Flash fiction comprises stories under 1,000 words, with some publishers interested in pieces as short as 100 words.
There’s usually no fee associated with flash fiction submissions, and if your story gets accepted, you can get paid for your efforts. The payout is usually modest ($25-$100) per story, but it’s still better than nothing. Plus, you get to share your small fiction in literary journals that matter. Submissions are usually accepted year-round, and the response time is around two weeks. After this guide, you may also want to check my list of magazines and websites that publish personal essays.
Here’s a list of the most notable flash fiction publishers:
New Flash Fiction Review – This flash fiction journal, founded in 2014, is relatively new to the scene. They feature regular issues, host contests, and provide mentoring opportunities.
Lunch Ticket – Published by the MFA program at Antioch University, Lunch Ticket doesn’t specify a word limit for flash fiction, though their general fiction submissions usually don’t exceed 5,000 words. Besides flash fiction, they are also open to translations, young adult fiction, and visual art submissions.
Smokelong Quarterly – Founded in 2003, this publisher has carved out a niche for itself as a leading platform for flash fiction, focusing on pieces short enough to be read during a cigarette break. They specialize in stories that are under 1,000 words.
Fractured Lit – They are open for submissions year-round and welcome all writers. They focus on microfiction (up to 400 words) and flash fiction (401-1,000 words), featuring new content on Mondays and Thursdays. Additionally, they host contests periodically throughout the year.
Cease, Cows – They accept flash fiction submissions with a maximum word count of 500 words. They’re looking for captivating and unique flash fiction pieces. Accepted authors are requested to wait for 60 days before submitting more work.
Ghost Parachute – This publisher is on the lookout for flash fiction that’s daring, surprising, and unapologetically authentic. They typically get back to authors within a two-week timeframe.
Milk Candy Review – Submit flash fiction as a Word doc. or docx. file or paste it into the email. Do not send PDF files or Google Docs. You can include a brief bio in the email, and submit only one story at a time.
Fabula Argentea – This publisher releases flash fiction and short stories every quarter online, covering a wide range of genres. They offer a flat payment rate: $8 for short stories and poems, $3 for flash fiction, and between $15 to $25 for longer pieces. They request a two-month window to make their publishing decisions.
Drunken Boat – This publisher is on the lookout for works that leverage the “medium of the web” as an integral part of their composition. This means they are interested in submissions that incorporate elements like video, sound, animation, and hypertext alongside traditional language. The approach is ambitious, but it has resulted in a collection of truly remarkable works.
The Southern Review – Be aware of the $3 service charge required for submissions; entries lacking this fee won’t be reviewed. Submit one story or essay for prose; separate submissions are necessary for both a story and an essay. While we seldom publish pieces exceeding 10,000 words, compensation entails $50 for the initial printed page and $25 for each ensuing printed page, capped at $200.
Jellyfish Review – This publisher is open to a wide range of emotions in flash fiction—whether it’s fun, sad, ugly, or beautiful, they’re interested. They also offer a quick turnaround time, aiming to inform authors of their decision within just 7 days.
Hobart – This publisher is highly active, releasing flash fiction and flash nonfiction nearly every day. They prefer submissions to be under 2,000 words but indicate that pieces under 1,000 words are even more desirable.
Electric Literature – They periodically open submission periods for short stories, essays, poetry, and comics through Submittable. Electric Literature members contributing $5 or more monthly gain year-round access to submissions across genres.
Nanoism – This publisher specializes in Twitter fiction, adhering to a strict 140-character limit for each story. They have been in the publishing game since 2009, curating ultra-short narratives for the social media age.
Pithead Chapel – They welcome one story per submission, including flash fiction, with a maximum word count of 4,000 words. Authors are requested to send only one submission at a time and to wait for a month before submitting a new piece if their previous submission is declined.
Lost Balloon – This one accepts flash fiction, flash nonfiction, and prose poetry of 1,000 words or less. They release a new piece every Wednesday without specific theme or genre restrictions, seeking engaging and boundary-pushing work that entertains, challenges, and resonates emotionally.
Paris Review – Submissions must be in English and not previously published. Translations are accepted with the original copy. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but prompt notification is required if the work is accepted elsewhere for publication.
The Offing – Contributors will receive a payment of $25-$100 upon publication, based on department and work length. Submissions should be original and previously unpublished in English. The magazine acquired the first serial rights worldwide in English, along with non-exclusive anthology rights.
3Elements – This publisher has a taste for edgy, character-driven stories and is also open to longer pieces, nonfiction, and poetry. They release their issues quarterly online. Unique to their submission process, they require that you incorporate three specific words (3 elements) into your story. Response times are generally within a couple of weeks.
