92 Calls for Submissions in April 2021 - Paying markets

This April there are more than seven dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

I post calls for submissions on the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.

Happy submitting!

Image credit: Pixabay

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West Branch. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. Payment: $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Constelación is a quarterly speculative fiction bilingual magazine, publishing stories in both Spanish and English. Writers can submit their stories in either language. Fifty percent of the stories we publish in every issue will be from authors from the Caribbean, Latin America, and their diaspora. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: April 1, 2021. See themes.

Temz Review. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Inklings: Tales From Alternate Earths. Genre: Alternative history. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Tales From the Magician’s Skull. Genre: Sword-and-sorcery fantasy. Payment: 4 cents per word.  Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Iron Horse Literary Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $100 per essay or story, and $50 per poem or flash piece. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Timeless Tales: Arabian Nights. Genre: Poetry, fiction on theme of Arabian Nights. Payment: $30 per piece. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Salamander. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays, and hybrid prose works. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Zone3 Press. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC authors. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 6 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: April 2, 2021.

Playing With Reality. Genre: Proposals for pieces of 1200–1500 words that "critically and imaginatively probe the influence of game engines, tools, infrastructure, and logics on immersive nonfiction storytelling projects. We are also interested in how immersive and emerging forms of nonfiction interact with and in turn affect gaming platforms, spaces, narratives, and notions of audiences." Payment: $250. Deadline: April 2, 2021.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of “Healers, Midwives and Cunning Folk.” Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: April 3, 2021.

Space and Time. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: April 3, 2021.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on Theme of Orange. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: April 4, 2021.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on theme of Time Travel. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: April 5, 2021.

Ninth Letter. Genre: Prose and poetry on theme of Distanced. Payment: $25 per printed page, with a maximum payment of $150, as well as two complimentary copies of the issue in which the work appears. Deadline: April 5, 2021.

Held. Restrictions: "We prioritize contributors who identify as Black, Indigenous, racialised. People who identify as 2SLGBTQ+. People living with disabilities." Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and experimental writing submissions that are between 1–5 pages and no more than 1,500 words; it must also be only a single story. Theme: Generations. Payment: $50 CAD. Deadline: April 6, 2021.

86 Logic: A Celebration of Artists from the Hospitality Industry. Restrictions: You must have worked in the hospitality industry at some point in your life. Genre: Poetry, prose, fiction, art, comics, photography, and non-fiction/journalism. Payment: $15. Deadline: April 6, 2021.

Arachne Press: Welsh writers A470 Bilingual Welsh-English Poetry Anthology. Restrictions: Welsh writers. Genre: Bilingual Welsh-English Poetry. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 6, 2021.

Scum. Genre: Feminist-friendly work of any variety, but as a general rule your piece should be under 2000 words (50 lines for poetry, max. 3 poems) and able to be classified as “fiction”, “culture”, “memoir”, “column”, “poetry”, and/or “review”. Payment: $60 AUD. Deadline: April 7, 2021.  Opens to submissions on April 1.

Fantasy Magazine. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, poetry. Payment: 8 cents per word for original short stories and flash fiction. $40 per poem. Deadline: April 8, 2021.

Elixir: An LGBT+ SFF Anthology. Genre: LGBT+ speculative fiction. "Give me aliens, pirates, witches, fairies, knights, warlocks, space, another realm, a vast combination so long as the protagonist shows emotional/spiritual growth. Romance not necessary, but accepted with glee." Payment: $300. Deadline: April 9, 2021.

Aesthetic: A Dark Academia Anthology. Genre: Young Adult and New Adult Dark Academia short stories. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 10, 2021.

SAND. Genre: Poetry, fiction, flash fiction, art. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: April 10, 2021.

Luna Novella. Genre: Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy and Dark Fantasy. Length: 20,000 - 40,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 10, 2021.

Luna Novella. Restrictions: Open to All writers who identify as "Other than White". All levels welcome (unpublished, published, solo or agented). Genre: Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy and Dark Fantasy. Length: 20,000 - 40,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 10, 2021.

Voiceworks, Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Fiction and poetry on theme of Pickle. Pitches only. Payment: $100. Deadline: April 11, 2021.

Shoreline of Infinity. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy. Payment: £10/1000 words. Deadline: April 13, 2021.

Black Hare Press: Dystopia. Genre: Dystopian novellas, 20,000 - 40,000 words. Payment: Royalties.  Deadline: April 14, 2021.

Arachne Press. Restrictions: Deaf and hard-of-hearing UK writers. Genre: Fiction and poetry on the theme of ‘movement’. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 14, 2021..

Funicular Magazine. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Payment: Short story: $10/printed page (up to a maximum of $100); Flash: $25 per piece; Poetry: $25 per piece. Payment for print publication only. Deadline: April 14, 2021.

Critical Read. Genre: Flash nonfiction. They want essays of around 300 words on a work created by an American artist—be it visual art, performing art, or literature—that you are turning to now. Payment: $25. Deadline: April 14, 2021.

Wyldblood Press. Genre: Speculative short stories. Payment: £0.01 per word for print and digital rights, for stories up to 7,500 words with a 180 day exclusivity period. Deadline: April 14, 2021.

Narrative. Genre: Short story, novel excerpt, novella, poem, or literary nonfiction. Payment: Up to $1000. Deadline: April 14, 2021. (Narrative does not charge submission fees during the first two weeks of April.)

Arachne Press. Restrictions: UK resident writers of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic heritage. Genre: Fiction and poetry on the theme of ‘maps and mapping’. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 14, 2021.

Epoch. Genre: Fiction, poetry, essays, cartoons, screenplays, graphic art, and graphic fiction. Payment: $50 per poem, maximum of $150 per story. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

The HerStories Project. Restrictions: Open to Gen-X women at midlife. Genre: "Our next anthology will be about how midlife women have fared during this pandemic. We want to publish stories of how women's lives have changed — their work lives, their family lives, their marriage and partnerships, their friendships, their relationships with their community." Payment: $50. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Olit. Restrictions: They prefer writers with a connection to Orlando or the greater Central Florida area. Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Artwork, Photography. "Send us all kinds of stuff. We love the artfully weird." Payment: $10. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Translunar Travelers Lounge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20. Deadline: April 15, 2021. Opens March 21, 2021. 

Midnight Breakfast. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature, Volume 3 – The Climate Change Edition. Genre: Speculative poetry, fiction  that examines the future of our planet as it relates to Climate Change.  Payment: $25 per poem, and $50-$75 per story. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Liquid Imagination. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Payment: $8 for short stories (1001 words up to 6000 words) and poems, and $3 for flash stories (up to 1000 words). A $2 bonus will be added for authors who accept payment via Paypal. Deadline: Mid-April, 2021.

Mad Creek Books: 21st Century Essays series. Genre: Essays. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Lethe Press: Blood on Your Hands. Genre: Previously published homo-erotic stories about male vampires. Payment: Up to $75. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Olit. Restrictions: Strong preference for Orlando based writers/submissions about Orlando and surrounding areas. Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Artwork, Photography. Send us all kinds of stuff. We love the artfully weird. Payment: $10. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Acre is an imprint of the Cincinnati Review. Genre: Novels, poetry, and short story collections. Read submission guidelines here. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Dose of Dread. Genre: General horror flash fiction. Preference for dread-inducing stories. Length: 500 - 1,000 words. Payment: $10. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on theme of Alternative Realities. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: April 19, 2021.

Cloaked Press: Summer of Speculation. Genre: Speculative short stories. Payment: $15. Deadline: April 20, 2021.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: April 21, 2021. 

