Science Fiction Publications:

Science fiction is one of the most popular genres in the world of books, movies and video games. So there is no shortage of publications that will pay for science fiction short stories and listed below is a selection of 5 well-respected publications in this field. Also please see the publishing section of this website for further info and resources on publishers and getting published.

Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine:

Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine is a world-famous publication and pays for both short stories and poetry. It was founded by Joel Davis and Isaac Asimov and quickly became one of the most popular science fiction publications on the market. It submission guidelines can be found here: Asimov Submissions

Information from the Website:

Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine is an established market for science fiction stories. Asimov’s pays 8-10 cents per word for short stories up to 7,500 words, and 8 cents for each word over 7,500. We seldom buy stories shorter than 1,000 words or longer than 20,000 words, and we don’t serialize novels. We pay $1 a line for poetry, which should not exceed 40 lines. We buy First English Language serial rights plus certain non-exclusive rights explained in our contract. We do not publish reprints, and we do not accept “simultaneous submissions” (stories sent at the same time to a publication other than Asimov’s). Asimov’s will consider material submitted by any writer, previously published or not. We’ve bought some of our best stories from people who have never sold a story before.

Clarkesworld:

Is a Hugo award-winning science fiction and fantasy publication. They accept short stories of 1000 to 22000 words and pay 10¢ per word. Their submission page can be found by click here.

Information from the Website:

Clarkesworld Magazine is a Hugo, World Fantasy, and British Fantasy Award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine that publishes short stories, interviews, articles, and audio fiction. Issues are published monthly and available on our website, for purchase in ebook format, and via electronic subscription. All original fiction is also published in our annual anthology series from Wyrm Publishing. We are currently open for art, non-fiction, and short story submissions.

Apex Magazine:

Not quite as well known as the two publications above, but still a highly respected publication and well worth submitting your science fiction work. The submission page is found here and payment for original fiction is $.08 per word up to 7,500 words. Minimum of $50.

Information from the Website:

Apex Magazine is an online zine of fantastical fiction. We publish short stories filled with marrow and passion, works that are twisted, strange, and beautiful. Creations where secret places and dreams are put on display.

We publish in two forms: an every-other-month eBook issue and a gradual release of an entire issue online over a two month period. Along with the genre short fiction, there are interviews with authors and nonfiction essays about current issues. Additionally, we produce a monthly podcast of narrated original short fiction.

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction:

When you first land on the website for this publication you may get the feeling its layout could do with a bit of an update – but this adds to its charm and the site is about great stories as opposed to great web design! It also has a grand heritage and was founded in 1949, so to get your work published here will also mean it becomes part of one of the longest-running science fiction publications. The submission guides can be found here.

Information from the Website:

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, founded in 1949, is the award-winning SF magazine which is the original publisher of SF classics like Stephen King’s Dark Tower, Daniel Keyes’s Flowers for Algernon, and Walter M. Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz. Each double-sized bimonthly issue offers.

Analog:

Analog has a grand heritage in publishing science fiction short stories and is one of the most well recognised and respected in its field. To get your work published here is a great achievement and for further details please see the submissions page here

Information from the Website:

Analog Science Fiction and Fact Magazine continues to bring together celebrated authors, new talent, and award-winning stories, poems, and articles, as it has since its launch in 1930. Originally published as Astounding Stories of Science Fiction, Analog remains the unparalleled literary magazine in the genre, and rewards readers with realistic stories that reflect both the highest standards of scientific accuracy and the far reaches of the imagination, as well as lively articles about current research on the cutting edge of science.

Analog pays 8-10 cents per word for short fiction (up to approximately 20,000 words), 6 cents per word for serials (40,000-80,000 words), 9 cents per word for fact articles, and $1 per line for poetry. We buy First English Language serial rights plus certain non-exclusive rights explained in our contract.