111 Calls for Submissions in September 2021 - Paying markets

This September there are more than eight 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: Flickr - Helgi Halldórsson)

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Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Short stories and poetry. See themes. Payment: 20.00 USD for featured authors, or $10.00 USD for stories published on their &More page and $5.00 USD for poems. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Fieldnotes. Genre: "We are interested in whatever there is between translations/transitions, things-in-progress, converging genres, methods of excavation and formal innovation. The purpose of the journal is to provide a test site for ideas and research; a space for experimental modes and new prototypes. " Payment: £100-£200. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

The Fiddlehead. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers residing in Canada. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction. Payment: $60 CAD per published page, plus two complimentary copies. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

En Bloc. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art and photography. Payment: £35 per side. Deadline: September 1, 2021. 

In the Shadow of the Horns: A Black Metal Horror Anthology. Genre: Horror fiction focused on the atmosphere and themes of black metal. Satan, Occult, Violence, Pessimism, Chaos, Death, The Sublime, Nature, Paganism, Antinatalism, etc. are all elements that are essential to submissions. Payment: 2 cents/word, up to $100 max. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Alternating Current Press: Parenting Stories Gone Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and CNF. Theme: Parenting. 750 words max. Payment: Royalty sharing. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 1, 2021. See themes.

Uncanny Magazine. Genre: SF/F short stories. Payment: $.10 per word. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

The New Lesbian Pulp: An Anthology of Short Fiction. Genre: Lesbian pulp. Payment: $500 - $1000. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Neon Door: Emotional Nudity. Genre: Art, poetry, prose. Payment: $25 for an image, $50 for a poem, and $75 for prose. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Guernica. Genre: Poetry, Essays, Fiction, Reportage. Theme: Dirt. Payment: $50 for poetry, $100 for original essays, and $150 for original fiction and for reportage. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Vautrin. Genre: Gritty urban fiction, Crime/Mystery Fiction, Ghosts, The Supernatural, Literary Essays. "We’re interested in essays that talk about contemporary crime fiction, or essays that walk the path between, say, 19th century fiction and fiction in the here and now." Payment: $130.00 and two contributor’s copies for fiction over 2,000 words. $65.00 and two contributor’s copies for fiction under 2,000 words. $50.00 and two contributor’s copies for literary essays. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

The Antihumanist. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, art - all genres. "We seek to publish the most challenging and thought provoking flash fiction and essays. We believe only by confronting the bare bones of reality we understand our place in the world." Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Books and Bikes in Space. Genre: Stories about bicycling and books, from a feminist perspective. Stories can be in any speculative or fantastical genre—hard science fiction, space opera, epic fantasy, alternative history, paranormal romance, hope punk, modern fairy tales and anything around or in between. Payment: $50 minimum. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Madame Gray's Vault of Gore. Genre: Horror. Payment: $5. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Moonflake Press. Genre: Short stories and poems on theme of Escapism. Payment: £25 for each story/poem. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

The Southampton Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art. Payment: Prose: $100+, Poetry: $75 per poem. Illustration: $100 per page. Art Portfolios: $200 for up to 12 images Deadline: September 1, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid fees.

The Wire’s Dream Magazine. Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Photography, Combined Work from underprivileged individuals. Payment: $5. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

The Best New True Crime Stories: Unsolved Crimes & Mysteries. Genre: Nonfiction, true crime accounts of unsolved criminal cases and mysteries that can take place anywhere in the world and be from any time period. Payment: $130. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

The Zodiac Killers Series. Genre: Thriller. Length: 5000-10,000 words, excluding title. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Young Dragons. Genre: Middle Grade and Young Adult full-length manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

The Quiet Ones. Genre: Queer-centered horror and dystopian fiction for adults and young adults. Theme: Ghosts of The Ruin. Payment: $25. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

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

The Periodical, Forlorn: Moonlighting. Genre: Short fiction. "For this issue, we're looking for stories about agents of evil and their minions whose employment situation is something other than we might expect." Payment: $15. Deadline: September 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: September 3, 2021.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on Theme of CAREGIVER / LOVER. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: September 5, 2021.

Tin House Restrictions: Eligible writers must not currently have an agent, and must not have previously published a book (chapbooks okay). In particular, they are looking to engage with work by writers from historically underrepresented communities, including—but not limited to—those who are Black, Indigenous, POC, disabled, neurodivergent, trans and LGBTQIA+, debuting after 40, and without an MFA. Genre: Full-length nonfiction manuscripts. Deadline: September 5, 2021. 

midnight & indigo. Restrictions: Open to Black women writers. Genre: Short fiction, narrative, personal essays. Payment: $50 - $75. Deadline: September 5, 2021.

A Woman Built by Man. Restrictions: Open to women and femme-identifying individuals. Genre: Short stories that explore the ways in which women are shaped by the men around them. "There is no restriction on sub-genre or subject matter, but the story must incorporate how a feminine figure is shaped by male hands through a horror lens. From supernatural creature features to the farthest reaches of space, down to the darkest depths of the sea, what does a woman built by man look like to you?" Payment: $.05 USD per word. Deadline: September 5, 2021.

Dark Moon Press: Horror Library. Genre: Horror short stories. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: September 5, 2021.

Please See Me. Genre: Poetry, creative nonfiction/essays, fiction/short stories/flash fiction, scripts and digital media (photography, drawings, podcasts, and short films). "We are especially looking for content from vulnerable populations and those who care for them; content that connects us with every community, makes us feel something, helps us see illness, wellness, health, or the healthcare environment differently, and inspires equality in healthcare and the world." Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 6, 2021.

Buckmxn Journal. Restrictions: Open to Oregon and SW Washington residents only. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction. Payment: $100. Deadline: September 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: September 7, 2021.  Opens to submissions on September 1.

Into the Void. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: $10 per poem, flash fiction or visual art piece, and $20 per long-form prose piece. Deadline: September 7,  2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees. (Check this deadline, may be extended)

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: September 7, 2021.  Opens to submissions on September 1.

Apparition Lit. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: $30. Deadline: September 7, 2021.

Sinister Smile Press: Screaming in the Night. Genre: Horror. Payment: $40. Deadline: September 8, 2021.

Breaking Rules Europe: Murder! Mystery! Mayhem! Genre: Any sub-genre of crime fiction. Payment: $10. Deadline: September 8, 2021.