Sick Magazine. Restrictions: Open to chronically ill and disabled people. Genre: Fiction, CNF, nonfiction, poetry, art. Payment: 11 pence per word; £45 for visual art and poetry. Deadline: April 23, 2021. 

Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Dark, eerie, speculative stories on theme of Demented Mother.  Payment: $10. Deadline: April 23, 2021.

Story Seed Vault. Genre: Fiction based on science. Up to 200 characters. Payment: Up to $3AUD per story. Deadline: April 24, 2021.

Lemonspouting, Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF, art. Payment: $10 per poem; $15 per short fiction; $15 per creative non-fiction; $15 art/photography and $20 for cover art. Deadline: April 24, 2021.

Shooter. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF, art on theme of Escape. Payment: £25 per story and £5 per poem. Deadline: April 25, 2021.

Voiceworks, Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Art, comics and comic pitches on theme of Pickle. Pitches only. Payment: $100 - $150. Deadline: April 25, 2021.

Handmade Horror Stories. Genre; Horror stories that incorporate some element of art or craft. Payment: $25.00 CAD. Deadline: April 28, 2021.

Poetry Wales. Genre: Welsh poetry. Payment: £20/page. Deadline: April 28, 2021.

Island. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $125. Deadline: April 29, 2021.

Consequence Magazine: The Culture of War. Genre: Short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and visual art mainly focused on the culture of war. Payment: $10/page for prose (up to $250), $25/page for poetry, $15/page for translations (up to $250). Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Brink. Genre: Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, Translation, as well as hybrid work that falls into the cross-genre category of Evocations. Payment: $25  ||  Poem; $50  ||  Work (less than 1500 words); $50  ||  Art (1-3 Images); $100  ||  Art (4+ Images); $100  ||  Work (more than 1501 words). Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Autostraddle. Genre: Stories by trans writers. Payment: $150. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

The Jewish Book of Horror. Genre: Short stories with Jewish themes. Payment: $30 for the first 3,000 words, then a 1/2 cent per word up to 7,500 words + print contributor’s copy. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Gaslamp Fantasy Anthology. Genre: Gaslamp fantasy. "Generally speaking, this particular realm of fantasy employs either a Victorian or Edwardian setting. The gaslamp fantasy genre is not to be confused with steampunk, which usually has more of a super-science edge and uchronic tone." Payment: .015 cents/word. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Devil's Party Press. Genre: Full-length literary fiction. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Nightlight. Restrictions: Open to Black writers. Genre: Horror. 10,000 words max. Audio format. Payment: $75 - $200 depending on length. $50 for reprints. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

The Fiddlehead. Restrictions: Canadians only. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art, and poetry. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Colorado Review. Genre: Poetry of any style. Submit no more than five poems with a maximum of 15 pages. Also fiction and nonfiction. Payment: $10 per page ($30 minimum) for poetry and $200 for short stories and essays. Deadline: April 30, 2021; nonfiction manuscripts are read year-round. No submission fee for mailed submissions.

FIYAH. Genre: Speculative fiction, art, and poetry about African Diaspora. Length: Short fiction 2,000 – 7,000 words and novelettes up to 15,000 words. Payment: $150 per story. $50 per poem. $300 per novelette. Deadline: April 30, 2021. See themes.

Midnight From Beyond the Stars. Genre: Alien horror stories. Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Lazy Adventurer Publishing. Genre: Poetry, non fiction, fiction, illustrated and multi genre/hybrid chapbooks, novellas, and novels. "At LAP, we focus on content from underrepresented groups, with a focus on people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, and disabled people." Payment: 30% royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Propertius Press: Draw Down the Moon. Genre: Short fiction on theme of romantic love. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

khōréō. Restrictions: Open to writers who identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. "This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, transnational/transracial adoptees, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. We especially encourage BIPOC creators who identify as the above to submit their work." Genre: stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. Payment: 0.08/word for fiction, $100 for nonfiction, and  $40-300 for art. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Denver Horror Collective: The Jewish Book of Horror. Genre: Horror on Jewish themes. Payment: $30 for the first 3,000 words, then a 1/2 cent per word up to 7,500 words + print contributor’s copy. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

The Book of Bad Betties. Genre: Poetry. "We want to hear about the baddasses, the queens, the upstarts, the legends, the bosses, the matriarchs, the hellraisers, the darlings, the dames."  Payment: £50. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Counting Your Blessings. Genre: True stories and poems. "Please share your stories about handling challenges in your life, finding the silver linings, and counting your blessings, whether the challenges you are facing are COVID-19 related or other kinds. Stories can be serious or funny, but definitely should be inspirational and heartwarming. Attitude adjustments, finding contentment and gratitude, a new way of handling your daily life, and other great ideas to inspire readers to find their own paths to happiness and to remember to count their blessings every day are what we are looking for." Payment: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Sutra Press. Genre: Manuscripts 12 - 32 pages. Payment: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

The Threepenny Review. Genre: Prose and poetry. Payment: $400 per story or article, $200 per poem or Table Talk piece. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Massachusetts Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, hybrid, translations. Payment: $100. Deadline: April 30, 2021. Fee for online submissions. No fee for USPS.

Harbor Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $10. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Brick. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $55–660, depending on the length of accepted work, plus two copies of the issue the work appears in and a one-year subscription to the magazine. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Dragon Soul Press: Murder and Mayhem. Genre: Mystery. "A murder needs to be solved by these main characters as the stakes rise higher. Any branch of investigators can be included, even vigilantes." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Extraordinary Visions: Stories Inspired by Jules Verne. Genre: Short stories inspired by the writings of Jules Verne. Payment: 2¢ per word for original stories ($30 flat rate for reprints). $100 for art.  Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Draw Down the Moon. Genre: Romantic fiction. Payment: Share of net proceeds. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Eerie River Publishing: It Calls from the Doors. Genre: Horror on theme of Doorways. May have elements of Dark Fantasy, Dark Fiction and Cosmic horror. But must have the intention to scare the readers. Payment: Up to 3000 words $10.00; Up to 5000 words $15.00; Above 5001 words $20.00. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Nat. Brut. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $30. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

From the Shadows. Genre: Horror and crime poetry and fiction. Poetry – 40 lines maximum (including line breaks); Fiction – between 1000 – 3000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Typehouse. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction and visual art. Payment: $10 - $18. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Uncanny Magazine. Genre: Speculative novellas. Length: 17,500 to 40,000 words. Payment: 10 cents/word. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Serious as a Heart Attack! Genre: Pulpy/Dark/Gritty clown tales. Payment: Profit sharing. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Sunlight Press. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $25. Deadline: April 30, 2021. (Will re-open in June.)

The Arkansas International. Genre: Fiction, poetry, essays, comics, and works in translation.   Payment: $20 a printed page (capped at $250). Deadline: April 30, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee. 

AND A FEW MORE

The First Line. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.)    Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Sundog Lit. Genre: Poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

The Hungry Ghost Project. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction up to 1000 words on the topics of food, hauntings, memory and consumption, both independently and combined. Payment: £5. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Mythulu Magazine. Genre: Short stories that feature wildly original biomes or bizarre weather.  Payment: $0.06/word or $15/page. Non-fiction pays 0.08/word. Creative works earn 0.04/word, with short stories capped at $75. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Hidden Timber Books. Genre: Literary fiction or narrative nonfiction in the form of a novel, a memoir, or a collection (short stories, essays, or hybrid). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Mudroom. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and essays in translation. Payment: $15. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Boulevard. Genre: Poems up to 200 lines. Send up to five poems. Also fiction and nonfiction.  Payment: $25-250 for poetry, and $100-300 for prose. Deadline: May 1, 2021. No submission fee for mailed submissions.

