Nine paying markets for your short pieces and poetry, plus a contest

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The Penmen Review accepts original poetry, essays, book and script excerpts, and short stories. (Poetry – no more than 3 poems per submission cycle, each submitted as a separate document. All other Review submissions – up to 2,500 words).

Penman also accepts Writing Resources pieces – tips, advice and first-person articles (300-1,500 words) from industry professionals.

Deadline: ongoing. Submissions here.

Outlook Springs is a literary journal "from another dimension." Seeks fiction, poetry, and nonfiction tinged with the strange. Pays $25 for fiction, $10 for poetry. 

Deadline: August 15, 2018. Submission guidelines here.

 Zsenon Publishing Seeks speculative fiction 350–500 words for an anthology. Pays 6 cents/word.  

Deadline: August 15, 2018. Guidelines here.

Psychopomp Magazine seeks short stories up to 5,000 words. Looks to redefine traditional story-telling. Pays 2 cents a word up to $100 (and starting at a minimum of $5). 

Deadline: August 15, 2018. Guidelines here.

Splickety Publishing Group pays 2 cents/word for flash fiction  300–1,000 words (but preferably under 700 words), plus nano-stories under 100 words, in three magazines:

Havok magazine publishes flash science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk, paranormal, supernatural, horror, techno-thriller, superhero, and more. Currently “going back to the basics of classic Halloween horror stories. Monsters, witches, creepy crawlies, things that go bump in the night, and all things terrifying are what we’re seeking in this issue. Make our skin crawl with undead delight.” Deadline July 27, 2018. Guidelines here.

Spark magazine publishes romance flash fiction including  romance, romantic suspense, historical romance, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, inspirational romance, women’s fiction, and more. Currently looking for stories featuring broken bones, mishaps, and long night shifts. “As long as there is a happily ever after, we want to see them." Deadline: August 24, 2018. Guidelines here.

Splickety magazine publishes flash fiction in the young adult genre including (but not limited to) action/adventure, suspense, mystery, thriller, contemporary, speculative, and historical fiction. Currently seeking stories on the theme of “Christmas Abroad, including travel mishaps, holiday cheer, cultural traditions. “It’s any place but home for the holidays. Give us young adult stories that embrace the holiday spirit in faraway lands. What does Christmas look like in high summer when the family goes to visit their grandfather in Australia? Can an army brat find the Christmas spirit on her third overseas base in three years? What happens when an exchange student in Ecuador finds romance under the mistletoe? We want to see compelling characters, evocative settings, and a hearty dose of Christmas magic.” Deadline September 21, 2018.  Guidelines here.

Alien Dimensions seeks speculative short stories, “Set it in space, in the far future, and include some friendly non-humanoid aliens helping to solve a pseudo-scientific problem.” Pays US$10 for 3,500+ words. 

Deadline: August 24, 2018. Guidelines here.


Chicken Soup for the Soul is continually publishing new anthologies and pays for true stories and poems. Guidelines for all themes here.

Currently they’re looking for:

Messages from Heaven and Other Miracles

When our loved ones leave this world, our connection with them does not end. Death takes away their physical presence, but not their spirit, and we often sense them after they have gone. Sometimes we see or hear from them after they've passed, giving us signs and messages from beyond. We want to hear your story if you have experienced the other side or received a sign or signal from a loved one who has passed.

Deadline August 15, 2018

Stories about Miracles 
Miracles do happen each and every day. Everyone has experienced events in their lives that cause wonder and astonishment and give them hope for a better future. Why did these things happen? Is there an explanation? Or did these things seem to happen for no reason at all?

We are looking for true stories of no more than 1,200 words for this multi-faith book that will awe you with examples of amazing events and unexplained happenings. Share your inspirational stories with us to remind us that each day holds hope and to never give up. A miracle can happen at any time.

Deadline August 15, 2018

Grandparents

The moment a grandchild is born, grandparents are born too. Just seeing your baby hold his or her baby is an unbelievable experience. Everyone has a great story about the unconditional love between grandparents and their grandchildren. We are looking for true heartwarming, insightful and humorous stories celebrating grandparents and grandchildren; written by grandmothers and grandfathers about being grandparents and written by grandchildren about their grandmothers and grandfathers. Stories about or by step-grandparents and honorary grandparents are welcomed too." Pays $200. 

Deadline: August 31, 2018.

Mom Knows Best: Deadline Sept 30, 2018 for release in March 2019 in time for Mother's Day. 

Life Lessons from the Cat: Deadline Oct 31, 2018

Life Lessons from the Dog: Deadline Nov 30, 2018

Running for Good: Deadline Dec 15, 2018

The Golden Years or Second Wind: Deadline Dec 30, 2018 

Detailed guidelines for all themes here.

Gemini Magazine invites you to enter their 10th annual Flash Fiction Contest for the chance to win $1,000 and publication. The entry fee is $5.

Deadline August 31.
No-fee general submissions remain open year round.

Freefall Magazine Canadians only, except for the annual contests. Seeks prose: Maximum length 4,000 words. Fiction: short story & novel excerpts, nonfiction should be writing related or general audience topics, creative nonfiction, plays, postcard stories. And poetry: Submit 2–5 poems, any style. Length of any individual poem cannot exceed 6 pages. Pays $10 per page in the magazine to a maximum of $100 plus and one copy of issue that your piece is published in for prose. Pays $25 per poem plus one copy of issue that your poem is published in.

Deadlines: August 31 for January issue, December 31 for annual prose and poetry competition, published in May, April 30 for September issue. Guidelines here

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Cambridge, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.