Lost Balloon Magazine About Lost Balloon launched on February 1st, 2017. The site’s name was inspired by those small and sad but whimsical moments in life: the birthday balloon that slips from your fingers and floats into the horizon, or the dropped ice cream cone.Pieces from the magazine have been anthologized in Best Small Fictions (Sonder Press), and Best Microfiction (Pelekinesis Press). They have been long-listed for the Wigleaf Top 50 (Very) Short Fictions and for Best of the Net. Voluntary Fees: This project accepts voluntary fees for "tip jar" submissions. Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 2017 Publication Medium & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 52 x per year AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Statistics Synopsis Regular Speed Lost Balloon Magazine's overall average response time is within a normal range for magazines. More ChallengingLost Balloon Magazine's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines. More ResponsiveLost Balloon Magazine's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines. Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed Dates:Will be open to submissions from 01 October 2026* (approx. 15 days from now) through 07 October 2026.1Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Open to all/most Genres, including: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed Dates:Will be open to submissions from 01 October 2026* (approx. 15 days from now) through 07 October 2026.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 1,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Temp Closed Dates:Will be open to submissions from 01 October 2026* (approx. 15 days from now) through 07 October 2026.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Open to all/most Genres, including: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known.Poetry Forms:Prose poetry.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. 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. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook Facebook For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Lost Balloon 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: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Group by submission Include outliers Accuracy We have received 50 reports from 46 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 6 min | 78.7 mean avg | 78.0 median | 160 max days (44.3 std dev) Responses 88.00 % Acceptances: 6.00 % of submissions accepted (78.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 6.52 % 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: 82.00 % (79.6 avg. days per rejection) | 24.4 % personal, 58.5 % form, 17.1 % unspecified Non-Responses 0.00 % Lost/Returned: - Never Responded: - Withdrawals 12.00 % (62.2 avg. days per withdrawal) Pending 29 responses are pending (40 min | 81.1 mean avg | 101.0 median | 106 max days waiting | 384.2 std dev) from 29 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The editors will try to make a decision within 90 days. (34.0 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 90 days.) Do not query on the status of your submission before 120 days have passed. The most common submission tip paid: USD $3.00. (18.6 % reported giving a tip.) Most submissions are acknowledged within one day. Most recent response reported was received on 04 Sep 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 06 Jun 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...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Before SubmittingWe 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. DatesLast Updated: 29 Aug 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only