Cryptids Emerging: Tales of Dark Cheer. Genre: "Contemporary supernatural or historical fantasy about cryptids living with humans, or just at the edge of our vision, stories of what the world would look like if cryptids were real." Payment: 0.05¢ American per word for stories up to 5,000 words. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Foglifter. Genres: Poetry, prose, cross-genre work. "Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work." Payment: $25. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Nonbinary Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and flash, up to 3000 words on theme of Industrial Revolution. Payment: For prose, 1¢ US per word, and $10 US per poem. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

Urhi Publishing: The Needle Drops. Genre: Horror: Fiction and poetry. Payment: £15 per poem. £50 - £100 for fiction. Deadline: May 1, 2021.

59 Writing Contests in April 2021 - No entry fees

This April there are more than four dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $100,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline is past, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

(Image credit: Pxhere)

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Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Genre: This contest seeks today's best humor poems, published and unpublished. Please enter one poem only, 250 lines max. Prize: $3,500 in prizes, including a top prize of $2,000, and publication on Winning Writers. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Writing for Peace. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 13-19. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. "Writing for Peace challenges young writers to expand their empathy skills by researching an unfamiliar culture and writing from the point-of-view of a character within that new world, while exploring social, political, and environmental pressures, and universal themes." Prize: $200.  Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize. Genre: Pieces of any genre up to 2500 words on the theme of “On Wilderness and Civilization.” Prize: The winner receives a £10,000 cash prize and is presented with the award by the poet John Burnside. A £3,000 cash prize will go to the second place, and £2,000 to the third place runner up. The winner and two runners up are invited to attend the Fjällnäs symposium.   Deadline: April 1, 2021.

The Marguerite and Lamar Smith Fellowship for Writers. Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians awards fellowships for writers to spend time in McCullers' childhood home in Columbus, Georgia. The fellowships are intended to afford the writers in residence uninterrupted time to dedicate to their work, free from the distractions of daily life and other professional responsibilities. Award: Stipend of $5000 to cover costs of transportation, food and other incidentals. Fellowship recipients will be required to introduce or advance their work through reading or workshop/forum presentations. The Fellow will work with the McCullers Center Director to plan a presentation near the end of the residency. Deadline: April 1, 2021. 

Wick Poetry Center Undergraduate Poetry Competition. Restrictions: The competition is open to any undergraduate currently enrolled at Kent State University. Genre: Poem, maximum 100 lines long. Prize: One-time $1,500 scholarship to Kent State University. Second and third prize: $1,000 and $500 one-time scholarships. Deadline: April 1, 2021. 

The Great American Think-Off. Genre: Essay on the theme: “Which is more important:
to win or to play by the rules?” Entrants should take a strong stand agreeing or disagreeing with this topic, basing their arguments on personal experience and observations rather than philosophical abstraction. Essay should be no more than 750 words. Prize: One of four $500 cash prizes. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Reedsy: Fool Me Once. Genre: Short story. "From trickster gods to office pranks, humans have long been fascinated by mischief and mayhem. There’s just something about breaking free of the rules of polite society and causing a bit of chaos that appeals deeply to our psyche." Prize: $50. Deadline: April 2, 2021.

Cymera-Scotland’s Futures Forum-Shoreline of Infinity Prize for Speculative Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to unpublished writers living in Scotland. Genre: Speculative short stories. "What could life in a world, any world, after a global life-changing event be like? How will we be living, young, adult, mature – what are the possibilities?" Prize: Awards are in 2 categories: 14 to 17 year old and 18+. The winning writers in each age-range category will be awarded £75. Deadline: April 4, 2021.

Poetry Nook. Genre: Poem. Prize: $20. Deadline: April 4, 2021.

The American Prospect Writing Fellows Program. The American Prospect’s Writing Fellows Program offers journalists the opportunity to spend two years developing their skills with the magazine at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. (or working remotely, in pandemic times). Each fellow benefits from an intensive mentoring program with the experts on our editorial team, and is expected to contribute regularly. Two fellowships are available starting Summer 2021, running through Summer 2023. Deadline: April 5, 2021.

“You Will Be Found” Essay Challenge. Restrictions: Open to residents of the United States and its territories. Genre: Essay. "We invite 11th-grade and 12th-grade students to write a college-application style essay (no longer than 650-words) that describes how you have managed to ensure those around you were a little less alone in recent months – or, alternatively, a moment where you yourself have found comfort in connection." Prize: $10,000 college scholarship. Deadline: April 5, 2021.

Gordon Burn Prize. Restrictions: Open to permanent US or UK residents. Genre: Fiction or nonfiction book first published in the US or UK between July 1 of the preceding year and July 1 of the deadline year. Prize: 5,000 pounds and 3-month writing retreat at Gordon Burn's cottage in Berwickshire.  Deadline: April 7, 2021.

Spectator. Genre: Poem. Tony Harrison wrote a poem entitled ‘A Kumquat for John Keats’. You are invited to substitute your own choice of poet and fruit and submit a poem of that title. Please email entries of up to 16 lines to lucy@spectator.co.uk Prize: £30. Deadline: April 7, 2021.

Killing It: The Killer Reads Competition. Genre: Crime novel. Submit the first 10,000 words of your crime, thriller or suspense novel (your book needs to be complete or near-complete to enter). Prize: "Editorial reports from HarperFiction (UK) crime editors on their full manuscripts, covering pace, characterisation, pitch, and more. Editorial mentoring (up to three one-hour sessions) with a HarperFiction crime editor." Deadline: April 7, 2021.

The Buffalo Books Fiction Prize. Genre: Novels — from 40,000 to 80,000 words — that are set in or explore the Midwest, the Great Plains, and/or the alleged flyover portions of the West. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: April 7, 2021.

Sunken Garden Poetry Festival's Fresh Voices Competition. Restrictions: New England high school students. Prize: Reading at the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival and publication. Deadline: April 9, 2021.

Poetry Nook. Genre: Poem. Prize: $20. Deadline: April 11, 2021.

Grist: Imagine 2200. Genre: Short stories. "What we’re seeking: short stories that envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress. Our mission is to make the story of a better world so irresistible, you want it right now." Prize: First, second, and third-prize winners will be awarded $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively, and nine additional finalists will each receive a $300 honorarium. Deadline: April 12, 2021.

Descant. Each year, descant offers four awards:. etc

• the $500 Frank O’Connor Award for fiction (for the best short story in a issue)
• the $250 Gary Wilson Award (for an outstanding story in an issue)
• the $500 Betsy Colquitt Award for poetry (for the best poem or series of poems by a single author in an issue)
• the $250 Baskerville Publishers Award (for an outstanding poem or poems by a single author in an issue

There is no application process or reading fee. All published submissions are eligible for prize consideration. Simply submit your work. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

QTBIPOC 2021 Poetry Manuscript Contest. Restrictions: Open to QTBIPOC-identified feminist innovative writers/poets. Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: The prize winner will receive publication along with a $1,000.00 cash award to help aid in book promotion, travel, event attendance, etc. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Stephanie St. Clair. Prize: $30. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Jersey Pines Ink. Genre: Fantasy flash fiction. 500 words max. Prize: $5. Deadline: April 15, 2021.

Parsec Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to non-professional writers. Genre: Speculative fiction. The theme for the contest is: Still Waters, Deep Thoughts. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue…the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing. Prize: $200 and publication. Deadline: April 15, 2020.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between March 1, 2021, and April 30, 2021 to be eligible for the 2019 Prize. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: April 16, 2021.

Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media. Genre: Nonfiction. "The Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media recognizes a select group of media professionals, including journalists, writers, and others who create exemplary work that contributes to a deeper understanding of and greater public awareness about mental health issues. To be eligible, work must have been written in English, intended for the layperson, and must have been first published/released after April 1, 2020." Prize: $3000. Deadline: April 16, 2021.

Science Me A Story. Genre: Scientific stories for children (ages 6-12) of up to four pages by authors over age 18. Stories can be in English or Spanish. Prize: £150, £100 or £50. Deadline: April 18, 2021.

Poetry Nook. Genre: Poem. Prize: $20. Deadline: April 18, 2021.

The Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize. Genre: Book-length translation of Asian poetry into English. Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: April 19, 2021.

American Literary Translators Association Italian Prose in Translation Award. Genre: Translation of a recent work of Italian prose (fiction or literary non-fiction). Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: April 19, 2021.

Voice.club. Genre: Flash fiction, 100 words max. Theme of: Doors. Prize: $25 Amazon gift card. Deadline: April 23, 2021. Note: You have to join in order to enter.

Poetry Nook. Genre: Poem. Prize: $20. Deadline: April 25, 2021.

Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant. Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Genre: Creative nonfiction. Whiting welcomes submissions for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, the sciences, philosophy, criticism, food or travel writing, and personal essays, among other categories. Writers must be completing a book of creative nonfiction that is currently under contract with a publisher. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: April 26, 2021. 

The Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction. Genre: Novel published in 2020 (50,000 words minimum). Book has to be set in one of the original eleven states in the Confederacy. (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.) Prize: $2,500.00, and an expense paid trip to New York City. (The winner must come to NY to receive the award, attend a luncheon with the contest judges and a reception in his/her honor.) Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Principia Perspectives Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to middle school and high school students. Genre: Essay on theme of Family. Prize: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year. Genre: Animal Nonfiction. Prize: First prize is $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Mike Resnick Memorial Award: Best Unpublished Science Fiction Short Story by a New Author. Restrictions: Open to an author who has not had any work published (including short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels in paper, digital or audio form) that has been paid a per-word rate of 6 cents a word or more or received a payment for any single work of fiction totaling more than $50. Genre: Science fiction short story, up to 7,499 words. Prize: $250.00 and publication.  Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Willie Morris Award for Southern Poetry. Genre: Poetry that evokes the South. Prize: $2,500 and expenses-paid trip to award ceremony in NYC. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth. Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens or residents attending junior high or high school. Genre: Poetry. Prize: C$400 in each of two age categories: Junior (grades 7-9) and Senior (grades 10-12). Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Queer Scifi Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Fantasy, paranormal or horror LGBTIQA stories of no more than 300 words on the theme of Ink. Prize: The top three winners will receive cash prizes of $75, $50, and $25 respectively. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Cave Canem Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to black poets of African descent who have had no more than one full-length book of poetry published by a professional press. Genre: Poetry book. Prize: $1000 and publication by Graywolf Press in fall 2022, 15 copies of the book, and a feature reading. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Toronto Book Awards. Genres: All genres accepted. Restrictions: Submission "must evoke the city itself, that is, contain some clear Toronto content (this may be reflected in the themes, settings, subjects, etc.). Authors do not necessarily have to reside in Toronto. Ebooks, textbooks and self-published works are not eligible. Prize: A total of $15,000 CD will be awarded. Each shortlisted author (usually 4-6) receives C$1,000 and the winning author is awarded the remainder. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

2021 Sijo Competition. Genre: A Sijo poem. Prize: Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500); Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300) Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Irene Adler Prize for Women Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian women. Genre: Creative nonfiction. Prize: $1,000 scholarship. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Al Blanchard Crime Award. Restrictions: New England residents only. Genre: Crime short story.  Prize: $100. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Daisy Utemorrah Award for Indigenous Authors. Restrictions: Open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writer currently residing in Australia. Genre:  Junior/YA full-length fiction manuscript intended for readers aged 8-18. Length: 40,000 and 100,000 words. Prize: A$15,000 and possible publication.  Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Author of Tomorrow. Restrictions: Open to children and youth up to age 21. Genre: Adventure writing. Prize: 11 and Under | 500 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school; 12-15 years | 1,500 - 5,000 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school; 16-21 years | 1,500 - 5,000 words. Prize: £1,000. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Rune Bear Quarterly. Genre: Drabble: 100 words on the theme “Patch Notes Version 2.0.” Prize: $10. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

A Voice for Animals Teen Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to students between the ages of 14-18. Genre: Essays on an animal rights topic.  In the 16-18 year olds category, essays must be 800-1,000 words long and be accompanied by a photograph; in the 14-15 year olds category, essays should be between 1,400-1,500 words. One climate change prize (both age categories compete) will be awarded for an essay on how climate change affects a particular animal species. Prize: $500. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Claudia Ann Seaman Awards For Young Writers. Restrictions: High school students. Genre: Stories and poems. Prize: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

E-waste Scholarship. Restrictions: You must be a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about e-waste. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

4thWrite Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to  Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic writers. Genre: Short story. Prize: £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and publication of their story on the Guardian website. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Erbacce-prize for Poetry (UK) Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: Winner will be given a publishing contract with erbacce press who will publish a perfect-bound collection of the winner's book. "We will pay all costs including the legal registering of the book and supplying copies to the major libraries. The book will be sold through our sales/shop pages and the poet will be paid 20% royalties." Deadline: April 30, 2021.

SA Writer’s College Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished writers in South Africa. Genre: Short stories. Theme: You Only Live Once. Prizes: 1st – R 10 000; 2nd – R 5 000; 3rd – R 2 000. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Storytwigs micro-writing competition. Restrictions: Open to citizens/residents of United States or Canada. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Genre: Short prose 100 words or fewer on prompt of String. Prize: From $10 to $100. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships. Restrictions: Applicants must reside in the U.S. or be U.S. citizens. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no older than 31 years of age as of April 30, 2021. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $25,800.  Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year. Genre: Animal Nonfiction. Stories must be between 1000--10,000 words in length. Prize: First prize in each category will be $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Deadline: April 30, 2021. See themes.

The John Byrne Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Scotland. Genre: A piece of creative work on a chosen theme or value (written work must be no more than 15,000 words in length). Prize:  £7500. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Words Without Borders Poems in Translation Contest. Genre: Contemporary international poetry translated from other languages into English. Prize: $150 each for winning poets and translators.  Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Cave Canem Northwestern University Press Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to black poets of African descent who have had no more than one full-length book of poetry published by a professional press. Genre: Poetry book. Prize: $1000. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

19 Great Writing Conferences in April 2021

Spring has sprung, and writers are thawing out! This April most writing conferences will be held online. Virtual events still offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. During the pandemic most of these are being held virtually at reduced rates. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early.

Photo credit: Wikimedia

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Norwescon. April 1 - 4, 2021: Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States. Will be held online.

IBPA Publishing University. April 7 - 10, 2021, Redondo Beach, CA. The Independent Book Publishers Association offers 30+ educational sessions including experiential learning labs, insightful keynotes, a gala book award ceremony, networking events, and so more! Cost: $195-$475. Will be held online.

Tennessee Mountain Writers Annual Conference, Apr 8 - 10, 2021: Oak Ridge, TN. Speakers and session leaders include Joseph Bathanti, Karen Salyer McElmurray, Tracy Barrett, and more! 

