The Top 25 Fiction Publications Report: The top 25 lists: Slowest, Fastest, Challenging, Approachable Top 100 Slowest Top 100 Fastest Top 100 Most Challenging Top 100 Most Approachable The Summary: Overall Response Statistics The Uncharted The Lesser Known The Personable The Unresponsive The Extremely Challenging Category: Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Visual Art Here are some statistics based on the responses that have been reported within the last 12 months for publishers with at least 25 different people reporting responses within that period. ("Fledgling" listings are not eligible.) Note: The information on this page is updated once daily and may not reflect recent response reports or changes in status. The Slowest The publishers with the slowest mean average response times reported (in days). 1. The City Key516.32. ZYZZYVA Charges fees for all submissions512.33. Harper's Magazine428.94. Jade Ring Writing Contest Charges fees for all submissions374.35. The Atlantic374.26. Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine374.17. The Fiddlehead Charges fees for some submissions327.68. LitMag Charges fees for all submissions315.29. Ecotone Magazine Charges fees for some submissions312.610. Hibiscus Magazine303.611. Twelve Winters Journal Charges fees for all submissions295.212. The Georgia Review Charges fees for some submissions284.213. The Common Charges fees for all submissions282.414. Nashville Review259.415. Bennington Review Charges fees for all submissions257.616. The Iowa Review Charges fees for some submissions246.317. LitMag's Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction Charges fees for all submissions240.218. The NoSleep Podcast MATURE229.919. Grain Magazine Charges fees for some submissions228.720. The Southern Review Charges fees for all submissions223.021. The New Yorker217.522. Fourteen Hills Charges fees for all submissions215.823. Willow Springs Magazine Charges fees for all submissions215.024. Unsolicited Press Charges fees for some submissions213.425. PULP Literature212.0 See the Top 100 Slowest. The Fastest The publishers with the fastest mean average response times reported (in days). 1. Hawkeye0.22. scaffold literary magazine0.33. Doric Literary0.44. Eunoia Review0.65. FlashFlood Journal1.06. HAD1.27. Milk Candy Review1.48. Women Who Burn Anthology1.59. Intrepidus Ink1.610. Hollow and Sky1.811. Neon & Smoke Charges fees for some submissions1.912. The Dark Magazine1.913. Gooseberry Pie Lit Magazine1.914. Clarkesworld2.015. Flash Phantoms2.516. trampset2.617. Ink In Thirds3.018. Trollbreath Magazine3.119. Bright Flash Literary Review3.120. The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts3.221. The Disappointed Housewife3.222. Larina's Lit Lounge3.223. Brown Hound Press3.424. Ghost Parachute3.525. January House Literary Journal3.5 See the Top 100 Fastest. The Challenging The publishers with the lowest acceptance percentages reported*. 1. Clarkesworld0.2%2. Ploughshares Charges fees for some submissions0.3%3. AGNI Charges fees for some submissions0.3%4. Split Lip Magazine Charges fees for some submissions0.3%5. West Branch0.3%6. Okay Donkey Magazine Charges fees for some submissions0.4%7. Autumn House Fiction Prize Charges fees for all submissions0.4%8. Pleiades0.4%9. The Drift0.4%10. The Masters Review New Voices0.4%11. Ninth Letter Charges fees for some submissions0.4%12. The Georgia Review Charges fees for some submissions0.5%13. The Sun Magazine Charges fees for some submissions0.5%14. The Florida Review Charges fees for some submissions0.5%15. Brilliant Flash Fiction0.5%16. The Missouri Review Charges fees for some submissions0.5%17. The Dark Magazine0.5%18. Strange Pilgrims0.5%19. Booth Charges fees for all submissions0.6%20. Slant Books Charges fees for all submissions0.6%21. Redivider0.6%22. New Letters Charges fees for all submissions0.7%23. Augur Magazine0.7%24. Orion's Belt0.7%25. Bennington Review Charges fees for all submissions0.7% See the Top 100.* This list does not include listings for which we have received no reports of acceptances. We offer a separate report on this page for that. The Approachable The publishers with the highest acceptance percentages reported. 1. Dark Horses / Black Sheep / Mobius Blvd90.0%2. Meat for Tea Charges fees for some submissions75.0%3. DILIM Anthology Series Charges fees for all submissions65.5%4. Bristol Noir Charges fees for all submissions62.9%5. The 30059.7%6. Quotidian Bagatelle52.4%7. The Dribble Drabble Review Charges fees for all submissions46.5%8. Dead Fox Publishing46.3%9. Dragon Soul Press Short Story Anthologies44.7%10. Sci-Fi Shorts42.9%11. Flash Phantoms42.7%12. 50-Word Stories40.0%13. FlashFlood Journal37.4%14. 101 Words34.1%15. Amazing Stories Online31.4%16. CafeLit Magazine30.3%17. TrashLight Press Website29.4%18. Flash the Court Charges fees for all submissions28.2%19. The Opiate Charges fees for all submissions27.8%20. The Brussels Review Charges fees for some submissions26.5%21. Instant Noodles26.4%22. Bewildering Stories25.7%23. Infocalypse Arts & Literary Magazine24.8%24. Gooseberry Pie Lit Magazine24.4%25. Matchlight Mystery Charges fees for all submissions24.2% See the Top 100 Most Approachable. Remember: The more people who report their response times to us, the more accurate our statistics are. Please report your responses to us! Date compiled: Thursday, November 12, 2026 8:58:11 AM UTC. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only