Story Publishing Sources

You have a short story or a poem and you want to publish it. There are newsmagazines and online sources who hold contests or accept publishing submissions. Here is a general list with some comments from members who have submitted. Advice from those who have submitted: You get declined A LOT, but you have to find the places that match up with your stories. Dozens of rejections are not a worry at all when you finally get accepted somewhere. That’s what it’s all about. But you got to try, try, try. All your stories that you want to submit, submit them. Submit them all over. After they get rejected, try them somewhere else. So, have a big list of places to submit to and just keep submitting.

Local Florida Sources

Ft. Myers Florida Weekly annual summer writing contest https://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/?s=writing+challenge

Royal Palm Literary Award https://www.floridawriters.org/rpla-winners

Vocal.media https://vocal.media/ Serial site and contests. Wattpad.com https://www.wattpad.com/ Serial site. Reedsy.com https://reedsy.com/ Kindle Vella https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella Serial site. You can get paid if readers read your stories. Medium.com Paid site for non-fiction articles, mostly essays and Oped type pieces, but will accept some fiction.

The DARK. Word Count: 2,000 – 6,000. Genre: Horror/Speculative. Notes: Rolling Submissions. Response Time: Within 48 hours. Apparition Lit. Word Count: Under 5,000 for short fiction (also do Flash Fiction themes which appear to be monthly, under 1,000.) Genre: Speculative. Notes: Quarterly, they do a theme for each one. Examples -‘Creature’ or ‘Nostalgia.’ Response Time: Usually within 4-6 Weeks.
Typishly . Word Count: Under 5,000 for short fiction. Under 1,500 for flash fiction. Genre: Any? Notes: Rolling, certain days to submit certain works. Response Time: Within 24 Hours.I mentioned above that they do a 24-hour response time. That is fantastic if you have a great story and really want to hear back right away. Just make sure you check the site for the specific days in which you can submit. But what’s also amazing about this 24-hour response time, you will always get a response from Jon, and Jon seems like a great guy. He doesn’t believe in giving any negative feedback, as he says, there is enough negative in the world. So, what he does, is he provides you with positive feedback, just his favorite parts of your story. (Once he gave me a suggestion… which he says he doesn’t usually do… it was a great suggestion, and I actually implemented it to my story!) I have not been accepted here yet, I have submitted several times, and I do love hearing the positives from Jon, hearing what he enjoyed. And it could be helpful to you!
SmokeLong Quarterly . Word Count: Under 1,000. Genre: ?? Notes: Appear to have rolling submissions… ish. Response Time: Usually within 2 Weeks. Write City Magazine. Word Count: Under 1,800. Genre: ?? Notes: Haven’t been able to nail down their submission window. One Story. Word Count: 3,000 – 8,000. Genre: They say ‘Any’ but… Type: Seems to me like it’s more Literary. Response Time: Within 3 Months.
Boulevard. Word Count: Under 8,000. Genre: Literary. Response Time:
Within 4 Months. Carve. Word Count: Under 10,000. Genre: Literary. Type: Honesty, Soul,
Emotion.
Ploughshares. Word Count: Under 7,500 (Or for their contests, Under 6,000.) Genre: Literary. Response Time: Within 2 Months.
Bayou. Word Count: Under 7,000. Genre: Literary. Response Time: Usually
within 2 months. Beloit Fiction Journal. Word Count: Under 13,000. Genre: Literary. Eclectica. Word Count: Under 20,000. Genre: Literary. Notes: Seems to be
on a rolling basis. Blue Mesa Review. Word Count: Under 6,000. Genre: Literary. Type:
Compelling Narrative.
Litro . Word Count: Under 4,000 for short stories. Under 800 for flash
fiction. Genre: Literary.
Bottlecap Press. Word Count: This one, they say between 12 to 28 pages. I
inquired, they said that would be using a typical 12 point font. My
calculations narrowed that down to about 4,000 – 9,000? Genre: Seem to
accept any.
