Last Updated 5th April 2021. Getting short stories published in the likes of fantasy magazines and fantasy journals can do wonders for your confidence.
I can still vividly recall reading my first ever acceptance email. It banished my doubt, filled me with confidence, and spurred me to write even more short stories. I didn’t get much sleep that night for the excitement.
But finding a home for your fantasy short story can be tough. Not only do you have to find fantasy magazines, but you also have to check the submission guidelines for each one.
There could be a big difference between the likes of Uncanny Magazine submission guidelines and the Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Clarkesworld submissions, for instance.
You also have to account for differences in location. For example, a UK fantasy magazine might have different formatting guidelines to a US fantasy magazine (such as to do with the type of dictionary you use).
You may also be only looking for fantasy magazines that pay, and ones that don’t just offer some token form of compensation.
Lastly, some fantasy magazines only allow submissions that meet their theme. These themes often change throughout the year, or perhaps with different anthologies. Either way, take your time to do the research and if you don’t feel that your short story meets that theme, don’t waste your time with a submission.
It takes time to carry out this research, but worry not for help is at hand.
Over the years I’ve chronicled the various publishers I’ve come across and compiled a long list of fantasy short story publishers, which you can find below. There are some sci-fi magazines down there too, with many both science fiction and fantasy magazines.
I’ve also put together some related guides, such as writing cover letters and formatting a manuscript, also below.
More Help Getting Published
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It’s the perfect place to share your writing and get feedback, discuss ideas and the likes of fantasy publishers with fellow fantasy writers, and above all, forge lasting friendships with writers from all over the world.
To join, just click the button below!
Useful Resources For Fantasy Magazine Submissions
I’ve put together a few useful guides and writing tools to help you with your fantasy short story submissions. You can also use these guides for submitting short stories to any type of publisher, including horror magazines and science fiction magazines.
- A Guide to Cover Letters – this guide goes over writing cover letters for short story submissions in particular.
- A Guide to Formatting A Manuscript – if you’re unsure how to format your short story in preparation for a submission, this guide will talk you through everything.
- List of Fantasy Novel Publishers – If you’re looking to get your novels published too, I have another list you may like.
- List of Book Reviewers – And if you’re looking for reviews for your book, this list of over 100 book reviewers may be what you need.
Glossary of Fantasy Magazine Terms
While navigating your way through various fantasy journals and their submission guidelines, you’ll encounter a few different terms which you may be unfamiliar with. Here are some of them and their definitions:
Pro: A status afforded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America organization. Payment made for all accepted submissions. The pro rate is eight cents per word.
Semi-pro: Generally, all fantasy magazines that pay a semi-pro rate are reputable and pay a very good rate.
Token: A magazine that offers a ‘token’ in exchange for accepted submissions, for example, a free copy of their issue.
Paid: A magazine that pays for accepted submissions but lacking the ‘pro’ status.
Non-payment: A magazine that does not offer anything for accepted submissions, save a well-deserved pat on the back.
Simultaneous submission: refers to whether or not you can send the same story to more than one publisher at the same time.
Download A Copy Of The List of Fantasy Magazines and Fantasy Journals
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Not only will you get access to the worksheet, but you’ll receive a free copy of my book, Thoughts on Writing.
List of Fantasy Magazines and Fantasy Journals
| 1,000 words + | ||||
| Name | Status | Word limit | Response | Sim subs |
| Abyss & Apex | Pro | 10,000 | Not stated | No |
| Albedo | Token | 8,000 | 2 to 4 months | No |
| Apex Magazine | Pro | 7,500 | 30 days | No |
| Beneath Ceaseless Skies | Pro | 14,000 | 2 to 4 weeks | Yes |
| Clarkesworld | Pro | 16,000 | 2 days | No |
| Heroic Fantasy Quarterly | Semi pro | 10,000 | 60 days | Not stated |
| Fantasy Scroll Mag | Paid | 5,000 | 60 days | Yes |
| Holdfast Magazine | Token | 4,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Inter Galactic Medicine Show | Pro | 17,500 | Not stated | No |
| Lightspeed | Paid | 10,000 | Up to 2 weeks | No |
