By Alex J. Coyne
Dystopian fiction can be described as a genre that presents us with a vision of an often terrifying and unsettling future or sometimes past. It’s stories like Brave New World and 1984, and it’s ones like The Handmaid’s Tale and The Matrix. The genre has received considerable media coverage (New Statesman, 2019; Wired, 2017) and seems to be going through a revival.
Here’s a closer look at some dystopian fiction markets for writers, including magazines, literary journals and novel publishers, all
seeking submissions.
Non-Paying Market
The tagline for Ash Tales magazine is “stories of the apocalypse”, and they love anything dystopian or apocalyptic in theme.
Preferred length for submitting to Ash Tales is up to 2,000 words, though guidelines note they will allow for slightly longer stories in exceptional circumstances.
They don’t pay for submissions, but reach is huge – and some stories are selected to be recorded for the Ash Tales Podcast.
Paying Market
Alien Dimensions is a smaller magazine focusing on stories that take place in space – and, well, obviously alien dimensions. Check their guidelines for what they’re looking for when it comes to the next issue since specific requirements can change. Word count they prefer is 3,500 to 4,500 words per story, and they pay a $10 flat rate for submissions that get accepted while asking for two-year rights.
Paying Market
If you can blend a dystopian fiction story with other genres
like science-fiction or fantasy, then consider submitting it to Serial Pulp.
For short stories, they’re looking for stories between 500 to 10,000 words in
length – but they also take serial fiction between 7,500 to 10,000 per issue if
you have a longer story to tell.
Their pay rates are $0.004 per word with a contributor’s copy, paid on the 15th of the month according to their guidelines. More guidelines are available here.
Paying Market
Asimov’s Science Fiction has been around for decades, and
it’s still one of the leading publishers for science fiction stories – and many
with a dystopian flair. Their guidelines note that they’re looking for stories
of up to 7,500 words (with rates 8-10c per word for these), or stories up to
20,000 words with a pay rate of 8c per word.
They also accept poetry, 40 lines maximum paid at $1 per
line for accepted submissions.
No reprints, and no simultaneous submissions. Either use their Submissions System online or submit the old fashioned, paper manuscript way.
Paying Market
Harper-Collins Australia is looking for fiction to fit their Escape imprint, which publishes romance novels in every single facet you can imagine – including romance with a dystopian spin for authors up for the challenge.
They publish short, mid-length, and full length novels –– between 40,000 and 100,000 words.
They ask for a full synopsis submitted, although need the full manuscript ready by the time you submit if they ask for it. Manuscripts should be formatting according to their manuscript guidelines, and sent through their online submission form.