ParSec. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, horror, and slipstream. Payment: 2p a word up to £180.00 with no set word limit. Deadline: September 10, 2021.

Nightmare Magazine. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers only. Genre: Horror, dark fantasy short stories, flash fiction, poetry. Payment: 8 cents/word. $40 per poem. Deadline: September 12, 2021.

Los Suelos. Genre: Pitches for stories for a multi-media anthology about Los Suelos, CA. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: September 12, 2021.

Underground Writers Zine. Restrictions: Priority of publication is given to Australian writers. Genre: Short stories, flach fiction, poetry. Payment: AUD$50. Deadline: September 12, 2021.

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

Pseudopod. Genre: Horror (Audio format). Payment: USD $0.08 per word for original fiction. USD $100 per story for reprint fiction. Deadline: September 13, 2021. Reprints accepted.

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

Shenandoah. Genre: Fiction on theme of Border Crossings. Payment:  $100 per 1000 words of prose up to $500. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Collective Humanity: An LGBTQ+ Anthology. Genre: Short fiction (short stories, poetry, flash fiction) within the umbrella of speculative fiction: namely, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian. The theme for the first publication will be metamorphosis: a transformation, growth, renewal, or rebirth. Payment: This is a charity anthology, so there is no payment. All net proceeds from Collective Humanity will raise funds in support of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire General Fund, an LGBTQ+ non-profit organization. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of Lost and Found. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Superfroot. Genre: Poetry, prose, art on theme "Nostalgia." Payment: $5. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Contemporary Verse 2. Genre: Poetry. Theme: The Daddy Issue. "We’re looking for poems that explore daddy energy in all its forms." Payment: $30. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Broken Pencil. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction. Payment: CAD $50-100 for fiction, CAD $30-300 for articles. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry. Theme: The Sea. Payment: US 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Panel Magazine. Restrictions: Writers and artists may be of any origin but should live and work in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Baltic States, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, and the South Caucasus. If you don't live in the region, but have written a piece related to Central and Eastern Europe, feel free to submit it. Genre: Nonfiction, poetry and visual art from (or about) Central and Eastern Europe. Payment: 20 euros. Deadline: September 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: September 15, 2021.

SFWG and Cloaked Press: YA & NA Horror. Genre: Speculative fiction for young adults and new adults. Genres accepted: Mystery, Paranormal, Scifi, Fantasy, Horror; and anything in those sub-genres. Word Count Range: 2500-7000 words. Payment: $10. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Silence in the City. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Silence in the City is an anthology of speculative tales asking what happens when a city—and all of modern civilization—is plunged into darkness." Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Orca. Genre: Literary fiction. Payment: $50 for short stories, $25 for flash, plus a one-year pdf subscription. Deadline: September 15, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for true personal stories about how an angel has touched your life – stories of true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels. We’re looking for amazing stories that will make people say “wow” or give our readers chills. Have you experienced something otherworldly or celestial? Or had a personal experience with an angel or divine being? How did your angel manifest himself or herself to you? Were you the only person who saw your angel? How did your angel protect or guide you?" Payment: $200. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Messages from Heaven. Genre: True stories and poems. "We want to hear from you if you have experienced communication from the other side or received a sign or signal from a loved one who has passed. Has someone who has died come to you in a dream? Given you counsel or comfort? Have you gone beyond, but returned to life with new knowledge, insight, or awareness? Have you intuitively known the moment someone died?" Payment: $200. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles. Genre: True stories and poems. "We want your true stories, both religious and non-religious, that will awe us with examples of amazing events. Inspirational stories to remind us that each day stunning miracles do happen and that a miracle can happen at any time." Payment: $200. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Weird Horror Magazine. Genre: Pulpy dark fiction in the weird fiction and horror genres. Length: 500 to 6,000 words. Payment: 1-cent-per-word, with a $25 minimum. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Lackington's. Genre: Speculative fiction on theme of “Botanicals”. Payment: 1 cent CAD per word for stories ($25 CAD minimum), $25 CAD for interior illustrations, and $40 CAD for cover art. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

 

From the Yonder. Genre: Horror. "The stories must be based upon a regional/cultural legend or tall-tale from any location or culture in the World. “Regional” can be a specific place (Loch Ness) or a larger region (Bigfoot in the Pacific Northwest)." Payment: $5. Deadline: September 19, 2021.

Zombie Works Publications: Natural Instincts Tales of Witches and Warlocks. Genre: Short-stories that involve Witches and Warlocks. Payment: 10 cents per book (per each book sold on Amazon, I assume. So, if they sell 100 books, each author will get $10) Deadline: September 19, 2021.

Nightmare Magazine. Genre: Horror, dark fantasy short stories, flash fiction, poetry. Payment: 8 cents/word. $40 per poem. Deadline: September 19, 2021.

Parthian. Genre: Novels and creative non-fiction (memoirs, biography, critical essays). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 19, 2021.

Fireside. Genre: Short stories up to 3,000 words. Payment: 12.5 cents/word. Deadline: September 19, 2021.

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

Parthian. Genre: Novels and creative non-fiction (memoirs, biography, critical essays). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 19, 2021.

Translunar Travelers Lounge. Restrictions: BIPOC writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20. Deadline: September 21, 2021.

Reckoning. Genre: Creative writing and art about environmental justice. Payment: 8 cents a word for prose, $30 per page for poetry, art negotiable, minimum $25 per piece. Deadline: September 22, 2021.

Gutter. Genre: Poetry and prose in Scotland and beyond. Length: Poetry submissions can consist of up to five poems, totalling no more than 120 lines. Prose, up to 3000 words. Payment: £25. Deadline: September 24, 2021.

Black Ocean. Genre: Debut full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 24, 2021.

Story Seed Vault. Genre: Microfiction tweets based on science. Payment: Short Fiction (<150CH) $3AUD per story; Long Fiction (>150CH/<200CH) $2AUD per story. Deadline: September 24, 2021. Opens on the 10th.

The Puritan. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 per nonfiction piece, $50 fiction, $15 per poem. Deadline: September 25, 2021.

Frozen Wavelets. Genre: Speculative flash fiction and poetry. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: September 25, 2021.

Fusion Fragment. Genre: Science fiction or SF-tinged literary fiction stories and novelettes ranging anywhere from 2,000 to 15,000 words. Payment: 3.5 cents (CAD) per word, up to a maximum of $300 (CAD) per story. Deadline: September 26, 2021.