| The Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy | Pro | 25,000 | 8 weeks | No |
| On Spec | Semi pro | 6,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| PodCastle | Paid | 6,000 | TBC upon receipt of submission / up to 90 days | Yes |
| Shimmer | Semi pro | 7,500 | 2 weeks | No |
| Strange Horizons | Paid | 10,000 | 4 weeks | No |
| Uncanny Magazine | Paid | 6,000 | 30 days | No |
| Fireside Magazine | Paid | 4,000 | 30 days | No |
| Aurealis | Semi pro | 8,000 | 2 months | No |
| Glittership (audiobook too) | Semi pro | 6,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Helios Quarterly – defunct | Semi pro | 1,500 | 5 to 8 weeks | Yes |
| Selene Quarterly – defunct | Semi pro | 1,500 | 5 to 8 weeks | Yes |
| Aurora Wolf | Token | 5,000 | 30 days | No |
| Strange Constellations | Token | 7,500 | 30 days | Yes |
| Mithila Review | Token | 8,000 | 2 weeks | Not stated |
| Kzine | Token | 8,000 | 30 days | Not stated |
| Giganotosaurus | Token | 25,000 | 30 days | No |
| Aliterate – defunct | Pro | 8,000 | 28 days | No |
| Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores | Pro | 1,000+ | 12 weeks | No |
| Gamut Magazine | Pro | 5,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Aphelion Webzine | Non-payment | 7,500 | 2 months | No |
| Cirsova | Semi pro | 7,500 | Not stated | No |
| Crimson Streets | Paid | 6,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Electric Spec | Paid | 7,000 | 30 days | Yes |
| Expanded Horizons | Paid | 6,000 | 30 days | Yes |
| Gathering Storm Magazine – defunct | Paid | 2,000 | 15 dats | Not stated |
| Kaleidotrope | Paid | 10,000 | A few months | Not stated |
| Lackingtons | Paid | 5,000 | 60 days | No |
| Leading Edge Magazine | Paid | 10,000 | A few months | Not stated |
| Longshot Island | Paid | 5,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Metaphorosis Magazine | Paid | 10,000 | 1 week | Yes |
| Mythic Delirium | Paid | 4,000 | Not stated | No |
| New Myths | Paid | 10,000 | 90 days | No |
| Golden Fleece Press | Paid | 5,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Sockdolager | Paid | 5,000 | 2 weeks | No |
| Space and Time Magazine | Paid | 7,500 | 4 weeks | No |
| SQ Mag | Paid | 5,000 | 8 weeks | No |
| Tall Tale TV (audiobook only) | Non-payment | 3,000 | A few days | Not stated |
| Far Horizons | Non-payment | 3,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| British Fantasy Society | Token | 5,000 | 3 to 4 weejs | Yes |
| East of the Web | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Writer’ Forum | Paid | 3,000 | 3 to 4 weeks | No |
| Not One of Us | Paid | 6,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Bards and Sages | Paid | 5,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Fantasia Divinity | Paid | 7,500 | 3 weeks | Yes |
| Into the Void | Token | Not stated | 6 weeks | Yes |
| Asimovs | Pro | 7,500 | Five weeks | No |
| Interzone | Pro | 10,000 | Not stated | No |
| The Future Fire | Paid | 10,000 | 1 month | No |
| The Common Tongue | $0.03/word | 600-6,000 | Not stated | No |
| Riddled With Arrows | Paid | 1,500 | 2 weeks | Yes |
| Mad Scientist Journal | Paid | 8,000 | Not stated | No |
| Hyperion & Theia | Paid | 40,000 | 2 months | Yes |
| Alban Lake | Paid | 10,000 | Not stated | No |
| Flame Tree Publishing | Pro | 4,000 | 30 days (after submission deadline) | Yes |
| Odd Tales of Wonder | Token | Not defined | Not stated | Yes |
| Eibon Vale Press | Token | 4,000 | 2 to 3 months | Not stated |
| Third Flatiron | Paid | 3000 | 8 weeks | No |
| FIYAH | Paid | 7000 | 4 weeks+ | No |
| Alien Pub Magazine | Token | 2,000 | Less than two weeks | Yes |
| Augur | Token | Not stated | 8 weeks | Yes |
| Snow Leopard Publishing | Charitable | 2,500 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Mythic Mag | Paid | 6,000 | Not stated | No |
| Unidentified Funny Objects | Paid | 5,000 | 30 days | No |
| Fairytale Review | Not stated | 8,000 | 3 months | Yes |
| Reshwity Publishing (anthology) | Token | 10,000 | Nov-18 | Yes |
| The Overcast (podcast) | Paid | 5,000 | Within submission windows | No |
| Spring Song Press | Paid | 10,000 | 1 month | No |
| Country Dark | Paid | 10,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| 4RV Publishing | Royalties | Not stated (standard short story length) | 3 months | No |
| Æther & Ichor | Token | 5000 | Not stated | Yes |
| AHF Magazine | Token | 3000 | 1 week | Yes |
| Allegory | Paid | No limit | 6 weeks | Yes |
| Alcyone | Token | 10000 | Not stated | No |
| Altered Reality Magazine | Token | Not stated | 1 week | No |
| Animal: A Beast of a Literary Magazine | Token | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Anotherealm | Paid | 5000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Aphotic Realm | Token | 5000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Asymmetry Fiction | Paid | 3000 | 4 weeks | Not stated |
| The Wyrd | Paid | 5000 | 6 weeks | Yes |
| Writers of the Future Contest | Paid | Not stated | 3 months | No |