Curlew New York. Word Count: Don’t see it listed. Genre: Nor do I see anything for Genre listed. If I had to guess, they appear more literary in style. They have an email to send submissions to, and questions… I asked questions and didn’t happen to hear back. Maybe you will have better luck. Why do I include this if there are so many question marks? Well, it’s always worth it to know of a publication that… Notes: Accepts submissions on a rolling basis! Words & Whispers. Word Count: Under 1,000. Genre: Any. Type: “Send us the wild and divine, the eccentric and experimental.” Notes: Accepting on a rolling basis… AND you can submit up to 3 short stories at once. Dishsoap Quarterly. Word Count: Up to 5,000 total. (Huh? Wait for the notes…) Genre: Any. Notes: Up to 3 stories submitted at a time, but the total word count of ALL your stories should be 5,000. The Lumiere Review. Word Count: Under 3,000. Genre: Any. Notes: Up to 3 stories at a time.
The Literary Canteen. Word Count: Under 2,000. Genre: Magical Realism. Type: Absurdist Inclinations. Interstellar Literary Review. Word Count: Under 2,500. Genre: Anything. Type: When they say anything, they really mean it. They reference speculative fiction, haibuns, unique styles, funky formatting, galaxies you’ve created etc. (It’s extra reassuring when they provide several examples to prove their “any genre” claim.) Notes: Up to 2 pieces at a time, and they say
that they always provide free feedback on whatever you submit with hopes to
help you with your craft!
The Jupiter Review. Word Count: Under 2,200. Genre: Anything. Quip Lit Review. Word Count: 500 – 5,000. Genre: Literary. Type: Offbeat
and off-kilter. They say they like weird worlds and themes that stretch the
fabric of traditional literary fiction. The Citron Review. Word Count: Under 1,000 for flash fiction. Under 100 for micro. Genre: Any? Notes: Up to 2 flash fiction stories per quarter and up to 5 microfiction stories per quarter. The Adirondack Review. Word Count: Under 4,000. Genre: ??
Clever Fox Literary Magazine. Word Count: Under 2,500 for short stories. Under 600 for flash fiction. Genre: Pretty much anything. This is one publication that I have actually been published in. They appear to be newer, the issue they put out was fantastic. But I do like to mention the publications that appear newer, especially for newer writers, it seems you may have a SLIGHTLY easier time with those. You might have a better shot with them. Flash Fiction Magazine. Word Count: 300 – 1,000. Genre: Pretty much anything, except some things, children’s stories, etc.
Five South Literary Magazine. Under 5,000 for a short story. Under 2,000 for humor. Under 1,000 for flash fiction.
Pigeon Review. Word Count: Under 2,500 for a short story. Under 1,000 for flash fiction. Under 300 for micro. Genre: ?? Notes: 1 short story at a time. 2 flash fiction stories at a time. 4 micro stories at a time. They also run themed contests at times.
Horned Things Literary Journal. Word Count: 1,000 – 5,000 for short stories. Under 1,000 for flash fiction. Genre: While I can’t find any specifications, I lean towards speculative fiction with this one. Meditating Cat Zine. Word Count: ?? Genre: ?? Notes: I’m not entirely sure, I’ve read through some of the work there, it seems fun! There is also some dark stuff. A lot of poetry. Definitely a few cat-themed and cat-adjacent stories. But not all. They do prefer that you be a cat-lover, so, probably be that… or be good about lying that you are that. Bards and Sages Publishing. Under 5,000 preferred, but they do also list that they can accept in the 5,000 – 20,000 range. Genre: Speculative. Notes: This one is quarterly. * Goatshed Press . Word Count: Under 1,000 for flash fiction and over 1,000 for short stories… with a maximum of… ??? Genre: Seems like anything. Sunshine Superhighway. Word Count: 1,000 – 15,000. Genre: Speculative. Type: Uplifting. Not doom and gloom.
Hungur Chronicles . Word Count: 3,000 – 8,000. Genre: Vampire stories. Type: They say they don’t want your cliche, usual vampire stories. Vampire stories have been done a million times, after all. They want very different vampire stories. Angles that haven’t been taken before. And it doesn’t HAVE TO be a vampire, but if it is a vampire-like character… maybe on another
planet… they’re interested!
Three-Lobed Burning Eye. Word Count: 1,000 – 7,500 for short stories. Under 1,000 for flash fiction. Genre: Speculative. Bubble Lit Mag. Word Count: 2,000. Genre: Any. Type: The unique, the downright weird, the extreme, and the real. Notes: It appears they do themes for each issue. Quibble Lit. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Seems like any. Type: They say they like adventurous stories.
