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| You’re all jealous of my Jetpack — Graphic Novel by Tom Gauld |
If you write genre fiction, here are ten literary magazines that will pay for your work. Some also accept poetry and nonfiction. There are no submission fees.
Genre fiction is popular fiction that falls into a well-defined category, such as fantasy, romance, science fiction, horror, thrillers, westerns, mysteries, and so on. (Fiction that doesn't fall into a neat category is "literary" fiction.) Frequently, literary magazines that accept genre fiction won't accept literary fiction, and vice versa. (Agents also follow this rubric.) This does not imply that genre fiction is any less worthy as literature. Good writing isn't limited to what is considered "literary."
For many more paying markets that accept fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, see Paying Markets.
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Bethlehem Writers Roundtable publishes all genres, except for horror and erotica. Length must be 2,000 words or fewer. They are looking for G, PG, or PG-13 rated material according to the MPAA. Poetry, fiction, and memoirs are accepted. "We are an “old fashioned” editorial crew: we love stories. We admire great writing; we swoon at beautifully worded sentences and lovely descriptions, and chuckle at clever metaphors--but we always choose a great story over all of that. We constantly receive great character sketches, serious mood pieces, wonderfully written scenes that in the end are just wonderful scenes or elegant reminiscences.… And we judge all of this by one simple standard--where is the story?" Payment: $50 for featured author stories; $20 for stories published on their &More page; $10 for poems. Read guidelines HERE.
The Forge publishes one prose piece per week, fiction or nonfiction. They are open to all genres and voices. Length: Stories under 3,000 words. They love flash and micro prose. Unpublished pieces only. They are open to fee-free submissions on the first of each month and close when they reach their Submittable limit. Payment: $100. Read guidelines HERE.
Every Day Fiction publishes flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) in all genres, and also stories that do not fit neatly into any genre. "There’s no such thing as too short — if you can do the job in 50 words, have at it! — but our readers prefer pieces that tell or at least hint at a complete story." Payment: $3 CAD. Read guidelines HERE.
Pulp Literature publishes 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 — bring it on. We do not publish non-fiction, memoir, or children’s stories. Aside from that we want anything entertaining and well written." 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. Reprints are up to 50% of first publication rates. See submission periods. Read guidelines HERE.
The Literary Hatchet is a journal devoted to provocative fiction, poetry and prose. "We are interested in well-written but digestible works in any genre (except erotica). We will consider previously published material but prefer original works. We accept short fiction, flash fiction, first-person narratives, speculative fiction, short stories, poetry, photography, art, cartoons, and illustrations. We’re interested in new angles on old ideas, or topics that don’t get covered frequently. We like to showcase articles that don’t just sum up some issue but make us think and make us want to read further." Payment: FICTION, SHORT STORIES: 500-6,000 words — $10. INTERVIEWS and REVIEWS: compensation is paid to the person conducting the interview — $5. POETRY: we prefer poetry under 100 lines — $5. ART/ILLUSTRATIONS: in JPG or GIF format only — $5.
The Offing is an online literary magazine publishing creative writing in all genres and art in all media. "The Offing publishes work that challenges, experiments, provokes — work that pushes literary and artistic forms and conventions. The Offing is a place for new and emerging writers to test their voices, and for established writers to test their limits." Payment: Upon publication, contributors will be paid $25–$100, depending on department and number/length of works published.
Uncharted publishes crime, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and thriller short stories. All fiction categories are open year round and they do not charge any submission fees. They accept simultaneous submissions but ask that you inform them immediately and withdraw your work if your story is accepted elsewhere. Payment: $200. No pay for reprints. Read guidelines HERE.
The Offing is an online literary magazine publishing creative writing in all genres and art in all media. "The Offing publishes work that challenges, experiments, provokes — work that pushes literary and artistic forms and conventions. The Offing is a place for new and emerging writers to test their voices, and for established writers to test their limits." Payment: Upon publication, contributors will be paid $25–$100, depending on department and number/length of works published.
White Cat Publications publishes mystery, romance, thrillers, suspense, ghost stories and horror stories (no slasher stories, please), westerns, steampunk and fantasy. Length: 2,500- 3,000. Payment: $.02 per word. Read guidelines HERE.
Big Pulp publishes genre fiction and poetry of all kinds, in anthology magazines, as well as in themed collections. Payment: Fiction – 1¢ per word up to 2500 words (minimum $5.00; maximum $25.00) Poetry – $5 per poem, regardless of length. Read guidelines HERE. Has reading periods.
