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Electric Spec

About

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Electric Spec is a not-for-profit speculative fiction magazine published four times per year. Our primary goal is getting great speculative fiction into the hands (or screens) of readers. Since 2005, we've been publishing short stories from authors all over the world. We've worked with all kinds of authors, from published professionals to new writers. We also believe in the value of the editorial process, and we edit every story we publish.

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

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States Established in 2005

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 4 x per year.

Fiction Open

We prefer science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres.

Rolling Submissions:

Next cutoff date is 15 April 2025* (approx. 68 days from now). 2

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:
GenreSubgenres
Fantasy FantasyOpen to all/most Subgenres.
Horror HorrorOpen to all/most Subgenres.
Science Fiction Science FictionOpen to all/most Subgenres.
Lengths:
Flash Fiction Flash Fiction250 - 1,000 words.
Short Story Short Story1,000 - 7,000 words.
Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) to Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) Pay ranges from Token payment to Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $20.

Submissions:

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


Visual Art Open

We prefer energetic pieces that narrow the boundary between realism and fantastical, both in genre and style.

Rolling Submissions:

Next cutoff date is 15 April 2025* (approx. 68 days from now). 0

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:
Artwork Artwork
Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media. Excluding: Cartoon/Comic strip.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles, including: Fantastical, Science fiction art.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Token payment (under US$10 per piece) to Semi-pro payment (US$10-49 per piece) Pay ranges from Token payment to Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $20.

Submissions:

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


Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

Electric Spec Submission Statistics — Free Preview!

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.
AccuracyWe have received 195 reports from 143 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported0 min | 52.2 mean avg | 45.0 median | 441 max days (469.3 std dev)
Responses89.74 %
Acceptances2.05 % of submissions accepted (46.3 avg. days per acceptance) | 2.80 % 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.
Rejections87.69 % (40.9 avg. days per rejection) | 12.3 % personal, 70.2 % form, 17.5 % unspecified | 0.5 % shortlisted
Non-Responses10.26 %
Lost/Returned-
Never Responded3.08 % (253.7 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)
Withdrawals7.18 % (23.6 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending18 responses are pending (1 min | 46.1 mean avg | 12.0 median | 266 max days waiting | 321.7 std dev) from 18 different members This only includes pending reports from users who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The editors request that you don't query on the status of your submission.
Submissions are acknowledged within 17 days on average.
Most recent response reported was received on 04 Feb 2025.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 14 Jan 2025.

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Your Submissions

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Dates

Last Updated: 17 Dec 2024
Last Audited: 09 Oct 2024. (We audit each active listing twice a year. Learn more at link.)
Date Added: 15 Nov 2005

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.