Short fiction markets

Last checked Oct 7, 2026

Leafmines tracks 1025 magazines publishing short fiction. 555 are open to submissions right now, and typical response time is 63 days. Filter by length, pay, and response time →

Find every short fiction market your piece fits.

Add your writing — make it private, or open it up for critiques — and Leafmines matches it against 1,000+ magazines and journals in one go, free.

Open now

Otherside (Originals)Science Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 7 · responds in ~28 days
OTHERSIDE is a paying speculative magazine publishing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction by self-identified 2SLGBTQIA+ writers.
GeistLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 8 · responds in ~182 days
Geist is a Canadian magazine of ideas and culture publishing literary nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and hybrid work with an intelligent, inclusive, offbeat tone.
Wild HyacinthLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 9 · responds in ~31 days
Wild Hyacinth is a Canadian-oriented magazine publishing fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art around themed issues.
LIMINAL.SPACESScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 10 · responds in ~5 days
LIMINAL.SPACES is a literary platform focused on environmental concerns through fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art.
Night ShadesScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 11 · responds in ~5 days
Night Shades is a fiction magazine publishing two speculative stories per month.
UnchartedHorror · Science Fiction · Fantasy · Mystery
Open for fiction · closes Oct 11 · responds in ~84 days
Uncharted Magazine publishes short fiction featuring speculative, thrilling, mysterious, horrific, dystopian, and young-adult perspectives.
BoudinHorror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 11
Boudin is the online companion to The McNeese Review, publishing fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, hybrids, and other creative writing.
The Words FaireLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 11 · responds in ~48 days
The Words Faire is an independent Dayton, Ohio publishing company accepting creative writing for its Issue IV quarterly collection, themed “Incertitude.”
Trembling With FearScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 13 · responds in ~90 days
Trembling With Fear publishes dark speculative fiction, including horror, dark science fiction, and dark fantasy, in short-story, drabble, serial, themed, and unholy-trinity formats.
Solarpunk MagazineScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 14 · responds in ~60 days
Solarpunk Magazine publishes speculative fiction and other writing centered on solarpunk themes, including ecological balance, mutual aid, radical imagination, resistance, and repair.
Ichor MagazineFantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 14
ICHOR Magazine is seeking visceral, weird sword-and-sorcery, dark fantasy, and dying-Earth stories with horror elements.
ColaLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 14
Cola Literary Review is a journal accepting previously unpublished fiction and poetry during its academic-year reading periods.
Superheroes Super ProblemsScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Mystery
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~92 days
Superheroes, Super Problems is an original anthology seeking superhero-centered fiction and poetry across several speculative and genre categories.
Little District BooksScience Fiction · Fantasy
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15
Little District Books is seeking original queer hopepunk stories for its first publishing project, Radiant Dawn: A Queer Hopepunk Anthology.
The Arkansas InternationalLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~180 days
The Arkansas International is a literary magazine seeking unpublished fiction, poetry, nonfiction, translations, and museum-inspired writing from writers worldwide.
Wort Journal
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~90 days
Wort Journal is a grassroots herbalism and plant-practice journal seeking writing rooted in medicinal plants, resistance, ecological relationships, and folk traditions.
FiddleheadLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~180 days
The Fiddlehead is a Canadian literary magazine publishing fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, translations, reviews, and occasional play excerpts.
Consequence ForumLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~32 days
Consequence Forum publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translations, and reviews addressing the consequences of war or geopolitical violence in its print, online, and Substack venues.
phoebeLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~30 days
phoebe is a twice-yearly literary journal publishing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction in a winter print issue and a spring contest issue.
PhoebeLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~30 days
Phoebe is a paying literary journal seeking experimental and conventional fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for its winter 2027 print issue.
Variety PackLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~14 days
Variety Pack is an inclusive literary journal publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, reviews, and interviews, with submissions currently open from September 1 through October 15.
Bat City ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15
Bat City Review is a literary magazine seeking poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and cross-genre work for its Bread & Circuses-themed upcoming issue.
Carmina MagazineFantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~60 days
Carmina Magazine publishes myth-inspired poetry and prose, including reimaginings and retellings from mythological traditions across cultures and eras.