Dime Show Review – This publisher is quite versatile, accepting not only flash fiction but also 10-word stories, poetry, and short stories. They even nominate pieces for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. Unique to them, each written work is paired with an original photograph to enhance the reader’s experience. While their stated response time is three months, be prepared for a potentially longer wait for a decision.
100-Word Story – This publisher focuses on the ultra-condensed form of microfiction, with a word limit of just 100 words per story. Each month, they post photo prompts and select one winning story for publication. In addition to fiction, they also feature book reviews, interviews, and essays on their platform.
Everyday Fiction – This platform is a go-to destination for flash fiction that caters to a wide audience, publishing stories frequently. One of its unique features is a categorized sidebar that allows readers to zero in on specific genres such as humor, horror, sci-fi, and literary pieces. They offer a nominal payment of $3 per accepted story.
McSweeney’s Quarterly – They welcome unsolicited submissions, though their limited resources mean responses may be delayed. Their scope covers fiction and nonfiction, with no strict guidelines. The length is entirely at your discretion.
Pank – Established by the renowned Roxane Gay, Pank enjoys a large and dedicated readership. While they don’t exclusively focus on flash fiction and don’t specify a word count limit on their website, the pieces they publish often lean towards the shorter side.
DecomP – They don’t specify a word limit for flash fiction, but with their regular fiction capped at 4,000 words, it’s safe to assume the limit for flash fiction is considerably lower. Additionally, they maintain an extensive archive of works going back to 2004.
Apple Valley Review – This publisher focuses on literary fiction with wide appeal and accepts submissions throughout the year. They publish two online issues annually. While their goal is to respond within a two-month timeframe, they often reply much sooner.
A-minor – This publisher is open to a variety of formats including flash fiction, short stories, and poetry. They have a particular interest in quirky, experimental, and genre-defying works. Response times typically range within a couple of months.
Trampset – Accepting short fiction (including excerpts from longer works), nonfiction (personal essays and cultural criticism), and poetry. The prose should not exceed 3,000 words. Up to three flash or micro pieces can be submitted together in a single document.
The New Yorker – To submit your work, send your submissions (as a PDF) via email, or you can opt for traditional mail by sending it to Fiction Editor, The New Yorker, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. They review all submissions within ninety days.
/temz/ Review – This publisher releases quarterly online issues and accepts a variety of fiction, including flash, short stories, and long-form pieces up to 10,000 words, as well as poetry—up to 8 pieces per submission. They offer a payment of $20 per story or batch of poems. The response time is generally a couple of months.
Literally Stories – This publisher specializes in stories ranging from 500 to 3,000 words and takes pride in their international reach. They aim for a quick turnaround, targeting a response time of 21 days or less.
The Citron Review – For flash fiction submissions, the word limit is 1000 words. Writers are allowed to submit up to two (2) flash-fiction pieces per quarter, and if submitting multiple selections, each should be attached as a separate document.
Cincinnati Review – For their weekly online flash feature, overseen by graduate-student editors, they request submissions of up to three pieces in one file. They specify that for fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid works, each piece should not exceed 500 words. In the case of poetry, poems with a maximum of 32 lines are accepted, and for drama, scripts of approximately three minutes in performance length are welcome.
Azure: A Journal of Literary Thought – This publisher accepts a wide range of literary works, including flash fiction, novellas, poetry, and narrative nonfiction, all of which can be submitted for consideration in their online magazine.
X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine – They consider fiction and creative nonfiction submissions of various lengths, but their preferred word counts fall within the ranges of 500-1200 words and 3000-6000 words.
American Short Fiction – This magazine publishes short fiction from established, new, and lesser-known authors in contemporary literature. Alongside its tri-annual print magazine, the publication features online stories under 2,000 words.
No Contact – They encourage familiarizing yourself with their previous issues before submitting. They seek engaging pieces under 1200 words, with a slight flexibility for longer pieces. They only accept original, unpublished work and exclude pieces that have been posted on personal blogs.
After the Pause – This publisher welcomes both flash fiction and poetry submissions for their quarterly digital publication. They have a preference for pieces that are authentic, gritty, or even outlandish. Although they aim to respond within 10 days, the decision-making process may occasionally take longer.
Cheap Pop – They host a micro-fiction contest with a word limit of 500, open to all genres. They publish a range of four to eight pieces monthly.
Flash Fiction Online – Despite questionable graphic design in their annual anthology for the past three years, they deliver high-quality content. They’re open to reprint submissions and are among the few that offer professional payment rates for stories, at six cents a word.
HAD – Submissions for this publisher are not bound by a specific theme, but they adopt a unique approach. They open submissions for brief periods to respond within 24 hours, even though it occurs sporadically and without fixed schedules.
Fiction Southeast – Boasting contributions from notable writers such as Joyce Carol Oates and Donald Ray Pollock, they focus on fiction pieces under 1,500 words. They also host the Ernest Hemingway Flash Fiction Prize.
