May 31st, Submit by mail to avoid submission fee. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: AGNI pays $30 per page for prose and $50 per page for poetry, with a $300 maximum. Response time: 2 - 4 months.

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Baltimore Review

"The mission of The Baltimore Review is to showcase Baltimore as a literary hub of diverse writing and promote the work of emerging and established writers."

Submission periods: August 8 - November 30. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: $50 Amazon gift certificate or $50 through PayPal, if preferred. Response time: 3 months.

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Carte Blanche

"At carte blanche we believe there is more than one way to tell a story. Our mandate is to provide a venue for narrative of all forms from fiction and nonfiction, to poetry and photo essays. carte blanche is published three times a year in the winter, spring/summer, and fall. carte blanche is a volunteer, not-for-profit literary project published by the Quebec Writers’ Federation, with support from the Canada Council for the Arts and individual sponsors.

Submission period: 21 July to 21 August. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: Modest. Response time: 3 to 6 months

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Cincinnati Review

"The CR publishes two print issues a year (with fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, drama, reviews, and a portfolio of artwork) and runs a weekly online series, miCRo, which features shorter poems and flash fiction/literary nonfiction/hybrid works. We provide a venue for writers of any background, at any point in their literary careers, at any age, to showcase their best writing. We are invested in finding both promising new and emerging voices and in sharing the exceptional work of more established writers."

Submission period: September, December, and May. Those reading periods will open on the first day of the month and close once they hit the submissions cap for that period. Payment: $25/page for prose and $30/page for poetry in the print journal and $25 for miCRo posts or special features.

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The Georgia Review

"The Georgia Review seeks memorable and distinctive poems, short stories, and essays, whether from Pulitzer Prize winners or previously unpublished writers. Thesis-oriented interdisciplinary essays are especially welcome. Occasional special features on topics or individual writers."

Submission period: Closed to submissions between May 15 and August 15. Submissions received during that period will be returned unread. Simultaneous submissions not allowed. Payment: $50 per printed page for prose and $4 per line for poetry. Essay-reviews and standard reviews earn honoraria of $50/printed page; book briefs carry a fixed honorarium of $50. Response time: 3-6 months. $3 submission fee for online submissions. No fee for mailed submissions.

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Journal of Compressed Creative Arts

"The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts is looking for, as you might guess, "compressed creative arts." We accept fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way. Work is published weekly, without labels, and the labels here only exist to help us determine its best readers."

Submission period: March 15 to June 15 and September 15 - December15. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: $50. Response time:  1-3 days.

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Kansas City Voices

"There is no “type” of work we are looking for, and while we would love for you to read through our previous issues, it is not an indicator of what kind of work we actively seek. Our editors rotate, our tastes evolve, and good work is just good work. We want to feel something when we encounter a piece. We want to be excited, surprised, thoughtful, and interested. We want to have a reaction. We want to share the best voices we find. Send us that one."

Submission period: January 1 - March 31. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: Small. Response time: 3-6 months.

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The Masters Review

"Our New Voices category is open year round to any new or emerging author who has not published a work of fiction or narrative nonfiction of novel length. Authors with short story collections are free to submit." (Scroll down for submission instructions.)

Submission period: All year. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: $100  - $200. Response time: 3 months.

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The Nashville Review

"Nashville Review seeks to publish the best work we can get our hands on, period. From expansive to minimalist, narrative to lyric, epiphanic to subtle—if it’s a moving work of art, we want it. We hope to provide a venue for both distinguished and emerging artists. Most importantly, thank you for giving us a chance to read your work. We appreciate it."

Submission period: August and January. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: $25 per poem; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Response time: 4-5 months.

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One Story

"One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone."

Submission Period: November. Payment: $500. Note: They close when they reach their cap.

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The Pedestal Magazine

"As editors of The Pedestal Magazine, we intend to support both established and burgeoning writers. We are committed to promoting diversity and celebrating the voice of the individual."

See submission periods: Poetry only. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: $50 per poem, $.03 cents per word for flash fiction. Response time: 4-8 weeks.

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The Ex-Puritan

"The Ex-Puritan began in 2007 as The Puritan Literary Magazine, an independently funded print journal dedicated to publishing fiction, essays, and interviews in Ottawa, Ontario, and was sold in bookstores across the city. In its early years, The Puritan was Ottawa’s only quarterly prose journal. After a brief hiatus, the magazine returned to publishing, now in the form of an online magazine run from Toronto. Since expanding its mandate to include poetry, reviews, and experimental work, The Ex-Puritan now seeks to publish the best in all forms of writing."

Submission period: All year. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Payment: $50 - $200. Response time: Not specified.

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Virginia Quarterly

VQ has a long history of publishing accomplished and award-winning authors, but also seeks and supports emerging writers.

Submission period: July. 

Payment: For poetry, $200 per poem, up to 4 poems; for a suite of 5 or more poems, we usually pay $1,000; for poems longer than 50 lines, the payment is usually higher. For prose, approximately 25 cents per word, depending on length.  Book reviews are generally 2,000-2,400 words and are paid at a flat rate of $500.Online content is generally paid at $100-$200, depending upon genre and length.