Thrilling Words

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions (April 2020). We provide the following information as an archive.

About

Every fiction publisher has a purpose for being, a guiding principle that shapes their decisions, and ultimately the nature of their publications. Speculative Fiction can be powerful, opening up new ways of seeing the world, while challenging the readers preconceived notions. It can be groundbreaking, experimenting in new ways to tell stories, adding to the very art of writing. And, sometimes, Speculative Fiction can just be fun. It’s this last one that is Thrilling Words’ reason for being. Not that we don’t like big ideas and experimental writing, just that we believe the first duty of entertainment is to entertain. Anything beyond that is a cherry on top of the thrilling story sundae. Sometimes the story about fighting Nazi dinosaurs with laser swords is a biting political critique. And sometimes it’s just about fighting Nazi dinosaurs with laser swords. As long as there are laser swords, we’re on board. But it’s not just fun stories, Thrilling Words is dedicated to promoting a type of fiction, the episodic story. Episodic fiction exists in the place between stand-alone fiction and serialized stories. Each episodic piece can be read as a self-contained story, but, together, they expand upon an idea or fictional world. The best episodic fiction builds a larger story by spreading outward from a central point, instead of traveling down a single narrative line. And it’s this type of storytelling that we publish at Thrilling Words.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 2019

Publication Media & Frequency

Audio Publication Audio Publication: Published 52 x per year
Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Published 52 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication: Published 1 x per year

Fiction Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words; 2 pieces.
Short Story: 1,000 - 4,000 words; 2 pieces.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word).
Note: We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.

Submissions:

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

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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Thrilling Words 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.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

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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: 22 May 2026