Escape Pod

Guidelines summary

Pays

8¢ per word for originals; $100–$175 flat for reprints

Length

Originals 1,500–6,000 words (sweet spot 2,000–4,000); reprints up to 7,500; novelette reprints 7,500–18,000

Wants

Science fiction, broadly: superheroes, steampunk, space opera, time travel, alternate history

Simultaneous submissions

Yes

Multiple submissions

One original and one reprint at a time

Reprints

Yes

Response time

Initial response within 1 month; query after 3 months

Submissions

Usually open September to May. Current window: September 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027.

Submission or entry fee

None

Rights

Non-exclusive text and audio, one-time and archival

Also note

Disclose simultaneous submissions; don't send the same story to another Escape Artists podcast at the same time.

Last checked

October 31, 2026