Island. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents. Genre: Australian nature writing. Payment: $400. Deadline: September 27, 2021.

Dragon Soul Press: History. Genre: Historical Fiction. "Any person, location, or time period accepted as long as dragons are included. Note: Dragons need to be part of the storyline. They cannot be mentioned in passing." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Paramour Ink: Billionaire Series: Billionaires of New York. Genre: Short fiction. Theme: "The dating lifestyles of the rich and famous have always grabbed society's attention; this theme focuses on the billionaire bachelor/bachelorette romantic life, specific to certain areas of America. This will be an on-going series." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Corvid Queen. Genre: Original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales. "We accept fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and pieces that are in-between. For prose, we accept stories of up to 5,000 words. Please note that you do not need to be female or femme to submit a piece; writers of any gender identity and expression are welcome." Payment: $5. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

JMS Books: Opposites Attract. Genre: LGBT romance. "Stories about characters who are complete opposites, but who fall in love anyway. Think people from different walks of life, different careers, even different colleges or opposing sports teams. Whatever it is that opens a gulf between them ultimately turns out to be what attracts them to each other." Length: 12,000 words or higher. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

JMS Books: Jolly Holidays. Genre: LGBT romance. "Stories set during winter holidays. Christmas, of course, but we’re also open to Hanukkah, Yule, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day. Please state the holiday in your submission so we know where it might fit into our schedule." Length: 12,000 words or higher. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Black Coffee & Vinyl Presents: The City. Genre: Poetry, prose, music, art on theme "The City." "We are seeking art, words, and sounds that explore, critique, celebrate and interrogate the urban landscape, culture and environment. The city, a place, should play a central role in the work and should be a central character or focus. We are seeking a diverse range of city representation from large cities to small, from real to imagined." Payment: $50. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Friendly City. Genre: Poetry about food. Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

A Sarabande Anthology of Louisville Poets. Genre: Poetry by Louisville poets. Payment: Small stipend. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

The Quilliad. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction (500 words or less), and short stories (generally 1000-2000 words). Payment: $13. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Deadline: September 30th, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Crow Toes Quarterly. Genre: Playfully dark fiction, poetry and art for children. See themes. Payment: $20 - $50. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Pitt Poetry Series: University of Pittsburgh Press. Genre: Poetry books by poets who have previously published full-length collections of poetry. Payment: Royalties (?). Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Kenyon Review. Genre: Prose, drama, poetry, translations, excerpts. Payment: Not specified.   Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Event. Genre: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction and book reviews. Payment: $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Qwerty. Genre: Fiction, CNF, Poetry. Payment: $10 CAD. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Dragon Soul Press: Dragons and Heroines. Genre: "Any stories involving a female Main Character and dragons." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. Deadline: September 30, 2021. Note: Submit early in the month.

Working Titles. Genre: Prose written for the digital page, which may incorporate unique visual, aural, or interactive elements. Payment: $250. Deadline: September 30th, 2021. USPS submissions only.

Red Cape Anthologies: L is for Lycanthropes. Genre: Horror. "Where werewolves turn on a full moon, lycanthropes are not as restricted. This opens up to more possibilities as they may turn at the most awkward moment, leading to terrifying carnage." Payment: £10. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Savor: Poems for the Tongue. Genre: Poetry about food. Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Where Giants Fall. Genre: Fantasy. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

The Overcast. (Podcast) Genre: Speculative fiction: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk, Magical Realism, Slipstream, or an as-yet-unnamed genre. No horror. The sweet spot for submissions is 2,000-3,000 words. Payment: $0.01 per word, but not less than $20 for any story. Flat rate of $20 for all stories under 2,000 words. Deadline: September 30th, 2021. Accepts reprints.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Crazy Family. Genre: True stories and poems. "We all have that certain someone in our own family who, while lovable, sweet, and caring, is also nutty or weird. We love that person but, at the same time, that family member makes us crazy! A parent or grandparent, an in-law, a brother or sister, an aunt, uncle or cousin. We all have them and you know who they are! We are looking for true stories and poems about those family members. We would like your stories to be silly, outrageous, hilarious, and make us laugh, but they should also show the kindness and caring of your family member too." Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grieving, Loss and Healing. Genre: True stories and poems. "This collection of emotional and inspirational stories will provide comfort, support, and peace to those who have lost someone close to them. What helped you the most when you were grieving? Who were the people who helped you and what did they do? When did you know that you had finally “turned the corner” and were on the road to recovery? When and how did you realize there was light at the end of the tunnel? What are you doing to support others?" Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Humorous Stories. Genre: True stories and poems. "Share your funny stories about something that happened to you in your life – in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Did you mean for it to be funny? Did the other person mean to make you laugh? Did a situation just get out of control? Did a misunderstanding turn into a comedy of errors?" Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Kindness. Genre: True stories and poems. "Has someone performed an act of kindness for you? How did it feel? Did you pay it forward and do something kind for someone else? Did that person know it was you doing that kind thing? Did you do something kind for a stranger knowing you would not be paid back? How did that feel?" Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30th, 2021.

University of Alberta Press. Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants. Genre: Poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

The Clockwork Chronicles Anthology. Genre: Steampunk. "Welcoming stories of adventure, mystery, and romance set within a retro-futuristic alternative history of either the Victorian era or the American wild west." Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

On Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: $100 (CAD). Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Rattle. Genre: Poetry. Ekphrastic Challenge. Payment: $100. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Aniko Magazine. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories and creative nonfiction on theme: Fantasize. Payment: $125.00 (AUD). Deadline: September 30, 2021.

And a few more...

Cicada's Lament. Restrictions: Open to marginalized creators, particularly work by disabled and/or LGBTQIA+ folx. Genre: Fiction or poetry with elements of Southern Gothic or horror. Theme: (re) birth. Births, baptisms, beginnings. "Cicada's Lament wants your hanging moss and blue porch ceilings. We want your deer skulls and old ghosts, your ancient and decrepit houses." Payment: $5. Deadline: October 1, 2021. 

Fourteen Poems Genre: Poems. "We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round.  To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com." Payment: £25 for each poem published. Deadline: October 1, 2021. 

Dark Peninsula Press. Genre: Survival Horror. Payment: $50. Deadline: October 1, 2021.

Slash - Her. Genre: Horror written by women. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 1, 2021.

The Last Line. Genre: Fiction that ends with the last line provided. Payment: $20-$40. Deadline: October 1, 2021.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: October 1, 2021. 

