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Tractor Beam

About

Tractor Beam is a fiction publication dedicated to soilpunk: radical visions of hopeful futures built from the ground up. Our stories explore audacious and provocative ideas around farming, food, earth science, and beyond, reimagining how humans can live more harmoniously with nature.

So let’s bring sci-fi down to earth–literally–and sow the seeds of a better tomorrow, today.

Tractor Beam seeks original written and graphic works set on a future Earth transformed by new approaches to soil. Literal or abstract, near term or on distant horizons: worlds can take inspiration from innovations or alternative practices in earth and material science, regenerative agriculture, food, microbiology, and more. Each story should be a visionary proposal woven into a spectacular plot.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2025

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Published 4 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

Statistics Synopsis

Slower
Tractor Beam's overall average response time is slower than most magazines.

Collapse section Fiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 6,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.

Topics:

Agriculture/Agricultural Sciences: See guidelines.
Nature/Environment: See guidelines.
Science: See guidelines.
Society/Culture: See guidelines.
Technology: See guidelines.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: USD $1,000 for accepted submissions.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Graphic Narrative: Up to 16 pages.

Art Media:

Cartoon/Comic strip.

Art Styles:

Science fiction art.

Topics:

Agriculture/Agricultural Sciences: See guidelines.
Nature/Environment: See guidelines.
Science: See guidelines.
Society/Culture: See guidelines.
Technology: See guidelines.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

Professional payment (US$50 or more per piece) Professional payment. Details: USD $1,000 for accepted submissions.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Image.

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

Tractor Beam 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:
Accuracy
We have received 8 reports from 7 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
26 min | 214.2 mean avg | 195.0 median | 371 max days (146.1 std dev)
Pending
6 responses are pending (79 min | 86.5 mean avg | 80.5 median | 114 max days waiting | 13.6 std dev) from 6 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 24 Jul 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 28 Jun 2026.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 09:45 UTC (less than a minute 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: 22 May 2026

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

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