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Strange Horizons A Magazine of Speculative Fiction 813

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About

Strange Horizons is a magazine of and about speculative fiction. We publish fiction, poetry, reviews, essays, interviews, roundtable discussions, and art. Our definition of speculative fiction includes science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, and all other flavors of fantastika. Work published in Strange Horizons has been shortlisted for or won Hugo, Nebula, Rhysling, Theodore Sturgeon, James Tiptree Jr., and World Fantasy Awards. Speculative fiction has a vibrant and radical tradition of stories that can make us think, can critique society, and can show us how it could be otherwise, for better or worse. We aim to be part of that tradition, and to update it: in the twenty-first century, speculative fiction must be a global, inclusive literature. We want to showcase work that challenges us and delights us, by new and established writers from diverse backgrounds and with diverse concerns.

Important: Expected response times vary by type of submission.
Submission Caps: They may close to submissions early if they reach their quota. Check before submitting.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States Established in 2000

Publication Media & Frequency

Audio Publication Audio PublicationPublished 52 x per year.
Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 52 x per year.

Fiction Temp Closed

We want good speculative fiction. If your story doesn't have a clear fantasy or science fiction element, or at least strong speculative-fiction sensibilities, it's probably not for us. We'd like to help make the field of speculative fiction more inclusive, more welcoming to both authors and readers from traditionally underrepresented groups, so we're interested in seeing stories from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want stories that have some literary depth but aren't boring; styles that are unusual yet readable; structures that balance inventiveness with traditional narrative. We like characters we can care about. We like settings and cultures that we don't see all the time in speculative fiction.

Audience:
Open to a broad Audience, including: All ethnic groups/populations, All sexual identities.
Genres:
GenreSubgenres
Fantasy FantasyOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism, Slipstream.
Horror HorrorOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Slipstream.
Science Fiction Science FictionOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Slipstream.
Styles:
Open to all/most Styles, including: Dark, Literary, Surrealist.
Topics:
Open to all/most Topics, including: Other (May vary).
Types/Lengths:
TypeLength Details
Flash Fiction Flash FictionUp to 1,000 words.
Short Story Short Story1,000 - 7,500 words.
Novelette Novelette7,500 - 10,000 words.
Payscale:
We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.
Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word).
Submissions:
ElectronicPostalReprintsSimultaneousMedia
OK No No NoText format submissions
Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Nonfiction Open

Our goal is to publish a regular rotation of non-fiction articles, including: interviews with authors of speculative fiction; articles on aspects of science (such as astronomy, ballistics, artificial intelligence) or technology (historical or futuristic) that would be of interest to readers and writers of speculative fiction; criticism of books, movies, games and any other media relating to speculative fiction; and articles on history and culture that relate to speculative fiction. Strange Horizons publishes in-depth reviews of speculative art and entertainment, especially books, films, and television, three times a week. Reviews normally cover new works, although we do occasional features on older works, and will not reject a review because its subject has been available for a while. We're especially interested in reviews of worthy material that might not otherwise get the exposure it deserves; similarly we are interested in reviews of works that push traditional genre boundaries.

Audience:
Open to a broad Audience, including: All ethnic groups/populations, All sexual identities.
Styles:
Open to all/most Styles, including: Critical, Mainstream.
Topics:
Astronomy/Astrophysics, Film/Television (General, Film, Television, Theory/Analysis/Criticism, See guidelines), Literature/Books (General, Theory/Analysis/Criticism, See guidelines), Science, Technology, Other (May vary).
Types/Lengths:
TypeLength Details
Interview Interview2,000 - 5,000 words.
Review Review1,000 - 2,000 words.
Article Article2,000 - 5,000 words.
Payscale:
We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.
Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word).
Submissions:
ElectronicPostalReprintsSimultaneousMedia
OK No No NoText format submissions
Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Poetry Open

We're looking for high-quality SF, fantasy, horror, and slipstream poetry. We're looking for modern, exciting poems that explore the possible and impossible: stories about human and nonhuman experiences, dreams and reality, past and future, the here-and-now and otherwhere-and-elsewhen. We want poems from imaginative and unconventional writers; we want voices from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want poems that understand "literary" does not have to equal "boring"; poems that know how to write strange without being senseless; poems that balance inventiveness with traditional structures. We like mischievous poems, pensive poems, and everything in between. We don't see nearly enough true science fiction or formal poetry. However, poems must substantiate their forms; a rhymed weak concept is still a weak concept. Sonnet plus spaceship is not enough.

Audience:
Open to a broad Audience, including: All ethnic groups/populations, All sexual identities.
Genres:
GenreSubgenres
Fantasy FantasyOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism, Slipstream.
Horror HorrorOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Slipstream.
Science Fiction Science FictionOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Slipstream.
Poetry Forms:
Open to all/most Forms. Excluding: Rhyming.
Styles:
Open to all/most Styles, including: Dark, Literary, Surrealist.
Topics:
Open to all/most Topics, including: Other (May vary).
Types/Lengths:
TypeLength Details
Poem PoemNo line limits known; Up to 6 pieces.
Payscale:
We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.
Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem).
Submissions:
ElectronicPostalReprintsSimultaneousMedia
OK No No OKText format submissions
Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Visual Art DNQ

This project does not qualify to be listed at Duotrope in this category. Reason: Commission-based.

Strange Horizons Submission Statistics

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Dates

Last Updated: 28 Jan 2024
Last Audited: 23 Jan 2024 We audit each active listing twice a year.
Date Added: 29 Jul 2005

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