Cola Literary ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~161 days
Cola Literary Review publishes fiction and poetry for its print journal and website, with free and paid reading periods each academic year.
Cosmic DaffodilLiterary · Horror · Fantasy
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15
Cosmic Daffodil Journal is a literary magazine seeking poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for themed issues, including the currently open MOSAIC issue.
Ink Sweat & TearsLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~70 days
Ink Sweat & Tears accepts poetry, prose, flash fiction, word-and-image work, reviews, and themed filmpoems by email, with submissions closing on 15 October 2026.
KaidankaiHorror · Fantasy
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~25 days
Kaidankai seeks fiction featuring ghosts or supernatural elements for its podcast and is currently running a December 2026 winter-themed contest.
MeridianLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~90 days
Meridian is a University of Virginia literary magazine publishing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction in an annual spring issue, along with prize opportunities.
Plott Hound MagazineScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15
Plott Hound Magazine is a quarterly literary magazine publishing amazing animal stories, including prose, essays, and poetry.
Rebel Satori PressScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15
Rebel Satori Press is an independent publisher seeking full-length LGBTQIA+ speculative fiction and witchcraft and occult nonfiction.
Tablesalt PressLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~5 days
Table Salt Press is an open, themed literary publication accepting fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid, folklore, and related written work for its first issue and seasonal mini magazine.
The Hoolet's NookScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 15 · responds in ~14 days
The Hoolet's Nook is a literary magazine publishing fiction, poetry, and micro-poetry or haiku three times a year.
Harvard ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 16 · responds in ~365 days
Harvard Review publishes short fiction, poetry, and essays and invites submissions from writers at all career stages.
The Lemonwood QuarterlyLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 17 · responds in ~30 days
The Lemonwood Quarterly publishes English-language short stories and plays focused on nuanced portrayals of adult protagonists, especially women.
Fairlight BooksLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 17 · responds in ~90 days
Fairlight Books is a traditional publisher and online short-story platform accepting adult short stories while book-length submissions remain closed.
Spare Parts LiteraryLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 17 · responds in ~18 days
Spare Parts Literary is an independent quarterly online magazine seeking original poetry, fiction, flash fiction, micro fiction, short plays, and novel excerpts.
Thin SkinLiterary · Humor
Open for fiction · closes Oct 17 · responds in ~56 days
Thin Skin is a literary magazine showcasing writers aged 50 and over, publishing literary short stories, flash fiction, and poetry.
Flame Tree Fiction NewsletterHorror · Fantasy
Open for fiction · closes Oct 18 · responds in ~60 days
Flame Tree Fiction Newsletter is a publishing outlet that regularly seeks speculative stories for print anthologies and its monthly fiction newsletter.
VOLUME Ø (Volume 0)
Open for fiction · closes Oct 19 · responds in ~60 days
VOLUME 0 is a fiction magazine seeking stories for themed issues and paying for all published work.
The Good Life ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 20 · responds in ~90 days
The Good Life Review is a literary magazine publishing original fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, flash, and experimental writing, with seasonal issues and a Micro Monday feature.
Emerald City GhostsHorror · Fantasy
Open for fiction · closes Oct 20 · responds in ~14 days
Emerald City Ghosts publishes paranormal ghost stories, flash fiction, short stories, poetry, and reviews, with general submissions always open and themed calls opening monthly.
Flash Fiction Online (FFO) (Originals)Science Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 21 · responds in ~70 days
Flash Fiction Online publishes short fiction across speculative and literary genres.
Crooked SpineHorror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 23 · responds in ~14 days
Crooked Spine is a quarterly horror magazine publishing paid fiction and poetry in themed submission windows.
Diabolical PlotsScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 25 · responds in ~30 days
Diabolical Plots publishes speculative short fiction, including science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
We're HereScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 30 · responds in ~120 days
Neon Hemlock Press publishes speculative fiction and queer chapbooks, with current calls for a queer speculative-fiction reprint anthology and speculative chapbook manuscripts.
Blood Tree LiteratureLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 30 · responds in ~90 days
Blood Tree Literature is an online publication seeking experimental, lyrical writing that pushes the boundaries of language and genre.
Ps and Qs PublishingFantasy · Horror · Mystery
Open for fiction · closes Oct 30 · responds in ~55 days
Ps and Qs Publishing solicits 5,000–10,000-word fictional stories for themed paranormal and speculative anthologies, paying royalties through PubShare.
PleiadesLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~273 days
Pleiades is a literary magazine publishing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translations, reviews, interviews, and annual prize-winning work.
Blue Mesa ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~184 days
