Dark Discoveries and other open markets

Dark Discoveries is a great market for horror writers, but it has been closed to submissions for a while. However, anyone who subscribes to editor James Beach's newsletter already knows that the magazine has reopened to subs. It is also now a higher-paying market. Here are the full details from the newsletter (the new guidelines aren't available on the website yet):

DARK DISCOVERIES MAGAZINE RE-OPENING FOR SUBMISSIONS (HIGHER PAY RATES): I'm opening the doors once again for submissions. There are all-new guidelines with a higher pay rate ($.03 to $.05 a word with a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $150 with a 500 to 5000 word range). I'm also no longer accepting simultaneous submissions and will be a bit tougher on proper formatting.

I'm still looking to bump the rates up to $.05 a word starting 2010 if we can make our subscription drive goal of 75 one-year subscriptions. We're almost half way there so please consider subscribing or renewing if you are able to.

In nonpaying market news, Fissure and Twisted Dreams are both currently open to fiction submissions. Twisted Dreams just reopened last week, and Fissure closes to subs November 1st.

Mayfly (which pays $10/haiku) is also currently open to submissions, and if you want a chance for your poem to appear in the winter issue, be sure to submit by December 15th.

My friend and fellow writer Brent Borge saw Zombieland last weekend when it opened -- check out his review.

Some non-paying flash fiction markets

Yeah, yeah, I know... we all want to get paid for our writing. But sometimes you see a magazine that you think would be cool to write for, or sometimes you just recognize it as a good chance for exposure. Either way, here are a few non-paying markets for flash fiction:

- Eclectic Flash: Wants submissions of just about anything, "regardless of style or genre," under 1000 words. Prefers unpublished submissions but will consider reprints. Only accepts submissions by email.

- Flashes in the Dark: Wants horror fiction under 1000 words. Is nonpaying now, but hopes to be able to pay in the future. Accepts simultaneous submissions and reprints.

- MicroHorror: Aims to be "the Web's premier free repository for horror microfiction." Accepts simultaneous submissions and reprints under 666 words. Will provide a bio and link to contributors' sites.

- Twisted Dreams Magazine: Wants horror and dark fiction under 1500 words. Pays one PDF copy. Currently closed to submissions, but reopens October 2nd.

For those looking for paying markets, NewMyths.com has just raised their pay rates. They now pay $15-40 for fiction, $15 for poetry, and $40 for nonfiction and artwork. On acceptance.

Non-paying markets

A lot of writers overlook the value of publishing in magazines or journals (online or in print) that don't pay contributors. Many great magazines have started off as non-paying, simply because they could not afford it. But as a writer, having your work appear in magazines can be reward enough -- either as the almighty ego boost, or just exposure to get your name out there. Also, many online venues will post a link to your blog or website and let you promote your books or other merchandise.

Here are a few non-paying speculative markets that I have found to be reputable and easy to work with:

- Black Petals
- Cemetery Moon - pays 1 copy
- Sinister Tales - pays leading story $125 and leading poem $25
- The Ashen Eye
- Twisted Dreams Magazine
- Twisted Tongue Magazine - pays for Editor's Choice award, all others free PDF and link
- Visionary Tongue - pays 1 copy

If you're looking for a great online repository of short horror stories, check out MicroHorror.com. The site is loaded with stories short enough to read in one sitting. Editor Nathan Rosen just added my story, "Shelter," to the site this month.

And if you're in the mood for a good poem, read "A Tan Dog Standing" by Julie Jordan Hanson, found online at the Michigan Quarterly Review archives. This is one of the finest poems I've read in a long time, and although it's not speculative, I think you'll enjoy it.