Metaphysical Times. Genre: Nonfiction. "We serve a large pagan audience and would like more diverse perspectives on metaphysical topics, including spirituality, religion, divination, witchcraft, and more."  Payment: $0.05 per word up to 1200 words. Deadline: October 1, 2021. 

16 Speculative Fiction Magazines Open for Submissions NOW - Paying Markets

Speculative fiction is near and dear to my heart, so I am always on the lookout for speculative fiction magazines open to submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees.

For over a hundred paying speculative fiction magazines accepting submissions see: Mega-List of Speculative Fiction Magazines Accepting Submissions

Happy submitting!

(Image by Susann Mielke from Pixabay)

Updated 8/18/22 

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And the Dead Shall Sleep No More. Genre: Short fiction, flash fiction, poetry about vampires. "Anything that's dark, creepy, weird and just a little off-kilter. We're open to genre fiction, particularly anything related to horror, science-fiction, speculative fiction or weird fiction. But we're also interested in anything that twists or subverts these genres in some unexpected way." Payment: $15. Deadline September 1, 2022.

Jay Henge: Phantom Thieves Sagacious Scoundrels. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Elusive and fantastic thieves and scoundrels of all genders and species who can be long gone before the victim even knows what happened. Show us what admirable trickery your scoundrels and robbers and smugglers have up their sleeves!" Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled.

Jay Henge: The Nameless Songs of Zadok Allen. Genre: Speculative fiction. "What lurks in the deep? Who listens from the shadows? What sorts of abominable experiments are taking place at the mysterious ivy-covered university? We want your Lovecraftian tales. " Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled.s!" Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled. Reprints accepted.

Strange Horizons Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $50 for poetry, $100 - $200 for art. No reprints. No simultaneous submissions. Note: Fiction will open on November 1.

StarShipSofa. Genre: Science Fiction (podcast). "From the soft, social science fiction to the weird pulpy stuff to the vigorous hard SF and YA adventure. We welcome all sub-genres and all variety of punks in all their colours. From high-octane action to quiet philosophical stories, we’re after it all.Science fiction is a rich and diverse genre, push it’s boundaries as far as you can go. We welcome translations and are very interested in stories that take place/written by authors outside the US/Anglo-sphere, as well as as alternative movements and styles. These include (but not limited to) “non-Western” science fiction, Chinese SF, Soviet speculative fiction, Afro-futurism, etc." Payment: $50 USD flat rate per story for nonexclusive, one time audio rights. Authors are paid for their stories on the 7th of the proceeding month. Accepts reprints.

Dark Moon Digest. Genre: Horror short stories, flash fiction, reviews, and columns. "We strongly encourage work written by authors typically unrepresented in publishing, such as women, people of color, LGBTQ, and those from non-Western cultures. Also, if the previous sentence pissed you off for some reason, then you definitely aren't the kind of author we wish to read. Fiction reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror, Tales from the Crypt, and Tales from the Darkside. We want stories with complex characters and ideas spun in ways nobody’s ever conceived. Make our brains hurt. Make our hearts explode with love and terror. Make us fear." Payment: $0.03 per word for original fiction/$0.01 per word for reprints. Note: Submittable will close every month once they reach 300 submissions, then reopen at the start of the next month. If you fail to locate any submission categories, check back again on the 1st. Accepts reprints. 

Etherea. Genre: Fantasy and science fiction short stories. Length: 2000 - 5000 words, but longer will be accepted. Etherea Magazine is an Australian publication, so payment will be made in Australian dollars, Payment: A$100 per story, regardless of length. They are also looking for flash fiction, from 500 to 1000 words. A flat rate of A$25 will be paid per story. Horror may be accepted in this section, however it must have an element of the supernatural.

Mithila Review is a journal of international science fiction and fantasy devoted to speculative writing, arts, and culture. "Along with original speculative fiction and poetry, we also publish reviews, interviews, discussions, and essays centered around stories, books, movies, television series, arts, comics, and other media, with speculative elements that explore the interstitial spaces of politics, identity, and culture and reflect the diverse (and often underrepresented) experiences, perspectives, and nuances of the world we live in today." Payment: $10 for original essays. (Open to nonfiction only)

Thirteen Podcast is an audio-drama/audio fiction podcast specializing in feature length (~ one hour) productions that are characterized by slow-burn, atmospheric stories, horror and ghost stories. Payment for stories 5,000 words and above is $50 and payment for stories under 5,000 words is $25.

Existential Hologram: A Science Fiction Anthology. Genre: Science Fiction, Virtual Reality, Simulation Theory. "What if everything we see, hear, taste and touch represents a minuscule fraction of the whole of existence? We want tales centered on the realities of reality – from the askew to the virtual (think Twilight Zone to The Matrix or Tron)." Word count: 2,000 to 14,000 words. Payment: Royalty split. Deadline: Open until filled.

In Space, No One Can Hear You Laugh – A Comedy Anthology. Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Comedy, Satire "Space opera can often be a wonderous, cold and scientific place.  But it doesn’t have to be!  Ever hear of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? Galaxy Quest? The Adventures of Pluto Nash? Red Dwarf?" Word count: 2,000 to 8,000 words. Payment: Royalty split. Deadline: Open until filled.

Bards and Sages Quarterly. Genre: All speculative genres (horror, fantasy, science fiction, slipstream, steampunk, magical realism, etc) up to 5,000 words in length. Payment: $30 for original fiction; $15 for reprints.

The Were-Traveler. Genre: Fiction based on image. Theme: Curst & Twysted Tarot. Payment: $10 - $15.

Three-lobed Burning Eye. "Original speculative fiction: horror, fantasy, and science fiction. We're looking for short stories from across the big classifications and those shadowy places between: magical realism, fantastique, slipstream, interstitial, and the Weird. We will consider suspense or western, though we prefer it contain some speculative element. We like voices that are full of feeling, from literary to pulpy, with styles unique and flowing, but not too experimental. All labels aside, we want tales that expand genre, that value imagination in character, narrative, and plot. We want to see something new and different." Length: Short fiction 1000–7000 words, Flash fiction 500–1000 words, (2000–5000 preferred). Payment: $100 for short fiction, $30 for flash fiction; + 1 print annual. Deadline: Open now.

Space Horror Anthology. Genre: Stories with one horror trope and one sci-fi trope. Payment: $25. (Open until filled.)