Las Vegas Writer’s Conference is sponsored by the Henderson Writers’ Group, Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, Las Vegas, Nevada. April 8 – 10, 2021. Join writing professionals, agents publishers and marketing experts for a weekend of workshops and enlightening discussions about the publishing industry. A chance to pitch your manuscript and ideas to agents. This Year’s Conference is ONLINE.

Michigan Writers Conference, April 9 - 10, 2021, Detroit, MI. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Detroit Livonia Novi. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. Will be held virtually.

San Antonio Book Festival. April 9 - 11, 2021, San Antonio, TX. The San Antonio Book Festival is a FREE, annual, daylong event that unites readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries, and literary culture. Featuring more than 80 nationally and regionally acclaimed authors, the Festival offers programming for all ages. Will be held virtually.

Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0. April 12 - 18, 2021: Hood River, Oregon. "Writers of commercial fiction who wish to soar out of category, as well as literary novelists who want to learn how to make powerful story principles work for them, will find the Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0 an idea-packed and career enriching experience. This workshop is as ideal for those just beginning a new project as it is for those embarking on a revision of a completed work. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more."

ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) Writers Conference, April 13  - 29, 2021 NYC, NY. Focus on Autobiography/Memoir, Business/Technical, Humor, Journalism, Marketing, Nature, Non-fiction, Publishing, Religion, Screenwriting, Travel. Attending: more than 100 editors, authors, literary agents, and publicists. Will be held virtually.

Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference. April 16  - 19, 2021. The conference features evaluation and discussion of book-length and chapbook-length manuscripts with poets, editors, and publishers. The cost of the conference is $1,000. Using the online submission system, submit a brief bio and three to four poems. Will be held virtually.

Poetry at Round Top Festival. April 19 - 23, 2021. Round Top, Texas. Past faculty includes Mark Doty, Allison Joseph, Alicia Ostriker, ire’ne lara silva, Mary Szybist, Edward Vidaurre, and Jenny Xie. The cost of the conference is $150 ($50 for students) or $75 for Saturday only. Workshops are an additional $40. Private manuscript consultations are available for an additional $70. Will be held virtually.

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. April 21 - 25, 2021, Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." Will be held virtually.

Chanticleer Authors Conference. April 21 - 25, 2021. Writing workshops, presentations, book awards and more. Will be held online.

Nebraska Writers Guild Annual Conference and Writing Retreat. April 22 - 24, 2021: Omaha, NE. Workshops, pitch sessions with an agent and writing sessions followed by evening keynote speakers.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop, April 22 - 25, 2021, St. Augustine, Florida. "The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will:
1) Work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals.
2) Apply advanced story and narrative technique to their novel-in-progress.
3) Hone and improve their writer voice and style.
4) Learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business.
5) Leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel.
Group workshop sessions will be interspersed with agent and author consultations, workshop assignments, as well as consults with workshop leaders."

Ozarks Writers League Conference. April 23 - 24, 2021: Branson, MO. The Ozarks Writers League is a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to promoting writing, literacy, photography, and art. Since 1983, OWL has welcomed individuals at all stages of their development. Will be held online.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Spring Conference. April 23 - 24, 2021, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina. Features intensive workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as publisher exhibits, on-site "lunch with an author" readings, and an open mic. Will be held online.

The Pikes Peak Writers Conference. April 23 - 25, 2021. Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The three-day conference is full of topical, in-depth workshops, dynamic keynote speakers, opportunities for one-on-one time with agents and editors, the chance to read your work aloud for constructive critique, plus time to socialize with fellow writers. Will be held online.

Writing on the Door: Virtual Poetry Conference. April 23 - 25, 2021: Egg Harbor, Wisconsin. Poetry readings, talks, conversations with poets and more! Will be held online.

Northern Colorado Writers Conference. April 24 -  May 1, 2021, Fort Collins, CO. Workshops, seminars, speakers, entertainment, agent roundtables, pitch sessions, networking with authors and industry professionals. Will be held online and in person (April 24 workshop only).

67 Places to Publish Novellas and Long Short Stories - Paying markets

Updated 9/24/23

If you've written a longer piece of fiction, but not as lengthy as a novel, you may be wondering where to get it published. (As it happens, I am too, because I just wrote one.) 

With so many literary journals preferring a "sweet spot" of about 3,000 words, a short story of 8,000 words can be a challenge to publish. Once you get over 10,000 words, finding a home for your work can be daunting. 

Nevertheless it is not impossible. There are quite a few literary journals and publishers that accept longer short stories, novelettes, and novellas. In case you are wondering what the word counts are for these categories, Duotrope uses these guidelines:

Short story = 1000 to 7,500 words

Novelette = 7,500 to 15,000 words

Novella = 15,000 to 40,000 words

While guidelines can be useful, word counts are hardly fixed for short fiction. A novelette can be anywhere between 7,000 and 20,000 words. But while novellas usually have a top range of 40,000 words, there is no fixed bottom range. What's more, there is a no-man's-land between 40,000 and 60,000 words. Most novels under 60,000 words are deemed "unmarketable" by agents. So, what happens to works between 40,000 and 60,000 words? It's a question for the ages. 

A  word of advice: Resist the temptation to either pare down your work, or beef it up to meet someone else's word count. All literary works determine their own length. To thine own work be true.

Please note: Many of these journals have submission periods. Don't despair if some are closed right now. They will be open later. 

Here is an excellent ranking of literary magazines that includes word counts: 

Erika Krouse’s Ranking of 500-ish Literary Magazines for Short Fiction 

Photo credit: Unsplash

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AGNI

Length: No restrictions

Payment: $20 per printed (or printed-out) page

"At AGNI we see literature and the arts as integral to the broad, engaged conversation that underwrites a vital society. Our poets, storytellers, essayists, translators, and artists lift a mirror to nature and the social world. They not only reflect our age, they respond. We have no formula. We seek fresh vision and listen for dynamic voices that address our common reality." AGNI accepts manuscripts between September 1st and May 31st. 

Analog

Length: Up to 80,000 words
Payment: 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)

"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 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. 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." Also accepts poetry.

A Public Space

Length: Novelettes and novellas

Payment: Up to $100

"A Public Space is an independent nonprofit publisher of an eponymous award-winning literary, arts, and culture magazine, and A Public Space Books. Under the direction of founding editor Brigid Hughes since 2006, it has been our mission to seek out overlooked and unclassifiable work, and to publish writing from beyond established confines." Has submission periods.

Arkansas International

Length: Up to 8,000 words

Payment: $20 a printed page (capped at $250)

"The Arkansas International is committed to promoting both established and emerging voices. We welcome previously unpublished, unsolicited submissions of fiction, poetry, essays, comics, and works in translation between July 1 and May 1. Until we reach our monthly cap with Submittable, there will be no fee to submit (after we hit the cap a $4.00 submission fee will be charged to defray administrative costs)."

Beneath Ceaseless Skies

Length: Up to 15,000 words

Payment: 8 cents/word

Beneath Ceaseless Skies publishes “literary adventure fantasy”: stories with a secondary-world setting and some fantasy feel, but written with a literary approach. "We want stories set in what Tolkien called a “secondary world”: some other world that is different from our own primary world in some way. It could be different in terms of zoology (non-human creatures), ecology (climate), or physical laws (the presence of magic)." 

Boulevard

Length: Up to 8,000 words

Payment: Prose minimum is $100, maximum is $300.

"While we frequently publish writers with previous credits, we are very interested in less experienced or unpublished writers with exceptional promise. If you have practiced your craft and your work is the best it can be, send it to Boulevard." $3 to submit online. No charge for postal submissions. Has submission periods.

