Markets for Horror Fiction

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Senor_Biggles

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Sep 13, 2015
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I've recently completed a horror story which comes in at approx. 12K words and no matter what I do I can't hack it done any further than that. I want to start subbing it around but there seem to be very few markets that cater for short horror fiction over 5k and even fewer over 10k.

Does any anybody have any suggestions for any interesting magazines/websites that might consider something of this length?
 

Mr Nobody

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2008
3,306
9,050
Walsall, England
Seems you'll have to sell it as a novelette rather than a short story (even if you could knock it down to 9-10k).
A quick check of The Submissions Grinder (keyed on Horror genre, currently open to subs and accepting stories of 12k words) threw up the following:
Clarkesworld Magazine
Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF)
Ghosts on Drugs
Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show
East of the Web Horror Imprint
Spark: a creative anthology
STRAEON

There were about 55 others, all bar 5 stating a pay rate of either zero or less than 1c per word. That remaining 5 haven't disclosed a pay scale, while the ones listed above state they pay between 1 and 8c per word (descending order, so Clarkesworld pays most, STRAEON least).
 

Senor_Biggles

Well-Known Member
Sep 13, 2015
188
878
51
Seems you'll have to sell it as a novelette rather than a short story (even if you could knock it down to 9-10k).
A quick check of The Submissions Grinder (keyed on Horror genre, currently open to subs and accepting stories of 12k words) threw up the following:
Clarkesworld Magazine
Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF)
Ghosts on Drugs
Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show
East of the Web Horror Imprint
Spark: a creative anthology
STRAEON

There were about 55 others, all bar 5 stating a pay rate of either zero or less than 1c per word. That remaining 5 haven't disclosed a pay scale, while the ones listed above state they pay between 1 and 8c per word (descending order, so Clarkesworld pays most, STRAEON least).

Thanks for the Info Mr Nobody, much appreciated. I was using Duotrope previously and it came up wanting, guess I need to switch to The Submissions Grinder. Clarkesworld surprised me, form previous experience I thought their upper word limit was around the 8k mark, have they increased that recently do you know? Not sure it's quite right for FS&F and probably going to skip OSCIMS as well, from memory they frown heavily on profanity (my story is about a group of builders and assorted tradesmen in South London, so it sort of goes with the territory). Definitely going to check out the other suggestions though. I've finished another story since my original post on this subject, thankfully that one has come in under 5k.
 

Senor_Biggles

Well-Known Member
Sep 13, 2015
188
878
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Thanks Prufrock, as I mentioned I seem to recall Clarkesworld used to have a much smaller word limit so I was pleasantly surprised to find they're considering up to 16k now. Submitted story yesterday.
 
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Mr Nobody

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2008
3,306
9,050
Walsall, England
Thanks for the Info Mr Nobody, much appreciated. I was using Duotrope previously and it came up wanting, guess I need to switch to The Submissions Grinder. Clarkesworld surprised me, form previous experience I thought their upper word limit was around the 8k mark, have they increased that recently do you know? Not sure it's quite right for FS&F and probably going to skip OSCIMS as well, from memory they frown heavily on profanity (my story is about a group of builders and assorted tradesmen in South London, so it sort of goes with the territory). Definitely going to check out the other suggestions though. I've finished another story since my original post on this subject, thankfully that one has come in under 5k.

Yeah, I used to use Duotrope back when it was free. Once they switched to the subscription model I had to leave it alone, despite the subscription amount only being fairly low. Fortunately, though, The Subs Grinder popped up as an alternative.
I've no idea if or when Clarkesworld increased their limit, tbh, so I can't be any help there. If they've doubled their word limit, though, that can't be a bad thing...particularly if your story does land there!
Good luck with it (and the new one).
 
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Senor_Biggles

Well-Known Member
Sep 13, 2015
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Yeah, I used to use Duotrope back when it was free. Once they switched to the subscription model I had to leave it alone, despite the subscription amount only being fairly low. Fortunately, though, The Subs Grinder popped up as an alternative.
I've no idea if or when Clarkesworld increased their limit, tbh, so I can't be any help there. If they've doubled their word limit, though, that can't be a bad thing...particularly if your story does land there!
Good luck with it (and the new one).

And of course the great the great thing about Clarkesworld is they don't keep you hanging on, rejection received less than twenty four hours after submitting. Still, at least I have a few places to shop it around now, liking The Subs Grinder a lot.
 
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Mr Nobody

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2008
3,306
9,050
Walsall, England
Ouch. Still, better than being left dangling for weeks or months at a time (one of mine was out for almost a year, though that didn't look all that untypical and my hopes were raised due to the fact that most of the longer waits had resulted in acceptance; of course mine turned out to be one of the rejected ones).
Looks like you've taken my approach, though: aim high and work your way down. It can be a bit dispiriting but keep plugging away. In the end, even if it doesn't sell you can add it to a collection and put it up on Amazon (or Smashwords, or iBooks, or all three. Why not?)
 
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Senor_Biggles

Well-Known Member
Sep 13, 2015
188
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In other news, a story I submitted to the Tales to Terrify podcast in November 2014 has now been recorded and is due to air 31st March. The wheels of the slush pile grind slowly. Question for the moderators, I know we can’t post links to anything we’re selling but Tales to Terrify is a free podcast, so once this is up will it be okay for me to post a link to it?
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
44,082
175,641
New Zealand
In other news, a story I submitted to the Tales to Terrify podcast in November 2014 has now been recorded and is due to air 31st March. The wheels of the slush pile grind slowly. Question for the moderators, I know we can’t post links to anything we’re selling but Tales to Terrify is a free podcast, so once this is up will it be okay for me to post a link to it?
Congratulations, that's great news! (I think it will probably be fine but will tag Moderator just to be sure.)
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
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Just north of Duma Key
In other news, a story I submitted to the Tales to Terrify podcast in November 2014 has now been recorded and is due to air 31st March. The wheels of the slush pile grind slowly. Question for the moderators, I know we can’t post links to anything we’re selling but Tales to Terrify is a free podcast, so once this is up will it be okay for me to post a link to it?
Congratulations!! :m_applause:
 
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Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
Jul 10, 2006
52,243
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Maine
In other news, a story I submitted to the Tales to Terrify podcast in November 2014 has now been recorded and is due to air 31st March. The wheels of the slush pile grind slowly. Question for the moderators, I know we can’t post links to anything we’re selling but Tales to Terrify is a free podcast, so once this is up will it be okay for me to post a link to it?
Yes, that would be okay and congratulations!