Unfortunately Lit. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Seems like any. Notes: This one is great… they say they want you to bring your work that has been rejected already. They don’t suggest coming to them first. Get rejected first, maybe two times, maybe five times, then bring your unloved, rejected work to them. They seem to want to be a shelter for those rejected works of yours, maybe they will find a home here. Syncopation Lit. Word Count: Under 5,000 for short stories and under 500 for flash fiction. Genre: Any. Type: This publication wants all pieces to be related to music in some type of way, for all you music lovers, and they seem to have themes oftentimes, like holiday themes, etc.
Wintermute Lit. Word Count: 1,000 – 3,000 for submissions and under 4,500 for contests. Genre: Speculative. Papers Publishing. Word Count: Under 3,000. Genre: Any. Notes: Up to 2 stories at a time.
Intangible Magazine. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Any. Notes: They do themes for each issue.
The Plentitudes. Word Count: 1,500 – 5,000. Genre: Not sure, seems more literary. Sunspot Lit. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Not sure, seems more literary. Notes: They run contests.
On The High Literary Journal. Word Count: Under 500 for flash fiction and for short stories… no more than 8 pages double spaced… which I estimated to mean… under 2,500 words? Genre: Literary.
Catchwater Magazine. Word Count: ??? Genre: Anything. Type: They emphasize their desire of Anything by demonstrating that a Catchwater collects precipitation and runoff of all kinds… just like they want to collect art of all kinds. Dollar Store Mag. Word Count: Under 500 for flash fiction and up to 3 pieces at a time… and for short stories… 3 stories or 5,000 words, whichever comes first. Genre: Anything. Type: Don’t send them your best, send them your trashy dollar store content. Notes: Themes seem to be occasionally available. Sci-Fi Shorts. Word Count: Under 1,000. Genre: Sci-Fi. Notes: Rolling submissions, and I love how this publication operates, they will often give you feedback on your stories and allow you to edit them if they haven’t quite met what they want and then resubmit. They publish a new story every day so there’s more opportunities to get published with them. This is another publication I have been published in. I mentioned a bit about them above, but it is worth repeating and going into extra detail. If you like writing Sci-Fi and can write flash, this publication is absolutely worth checking out. As I mentioned, they publish every day, so
you have a better chance of getting published with them. Some publications will like your work but ultimately will turn you down because “they only publish four issues a year, and get thousands of submissions, etc.” But here, if they like your story, you have a much better chance of it being accepted. Furthermore, if they like your story but see some improvements, unlike other spots, they will give you notes and allow you to revise and resubmit. If you disagree with the notes, you don’t have to. But it is nice that they give you a second chance. Not a lot of publications do this, to my knowing. To give a personal bit of info with this one, my first submission with them, they gave me notes to revise. I did, and it was accepted. Second submission, they gave me notes to revise. I did, but it was declined. Third submission, notes to
revise, accepted. Fourth submission, just declined. Fifth submission, notes to revise, then accepted. Sixth submission, declined. Seventh submission, notes to revise. And pending. I say all that just to give you an idea, they really want to help you with your writing if they see something they like in it. Hungry Shadow Press. Word Count: 1,500 – 3,000 for short stories and 100 words for their Drabble Tuesdays. Genre: Horror, weird, dark sci-fi, dark fantasy. Type: Short stories are themed. NYC Midnight. Word Count: Under 1,000. Genre: Prompts/Competition. This one seems fun, they give you a prompt and you have a limited amount of time to write a story. They pick winners to advance and continue on with new prompts and new rounds.
Seize The Press. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Speculative. Type: Dark fantasy, horror. Not moralistic. Not wrapped up neatly. Genre defying. GigaNotoSaurus. Word Count: 5,000 – 25,000. Genre: Sci-Fi and Fantasy.
Factor Four Magazine. Word Count: Under 1,000. Genre: Speculative. Type: They like sci-fi, fantasy, and also elements of super hero and supernatural.
Bourbon Penn. Word Count: 2,000 – 7,500. Genre: Speculative. Type: Slipstream, Cross-Genre, Magic Realism, Absurdist, Surreal. Infinite Worlds. Word Count: 1,500 – 5,000. Genre: Sci-Fi and Horror.
The Colored Lens. Word Count: Under 10,000 but prefer 500-5,000 for short stories. Also, Novellas under 20,000 which are serialized. Genre: Speculative.