Radon. Genre: Short stories and poetry containing elements of anarchism, transhumanism, dystopia, and/or science fiction. Payment: 1 cent per word for original work, half a cent per word for reprints.

63 Print Literary Magazines Accepting Fiction, Poetry and Nonfiction - Paying markets

Updated 10/9/23

Print magazines are not quite a thing of the past, even if many, if not most, have been supplanted by electronic formats. So, in this age of the Internet, why publish in print? 

It is immensely satisfying to actually hold a volume that contains your work, for one thing. And for another, it is easier to get your work reprinted in an online format if it has first appeared in print. (That being said, some of the following journals employ both.)

All of these literary magazines pay, and none charge submission fees. Some have submission periods, so read their guidelines carefully. 

Happy submitting!

(Image: Look and Learn)

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Reckoning. Genre: Creative writing and art about environmental justice. Payment: 8 cents a word for prose, $30 per page for poetry, art negotiable, minimum $25 per piece.   

One Story Genre: 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. Length: Up to 8,000 words. Payment: $500 and 25 contributors copies. 

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. 

AGNI. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $10 per printed (or printed-out) page for accepted prose, and $20 per page for accepted poetry, up to a maximum of $150. 

The Fiddlehead. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art, and poetry. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. See submission periods.

Small Beer Press: Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and black and white art. “The fiction we publish most of tends toward but is not limited to the speculative.”  Payment: $0.03/word for prose ($25 minimum), and $10 for poems. Submissions must be mailed.

Fourteen Poems Genre: Poetry. "We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round.  To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com. Payment: £25 for each poem published.

Star*Line is the official print journal of the SFPA, established in 1978. It is a literary venue for speculative (including science-fiction, fantasy, and horror) poets and poetry enthusiasts, and features interviews, articles, reviews, member news and letters, association business, and poetry—by members and nonmembers. Genre: Poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: Poetry: 3¢/word rounded to next dollar, minimum $3. Short articles on topics related to science-fiction, fantasy, and horror speculative poetry - 1 cent/word. Cover art pays $10; interior art pays $5. One copy to all contributors.

Crow Toes Quarterly. Genre: Playfully dark fiction, poetry and art for children. "We are looking for "playfully dark", intelligent, humorous, descriptive literature written for children ages 8 - 13. We invite poetry and fiction submissions by email." See themes. Payment: $20 - $50. 

Bourbon Penn. Genre: Slipstream, cross-genre, magic realism, absurdist, and the surreal. "We are looking for highly imaginative stories with a healthy dose of the odd.  Odd characters, odd experiences, odd realities." Length: 2000 - 7500 words. Payment: 2¢ per word. Print and online.

Filling Station Magazine. Genre: Innovative poetry, fiction, non-fiction (creative non-fiction, reviews, articles, interviews, live event reviews, photo essays, etc) Payment: $50.

Rattle. Genre: Poetry. "We’re looking for poems that move us, that might make us laugh or cry, or teach us something new. We like both free verse and traditional forms—we try to publish a representative mix of what we receive." Payment: $200 for print publication. All submissions are automatically considered for the annual Neil Postman Award for Metaphor, a $2,000 prize judged by the editors.

Bennington Review. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, film writing, and cross-genre work. Payment: $100 for prose of six typeset pages and under, $200 for prose of over six typeset pages, and $20 per poem. Print and online.

Storm Cellar  Genre: Fiction, poetry, art/images/graphics, and hybrid work. For hybrid works, send up to 15 pages and pick a home genre. “We want your prose, poems, chimeras, and ideas penned on envelopes in buses and train cars. The magazine aims to publish amazing work by new and established writers and artists, present a range of styles and approaches, and be as un-boring as it can. If you write one thing to be read while waiting for the all-clear to sound, send it here.”  Payment: $10. Print and ebook.

Ninth Letter "We are interested in prose and poetry that experiment with form, narrative, and nontraditional subject matter, as well as more traditional literary work." Payment: $25 per printed page, with a maximum payment of $150. No submission fee during November and December.

Poetry Wales. Genre: Poetry, features and reviews. Payment: Poems £20/page. Reviews £67.50/1500-word review. Articles £200/3000 word, or in that proportion, depending on number of published words. Print and online format. See submission periods.

Hermine. Genre: Short fiction up to 4,000 words. Payment: $50 to $200 CAD per story, plus two contributor copies.

Mascara Literary Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: $200.  See submission periods and themes.

The Poetry Box is published by Off Topic Publishing (CANADA). Submit 1-3 poems of any style and theme by the 25th of each month. Poems received after the 25th will be considered in the next batch. The poem should be no more than 15 lines (including blank lines). One poem will be selected for publication each month and printed postcard-style to be mailed out to Poetry Box subscribers. Payment $40 CAD.

Quagmire. Genre: Fiction. "Absurd situations, surreal settings, experimental plots, characters, and ideas. We want whacky, weird, and everything in between." Payment $50 CAD.

Weird Horror Magazine. Genre: Horror and weird fiction from 500 to 6,000 words. Payment: 1.5 cents/word. Deadlines: Open to submissions in March and September.

Pulp Literature. Genre: Any genre or between-genre work of literature, or visual art (black and white for interiors, color for covers) up to 50 pages in length. Short stories, novellas, poetry, comics, illustrations. Payment: $0.05 – $0.08 per word for short stories (to 7000 words),  $0.03 – $0.06 per word between 7000 and 10000 words,  and $0.02 – $0.04 per word for works over 10000 words. Poetry and interior illustrations pay between $25 – $50.  Sequential art (graphic novels and cartoons) and illustrations are at a rate of $25 to $75 per page.

Rivanna Review. Genre: Stories, essays, book reviews, art, and poems. Payment: $100 per story or essay, $50 per book review, $50 per poem, $100 for 4 photographs or drawings.

Cōnfingō  Magazine publishes new short fiction, poetry and art from around the world in a print-only magazine. Stories may be in any style or genre but should not exceed 5,000 words in length. Poems (maximum of three) should be no longer than 50 lines. Artwork must be available in high-res suitable for printing to A5. Payment: £20.

Fieldnotes is a biannual print journal publishing new writing and artworks with a focus on practices that work between disciplines and against type. Genre: “We are seeking non-conforming submissions: ideas in transition, poetry in translation, collaborations and conversations, works between genres, between fiction and theory, between text and image, new poetic modes and things-in-progress.” Payment: £100-£200. See submission periods.