Clarkesworld

Length: 1000 - 22,000 words

Payment: 10 cents/word

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 their website, for purchase in ebook format, and via electronic subscription. All original fiction is also published in their annual anthology series from Wyrm Publishing.

The Ex-Puritan

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: $150

The Puritan began in 2007 as 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 and reviews, The Puritan now seeks to publish the best in all forms of writing.

Dancing Star Press

Length: Between 17,500 and 40,000 words

Payment: Royalties

Dancing Star Press publishes speculative ficion: space operas, solar punk, dark fantasy, and urban fantasy. Hard science fiction with an emphasis on biology or chemistry rather than physics. Fantasy based on non-Western cultures. Optimistic futurism. Polar Tesla pop and soft science fiction.

Eraserhead Press

Length: 20,000 to 100,000 words

Payment: Royalties

Eraserhead Press is seeking original novellas and novels that fit into the Bizarro Fiction category. "We’re most drawn to darkly absurd tales that are addictive to read and contain a strong emotional core. We love fiction that is both heart-rending and fun. While it may or may not be funny, we are interested in more than just a joke. If you can make us both laugh and cry or creep us out and draw us in, we will love your book." Typically opens to submissions once a year April-June.

Escape Pod 

Length: Up to 18,000 words

Payment: 8 cents/word for original stories, $100 for reprints

Audio format

"Escape Pod is a science fiction market. We are fairly flexible on what counts as science (we’ll delve into superheroes or steampunk on occasion) and are interested in exploring the range of the genre. We want stories that center on science, technology, future projections, and/or alternate history, and how any or all of these things intersect with people." Accepts reprints.

Fairlight Books (UK)

Length: 25,000 to 50,000 words

Payment: Royalties

"Based in the thriving and energetic publishing hub of Oxford, we’re a young, dynamic team wanting to do things a little differently.  Since our inception, our authors have been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, shortlisted for the Paul Torday Prize, the BBC National Short Story Award and on the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction Recommended List. As part of our mission to make quality writing more discoverable, we’ve set up Fairlight Shorts. This online short story portal showcases some fantastic, but previously unpublished, short story writing. Making all of the stories on our website freely available to readers, our aim is to fight the corner for the short story as a form of literature which until recently has been largely abandoned or hidden behind paywalls, and promote and support the writing of these talented authors. With a specific focus on quality rather than quantity, we intend to publish contemporary adult literary fiction and well-written genre fiction. Fairlight Books is open to literary submissions of short stories (no payment), novellas and novels. We are happy to accept submissions of longer fiction direct from authors."

Fusion Fragment

Length: 2,000 to 15,000 words.

Payment: Both previously unpublished work and reprints pay 3.5 cents (CAD) per word, up to a maximum of $300 (CAD) per story.

"Although any science fiction subgenre is fair game, our tastes lean towards slipstream, cyberpunk, post-apocalypse, and anything with a little taste of the bizarre. FF prefers character-driven stories, and often skews towards quiet, reflective pieces. If the primary tone of your story is one of high adventure or humour, it’s probably not the right fit for FF. That said, quality always outstrips genre preference in terms of importance, so feel free to send us anything that even vaguely resembles science fiction."  See submission periods.

The Georgia Review

Length: Not restricted

Payment: $50 per printed page. All contributors receive a one-year subscription to The Georgia Review.

Founded in 1947, The Georgia Review is the University of Georgia’s journal of arts and letters.  The journal has twice taken a top prize in the annual National Magazine Awards competition, winning out over the likes of the Atlantic, Esquire, the New Yorker, and Vanity Fair, and has been a finalist twenty times in various categories. No fee to submit by regular mail.

GigaNotoSaurus

Length: Up to 25,000 words
Payment: $100

GigaNotoSaurus accepts Science Fiction or Fantasy (or any combination thereof). "We could wax eloquent describing the kinds of stories we like, but it wouldn’t be useful; there are dozens of things we don’t know we like until we try them. Send us that story you really believe in–the one, maybe, that quickly ran out of places to submit it to because it’s so long. Don’t query to gauge our interest in a particular subgenre. Just submit the story. We actively seek to include stories told from and by a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, and genders. We are particularly interested in #ownvoices stories." Has submission periods.

Gwyllion

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: £10 per accepted story or poem

"We want low fantasy, space opera, pulp fiction, swords-and-sorcery tales of mystery and adventure. We want your weird fiction, your eldritch horror, your wuxia, and your steampunk. Give us cryptids, give us aliens, give us vampires. If you think ‘lowbrow’ is an insult then we are not the right magazine for you. We also accept high fantasy, literary fiction, and ‘hard’ science fiction. We encourage submissions from writers living in Wales and/or who identify as Welsh. All submissions will be considered but priority will be given to stories with Welsh themes. We also strongly encourage submissions from people of colour, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other marginalised groups."

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly

Length: Up to 10,000 words; they will serialize at a maximum of 50,000 words over four issues

Payment: $100

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly is a quarterly ezine dedicated to publishing heroic fantasy — in both prose and poetry. "We are unrepentant in our goal of elevating unapologetic sword and sorcery to a rightful high place." Accepts poetry. See submission periods.

History Through Fiction 

Length: Up to 8,000 words

Payment: $25

In addition to novels, History Through Fiction publishes short story and novel excerpt submissions that are published in the member-only content area of their website. Stories and excerpts must be previously unpublished and should be between 2,000 and 8,000 words long. HTF prefers stories that are based on real historical events and/or people. However, all stories with any kind of historical setting will be considered – this includes those with elements of fantasy and alternative history. 

Lost Colony Magazine

Length: 10,000 - 25,000 words

Payment: $50

Lost Colony Magazine publishes one mid-length (10,000-25,000 words) story of speculative fiction (science fiction and fantasy in all of their manifestations) every quarter. Quarterly stories are published for free on their website and for 99 cents as an ebook. Once a year, all four of the stories that have appeared in the magazine are published in an annual anthology, both electronically and in print. If you buy the ebook of either the quarterly story or the annual anthology, or if you buy the print version of the annual anthology, you will also get editor's notes, explaining why each story was chosen for publication.

Luna Novella

Length: 20,000 - 40,000 words

Payment: Royalties

"Luna Press Publishing™ is an award-winning independent UK press, founded in 2015 by author Francesca T. Barbini. We deal with Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy and Dark Fantasy, in both fiction and academia. We are also a proud member of Publishing Scotland."

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

Length: Up to 25,000 words
Payment: 8-12 cents per word on acceptance

"Fantasy & Science Fiction has no formula for fiction, but we like to be surprised by stories, either by the character insights, ideas, plots, or prose. The speculative element may be slight, but it should be present. We prefer character-oriented stories, whether it's fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, or another genre. F&SF encourages submissions from diverse voices and perspectives, and has published writers from all over the world. Do not query for fiction; submit the entire manuscript."

Malahat Review

Length: Up to 8,000 words

Payment: $65 CAD per published page

The Malahat Review welcomes submissions in English of previously unpublished work in any of these three genres in a broad range of forms and styles, and the Editorial Boards are pleased to receive submissions from all writers who wish to send their work for consideration, including writers from communities generally under-represented in literary magazines, in particular Indigenous writers, writers of colour, 2SLGBTQIA?+ writers, and writers with disabilities. Writers at all stages of their careers are welcome to submit their work to The Malahat Review. It publishes poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction by new and established writers mostly from Canada, reviews of Canadian books, and the best writing from abroad.

McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern

Length: Not restricted.

Payment: Up to $400

"There are no rules." Has submission periods. (But nobody seems to know when they are.)