Sci-Fi Lampoon. Word Count: Under 7,500 for short fiction and under
1,000 for flash fiction. Genre: Speculative Humor. Type: Sci-Fi-Fantasy-
Horror based Humor. Clarkesworld. Word Count: 1,000 – 22,000. Genre: Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Type: No horror but dark sci-fi and fantasy is okay. Fantasy. Word Count: Under 1,500 for flash fiction and between 1,500 – 7,500 for short fiction but under 5,000 is preferred. Genre: Fantasy. Type: Many kinds of fantasy good, including dark fantasy. Strange Horizons. Word Count: Under 10,000, but under 5,000 is preferred. Genre: Speculative.
Uncanny Magazine. Word Count: 750 – 10,000. Genre: Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Nightmare. Word Count: Under 1,500 for flash fiction and 1,500 – 7,500 for short stories. Genre: Horror and Dark Fantasy. Asimov’s Science Fiction. Word Count: 1,000 – 20,000. Genre: Sci-Fi. Type: Character Oriented. Occasional Fantasy as well. Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Word Count: 15,000. Genre: Fantasy. Type: In a secondary world. Literary in style. No Urban Fantasy. Metaphorosis. Word Count: 500 – 10,000 but they prefer 2,000 – 6,000. Genre: Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Asymmetry. Word Count: Under 3,000. Genre: Speculative. MoonPark Review. Word Count: Under 750. Genre: Speculative. Type: Prose only but some poetic micros can be good. Some cerebral work can be good. They love dark and twisty tales. 365 Tomorrows. Word Count: Under 600. Genre: Sci-Fi.
James Gunn’s Ad Astra. Word Count: Under 7,500 (Dislike Flash… so, perhaps keep it over 1,000?). Genre: Sci-Fi… some Fantasy. Type: Speculative element should be central to the plot. Should be character driven (main character shouldn’t die (oh no, that’s my favorite!)) They appreciate the hopeful and the bittersweet. Aftermath. Word Count: Between 1,500 – 5,000. Genre: Destruction of the world and human civilization. Type: We are destroying the world and these stories should be a reflection of what could happen if we don’t change. Notes: Seem to lean towards semi-professional. Also, seem to have a specific theme in mind, eh? I kept it in here because I like the theme they want the stories to be in… feels very relevant. Utopia Science Fiction. Word Count: 100 – 5,000. Genre: Hard Sci-Fi. Type: Well-explained, researched science, good ending, character-rich, diverse settings. Black Fox Literary Magazine. Word Count: Under 5,000 for biannual submissions. Also, contests under 5,000 or under 1,000 for flash fiction (2 at a time.) Genre: Any. Type: They do enjoy underrepresented genres such as Young Adult, Romance, Flash, Mystery. Notes: The contests they run are themed.
Elegant Literature. Word Count: 500 – 2,000. Genre: Any, but they tend to
like the speculative, the quirky, and the humorous. Notes: It appears that
each month, they have a new theme for their contests, they pay good prizes,
this is a smart spot to submit if your story fits, recommended by smart
people.
Livina Press. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Anything, but feels more literary. Bottled Dreams Magazine. Word Count: Under 1,500. Genre: Any, but seems
that they do themes.
Berlin Literary Review. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Any, but they do themes. The Hallowzine. Word Count: 1-3 stories, under 1,200 each. Genre: Halloween themed or creepy/scary. Notes: Seem to open each year around Halloween.
Sequestrum. Word Count: Under 12,000. Genre: Anything.
Microcosms. Word Count: Under 300 (Usually.) Genre: Anything, but they do themes. Notes: They do a new theme each week.
Columbia Journal. Word Count: Under 5,000. Genre: Literary.
Arboreal Magazine. Word Count: Under 4,000. Genre: Anything. Type: They
do themes. Notes: Quarterly.
Parentheses Literary Journal. Word Count: Under 2,000. Genre: Anything.
Notes: Twice a year, 3-month response. Tiny Spoon Lit Mag. Word Count: Under 1,000. Genre: Anything. Type: They do themes.
Night Sky Press. Word Count: 500 – 5,000. Genre: Sci-Fi. Type: They do themes. Notes: Each edition is a theme. Each theme is a new fictitious planet, which they will provide the skeleton for and you are to help flesh out the planet with your story.