| The Worlds of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror | Paid | 5000 to 10000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| The WiFiles | Not stated | 5000 | 90 days | Yes |
| The Weird Reader | Token | 4500 | Not stated | Yes |
| 3 Lobed Mag | Paid | 7000 | 90 days | No |
| Stupefying Stories | Paid | 10000 | 1 week | No |
| Stinkwaves Magazine | Not stated | 3000 | A few weeks | Not stated |
| The Star Lit Path | Token | 7500 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Pixie Forest Publishing | Paid | Varies | 1 month | Yes |
| Castrum Press | Not stated (novella and novel length) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Ombak | Pro | 4000 | Months’ | Yes |
| Polu Texni | Pro | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Shock Totem | Pro | 5000 | 90 days or less | No |
| Three-Lobed Burning Eye | Paid | 1000-7000 | Within 90 days | No |
| Sub-Q Magazine | Pro | 1000-5000 | 60 days or less | Yes |
| Little Blue Marble | Paid | 2000 (5000 for reprints) | Not stated | Yes |
| Hinnom Magazine | Paid | 250 to 3000 or 3001 to 5000 | Within 30 days | No |
| Enchanted Conversation | Paid | 700-2000 | Not stated | Yes |
| LampLight | Paid | 7000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Zombie Pirate Publishing | Token | 7500 | Not stated | No |
| Blood Bath Literary Zine | Paid | 2,500 | Not stated | Yes |
| Galli Books | Paid | 7500 | A few weeks | No |
| Waylines | Paid | 6000 | 30 days | No |
| Farstrider Magazine | Paid | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Crossed Genres | Paid | 6000 | Not stated | No |
| Black Denim Lit | Unpaid | 7500 | Not stated | Yes |
| Sorghum and Spear | Paid | 2,000 – 7,500 | Not stated | No |
| Parsec Ink | Paid | 5,000 | Not stated | No |
| AGNI Magazine | Paid | No limit | 2-4 months | Yes |
| B Cubed Press | Paid | 500-5,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| The Irreal Café | Paid | 2,000 | 2 months | No |
| Copper Nickel | Paid | Not stated | 8 weeks | Not stated |
| 96th of October | Unpaid | 1,000-10,000 | ‘Startling rapidity’ | Yes |
| Analogies and Allegories Literary Magazine | Unpaid | Up to 3,000 | 1 month | Yes |
| Baffling Magazine | $0.08/word | Up to 1,200 | Up to 90 days | Yes |
| Boneyard Soup Magazine | $0.05/word | Up to 6,000 | Up to 6 weeks | Yes |
| Welkin Magazine | $0.01/word | Up to 1,500 | Not stated | Yes |
| Of Metal and Magic Publishing | Token | Up to 7,500 | A few weeks | Yes |
| Constelación Magazine | $0.08 per word | Up to 6,400 | Not stated | No |
| Improbable Press | $0.05 per word | Up to 5,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| The Dark Sire | Non-payment | Up to 5,000 | Up to 6 months | Yes |
| Danse Macabre | Not stated | Up to 2,500 | 10 weeks | Yes |
| Death Throes Magazine | Token payment of $20 | Up to 5,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Flash Fiction | ||||
| Name | Status | Word limit | Response time | Simultaneous submissions |
| Aether and Ichor | Paid | Up to 3,000 but flash fic preferred | Not stated | Yes |
| Bewildering Stories | Unpaid | Up to 3,000 but flash fic preferred | 3 weeks | Yes |
| The Colored Lens | Paid | Up to 10,000 but flash fic preferred | Not stated | No |
| Local Nomad | Unpaid | 1,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Dark Fire Fiction | Unpaid | Up to 5,000 but flash fic preferred | 1 month | Yes |
| Deadmans Tome | Paid | 1,000 and higher | Not stated | Not stated |
| Fictional Pairings | Token | 200-1,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Leading Edge | Paid | 1,000 and higher | Not stated | Not stated |
| Mirror Dance | Token | Up to 6,000 but flash fic preferred | 2 months | Not stated |
| Fiction War | Paid | 1,000 | 6 months | Yes |
| Door is Ajar | Token | 1,000 | 6 months | Yes |
| Storyland Literary Review | Unpaid | 1,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Syntax & Salt Magazine | Paid | Up to 3,500 | 90 days | No |
| Tell Tale Press | Paid | 500-5,000 | Not stated | Yes |
| Fantasy Novella Publishers | 15,000 – 45,000 words unless stated otherwise | |||
| Asimov’s Science Fiction | $0.08 per word | 5 weeks | No | |
| Bewildering Stories | None | Not stated | No | |
| Black Bed Sheet Books | Not stated | 6 months max | Not stated | |
| Bold Strokes Books | Not stated | 16 weeks | Not stated | |
| Deep Magic | $200 cap | Up to 40,000 | 10-12 weeks | No |
| Distant Shore Publishing | $2,500 | Between 20,000 and 70,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| Finch Books | Royalties | Not stated | Not stated | |
| Gypsy Shadow Publishing | Royalties | Up to 3 months | No | |
| Ink Smith Publishing | Not stated | 30,000 to 50,000 | Not stated | Not stated |
| The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (F&SF) | $0.08 – $0.12 per word | Up to 25,000 | 8 weeks | No |
| Night Picnic | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |