26 Calls for Submissions in February 2020 — Paying markets
There are more than two dozen calls for submissions in February. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.
I post the following month’s calls for submissions toward the end of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month’s calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)
Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.
Happy submitting!
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Once Upon a Hallowed Eve: An Anthology of Romantic Ghost Stories. Genre: Romantic ghost stories. “Originally, Samhain marked the beginning of Winter in Gaelic Ireland. It was believed that the Lord of the Underworld walked the earth during Samhain, along with all his cohorts: ghosts, spirits, fairies, and many other creatures. How can you use this pagan holiday in your character’s lives? How can you bring a phantom, ghost, spirit, or some other spiritual entity into your story? Will your tale be about a lover come back from the dead?” Length: 7,000–15,000 words. Payment: $75. Deadline: February 1, 2020.
Small Loves: A Queer Microfiction Anthology. Genre: LGBTQ flash and micro fiction. Payment: 2½¢ per word. Deadline: February 1, 2020. Reprints accepted.
The First Line. Genre: Stories that use a first line provided by the journal. (See journal for first lines.) Also 500–800 word critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work. Payment: $25.00 — $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 — $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars). Deadline: February 1, 2020.
Belmont Story Review. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: $50 for prose, $25 for poetry. Deadline: February 1, 2020.
Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Dark, eerie, speculative stories and poetry. “Horror is not a necessary element, although fiction should contain some aspect of the weak, frail, changeable human condition.” Payment: $10. Deadline: February 1, 2020.
RAYGUN RETRO: A Science Fiction Anthology. Genre: “We’re seeking science fiction stories 2000–6000 words in the style of 50s and 60s classic science fiction.” Payment: $10. Deadline: February 1, 2020.
World Weaver Press: Multispecies Cities. Genre: Science fiction/solar punk short stories. “We’re looking for stories that acknowledge humans as part of a larger ecosystem, for characters who strive for balance with (rather than dominance over) the creatures surrounding them, for settings that depict an optimistic balance of nature and technology.” Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: February 1, 2020.
Havok. Genre: Mystery, scifi, comedy, thriller, and fantasy on theme of The End of the World As We Know It. Length: 300 to 1,000 words. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 2, 2020.
The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on theme of Parasites. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 3, 2020.
Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of Angels. Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: February 3, 2020.
Scum. Genre: Feminist-friendly work of any variety, but as a general rule your piece should be under 2000 words (50 lines for poetry, max. 3 poems) and able to be classified as “fiction”, “culture”, “memoir”, “column”, “poetry”, and/or “review”. Payment: $60 AUD. Deadline: February 7, 2020. Opens to submissions on February 1.
Raconteur. Genre: Short stories, poetry, art, and CNF. “Raconteur is a literary magazine publishing engaging, interesting, eclectic and witty writing and artwork by international writers and artists, online and in print, 3 times per year. Payment: Fiction & Non-fiction: $10; Poetry: $5. Deadline: February 9th, 2020.
Cricket Media: Faces: Elections Around the World. Genre: Nonfiction articles, fiction, activities for children. Send query only. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 10, 2020.
Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 15, 2020.
The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on theme of Remote Places. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 17, 2020.
Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words. Payment: $3. Deadline: February 26, 2020.
The Rumpus. Genre: Essays. Payment: $300 divided among all contributors (?). Deadline: February 28, 2020.
Ninth Letter. Genre: Poetry and essays. Payment: $25 per printed page, with a maximum payment of $150, as well as two complimentary copies of the issue in which the work appears. Deadline: February 28, 2020.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Listen to Your Dreams. Genre: True stories about dreams. “When we are asleep, we dream. Are dreams a connection to the unconscious mind? Are they omens of things to come — both good and bad? Dreams are often the way we tap into our own inner wisdom. Sixth sense, gut feeling, premonitions, instinct. Whatever you call it, sometimes we have no logical reason for knowing something — but still we know it. We want to know about your dreams. What have you learned from your dreams? Did you listen? Did any of your dreams come true? Did a dream strengthen your faith or help you change the direction your life was headed in? Did some miraculous insight serve as a warning about something that was going to happen?” Payment: $200, publication, and 10 author copies. Deadline: February 28, 2020.
Hinnom. Genre: Weird fiction. Payment: 2 cents/word for fiction. $50 for poems. Deadline: February 28, 2020.
Quommunicate Publishing: Queer Youth: LGBTQ+ True Stories AnthologyQueer Theater series: LGBTQ+ Ten-Minute & One-Act Plays for Students & Adults/General Audiences. Genre: Short scripts on LGBTQ+ themes. Payment: $5/page. Deadline: February 28, 2020.
Blue Mesa Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 28, 2020.
Strange Constellations. Genre: Speculative fiction between 3000–7500 words. Payment: $30. Deadline: February 28, 2020.
The New Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to Canadian writers. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $250 for a short story or nonfiction entry, and $40 per poem or postscript story. Deadline: February 28, 2020. Snail mail submissions only.
Triangulation Anthology. Genre: Speculative Fiction on theme of Extinction. “Every day, another species creeps closer to extinction, often brought on by things out of their control. The world changes every time an insect, a rhino, a macaw ceases to exist. These changes are tangible. Tell us about them. Bring us stories of imposing threats, extraordinary creatures brought low, stories of those warriors who fight tooth and nail for their survival. What does extinction mean to you? We like our stories to be profound, relatable, poignant yet familiar. Tell a tale for the ages.” Payment: 3¢ per word. Deadline: February 29, 2020.
JMS Books: LGBTQ Chance Meetings. Genre: LGBTQ stories of serendipitous meetings that lead to happy ever after. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 29, 2020.
Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents who are looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) visit Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity.
