McSweeney's★Has a Wikipedia article.Responds: Often takes a long time to respond
McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern is an independent literary quarterly that publishes mostly fiction and some nonfiction, with unsolicited submissions accepted by mail.
fictionLiteraryHumor
Pays: Standard rate for short stories is $400, paid at publication.
nonfictionLiteraryHumor
Pays: Contributors are paid at publication; rates vary according to circumstances, with equity in mind.
Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet is an open literary zine accepting fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, with a strong interest in speculative fiction and new writers.
TriQuarterly★Has a Wikipedia article.Responds: ~6 months
TriQuarterly is Northwestern University’s student-edited literary journal publishing poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, video essays, short drama, hybrid work, craft essays, interviews, and book reviews.
Open to: Creative work by current Northwestern MA/MFA students, graduates of the program within the past five years, and program faculty is not accepted; work must be original and unpublished.
Eclectica Magazine is an eclectic literary magazine accepting fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and other writing, with submissions evaluated primarily on quality and a $50 award for top submissions in each issue.
fictionLiterary
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
nonfictionLiterary
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
nonfictionLiterary
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
nonfictionLiteraryHumor
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
otherLiterary
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
otherHumor
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
otherLiterary
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
poetryLiterary
Fee: $2.00Pays: Top three submissions for each issue receive a $50 cash award.
The Parallel★Has a Wikipedia article.Responds: ~4 weeks
The Parallel Journal is a literary publication seeking sharp, observant fiction, essays, sociology, humor, and criticism, with issues in print and online.
FLARE Magazine★Work published here has won or been selected for: Genrepunk Award for Disabled Crea….Responds: ~1 days
FLARE Magazine is a free online literary magazine for writing related to chronic illness, disability, and mental health, with rapid responses and no regular contributor payment.
The SFWP Literary Awards Program is an international English-language competition seeking fiction and creative nonfiction, with publication opportunities and cash prizes.
Tractor Beam is a speculative science-fiction publication focused on soilpunk visions of hopeful, anti-apocalyptic futures on Earth and harmonious relationships between humans and nature.
The Next Generation Short Story Awards is an international, not-for-profit awards program accepting English-language short stories for its 2027 award season.
Closes Jan 28, 2027Fee: $25 per story for the first category; $20 for each additional category for the same storyPays: Cash prizes: $75 for category winners; Grand Prize winners receive $500, $300, or $200 depending on placement.
WOW! Women on Writing runs quarterly global contests for flash fiction and creative nonfiction essays, with cash prizes and publication opportunities.
Open to: Open globally; entries must be in English; all ages
nonfictionLiterary
Closes Oct 31Fee: $12 entry; $25 with optional critiquePays: Prizes include $500 for first place, $300 for second, $200 for third, and gift certificates for runners-up; winning essays are published.
Closes Nov 30Fee: $10 entry; $20 with optional critiquePays: Prizes include $400 for first place, $300 for second, $200 for third, and gift certificates for runners-up and honorable mentions; winning entries are published.
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.
fictionScience FictionFantasy
Closes Nov 3Pays: 8¢ per word for new fiction; 2¢ per word for fiction reprints.
nonfictionHumor
Closes Nov 3Pays: 2–8¢ per word for new fact-based work; 1–4¢ per word for reprinted fact articles.
poetry
Closes Nov 3Pays: $1 per line for new poetry; 50¢ per line for reprints; words over 40 lines are paid at 8¢ per word.
Body Shots is an annual short-fiction anthology seeking ambitious, voice-driven unpublished fiction across genres, with selected authors paid by word count.
After Dinner Conversation publishes short stories that stimulate ethical and philosophical discussion across genres, including children’s and young adult fiction.
Rat Bag LIT is a paying market seeking weird, genre-blurring fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, with regular microfiction, drabble, flash, and short-story calls.
Open to: Submissions must be written in English; no AI-generated or AI-assisted work.
Statuses are gathered automatically from each market's public guidelines page and can lag or misread edge cases — always verify on the market's own site before submitting. Some markets and response-time data discovered via The Submission Grinder.