Short Reads

About

Short Reads is a free literary magazine emailed every Wednesday morning featuring flash nonfiction.
Each edition of Short Reads is a snack in your inbox, an invitation to take a little break but not to open yet another tab in your browser. The world throws a lot of information and noise at us, a lot of the time, and flash can be an antidote for that: a brief time-out that can take you out of yourself.
Short Reads showcases a mix of original essays and previously published pieces—work that appeared only in print or in now-defunct publications, or that we’re excited to bring to a new audience of readers. We hope the work we feature will make you think about something a little differently or see the world through fresh eyes and come back changed.

Important: You must subscribe to the publication (free option available) before submitting. They accept reprints for certain submission periods.

Submission Caps: They may close to submissions early if they reach their quota.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 2023

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Published 52 x per year

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

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Statistics Synopsis

Regular Speed: Short Reads's overall average response time is within a normal range for magazines.
Normal Acceptance: Short Reads's overall acceptance rate is within a normal range for magazines.
Responsive: Short Reads's overall rate of non-response is within a normal range for magazines.

Learn more about our statistics

Nonfiction Open

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 31 October 2026* (approx. 45 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 1,250 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: USD $100 for original pieces; $25 for reprints.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
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.

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Short Reads 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.

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Accuracy

We have received 35 reports from 34 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Days Reported

7 min | 52.7 mean avg | 47.0 median | 140 max days (127.8 std dev)

Responses

88.57 %

Acceptances:

8.57 % of submissions accepted (48.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 8.82 % of submitters accepted

Rejections:

80.00 % (49.3 avg. days per rejection) | 32.1 % personal, 53.6 % form, 14.3 % unspecified

Non-Responses

2.86 %

Lost/Returned:

Never Responded:

2.86 % (126.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)

Withdrawals

8.57 % (34.7 avg. days per withdrawal)

Pending

10 responses are pending (0 min | 94.8 mean avg | 95.0 median | 331 max days waiting | 88.1 std dev) from 10 different members

Other Information

Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 12 Aug 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 13 Jun 2026.
Date compiled: 16 Sep 2026 16:37 UTC (7 hours, 18 minutes ago).

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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: 16 Sep 2026

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