Four places that pay for your short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, plus a contest for flash ficition

HorrorTree.com is currently looking for contributions to:

When Robots Dream, “the ultimate collection of robotic art and stories.” Seeking flash prose, poetry, short fiction, illustration, drawings, sculpture, mixed media, digital, etc. Contributors will receive a copy of the 9” x 12” full-colour book. Deadline August 14, 2020.

The winter issue of The Wire’s Dream Magazine seeks fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry art, photography, and combined work. Pays $5. Current deadline Sept 1, 2020. Submission period for summer issue: March 2 – April 30.

Mystery & Horror, L.L.C., an annual collection of funny paranormal stories – HorrorTree’ flagship publication.  Length: 2,000–5,000 words. Pays $5US. Deadline Aug 31, 2020. Submit to: mysteryandhorrorllc@gmail.com with “Strangely Funny” in the subject line.

Water: Selkies, Sirens and Sea Monsters, an anthology of stories about magical beings associated with water. Pays $50Cdn for fiction under 7,500 words; $20Cdn for poetry. Deadline Sept 30. Submit here.

Full details for all projects here.

Hi, Brian.

Got a great short-short story? Consider entering our 12th annual Flash Fiction Contest for the chance to win $1,000 and online publication. Maximum length is 1,000 words. We are open to any topic or style. The entry fee is $6.

Deadline: August 31. Contest details here.

Just want to read? All 60+ previous winners/finalists going back to 2009 may be read here.

The results of our Short Story Contest have been delayed due to the illness and death of a family member, and will be published online in August. Apologies for the delay. We have read many exciting entries so far.

No-fee general submissions remain open year round.

Peace, and be well!

David Bright

Editor, Gemini Magazine

Westerly magazine seeks short stories, poetry, memoir and creative nonfiction, essays and literary criticism. Pays: Poems: $120 for one poem or $150 for two or more poems; Stories: $180; Articles: $180; Visual art/Intro essay: $120; Reviews: $100; Online Publication: $100. "We expect our contributors to be subscribers of the Magazine. While we will accept submissions from non-subscribers, should your work be accepted for publication in this instance, you will be asked to accept a subscription to the Magazine as part payment for your work." 

Deadline: August 31, 2020. Full submission guidelines here.

Split Lip Magazine seeks flash fiction, short stories, memoirs, and poetry with a pop-culture twist. Pays $50 per author (via PayPal) for web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. 

Deadline: September 30, 2020. Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees. Guidelines here.

Chicken Soup for the Soul always has new books in development.

A Chicken Soup for the Soul story is an inspirational, true story about ordinary people having extraordinary experiences. It is a story that opens the heart and rekindles the spirit. It is a simple piece that touches our readers and helps them discover basic principles they can use in their own lives. These stories are personal and often filled with emotion and drama. They are filled with vivid images created by using the five senses. In some stories, the readers feel that they are actually in the scene with the people.

Chicken Soup for the Soul stories are written in the first person and have a beginning, middle and an end. The stories often close with a punch, creating emotion, rather than simply talking about it.

Here’s what they’re currently looking for:

Miracles, Amazing Coincidences & the Unexplainable
While the book is tentatively titled Miracles & Divine Intervention, we do not intend for this book to be for religious readers only. It is for everyone who loves to hear about miracles, amazing coincidences, and the mysterious and unexplainable good things that can happen to us.
Based on the submissions we have received we realized that many people thought we only wanted religious stories. Not the case! Please submit all your cool stories about those miraculous good things that happen in our lives.

We want your stories to make people say “wow" and give them chills. Covid-19/lockdown stories are welcome, too. We are all living through this together and if something miraculous occurred related to the disease or the lockdown or the financial impact of Covid, our readers will be very interested.
Deadline: August 31, 2020. Submit through their online submissions form here.

Upcoming:

Making Me Time and Taking Care of Yourself. Deadline September 30, 2020.

Tough Times. Deadline October 31, 2020.

Cats. Deadline November 30, 2020.

Angels. Deadline December 15, 2020.

Eldercare. Deadline January 30, 2021.

Counting Your Blessings. Deadline February 28, 2021.

Full guidelines here.

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