Brink. Genre: Hybrid, cross-genre fiction, nonfiction poetry. Payment: $25 Poem; $50 Work (less than 1500 words); $50 Art (1-3 Images); $100 Art (4+ Images); $100 Work (more than 1501 words). See submission periods.

AFAR Magazine publishes a range of reported features, personal essays, opinion pieces, photo essays, illustrated features, short fiction, poetry, and shorter middle-of-book pieces. "Instead of more traditional aspirational lifestyle travel stories, we tell the stories of a place and the people who live there." Payment: Starts at $1/word.

Full Bleed is an annual print journal exploring the intersection of the visual and literary arts. Genre: Criticism, belle lettres, visual art, illustration, fiction, poetry, and graphic essays. "We are always happy to feature collaborations between writers and artists; ekphrastic creations; and groundbreaking critical essays." Payment: Modest honorarium. See submission periods.

The Four Faced Liar is a new print journal that accepts fiction and creative non-fiction (up to 4000 words); flash fiction (up to 1000 words); poetry (up to 3 pages); visual art (1 piece). Payment: €200 for a short story or CNF piece, €100 for a poem or piece of flash, and €100 for visual art, as well as a copy of the magazine for each contributor. See submission periods.

fron//tera is a bilingual print magazine. Genre: Nonfiction (up to 5,000 words), fiction, poetry, art. Submissions can be in Spanish or English. They also publish short dual-language English and Spanish pieces side by side. See theme. Payment: $25 - $50. See submission periods.

Toronto Journal. Genre: Short stories from anywhere in the world. "We will also consider non-fiction pieces about local history (Toronto, GTA, and surrounding)." No word limit. Payment: $50 CAD per piece. All published writers will also receive two printed copies of the issue in which they appear. See submission periods.

Thema. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on themes Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. See submission periods. Accepts reprints.

GreenPrints. Genre: Personal essays about gardening. “Calling all experienced gardening writers—we seek gardening stories that are true and personal, expressive and thoughtful, and humorous and witty. We focus on the human, not the how-to, side of gardening, so your story should be entertaining, moving, unexpected, touching, and funny—a heartfelt story you would tell a friend or family member.” Payment: $100 - $150.

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $50.

Mslexia is a quarterly geared to women. The magazine includes prompts, competitions and workshops for writers. "There are 17 opportunities to submit for women writers of all specialisms – poetry, fiction and nonfiction, with five slots kept solely for subscribers to the magazine. There’s something to tickle any writer’s creative fancy." Payment: £25.  

Prairie Fire is a Canadian literary magazine. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF on themes. Payment: Prose: $0.10 per word; Poetry: $40 per poem for print issues.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. See submission periods.

Brick. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $55–685, 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. See submission periods.

Hermine. Genre: Short fiction. Stories must be under 4000 words. Payment: 8 cents a word (CAD). See submission periods.

The Stinging Fly is an Irish magazine that accepts submissions from around the world. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €30 per magazine page; Poetry: €50 per poem; Featured Poet: €250. See submission periods.

Gray's Sporting Journal accepts fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Their main focus is hunting and fishing, but they also publish yarns, features, and travel pieces. They publish one poem per issue. Payment: They pay from $600 to $1,250 for features, based on quality, not length; yarns average $600; poems, $100. They pay $50 to $300 for photographs. For Expeditions pieces, they pay $850 to $1,000 plus $75 per picture published. All payment is made upon publication.

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine welcomes submissions from both new and established writers. "We publish every kind of mystery short story: the psychological suspense tale, the deductive puzzle, the private eye case—the gamut of crime and detection from the realistic (including the policeman's lot and stories of police procedure) to the more imaginative (including "locked rooms" and "impossible crimes"). We need hard-boiled stories as well as "cozies," but we are not interested in explicit sex or violence." Payment: From 5 to 8¢ a word, sometimes higher for established authors.

Broken Antler publishes online and in print. They want all genres of horror, as well as sci-fi and dark fantasy. The editors are partial to a wide range of subgenres—body, cosmic, folk, gore, etc. For poetry, creative nonfiction, and hybrid submissions, we’re looking for work that is haunting and monstrous, weird and bizarre. Extra points if your work is experimental or doing something unusual with form. Send up to two hybrid submissions. Payment: $10 - $20. 

Interzone was founded in 1982 by David Pringle, John Clute, Alan Dorey, Malcolm Edwards, Colin Greenland, Graham Jones, Roz Kaveney and Simon Ounsley. The magazine is regularly shortlisted for prestigious awards, and is a winner of the Hugo and British Fantasy Awards. Many of its stories have also won awards and/or reprints in various Year’s Best anthologies. Interzone has helped launch the careers of many important science fiction and fantasy authors, and continues to publish some of the world's best known writers. Payment: EUR 1.5¢ per word (one and one-half euro cents).

Monstrous. Genre: Dark flash fiction, short stories, comics, articles. Payment: 6 cents per word. 

A Public Space. Genre: Fiction, essays, poetry, as well as graphic and hybrid work. Payment: Honorarium. Has submission periods.

Profiles. Genre: Character-driven fiction and non-fiction — both original works and works in translation — under 5,000 words. Art. Payment: €200+ per piece. Has submission periods.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Has submission periods. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Has submission periods.

The Cincinnati Review. Genre: Literary nonfiction (up to 20 pages), fiction (up to 40 pages), poetry, poetry translations, drama, and art. Payment: $25/page for prose in the journal, $30/page for poetry, $25 for miCRo posts or special features. Opens on the first day of the month and closes once they hit the submissions cap. 

The First Line. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction.

The Last Line. Genre: Fiction that ends with the last line provided. Payment: $20-$40.

The Paris Review. Genres: Fiction, poetry. Payment: Not specified.

Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: For text poems, $10/line with a minimum honorarium of $300 per poem. For visual poems, audio poems, and video poems, $300 per poem. If a piece is published in multiple formats, such as print and video, payment is made for each format. For prose, $150 per published page. Has submission periods.

Spellbinder. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, poetry, drama, art. Payment: £3. 

The Pig’s Back. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction. Payment: €300. Length: 2,000-5,000 words. 

The London Magazine. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Not specified. Has six fee-free submission periods per year. 

Sonder Magazine. Genre: Fiction, CNF and poetry on themes. Payment: €300. 