Midnight Breakfast

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: $50 

"We love narratives that challenge our perceptions of the world by opening up new ways of conceiving of what’s always been around us. We want to feel electrified by prose—to be taken in by sentence-level writing, where there’s a choreography to the language, the rhythm, the cadence. Most of all, we want to read the kind of work that could only have come from you—if it comes from the gut, it’ll likely hit us in ours." Accepts fiction and nonfiction. Has submission periods.

Missouri Review

Length: Up to 12,000. They prefer under 9,000.

Payment: $40 per page

"The Missouri Review, founded in 1978, is one of the most highly regarded literary magazines in the United States. For the past four decades we’ve upheld a reputation for finding and publishing the very best writers first. We are based at the University of Missouri and publish four issues each year. Each issue contains approximately five new stories, three new poetry features, and two essays, all selected from unsolicited submissions sent by writers throughout the world."

Mocha Memoirs

Length: 30,000 to 80,000 words

Payment: Not specified

"Since 2010, Mocha Memoirs Press’s mission is to amplify marginalized voices in the areas of speculative fiction (science fiction, horror, and fantasy). We publish engaging stories that amplify diverse experiences with vivid storytelling, robust protagonists, and fearless voices."

Narrative

Length: 15,000 to 40,000 words

Payment: $1000

"Narrative accepts previously unpublished manuscripts of all lengths, ranging from short short stories to complete book-length works for serialization. Narrative regularly publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, including stories, novels, novel excerpts, novellas, personal essays, humor, sketches, memoirs, literary biographies, commentary, reportage, interviews, and features of interest to readers who take pleasure in storytelling and imaginative prose. We look for quality and originality of language and content." Narrative charges for online submissions. They have a free open period during the first two weeks of April. 

Neon Hemlock 

Length: 17,500–40,000 words

Payment: Advance+Royalties option or a Royalties Only option

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Slipstream, & Weird.  Hybrid work or difficult to categorize novellas are also welcome

Neon Hemlock is a Washington, DC-based small press publishing queer speculative fiction magazines and chapbooks, as well as queer speculative fiction novellas and anthologies. Novellas are distributed in paperback and ebook formats. They ask for exclusive Worldwide English rights. They do not ask for audio rights. See submission periods.

New England Review

Length: Up to 20,000 words

Payment: $20 per page ($50 minimum)

"NER accepts submissions in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, drama, translation, and NER Digital’s “Confluences” series. We welcome and encourage submissions from writers of every nationality, race, religion, and gender, including writers who have never been affiliated with an MFA program and whose perspectives are often underrepresented in the literary world." Has submission periods.

Ninth Letter

Length: Up to 8,000 words

Payment: $25 per printed page, with a maximum payment of $150, as well as two complimentary copies of the issue in which the work appears.

"Ninth Letter is published semi-annually in print at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. We are interested in prose and poetry that experiment with form, narrative, and nontraditional subject matter, as well as more traditional literary work." Has submission periods. Charges for online submissions except during November and December.

Ofic Magazine

Length: Up to 12k words

Payment: Small honorarium and a free copy of the issue.

"Send us your dead doves; that thing you wrote that made you think, “I don’t know where this belongs”; the stuff you’d never show anyone you know IRL. Give us your shameless, self-indulgent smut; the manuscript to the video essay you dictated to your YouTube subscribers in your head; your thoughtful explorations of trauma and identity; your Pepe Silvia wall; your sci-fi, your fantasy, your romance, your realism. We want anything and everything. As long as you identify as a fan, we want to read your work." Has submission periods. 

One Story

Length: Up to 8,000 words.

Payment: $500 and 25 contributors copies. 

One Story is seeking literary short stories. "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." Single stories are sent to email subscribers every month. See reading periods.

Ploughshares Solos

Length: 7,500 to 20,000 words.

Payment: $450

"Ploughshares has published quality literature since 1971. Our award-winning literary journal is published four times a year; our lively literary blog publishes new writing daily. Since 1989, we have been based at Emerson College in downtown Boston." Submissions accepted June 1 to January 15. Charges for online submissions. No charge for mailed submissions.

Savage Realms Monthly

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: $25

"Savage Realms Monthly is a new sword and sorcery magazine for fans of R.E. Howard, Karl Edward Wagner, and Michael moorcock, featuring heroic tales of savage barbarians, evil wizards, and beautiful maidens. We aim to revitalize the Sword and Sorcery genre with brand new tales of adventure from some of today’s most talented authors. Our first issue is scheduled to land in January and will be available in Kindle and print formats."

Shenandoah

Length: Up to 8,000 words

Payment: $100 for every thousand words of prose—for a maximum honorarium of $500 per author)

"Shenandoah aims to showcase a wide variety of voices and perspectives in terms of gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, nationality, regionality, sexuality, and educational background (MFAs are not necessary here). We love publishing new writers; publishing history is not a prerequisite either. Checking out our current issue is another great way to get a sense of the kind of work we like." See reading periods.

The Temz Review

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: $20

​The /tƐmz/ Review is a literary journal based in London, Ontario that publishes fiction, poetry, and reviews. They publish 4 issues per year (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter), from a diverse range of emerging and established voices. Their goal is to reflect a wide variety of editorial perspectives and publish an eclectic mix of writing. Has reading periods.

Story Unlikely

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: 8 cents a word for stories up to 2,500 words. Stories longer than this are capped at $200 payment. Reprints, up to $75

Accepts reprints

Good stories don’t just come in all shapes and sizes, but in all genres, too (fiction and nonfiction). Although some genres naturally lend themselves to certain feelings, by no means do we expect authors to follow preordained paths. We like stories that cross genres, experiment, and push the boundaries of literature while maintaining the utmost quality in literary technique and storytelling, which is why we're open to just about anything.. Has reading periods.

Uncanny Magazine. 

Length: 17,500 to 40,000 words 

Payment: 10 cents/word

"Uncanny Magazine is seeking passionate, diverse SF/F fiction and poetry from writers from every conceivable background.  We want  intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs. Uncanny believes there’s still plenty of room in the genre for tales that make you feel." Has submission periods.

Virginia Quarterly Review (VQR)

Length: Up to 8000 words

Payment: $1000

"VQR strives to publish the best writing we can find. While we have a long history of publishing accomplished and award-winning authors, we also seek and support emerging writers." Only opens for submissions in July.

ZYZZYVA

Length: No upper limit

Payment: Token to semi-pro.

ZYZZYVA is a print journal based in San Francisco. "We have established a vigorous tradition of finding and fostering new talent, in our backyard and beyond. For over thirty years ZYZZYVA has nurtured emerging writers, many of whom go on to spectacular careers (Haruki Murakami, Po Bronson, F.X. Toole, Kay Ryan, Sherman Alexie) and whose work in ZYZZYVA is recognized by the Pushcart Prize, the Best American series, the O. Henry Prize Stories, and other awards organizations." They publish fiction, poetry, essays, and artwork. Has submission periods. Snail mail submissions only.

Galaxy's Edge 

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: 7 cents per word for new fiction

"We are a science fiction and fantasy magazine, so we would love to receive fiction from those categories as well as any sub-categories, such as space opera, steampunk, urban fantasy, africanfuturism, magical realism and so on. We do not publish straight horror stories, even if they do have a supernatural element, but if you have a dark fantasy story, or a dystopian science fiction piece, send it our way—we’d love to take a look."

