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Close to the Bone Magazine

A project of Close to the Bone Publishing (see other related projects).

About

Our aim is simply to bring you gritty and interesting short fiction across multiple genres from a range of talented writers.

Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication

United Kingdom

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Unknown publication frequency

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

Statistics Synopsis

Faster
Close to the Bone Magazine's overall average response time is faster than most magazines.
More Approachable
Close to the Bone Magazine's overall acceptance rate is higher than most magazines.
More Responsive
Close to the Bone Magazine's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines.

Collapse section Fiction Open

Audience:

Adults.

Genres:

Mystery/Crime Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Crime, Noir

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: 500 - 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.
Media: Text.

Expand section Poetry Closed

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Close to the Bone Magazine Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 14 reports from 14 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
0 min | 4.9 mean avg | 5.0 median | 16 max days (3.8 std dev)
Responses
92.86 %
Acceptances:
64.29 % of submissions accepted (5.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 64.29 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here.
Rejections:
28.57 % (7.8 avg. days per rejection) | 50.0 % personal, 0.0 % form, 50.0 % unspecified
Non-Responses
0.00 %
Lost/Returned:
-
Never Responded:
-
Withdrawals
7.14 % (0.0 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending
1 response is pending (54 days waiting). This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

Most recent response reported was received on 07 Sep 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 31 Aug 2026.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 08:10 UTC (1 hour, 36 minutes ago).
View report of recent responses from this project

Work submitted here was also submitted to...

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 11 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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