Ploughshares

Literary fiction, nonfiction and poetry

Guidelines summary

Pays: $45 per printed page, $90 minimum, $450 maximum (on publication)
Length: One prose piece up to 6,500 words
Wants: Literary fiction, nonfiction and poetry
Simultaneous submissions: Yes
Multiple submissions: One prose piece per submission
Reprints: No
Response time: Three to five months
Submissions: Reading period June 1 to November 15 (5 p.m. ET)
Submission or entry fee: $3.75 service fee online; free for subscribers and by mail
Rights: See guidelines
Also note: Past contributors wait one year after publication before submitting again.
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Bourbon PennMagazine · Speculative, Literary
5¢/wordpay
2,000–7,500words
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Lady Churchill's Rosebud WristletMagazine · Literary, Speculative
3¢/wordpay
up to 40,000words
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Bridport Prize: Short StoryContest · Literary
£5,000 top prizepay
up to 5,000words
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Fish Short Story PrizeContest · Literary
€3,000 top prizepay
up to 5,000words
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Bridport Prize: Flash FictionContest · Flash fiction, Literary
£2,000 top prizepay
up to 250words
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Colorado ReviewMagazine · Literary
$300 flatpay
any lengthwords
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