The Fairtales

Fledgling Listing: This project is new and has been listed with us for less than six months.

About

The Fairtales won’t hold your hand.
We believe stories should both comfort but also challenge. This is a space for fiction and non-fiction that wrestles with fairness in all its forms: social, economic, philosophical, human.
Based in Frankfurt, The Fairtales publishes writing that cuts through noise and digs into what matters. From sharp short stories to essays on systems and society, we care about clear voices, original ideas, and bold perspectives.
We publish emerging and established writers from anywhere — but we’re especially here for voices from underrepresented groups. We publish winning stories to give new writers a platform beyond borders. Stay tuned for our competitions!
We like stories that are smart. Stories that take risks. Stories that don’t flinch.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for some submissions. They charge fees for some calls.
The fee is EUR €5 (above average for magazines that charge).

Country of Publication & Year Established

Germany

Established in 2026

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Unknown publication frequency

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

11 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Regular Speed: The Fairtales's overall average response time is within a normal range for magazines.
More Approachable: The Fairtales's overall acceptance rate is higher than most magazines.
More Responsive: The Fairtales's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines.

Learn more about our statistics

Collapse section Fiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 500 words; Up to 2 pieces.
Short Story: 1,000 - 1,500 words; Up to 2 pieces.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Philosophy: See guidelines.
Society/Culture: Social issues, See guidelines.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: EUR €25 for 500 words or less; €50 for over 1000 words.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 500 words; Up to 2 pieces.
Essay: 1,000 - 1,500 words; Up to 2 pieces.
Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 500 words; Up to 2 pieces.
Narrative Nonfiction: 1,000 - 1,500 words; Up to 2 pieces.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Economics: General, See guidelines.
Philosophy: General, See guidelines.
Society/Culture: Social issues, See guidelines.

Payment:

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
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.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for The Fairtales

Go to publication's website

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social Platforms:
None known

For the Editor(s):
Link to Duotrope

The Fairtales 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:

Group by submission

Accuracy

We have received 17 reports from 17 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Days Reported

3 min | 62.5 mean avg | 59.0 median | 99 max days (27.8 std dev)

Responses

76.47 %

Acceptances:

11.76 % of submissions accepted (59.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 11.76 % of submitters accepted

Rejections:

64.71 % (74.3 avg. days per rejection) | 72.7 % personal, 27.3 % form, 0.0 % unspecified

Non-Responses

0.00 %

Lost/Returned:

Never Responded:

Withdrawals

23.53 % (27.0 avg. days per withdrawal)

Pending

4 responses are pending (38 min | 60.3 mean avg | 62.0 median | 79 max days waiting | 21.8 std dev) from 4 different members

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 30 days. (88.2 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 30 days.)
The most common submission fee paid: EUR €5.00. (90.5 % of reports specified whether they paid a fee; of those, 10.5 % paid fees.)
Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 07 Jul 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 29 Apr 2026.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 04:10 UTC (5 hours, 35 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: 10 Sep 2026

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