Space and Time. Genre: Speculative fiction. "We welcome poetry, art and fiction that bend rules, transcend genre and break stereotypes." Submissions accepted in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian. See theme. Payment: 1 cent/word for prose, $5 for poetry.

Channel. Genre: Fiction, art, creative non-fiction, and poetry that engages with the natural world, and have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self. Payment: €40/poem, and €50/page of prose up to €150. Has submission periods.

Unstamatic Newsprint. The Newsprint project is a throwback to old-school lit mags that were, once upon a time, printed in newspaper format and distributed on the streets, guerrilla style. We’re bringing it back. Genre: Prose of 500 words or fewer; Poetry of 25 lines or fewer; Visual art of any sort. Payment: $10. Accepts reprints.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact is a well-established magazine that exclusively publishes science fiction. Future science must be integral to the story. "The science can be physical, sociological, psychological. The technology can be anything from electronic engineering to biogenetic engineering. But the stories must be strong and realistic, with believable people (who needn't be human) doing believable things–no matter how fantastic the background might be." 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), 9 cents per word for fact articles, and $1 per line for poetry. No reprints. No simultaneous submissions.

48 Writing Contests in September 2021 - No entry fees

This September there are four dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $70,000 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: Max Pixel)

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American-Scandinavian Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: English translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose originally written in Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, or Swedish by a Scandinavian author born after 1800. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: Sept 1, 2021.

Neal Peirce Foundation Journalism Travel Grants. Genre: Journalism. "Grants are intended to support journalists in covering undertold stories about ways to make cities and their metro regions work better for all their people. Grants will cover travel expenses necessary for on-the-ground reporting. Full-time freelancers as well as journalists currently employed by a news organization are eligible to apply. The grants are for journalists to travel to cities within the U.S. to produce one or more stories for publication." Prize: Up to $1500. Deadline: Sept 1, 2021.

AILACT Essay Prize. Genre: Papers related to the teaching or theory of informal logic or critical thinking, and papers on argumentation theory. Prize: $700 top prize. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Lee Smith Novel Prize. Genre: Novel (no genre fiction). Prize: $1,000 and publication. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

PEN Prison Writing Contest. Restrictions: Anyone incarcerated in a federal, state, or county prison in the year before the September 1 deadline is eligible to enter. Genres: Poetry, fiction, drama, creative nonfiction. Prize: $200 top prize per category. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

IWSG. Genre: Science Fiction. Theme: Dark Matter. Word count: 4500-6000. Prize: The winning stories will be edited and published by Dancing Lemur Press' imprint Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Stories Out of School. Genre: Flash fiction. The story’s protagonist, or its narrator, must be a K-12 teacher. Stories must be between 6 and 749 words and previously unpublished. Prize: First-prize winners receive $1000; second-prize winners, $500. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Gasher First-Book Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to US residents. Genre: First book, prose or poetry. Prize: $250. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

Green Bean Books and Jewish Book Week Awards. Restrictions: Open to children’s authors and illustrators living in Europe, the UK and Israel. Genre: Stories for young children based on Jewish history, values and traditions. Prize: One author and one illustrator will each receive a £1000 prize and the work will be considered for publication by specialist Jewish children’s book publisher Green Bean Books. Deadline: September 1, 2021.

#PitMad Pitch Party. #PitMad is a pitch party on Twitter where writers tweet a 280-character pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. Agents and editors make requests by liking/favoriting the tweeted pitch. Every unagented writer is welcome to pitch. All genres/categories are welcomed. Deadline: September 2, 2021.

On The Premises Short Story Contest. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which someone or something is considered to be a monster… and maybe that’s accurate! Maybe you’re writing a straightforward horror story. Or maybe the “monster” label is terrible and undeserved. Or is the truth somewhere in between? That’s entirely up to you." Prize: Winners receive between US$60 and US$220, and publication. Deadline: September 3, 2021.

Hubert Butler Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to European Union citizens aged 18+. Genre: Essay on theme "Communal solidarity and individual freedom: antagonists or allies?" 3,000 words max. Prize: Up to 1,000 pounds. Deadline: September 3, 2021.

Shoreline of Infinity Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Science fiction ghost story. 1000 words max.  Prize: £50. Deadline: September 3, 2021.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: September 5, 2021. Opens September 3.

Spectator: Rock God. Genre: Flash fiction up to 150 words "You are invited to retell a well-known biblical story in a secular style that might enhance its appeal to a contemporary audience." Please email up to 150 words to lucy@spectator.co.uk by midday on 8 September. Prize: £30. Deadline: September 8, 2021.

Young Lions Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to US citizens 35 years of age or younger. Genre: Novel or a collection of short stories. Each year, five young fiction writers are selected as finalists by a reading committee of Young Lions members, writers, editors, and librarians. Submissions by publisher only. Authors may not submit their own work. Prize: $10,000.00. Deadline: September 10, 2021.

Lincoln Book Festival Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Flash fiction. "Lincoln Book Festival’s Flash Fiction Competition challenges authors of all ages to produce their own ultra short stories of exactly 50 words – no more, no less – on a given theme or genre." Prize: £30 in book vouchers for winners in three age categories. Deadline: September 10, 2021.

Forge Flash Prose Competition. Genre: Flash fiction and CNF, 1000 words max. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: September 14, 2021. Submit early in the month!

Hektoen International Grand Prix Essay Competition. Genre: Original essay that relates medicine to the humanities. Topics might include art, history, literature, education, etc. as they relate to medicine.1,500 words max. Prize: $5,000 for the winner and $2,500 for the runner-up. Deadline: Sept 15, 2021.

Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize. Restrictions: Open to Black poets. Genre: Chapbook-length poetry manuscript. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

The First Line 2022 First (and Last) Line Contest. Genre: Three original, unpublished first lines and one original, unpublished last line. Prize: $100. Deadline: September 15, 2021.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction; under 1,000 words based on prompt. Prize: $30. Deadline: Septmber15, 2021. 

RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction. Restrictions: The writer must be a resident of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or have been a resident in the UK or ROI for the past three years. Genre: Nonfiction book. Prize: Two awards – one of £10,000, one of £5,000 – are offered to support writers to complete their first commissioned works of non-fiction. Deadline: September 17, 2021.