Pressfuls

Length: Up to 30,000 words for novellas, up to 10,000 words for short stories

Payment: 35% royalties

Pressfuls is a digital publisher accepting novellas in genre fiction: crime/mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Pressfuls also accepts short stories in those genres as well as genre novels up to 45,000 words and nonfiction, up to 45,000 words. Submit HERE.

Android Press

Length: Up to 40,000 words for novellas

Payment: $1000 advance + Royalties

See deadlines

Android Press is a small independent press that publishes science fiction, fantasy, light horror, and specializes in the various -punk subgenres. We love stories that are full of hope and optimism, as well as stories that hold up a mirror to our society, forcing us reexamine our past and our values in order to move forward and build a better future. Android Press publishes punk-themed science fiction/fantasy Adult, New Adult, and YA manuscripts. Length: Up to 100,000 words for novels, 40,000 words for novellas. They also publish anthologies and short story collections.

Brave Words

Length: 2,000 – 10,000 words
Payment: $0.02 per word + access to ten (10) digital contributor copies upon publication.

See submissions periods.

They are interested in inspirational & transformative non-fiction, including memoirs and short essays. Your work:

• should be inspirational non-fiction.
• should not contain erotica, or excessive violence or gore.
• can be part of an ongoing series you might be writing.
• can have been previously published (with proof that you hold the current publishing rights).
• may be submitted simultaneously to other markets.

Socrates on the Beach

Length: Longer essays and fiction at least 3000 to 10,000 words. 

Payment: Not specified.

“The best books give you the feeling that no one else on earth could possibly have written them.” Someone recently wrote this to me and it has stuck. I’m looking for prose like this, exemplified by the writers all the issues. See reading periods.

Ghoulish Books

Length: 20,000 – 40,000 words.

Payment: Small advance + royalties.  

"What we are looking to publish: sleaze, body horror, unhinged characters, oddball premises, anti-commercial, weirdo shit that’ll get you kicked out of any major NY publishing house should you even discuss it on their property." See reading periods.

L’Esprit Literary Review

Length: Up to 7,000 words; this limit is flexible and not overly important.

Payment: Small honorarium

L’Esprit Literary Review accepts short fiction, creative non-fiction, novel extracts, literary criticism, and book reviews. "We look for ambitious, voice-driven literary fiction that emphasizes consciousness and interiority in the Modernist tradition. Please no genre work." Has submission periods.

Reckoning

Length: Up to 20,000 words

Payment: 8 cents a word for prose

Creative writing (poetry and prose) and art about environmental justice. "The fiction we publish is mostly, but not exclusively, speculative; the nonfiction is more creative than journalistic, the poetry tends towards the narrative, preferably with some thematic heft, the visual art leans away from the pulpy towards the surreal, subversive, political. The heart of what we want is your personal, visceral, idiosyncratic understanding of the world and the people in it as it has been, as it is, as it will be, as it could be, as a consequence of humanity’s relationship with the earth." Has submission periods.

FIYAH 

Length: Novelettes up to 15,000 words

Payment: $300 per novelette

Submissions are restricted to people of the African Diaspora. Genre: Speculative fiction, art, and poetry about African Diaspora. Has submission periods.

Cincinnati Review

Length: Up to forty double-spaced pages
Payment: $25/page for prose in their print journal

The Cincinnati Review publishes prose, poetry, and art. They accept submissions for the print journal generally during three time periods: 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.

ParSec

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: 2p a word up to a maximum of £180.00

"A digital magazine featuring the very best in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror"

VA Press 

Length: 10,000 words minimum

Payment: Royalties

VA Press is committed to the idea that books have the power to change lives. "We print works by authors often overlooked by traditional outlets, authors whose words we believe will inspire and benefit those who read them. We invite you to read the future." Genre: Poetry (24 pages min), prose (10,000 words min), art. Has reading periods.

Horror Story Magazine

Length: 2,000 - 10,000 words

Payment: 2 cents/word

"Horror. Terror. Chillers. Thrillers. Scary stories. That’s what we’re about—delivering the things that go bump in the night in print and electronic formats." Themed issues.

Book XI

Length: 2,000 - 10,000 words

Payment: $200 for prose; $50 for poetry

Book XI is a journal dedicated to publishing personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. The journal is on-line, and will appear twice a year. Book XI is housed at Hamilton College’s Arthur Levitt Center for Public Affairs. We will consider only previously unpublished and philosophically informed creative work (though our understanding of “philosophically informed is capacious.” 

Empyreal Tree

Length: 1,000 – 15,000 words

Payment: $25

The Empyreal Tree is a genre fiction magazine. Our main purpose is to share stories, populated in a strange new world, only connected by the similarities of character and emotions that entangles humanity together.

Stoso

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: 5 cents/word

Accepts reprints.

Stoso is looking for speculative fiction – that is stories and poems and art in the genres of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, and any combination thereof.  Accepts reprints.

Crimson Quill Quarterly

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: $25

What they want: Sword & sorcery, dark fantasy, and grimdark subgenres of fantasy fiction. "Original tales of nail-biting peril faced down by a fearless protagonists reliant upon their mental might as much as their physical prowess to achieve their goals and overcome their enemies in action packed tales told in no more than 10,000 words. We may be interested in serializing longer pieces in the future, but for our first issue we’re looking to keep it as simple as possible."

Horrorsmith

Length: Up to 10,000 words

Payment: $25

They accept horror and thriller short stories for publication in their monthly subscriptions and newsletters. No simultaneous submissions.

Psychopomp 

Length: 20,000 to 40,000 words

Payment: $750 advance and 25% of net net receipts

Genre: Speculative fiction or literary novellas that fall under one (or some!) of the following themes:

• stories where grief or loss play a leading role
• stories that feature the afterlife or the underworld
• stories that involve the journey through death/the journey of the dead
• stories that involve death personified (Death!)
• stories that take place in, or utilize a multiverse
• stories that involve time travel (esp. those that involve time travel + a previously mentioned theme)
• origin stories (especially as they relate to previously mentioned themes)
• stories where the characters slowly lose their sense of reality
• goth
• space, but make it goth
• a story within a story within a (within a story that’s [within a story] within a story) story….
• stories where things that are not usually personified ARE personified (planets? galaxies? time? …bones?)
• creepy meta-horror
• amazingly original ghost stories.

See reading periods.

Ghost Orchid Press

Length: Novellas (20,000 – 40,000 words – firm limit)

Payment: Royalties

"We’re looking primarily for dark fiction including horror, gothic, and dark fantasy. We love genre mixing, works that stray from the well-trodden path, or that offer a fresh perspective on existing tropes. BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors are especially encouraged to submit."

Hobby Horse Press

Length: 80 – 120 pages, or 20,000 to 30,000 words

Payment: Royalties

Hobby Horse Press accepts original, novella-length submissions of literary writing that can fit in your pocket. Hobby Horse is seeking fiction, poetry, and memoir/nonfiction, as well as comics/ graphic novels. "We are flexible about form, and excited to experiment and collaborate with different kinds of submissions." Read submission requirements here. 

Cicada Song Press

Length: Novellas (10K-40K words) or pairs of novelettes or sets of shorter prose writings (equaling 10K-40K words)

Payment: Royalties

What are we looking for? Work from any genre or none, Johanna is partial to stories that have some element of adventure in them. Characters that stick out catch her attention, as will strong author and character voice. A bit of surrealism or the unexpected never hurt. 

Violet Lichen Books. 

Length: 20,000 to 40,000 words.

Payment: Advance and royalties. 

Genre: Weird Fiction, New Weird, Eco-Speculative Fiction, Folk Horror, Surreal Fiction, and Literary Speculative Fiction novellas.