7 Paying Speculative Fiction Markets for Writers – by Avery Springwood

So, you have a great SF, fantasy, or horror idea, that’s fantastic! Or, maybe you’ve got a weird little story that doesn’t fit neatly into one speculative fiction genre. You’ve probably thought of the ‘big’ speculative fiction magazines to submit to, but there are many more out there that might just be a perfect fit for your story!

Here are 7 lesser-known speculative fiction markets that will pay you for your stories:

Old Moon Quarterly pays $0.08/word for 1000 to 6000 word character-focused, weird sword-and-sorcery stories and $50 per poem (up to 50 lines). They want stories of a dark and transgressive nature, set in a secondary or historical-paranormal (“our” reality, but with a twist, if you will) world, with a focus on rounded characters undergoing some sort of conflict, resolved (though not always successfully!) by the might of their sword or mind.

“We love stories that combine that sense of action and adventure with well-rounded characters who make us question our own realities and perceptions. We love to see the gothic, the baroque, the eldritch, and we love to see it hit with an axe.”

See their guidelines at: https://www.oldmoonpublishing.com/submissions

Utopia Science Fiction Magazine pays $0.08/word for science fiction stories up to 4000 words. They are looking for “enthralling stories set in a future we want to believe in, one we would fight to make a reality.” They want stories with “captivating world-building, Character-rich, diverse settings, Well-written engaging plots that steer away from common tropes, Tension, conflict that leaps out of the page and grabs us, A good ending, Hard science fiction, stories based in explained, well researched science.”

“We’re open to: Inventive narrative structures, unusual, but readable writing styles, Non hard science fiction as long as it includes incredible world-building or captivating characters, Longer stories for serialization.” They have themes for each issue, so check their website for current calls.

See guidelines at: https://www.utopiasciencefiction.com/submit

Trollbreath Magazine pays $0.04/word for 1500-7500 word stories. “Our interests are as varied as the endless amount of genres, from dark fantasy to hope punk to surrealism, and everything in between. We have a particular fondness for slipstream and fabulism in all their delightful forms, but what motivates us most are great stories by wonderful authors eager to share their visions of the past, the future, the in between, and everything that lies outside the margins. Coloring beyond the lines encouraged.”

Check their website for their submission windows and guidelines at: https://magazine.trollbreath.com/submissions

Grimdark Magazine pays AUD$0.07/word (USD $0.05/word) for grimdark fantasy and SF stories of up to 4000 words. “Working in a sub-genre means we are after a very specific style of story. We want dark settings, grey characters, morally ambiguous decisions, and plenty of grit. Joe Abercrombie, Anna Smith-Spark, George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb, Anna Stephens, Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch, Graham McNeill, Deborah A. Wolf, Dan Abnett, and R. Scott Bakker are our favourite authors.” Check the website often to see when they start accepting new submissions at different times during the year.

See guidelines at: https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/submissions

Orion’s Belt Magazine wants literary science fiction and fantasy stories and poems under 1200 words, and pays $0.08/word. “Literature is a matter of the heart, not just of the intellect. As such, conveying exactly what kinds of stories will delight us is impossible. A story that sounds banal and cliche-ridden in concept can be philosophical and achingly beautiful in execution. Conversely, a story that sounds lovely in concept can fail to move us in execution. Additionally, while we prize elegant, vibrant writing, not every well-written story will appeal to us. The best way to know what we like is to read what we’ve published in the past. Our past issues are free to read under our “Issues” tab. If you’re only looking for individual stories, check our “Archives” tab. Reading stories published in Strange Horizons and Beneath Ceaseless Skies will also help, as they are the two most popular literary speculative magazines here at Orion’s Belt.” Submissions are open from March 1^st – Sept 1^st each year.

See their guidelines at: https://www.orions-belt.net/submissions

The Orange and Bee is a fairy tale market, and pays $50.00 per poem up to 50 lines, $80.00 per flash fiction story of up to 1000 words, and $0.08/word for stories of 1000-4000 words.

They are “seeking original works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction that engage in a significant way with the long history of fairy tales. We are interested in works that stretch, expand, test, subvert, and challenge the fairy-tale tradition. We are interested in works that are entertaining, but also in works that matter: that is, in works that are both pleasurable to read and thought-provoking. We are interested in works in which the relationship between the your writing and the fairy-tale tradition is complex and thoughtful. Works that—ideally, though this is a Big Ask—open up our hearts and minds, offering us a new way to think or feel about the fairy-tale tradition as well as broader themes and issues.”

See their website for submission windows and guidelines at: https://theorangebee.substack.com/p/submission-guidelines

Solarpunk Magazine publishes optimistic SF and Fantasy stories up to 7500 words, and pays $0.08/word. Their preferred story length is 1500-3000 words.

They want “hopeful short stories and poetry that strive for a utopian ideal, that are set in futures where communities are optimistically struggling to solve or adapt to climate change, to create or maintain a world in which humanity, technology, and nature coexist in harmony rather than in conflict.” They also publish solarpunk art as well as nonfiction “that explores real world, contemporary topics and their intersection with the solarpunk movement for a better future. Our fiction editors are interested in works that stir readers with themes of defiance, change, and achievement. This effect isn’t likely to come via high concept utopias alone, but rather, from vibrant characters whose struggles affect the reader. Speculative elements should be apparent but not dominating; our disbelief suspended not by necessity, but immersion. Any genre of science fiction, interstitial fiction, magic realism, or fantasy has potential as a solarpunk forum—we welcome robots and elves with equal excitement.”

See their submission windows and guidelines at: https://solarpunkmagazine.com/submissions

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Avery Springwood is a science fiction writer and artist living in the UK. When she’s not working, she can be found spending time with her family, walking in woodlands, growing vegetables, making clay creatures, or trying to find time to read speculative fiction stories.