Oregon Literary Fellowships. Fellowships of $3,000 each are given annually to Oregon writers to initiate, develop, or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. One Women Writers Fellowship and one Writer of Color Fellowship of $3,000 each are also given annually. Submit three copies of up to 15 pages of poetry or 25 pages of prose with the required entry from. Deadline: September 17, 2021.

Michael Marks Awards for Poetry Pamphlets. Restrictions: Only pamphlets published in the United Kingdom are eligible. Genre: Poetry pamphlet. Prize: £5,000. Deadline: September 17, 2021.

The Mollie Savage Memorial Writing Contest. Genre: Science fiction/fantasy short story. Prize: Winning stories are published in Toasted Cheese. If 50 or fewer eligible entries are received, first place receives a $35 Amazon gift card & second a $10 Amazon gift card. If 51 or more eligible entries are received, first place receives a $50 Amazon gift card, second a $15 Amazon gift card & third a $10 Amazon gift card. Deadline: September 19, 2021. 

Love to Write. Restrictions: Open to writers from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds, including, but not limited to, Black, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American and Mixed-Race. Entrants should be previously unagented and haven’t had a fiction book published before based in the UK or Ireland. Genre: Romance novel. Prize: £1,500. Deadline: September 19, 2021.

Black Voices in Children's Literature Writing Contest. Restrictions: The contest is open to authors of African American heritage who are residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin and at the time of entry are at least 18 years of ag. Genre: Fiction or nonfiction manuscripts for ages 0–4 (50–125 words) or ages 4–8 (300–800 words) featuring contemporary African American characters and culture and focusing on one or more of the following topics: character development, self-esteem, diversity, getting along with others, engaging with family and community, or other topics related to positive childhood development. Prize: $1000. Deadline: September 21, 2021.

Cullman Center Fellowships. Fellowship. The Cullman Center’s Selection Committee awards up to 15 fellowships a year to outstanding scholars and writers—academics, independent scholars, journalists, and creative writers. Foreign nationals conversant in English are welcome to apply. Award: A stipend of up to $70,000, an office, a computer, and full access to the Library's physical and electronic resources. Deadline: September 24, 2021.

Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Full-length novels (no short story collections or novellas) by women, first published in the UK. Prize: 30,000 pounds. Deadline: September 24, 2021.

Eerie River Publishing. Genre: Horror on theme of Mummies. Prize: ¢.5 per word CAD (half a cent), with a max of $15 plus a one-time royalty bonus payment based on six months of sales. Deadline: September 25, 2021.

BEECHMORE WRITING COMPETITION. Genre: Fiction, non-fiction or poetry on theme: Perspective. “Everyone's perspectives have all been altered this year. Priorities have been re-orientated, the importance of connection and community has been highlighted like never before and many people’s world views have shifted, choosing to slow down, and re-evaluate what’s important in life.” Prize: First prize £200, second prize £100. Open to writers worldwide. Deadline: September 25, 2021.

Iowa Short Fiction and John Simmons Short Fiction Awards. Genre: Short story collection. The manuscript must be a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages. Prize: Publication by the University of Iowa Press, royalties. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

The César Egido Serrano Foundation: VI International Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Flash fiction on theme: "Faced with COVID; Solidarity and Resilience" - 100 words max. Prize: 20,000 dollars is awarded for the best story in any of the languages authorized in the contest: Spanish, English, Arabic or Hebrew. Three prizes of $ 2,000 each will be awarded for the best stories in each of the other remaining languages admitted in the contest, that are not winners of the main prize. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is held four times a year. Restrictions: The Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment of at least six cents per word, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits. Genre: Short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. Prizes: $1,000, $750, $500, Annual Grand Prize: $5,000.  Deadline: September 30, 2021.

The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition. Genre: Essay  on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. 600 words. Prize: $200 (R2 000 or £100).  Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Patricia Dobler Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to women writers over the age of 40 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, currently living in the U.S., who have not published a full-length book of poetry, fiction, or non-fiction. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500 top prize and publication of the winning poem in Voices from the Attic. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Perito Prize. Genre: Fiction about accessibility. Prize: £250 and the story will be uploaded to the Perito Prize section of the Perito Ltd website. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $100. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Somos En Escrito. Restrictions: Writings must be by Americans of indigenous-Hispanic background (Native American, Chicanan, Latina/o/x) born in the USA or from Latin America residing in the USA. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, horror, spec-lit, or just weird. Prize: $100. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

2021 Sejong International Sijo Competition. Genre: Sijo.The sijo is a traditional three-line Korean poetic form organized technically and thematically by line and syllable count. Using the sijo form, write one poem in English on a topic of your choice. Prize: Winner: $500 USD. Runner-up: $250 US. Honorable Mentions: $100 USD. Deadline: September 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.  Prize: From $10 to $100. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

The Drabble Harvest Contest. Genre: Drabble on theme of "Time Travel Gone Wrong." A "drabble" is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words-- but no more than 15. Prize: $5. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Open Door Career Advancement Grants for BIPOC Women Writers. Restrictions: To be eligible, writers must identify both as a woman and as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC); further, applicants must be unagented and not yet have published a book. Prize: $500 or $1,000 will be awarded to BIPOC women writers. Grantees may use funds to cover application fees for MFA programs, writing contests, conferences, workshops, and residencies. Related expenses, such as travel and childcare, will also be eligible. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Art of Unity Creative Award. Genre: Literary (poetry; essays and short stories under 2500 words); video; music; dance; performance or visual work around the theme: “Never again: Remembering to heal and overcome.” All pieces must be previously unpublished. Prize: Up to $150. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

International Human Rights Art Festival: Creators of Justice Literary Award. Genre: poetry, short stories and essays which use the written word to celebrate justice. Prize: First Prize: $150; Second Prize: $100; Third Prize: $50. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

SLF Working Class Writers Grant. Genre: Speculative fiction. "These grants are awarded annually, since 2013, to assist writers of speculative literature to working class, blue-collar, poor, and homeless writers who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction, due to the financial barriers which have made it much harder for them to have access to the writing world. Such lack of access might include an inability to attend conventions, to purchase a computer, to buy books, to attend college or high school, to have the time to write (if, for example, you must work two jobs simply to pay rent and feed a family, or if you must spend all your waking hours job-hunting for months on end). " Prize: $1000. Deadline: September 30, 2021.

Bergen International Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to everybody under the age of 30. Genre: Essay on theme of My generation. Prize: The winner will receive EUR 2 500. Three runners up each receive EUR 500. Deadline: September 30, 2021.