3 Themed Publications With High Pay Rates Looking for Authors in September 2020

3 Themed Publications With High Pay Rates Looking for Authors in September 2020

Unfortunately, beginning writers often don’t get paid for their work. Publications will try to tell you that “it’s an opportunity” for you to have your work published with them, that they shouldn’t have to pay you.

While it’s true that you sometimes do have to publish your work for free early on in your career, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.

This week, we’re sharing 3 publications paying their authors for their work–and paying them a relatively competitive rate. Each of these publications pays $0.08/word. While you won’t get rich quick through lit mag publications alone, wouldn’t you rather publish with someone who recognizes the value of your work (and earn some cash on the side)?

The themes of these publications are perfect for those of you writing about:

  • Ghosts, horror, and fantasy
  • Environmental justice
  • Science fiction and East Asia

Do note that the deadlines for all of these publications are coming up within the next two weeks. 

Need help getting your work ready? Learn more about how we can help you prepare your work for submission fast.  Hop into our calendar for a consultation call.

Deadlines too tight? Not the themes you’re looking for?

We put out a curated list of the latest publishing opportunities each week. Be sure to check back here in 7 days for 3 more opportunities! Or, you can get on our mailing list to have this list delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss a publishing opportunity again. Click below to sign up.

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Flame Tree Publishing: Terrifying Ghosts

Who they are: Flaming Tree Publishing is an award-winning global independent publisher of fiction, art, music, and lifestyle content. They have published work for the Tate Museum and The Royal Academy of Arts and have worked in association with HarperCollins. Their imprint Flame Tree Press publishes novels and anthologies in the genre of horror, suspense, sci-fi, fantasy, crime, fantasy, and mystery.

What they publish: Their new short fiction anthology is themed ‘Terrifying Ghosts’ Their website elaborates: “Ghastly castles, haunted mansions, shadowy forests and long, dark corridors… This new addition to the Gothic Fantasy series will be packed with tales of terror, bringing together the new and the familiar, the unusual and the unexpected.” Previously published work is okay.

Word Count: 2,000-4,000 words

Pay: $0.08/word  (4,000 words = $320)

Deadline: September 20, 2020

Get more information and submit here. 


Reckoning 5: Environmental Justice

Who they are: Reckoning is a nonprofit annual journal of creative writing on environmental justice.

What they publish: They are looking for creative writing about environmental justice. They say “Fiction preferably at least a tiny bit speculative, nonfiction preferably more creative than journalistic, poetry tending towards the narrative and preferably with some thematic heft, art leaning away from the pulpy heavily towards the political. But the heart of what we want is your searingly personal, visceral, idiosyncratic understanding of the world and the people in it as it has been, as it is, as it will be, as it could be, as a consequence of humanity’s relationship with the earth.”

Who they publish: They are “actively seeking work from Indigenous writers and artists, writers and artists of color, queer and transgender writers and artists, and anyone who has suffered the consequences, intended or otherwise, of dominant society’s systemic disconnect with and mistreatment of the natural world.”

Word count: Up to 20,000 words

Pay: $0.08/word  (20,000 words = $1600)

Deadline: September 22, 2020

Read their guidelines here.

Submit your work here. 


Future Science Fiction Digest: Envision the future of the East Asia region in an optimistic, positive way

Who they are: Future Science Fiction Digest is a quarterly science fiction magazine.

What they publish: “For this call we’re seeking science fiction stories that envision the future of the East Asia region in an optimistic, positive way. No dystopias, please. You can interpret this widely, but the theme has to be at the core of the story. It isn’t enough that the story be merely set in the region.”

Wordcount: Length: 500-10,000 words (under 5,000 words strongly preferred)

Pay: $0.08/word  (5,000 words = $400)

Deadline: September 30, 2020

Read their guidelines and submit your work here. 


Is your work ready for publication?

Thousands of writers submit for very few publication spots. Editors can’t–and won’t–read past your first five pages if it’s not quality work. If you’re unsure whether or not your work is ready, we can help.

You can sign up for our five page review here to get feedback and professional editing on your work so it’s ready to publish.

Check out how our services helped Lauren get a short story published in an anthology:

3 Themed Publications With High Pay Rates Looking for Authors in September 2020

3 Writing Contests Paying Up To $5,000 in September 2020

Want to make money writing, but tired of dealing with agents and publishing houses?

Here’s an idea: submit your work to writing contests. 

Writing contests are great ways to get paid for your writing without having to navigate the complicated world of publishing houses and agents.

You submit your work, if it’s good enough, you get published and paid. That simple.

But which are worth submitting to? How do you find high-paying, respectable contests?

An agent in our network passed us these three contests that pay well and are published by highly-respected organizations and journals. Check them out below.

Deadline too tight? Not the themes you’re looking for?

We put out a curated list of the latest publishing opportunities each week. Be sure to check back here in 7 days for 3 more contests! Or, you can get on our mailing list to have this list delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss a publishing opportunity again. Click below to sign up.

Get Weekly Publishing Opportunities


Gulf Coast: The Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing

Who they are: Gulf Coast is a nationally distributed journal of Literature and Fine Arts housed within the University of Houston’s English Department, home to one of the US’s top-ranked creative writing programs. Gulf Coast differs from many other literary journals in its commitment to exploring visual art and critical art writing.

What they publish: For this contest, they will accept a variety of creative approaches and formats to writing on the visual arts, including exhibition reviews, thematic essays, and scholarly essays.

Word Count: Up to 1,500 words

Prize: First prize: $3000; Runners up (2): $1,000

Deadline: September 15, 2020

Submittable link: Click Here

More info and guidelines: Click here


Casa Africa Essay Prize: Climate Change in Africa: Climate change in Africa

Who they are: Casa Africa is a Spanish government organization which aims to promote “good understanding and trust between Spain and Africa, and strengthen” Hispano-African relations through dissemination, educational and cultural activities. They run an essay contest each year.

What they publish: For this contest, they want essays on climate change, its effects on the African continent, future trends and, especially, the way in which this threat is being fought. The essays may be presented in any of the following languages: Spanish, English, French or Portuguese.

Word count: 15,000-20,000 words

Deadline: September 17, 2020

Prize: €2,000

Read their guidelines and submit your work here. 


Dzanc Books Prizes

Who they are: Dzanc Books is an award-winning independent press and non-profit 501(c)3 organization committed to outstanding fiction and nonfiction. Their mission is to “advance great writing and to impact communities nationally with our efforts to promote literary readership and advocacy of creative writing workshops and readings offered across the country.”

What they publish: They have several open contests:

  • the Prize for Fiction, which recognizes novels that are daring, original, and innovative, and offers a $5,000 advance and publication;
  • the Short Story Collection, which seeks well-crafted and powerful book-length collections and offers a $2,000 advance and publication;
  • This year, we will offer a Diverse Voices Prize, seeking book-length literary fiction and nonfiction from writers in minority, underrepresented, or marginalized communities. The Diverse Voices Prize offers a $3,000 advance and publication.

Prize: $5,000, $2,000 and $3,000

Deadline: September 30, 2020

Read their guidelines and submit your work here. 


Is your work good enough to win these high-stakes competitions?

With big prizes comes big competition. Your work needs to be airtight if you want to even think about winning. If you’re not confident that your work is ready, we can help.

Run your work by an experienced writing coach and get professional feedback and editing so you can submit with confidence. Learn more about how we can help you prepare your work for submission and hop into our calendar for a consultation call.

Check out how our services helped Lauren get a short story published in an anthology:

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