There aren't any pro horror magazines, are there?

Arch Stanton · Mar 21, 2011

It seems to me it's all fantasy now.

In my search for short horror fiction I've discovered these stories still appear in anthologies and in the token/semi-pro market.

Is the horror market really this dead?

Chris P · Mar 21, 2011

I assume you've tried Duotrope? Check also the "paying markets" thread here. It does seem most are anthologies, but I can't imagine there are no pro-rate horror mags out there. I don't write horror (well, not often and not very horrifying, anyway) so I don't have any suggestions for you.

ETA: Duotrope lists 32 pro-paying markets that accept horror. 22 are currently accepting submissions. If you are looking for markets that are exclusively horror, then I'm sure the list is much smaller.

Rhoda Nightingale · Mar 21, 2011

Genre fiction on the whole, at least from what I've seen and as long as we're talking serial publications, tends not to pay much. However, like Chris said, there are plenty of magazines that take horror in addition to other things, like sci-fi and fantasy. Weird Tales raised its rates fairly recently; I don't know what Cemetery Dance pays, but they're exclusively horror.

quicklime · Mar 21, 2011

Arch Stanton said:
It seems to me it's all fantasy now.

In my search for short horror fiction I've discovered these stories still appear in anthologies and in the token/semi-pro market.

Is the horror market really this dead?

Cemetery Dance and Weird tales and a handful of others are all horror or accept, at pay rates. Have you actually not seen any of these at duotrope and ralan and whatnot, or do you not consider them pro? Because it isn't hard to find them in market lists, and they are invariably listed as "pro"

Arch Stanton · Mar 21, 2011

Hey quicklime

I've read Weird Tales, but I'd describe the recent incarnation as "depressing fantasy". That seems to be the case for other mags listed as "horror" as well. That's not a knock on the quality of the stories, however.

I've been submitting short stories since last June and I don't think I've ever seen Cemetery Dance open.

Arch Stanton · Mar 21, 2011

Chris P said:
I assume you've tried Duotrope? Check also the "paying markets" thread here. It does seem most are anthologies, but I can't imagine there are no pro-rate horror mags out there. I don't write horror (well, not often and not very horrifying, anyway) so I don't have any suggestions for you.

Thanks for the info. I'm a duotrope contributor. It's a hell of a resource.

amrose · Mar 21, 2011

Doesn't Shock Totem offer pro rates?

www.shocktotem.com

quicklime · Mar 23, 2011

Arch Stanton said:
Hey quicklime

I've read Weird Tales, but I'd describe the recent incarnation as "depressing fantasy". That seems to be the case for other mags listed as "horror" as well. That's not a knock on the quality of the stories, however.

I've been submitting short stories since last June and I don't think I've ever seen Cemetery Dance open.

they've been closed for some time, I think they open this summer.

chi-zine i believe opened recently for new subs

AVS · Mar 23, 2011

Try Black Static a British mag. I'm not sure what they pay but it's definitely a pro-magazine, sister mag to Interzone.

http://ttapress.com/blackstatic/

donatos · Mar 23, 2011

Anthologies seem the best deals right now.
I've been a subscriber to Specficworld, a market resource for speculative fiction. It costs ten bucks a year but is continually updated with all the zines and professional magazines as well as anthology calls. For ten bucks a year it's a great bargain. I just got rejected by Weird Tales so I like your description.

K. Trap Jones · Aug 18, 2011

Rue Morgue has a good following

Rhoda Nightingale · Aug 18, 2011

^Does Rue Morgue accept original fiction? I think of them mainly as a review mag for all horror media, like Fangoria, but maybe I'm wrong. They do have a good, wide distribution.

There aren't any pro horror magazines, are there?

Arch Stanton

New kid, be gentle!

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Rhoda Nightingale

Vampire Junkie

quicklime

all out of fucks to give

Arch Stanton

New kid, be gentle!

Arch Stanton

New kid, be gentle!

amrose

is Envy Augustine

quicklime

all out of fucks to give

AVS

donatos

K. Trap Jones

Once upon a midnight dreary...

Rhoda Nightingale

Vampire Junkie