Blue Mesa Review publishes poetry and prose, with a particular interest in marginalized writers and work from or about the Southwest.
EpochLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
EPOCH is a print literary magazine accepting poetry, fiction, flash fiction, and essays through electronic and mail submissions.
Elegant LiteratureLiterary · Science Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~31 days
Elegant Literature is a fiction magazine publishing new or unpublished writers’ themed stories and paying ten cents per word.
Apex MagazineScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~60 days
Apex Magazine is a science fiction, fantasy, and horror magazine publishing original short fiction.
Haven SpecScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~70 days
Haven Spec Magazine publishes science fiction, fantasy, speculative horror, poetry, and nonfiction, with submissions scheduled in monthly demographic, general, and closed windows.
Orion's BeltScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~30 days
Orion’s Belt is a literary speculative magazine publishing microfiction, flash fiction, poetry, translations, and reviews.
Forge Literary MagazineLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~120 days
The Forge Literary Magazine publishes unsolicited short literary fiction and nonfiction, including flash and microprose, selected through anonymous reading.
Nashville ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~150 days
Nashville Review is a Vanderbilt-affiliated literary magazine publishing fiction, poetry, nonfiction, translations, and hybrid work, with two reading periods each year.
Split LipLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~14 days
Split Lip Magazine is a voice-driven literary journal publishing fiction, memoir, poetry, and pop-culture-inflected work online monthly and periodically in print.
The Submission Pit SubstackScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~15 days
The Submission Pit is a speculative-fiction publication offering a monthly prize for the best submitted short story.
Yolk Literary Journal (Digital)Literary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~90 days
Yolk Literary Journal is a Montreal-based publication accepting fiction, poetry, and nonfiction for its digital publication and print issues, with Canadian and international digital submissions.
GristLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~180 days
Grist is a literary journal publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, craft essays, interviews, and reviews in print and online.
HerStryLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
HerStry is a literary magazine publishing quarterly issues of fresh nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and profiles centered on underrepresented gender experiences.
Indiana ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
Indiana Review is a biannual literary magazine publishing carefully strange fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
MIDLVLMAGLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~60 days
MIDLVLMAG is a thematic literary magazine publishing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction twice a year, with occasional ongoing features and articles.
Pacifica Literary ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~120 days
Pacifica Literary Review is accepting poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, folios, and entries to its 2026 Poetry Contest, with submissions generally open year-round except periodic production closures.
Portal Anthology (Sable BooKnight)Romance
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~89 days
Portal Anthology is a Sable BooKnight publication seeking recipes and dark romance stories for anthology publication.
Raleigh ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~180 days
Raleigh Review is a nonprofit literary magazine publishing poetry, flash fiction, and short fiction, with recurring general submission windows and annual or biennial prizes.
Tales from the MenuHorror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~19 days
Tales from the Menu is an anthology call from Exploitation Media seeking horror and horror-adjacent short stories about the ways love can become harmful or obsessive.
Cranked Anvil
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
Cranked Anvil runs three writing competitions that accept submissions year-round and announce results quarterly.
Emerge Magazine
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
eMerge Magazine accepts original prose, poetry, and recipes during its October submission window and has no theme or genre restrictions.
Fiction MagazineLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~180 days
FICTION is a literary and experimental fiction magazine publishing new and established voices, including translations previously unpublished in English.
Inscape (Washburn University)Literary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~6 days
Inscape is Washburn University's annual literary journal publishing fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art.
Killer ShortsHorror
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
Killer Shorts is a horror writing competition accepting short screenplays, one-page screenplays, short stories, and feature screenplays.
MothLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~56 days
The Tiger Moth Review is a twice-yearly journal of art and literature focused on nature, culture, environment, and ecology.
Notre Dame ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
Notre Dame Review is a literary journal seeking excellent fiction and poetry, especially work addressing significant issues.
Prime Number Magazine
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~150 days
Prime Number Magazine is an online-only journal published every four months that seeks distinctive poetry, short fiction, and flash nonfiction.
SpliceScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~60 days
