How short story payment works
A magazine buys the right to publish your story, usually for a set time and in a set place, and pays you for it. The two things to read in any guidelines page are the rate and the rights. This guide uses examples from markets in the directory, each taken from their own page on the date shown in its listing.
Three ways markets pay
Per word
Most science fiction, fantasy and horror magazines pay by the word. The count is the length of the story you sold. At 8¢ a word, a 4,000-word story earns $320. Some markets cap the total or pay a lower rate past a certain length: Asimov's pays 8–10¢ a word up to 7,500 words and 8¢ for each word after that, and Fusion Fragment pays 4¢ (Canadian) a word up to CA$400.
| Rate | 1,000 words | 4,000 words | 7,500 words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1¢ a word | $10 | $40 | $75 |
| 3¢ a word | $30 | $120 | $225 |
| 5¢ a word | $50 | $200 | $375 |
| 8¢ a word | $80 | $320 | $600 |
| 10¢ a word | $100 | $400 | $750 |
| 15¢ a word | $150 | $600 | $1,125 |
Eight cents is the line many genre markets treat as a professional rate. Writers of the Future, for example, defines professional publication in its eligibility rules as at least 8¢ a word.
Flat fee
Some markets pay one amount per story whatever its length. One Story pays $500, The Threepenny Review $400, GigaNotoSaurus $200 for stories of 5,000 to 25,000 words, Flash Fiction Online $100. Flat fees favor short pieces: $100 for 1,000 words of flash is 10¢ a word.
Per printed page
University and literary journals often pay by the page with a minimum and a maximum. The Missouri Review pays $25 a printed page; Ploughshares $45 a page, $90 minimum and $450 maximum; The Georgia Review $50 a page up to $800. A double-spaced manuscript page is not a printed page, so ask the editor if you need an estimate.
When the money arrives
Guidelines say "on acceptance" or "on publication". On acceptance means you are paid when the contract is signed. On publication can mean months later, since many magazines buy stories a year ahead. GigaNotoSaurus pays on acceptance; The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and Ploughshares pay on publication; Abyss & Apex pays 30 days after publication. The Dark pays originals on publication and reprints on acceptance.
International payments add costs. Several markets pay by PayPal and some say they cover the fees. Copper Nickel's guidelines note that payments sent overseas have 30% US tax withheld. US publishers usually ask writers outside the US for a W-8BEN form, which can reduce that withholding if your country has a tax treaty with the US.
What rights you are selling
You keep the copyright. The magazine buys a license to publish. These are the terms you will see most:
- First North American Serial Rights (FNASR). The right to be the first to publish the story in a periodical in North America. After that, you can sell it elsewhere as a reprint. Colorado Review and The Georgia Review buy these.
- First world English rights. The same idea, worldwide, in English. Common for online magazines, which can't limit readers to one continent. Apex and Bourbon Penn buy these.
- Electronic, audio and anthology rights. Online magazines often add the right to keep the story in their archive, record a podcast or include it in a yearly anthology. These are usually non-exclusive, so they don't stop you reselling the story.
- Exclusivity. A period after publication when you can't publish the story anywhere else. PodCastle asks for four months on originals, Fantasy Magazine six months, Translunar Travelers Lounge three.
Rights revert to you after the exclusive period. If a contract asks for "all rights" or has no end date, read the guide to bad deals before signing.
Reprints
Once a story has appeared anywhere, including your own blog or Patreon in most markets' view, first rights are gone. Many magazines buy originals only. Reprint markets pay less: PodCastle and PseudoPod pay $100 flat for a short story reprint, The Dark 1¢ a word, Small Wonders 1¢ a word or $10, whichever is more. Every listing in the directory has a "Reprints" line with the market's own rule.
Contest prizes
A contest pays the winners only. Check the prize against the entry fee and against what the contest takes in rights. Writers of the Future and the Dream Foundry contest charge no fee; the Bridport Prize charges £15 for a £5,000 first prize. The contests list marks every fee.
Rates and terms on this page were read from each market's guidelines on October 31, 2026. Check their current page before you rely on a number.