Okay Donkey – They accept only one flash fiction submission per author per submission period. Flash fiction should not exceed 1,200 words and should be formatted in a standard 12-point font with double spacing. Submissions can be in Word doc, docx, Google doc, or PDF format and should include a brief third-person bio and an optional short cover letter.
Ruminate – This publisher offers a diverse range of content, featuring flash fiction, short stories, essays, and poetry in their quarterly print journal. If you’re a poet, you can submit between 3-5 poems, and those who write creative nonfiction can submit pieces up to 5,500 words. The pay rate is $20 per 400 words for prose. Though they aim to make a decision on submissions, keep in mind that the response time could be up to four months.
Flash Frontier – Seeking diverse and unique pieces that captivate and resonate. Surprise, haunt, and captivate us with your carefully chosen words. Craft compelling narratives in a compact form. We only accept unpublished stories; prior publication in any other medium disqualifies the submission.
Wigleaf – This publisher hosts the Top 50 Very Short Fictions competition, making it an excellent venue for discovering outstanding short-shorts and new literary journals. They accept stories under 1,000 words and update their content weekly. They’re also frequently featured in StorySouth’s Million Writers Awards.
The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts – This platform is keen on condensed storytelling styles as suggested by its name. They accept flash fiction pieces that are up to 600 words long. Additionally, they welcome an innovative three-column story format known as a triptych, alongside essays and poetry.
CRAFT – This publisher offers $100 for original flash fiction and is also open to reprints. The typical response time is around a couple of months.
3 AM Magazine – Besides showcasing fiction and poetry, this publisher also features a blog, reviews, interviews, and essays. They’re particularly interested in experimental fiction, with a word limit set at 2,500 words.
Into the Void – Facing a high volume of submissions, Into the Void has implemented a quota system for each reading period, offering a limited number of free submissions. Once the quota is reached, a $5 fee is applied for any additional submissions. While they aim to respond within six weeks, it can sometimes take a bit longer.
Molotov Cocktail – Specializing exclusively in flash fiction, this publisher seeks stories that you’d “cook up in a bathtub and handle with rubber gloves.” Their submission guidelines are as entertaining as the content they seek. You can usually expect a response within a couple of months.
Five on the Fifth – This publisher releases five short stories every fifth of the month. They are open to both flash fiction and longer pieces up to 5,000 words, including works in various genres. Their goal is to respond to submissions within a month.
Atlas & Alice – They are interested in self-contained stories, including novel excerpts that can stand alone, with a maximum length of 4,000 words. They also welcome flash fiction, with up to three pieces allowed in a single document, each piece being less than 750 words. They request to include the total word count at the beginning of the submission.
Passages North – They accept submissions of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, hybrids, and short shorts across genres. With a commitment to LGBTQIA+ communities, Black Lives Matter, and abolitionist movements, they encourage submissions from BIPOC, disabled, economically marginalized, queer, and trans writers.
Ploughshares – They accept both fiction and nonfiction submissions under 7,500 words, including excerpts from longer works. Longer pieces ranging from 7,500 to 20,000 words can be submitted specifically for the Ploughshares Fall Longform Issue.
Atticus Review – This publisher has a preference for boundary-pushing authors who aren’t shy about experimenting with genres or delving into dark and subversive themes. Although they typically aim to respond within a three-month timeframe, patience may be needed.
Brevity – Specializing in flash nonfiction, Brevity has amassed an impressive roster of well-known authors. They’re on the hunt for submissions that are under 750 words and offer a payment of $45 for each accepted piece.
upstreet – They offer payment ranging from $50 to $250 for each accepted piece, along with a complimentary copy. The typical response time is less than six weeks, but it’s often even quicker, within two weeks.
Kenyon Review – They accept previously unpublished short fiction and essays (up to 7,500 words), flash fiction and essays (up to 3 pieces, up to 1,000 words each; combined in a single document), poetry (up to 6 poems; combined in a single document), plays (up to 30 pages double-spaced), and excerpts (up to 30 pages double-spaced) from larger works.
Flash Fiction Magazine – True to its word, this publisher offers a daily dose of flash fiction, making it an excellent source for avid readers. As a bonus for subscribing to their email list, they provide a complimentary ebook filled with a diverse collection of flash fiction stories.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this list of websites, literary journals, and magazines interested in flash narratives from fiction writers. I will do my best to keep this list updated and only include existing platforms that are accepting submissions. Please send your work to as many of them as possible, and soon you’ll get a handle on it. There’s always a thirst for new voices in literature so I suggest you keep on writing and publishing. After this piece, you might be interested in perusing a list of more websites that pay you to write. or my huge publishing companies database.
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Rafal Reyzer
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