Splice is a small press seeking book-length fiction collections, novellas, and novels for publication in 2027 and 2028.
Tahoma Literary ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31
Tahoma Literary Review is a paying literary magazine accepting fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translations, and graphic narratives through its submissions queue.
The Hamilton Stone ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~5 days
The Hamilton Stone Review is a twice-yearly literary magazine publishing poetry and prose, including fiction and memoir.
Trace Fossils ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Oct 31 · responds in ~112 days
Trace Fossils Review is a quarterly publication seeking ferocious, difficult, resonant original poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.
Michigan Quarterly ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~365 days
Michigan Quarterly Review is a paying literary journal publishing print and online fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translations, reviews, essays, arts and culture features, and interviews, with annual prizes and themed special issues.
North American ReviewScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~150 days
North American Review is a long-running literary magazine publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and book reviews, with seasonal submission windows and contests.
PhanoScience Fiction
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~60 days
Phano is a speculative literary magazine seeking thoughtful, futuristic stories about emergent change and complex ideas.
Southern Humanities ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~183 days
Southern Humanities Review is a quarterly literary journal publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and online fiction features.
Tenebrous PressScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~90 days
Tenebrous Press publishes New Weird Horror, strange science fiction and fantasy, and dark genre mashups for mature audiences.
pulp MAGLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~69 days
pulp MAG is a Canadian literary magazine publishing poetry, creative prose, visual art, and new media, with approximately 60% of its published work by KPU students.
The Ranger's AlmanacScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Mystery
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~7 days
The Ranger's Almanac is an annual literary journal seeking work inspired by national or state forests and parks.
Adroit JournalLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1
The Adroit Journal publishes original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations, and other literary work, with opportunities for writers at various career stages.
After MidnightScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~28 days
After Midnight is a literary magazine publishing fiction, flash fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, pedagogy, and book reviews.
Call Me [Brackets]Fantasy
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~7 days
Call Me [Brackets] invites fantastical prose and poetry exploring whimsy, magic, strange adventures, and imaginative worlds.
Madison ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1
The Madison Review is a literary magazine publishing previously unpublished fiction and poetry in digital and print issues.
New Feathers AnthologyLiterary · Science Fiction · Fantasy · Horror
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~42 days
New Feathers Anthology is an online literature and art magazine published three times annually with a year-end print anthology.
Nixes Mate ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~90 days
Nixes Mate Review is a small literary press seeking poetry, short fiction, microfiction, and creative nonfiction for its biannual print edition.
SunSpot LitScience Fiction · Fantasy · Horror · Literary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~14 days
Sunspot Literary Journal accepts unpublished fiction, nonfiction, poetry, scripts, translations, and genre or literary work through several paid, length-specific submission categories.
The Santa Fe Literary ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~168 days
The Santa Fe Literary Review publishes previously unpublished poetry, prose, dramatic writing, and fiction, with submissions accepted through Submittable during its annual July–November period.
Timeless ReflectionsLiterary · Science Fiction · Fantasy · Mystery
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1
Timeless Reflections is a semiannual online and print anthology seeking themed short stories and poetry for Volume 8.
Turbine | KapohauLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~153 days
Turbine | Kapohau is a student-edited literary publication showcasing postgraduate and other writing.
Zone 3Literary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 1 · responds in ~183 days
Zone 3 is an annual online literary journal publishing fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry by emerging and established writers.
Cosmic Roots and Eldritch ShoresScience Fiction · Fantasy
Open for fiction · closes Nov 3 · responds in ~56 days
Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores publishes science fiction, fantasy, myth, legend, fairy-tale, eldritch, fact-based, and poetry work, including new pieces and eligible reprints.
Crab Orchard ReviewLiterary
Open for fiction · closes Nov 5
Crab Orchard Review is a biannual digital literary journal from Southern Illinois University publishing poetry, prose, book reviews, and author interviews.
The Galley Beggar
Open for fiction · closes Nov 8
The Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize 2026/27 is a UK-based short-story competition offering cash and book-voucher prizes.

Showing the first 100 of 555 open markets, closing soonest first. See all 555 with filters →

Some response-time data on this page, and part of the median above, comes from The Submission Grinder.

← All markets Browse A–Z