Saddlebag Dispatches A project of Roan & Weatherford About If you like stories of the West, you’ve come to the right place. But we don’t just tell stories of the Old West. If a tale takes place west of the Mississippi and has the spirit of the Old West in it—even if it involves pickups and highways instead of horses and dusty trails—this is where it belongs. In addition to fiction, we publish the best nonfiction about the West as well as poetry, interviews, and…well, pretty much anything to do with the West. Are you getting the idea we like things western?Saddlebag Dispatches is seeking original, previously-unpublished short stories, serial novels, poetry, and non-fiction articles about the West. These will have themes of open country, unforgiving nature, struggles to survive and settle the land, freedom from authority, cooperation with fellow adventurers, and other experiences that human beings encounter on the frontier. Traditional westerns are set west of the Mississippi River between the end of the American Civil War and the turn of the twentieth century. The western is not limited to that time, however. The essence is openness and struggle. These things are happening now as much as they were in the years gone by. Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s). Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 2014 Publication Media & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 3 x per yearPrint Publication Print PublicationPublished 3 x per year AI Policy Unknown AI policy Statistics Synopsis Slower Saddlebag Dispatches's overall average response time is slower than most magazines. Collapse section Fiction Open Dates: Rolling Deadlines: Check cutoff dates.Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Americans, People in a specific region.Genres: Western Open to all/most SubgenresLengths: Short Story: 2,000 - 4,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.Topics: Agriculture/Agricultural Sciences: See guidelines. History: History of countries/regions. Nature/Environment: Nature, See guidelines. Place/Regions: Specific region. Other: May vary.Payment:Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) Token payment. Details: USD $10-$20.Submissions:Method: Email. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Open Dates: Rolling Deadlines: Check cutoff dates.Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Americans, People in a specific region.Lengths: Article: 1,500 - 2,500 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.Topics: Agriculture/Agricultural Sciences: See guidelines. History: History of countries/regions. Nature/Environment: Nature, See guidelines. Place/Regions: Specific region. Other: May vary.Payment:Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) Token payment. Details: USD $10-$20.Submissions:Method: Email. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Open Dates: Rolling Deadlines: Check cutoff dates.Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Americans, People in a specific region.Genres: Western Open to all/most SubgenresLengths: Poem: Up to 30 lines.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.Topics: Agriculture/Agricultural Sciences: See guidelines. History: History of countries/regions. Nature/Environment: Nature, See guidelines. Place/Regions: Specific region. Other: May vary.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Email. 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. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook FacebookFacebook Facebook Support this Publisher: Buy Book(s) For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Saddlebag Dispatches 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 6 reports from 6 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 49 min | 102.2 mean avg | 100.0 median | 166 max days (44.1 std dev) Pending 3 responses are pending (52 min | 92.3 mean avg | 80.0 median | 145 max days waiting | 45.7 std dev) from 3 different members 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 31 Aug 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 29 Jun 2026. Date compiled: 05 Sep 2026 05:24 UTC (7 hours, 39 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! 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