Abyss & Apex Magazine

shadowwalker · Mar 29, 2010

I hope this is the correct forum for this and that it isn't a "not again!" type question. I couldn't find anything that addressed this.

I was looking at the submission requirements for Abyss and Apex and I'm a little confused as to what to do. For flash fiction and short stories, they list all the submission details toward the top of the page; it then goes through all the poetry details. And it's very detailed. But then, at the very bottom, it gives the email for queries for fiction, and the email for queries for poetry with the addition of "if you have questions". (They do list specific reading periods btw.)

So now I'm not sure if they want queries for the short fiction/flash fiction or if that's meant just for questions. I'm thinking it's just for questions, since the flash fiction itself would be shorter than a formal query.

I would just send them an email asking, but I thought, since I'll be looking at a lot of possible places to submit, I should ask here to see if there's a "standard" or if I need to check with each if this isn't specified.

Thanks

shaldna · Apr 4, 2010

I'm a alittle confused. You just said they listed all the info and then an email address for sub? Right. So what's the problem. Maybe I'm just not reading that correctly.

Polenth · Apr 4, 2010

They don't want a novel-style query. Send the complete text of your story/poem, with a brief cover letter in the email. The cover letter includes story title, length, genre and credits (if you have any - otherwise, don't mention it) plus anything else they ask for (A&A asked for a bio last time I looked). Don't include a description or summary of the story.

That's standard for most short story markets.

In the short story world, the term query often gets used for sending followups to check the status of submissions. You'll only do this if your submission has taken longer than expected. It's rare to be asked for a novel-style query. Where it happens, the market will make it very clear they want one (e.g., "if you have a story above our word count limit, but you think we'll love it, please query first").

shadowwalker · Apr 4, 2010

shaldna said:
I'm a alittle confused. You just said they listed all the info and then an email address for sub? Right. So what's the problem. Maybe I'm just not reading that correctly.

I was confused (based on the addendum for poetry queries) if they meant query as in "if you have questions" or query as in "I have a story would you be interested". But I think Polenth answered my question ;-)

shadowwalker · Apr 4, 2010

Polenth said:
They don't want a novel-style query. Send the complete text of your story/poem, with a brief cover letter in the email. The cover letter includes story title, length, genre and credits (if you have any - otherwise, don't mention it) plus anything else they ask for (A&A asked for a bio last time I looked). Don't include a description or summary of the story.

That's standard for most short story markets.

In the short story world, the term query often gets used for sending followups to check the status of submissions. You'll only do this if your submission has taken longer than expected. It's rare to be asked for a novel-style query. Where it happens, the market will make it very clear they want one (e.g., "if you have a story above our word count limit, but you think we'll love it, please query first").

Thanks - that clears it up for me.

CaoPaux · Dec 19, 2011

Adding link: http://www.abyssapexzine.com/

phantom000 · Aug 4, 2024

Has anyone worked with these guys recently? Everything I see looks legit but also kinda old.

Unimportant · Aug 4, 2024

They've always been highly respectable, and AFAIK they're still going strong, but they're closed to fiction submissions till Feb 2025. (Yanno, a month after K Harris gets inaugurated

)

pdblake · Oct 28, 2025

They've lost their grinder entry. Seems they are using AI in their artwork.

https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/Market/Index?id=28

I've just withdrawn the piece I sent them.

Stytch · Oct 28, 2025

pdblake said:
They've lost their grinder entry. Seems they are using AI in their artwork.

https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/Market/Index?id=28

I've just withdrawn the piece I sent them.

Well, dang. Now I'm angry about the kickstarter money I pledged. Wonder if I can take it back with an angry note?

pdblake · Oct 28, 2025

Stytch said:
Well, dang. Now I'm angry about the kickstarter money I pledged. Wonder if I can take it back with an angry note?

I'd certainly try, though all I can find on the matter is one of their blog posts from 2023. They admit to using Midjourney and try to justify it.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.abyssapexzine.com/2023/06/editorial-aa-and-ai/&ved=2ahUKEwiWjoHUx8eQAxXtWUEAHQ2TEd8QFnoECBcQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw0id2PL4Vud9zDhm6pT1tFx

Friendly Frog · Oct 28, 2025

I can understand people in 2023 not realising how much generative AI like Midjourney relied on stolen art and copyright infringing. I'd love to know whether they have changed their mind at all since then.

If they didn't, well, it's rather hypocritical then that not wanting AI stories is right at the top of their requirements.

soapdish · Oct 28, 2025

This really sucks. I was not aware of that 2023 article justifying it. But everything about it rubs me the wrong way.

If you substitute in “story” or “writing” in all the places they talk about how it makes making “art” easier/better, I wonder how they’d see it…WOULD they even see it?? The total hypocrisy. If they don’t accept AI writing, why on earth would they make such a pro AI argument for art? Writing IS art anyway!! :rant:

Interestingly I notice no names I recognize in the 2024 and 2025 archives (not that I know all big name authors, but still). Last archives I see bigger short fiction author names is in 2023 (maybe before they were aware of the article?). And when I traced one of the stories back to the author’s website, they have removed it from their short fiction bibliography. It was a reprint and they listed where it was originally printed and ALL the other places it was reprinted except A&A. :rolleyes

I think that’s not an accident.

ETA: I have a submission out there too. So now I have to yank it ? :gaah

If they took back that article, changed what they thought after learning more about AI, it would be different. But as it stands, I don’t see that yet. (https://www.abyssapexzine.com/2025/06/introduction-to-poetry-issue-95-quarter-3-july-2025/) They still seem to be using it today in 2025 according to this entry on their site. Though they’ve switched to a new program. Wixel? I don’t know anything about it.

Anyway I wonder if anyone has called them out on it? Besides us here. And obviously The Grinder has taken a stance. They are really a useful tool!

pdblake · Jan 23, 2026

I just got an email from Abyss and Apex with an acceptance for a story I sent them back around the time of this post. I withdrew it when I saw they were using AI art, but they must have sat on it.

First time I've had to turn down an acceptance.

What really pisses me off is this line in the attached contract (my bolding):

"The Author represents and warrants that s/he is the sole author(s) of the Work, that the Work is original, not the work of an AI, and that no one has reserved the rights granted in this agreement. "

ETA: My reply to them:

I am sorry to say that I withdrew this story from consideration last October, around the time you lost your Submissions Grinder listing for using AI art.

I will not knowingly publish my work with anyone who uses AI, whether for artwork or writing, whatever their reasoning.

Mfraser · Feb 16, 2026

pdblake said:
I just got an email from Abyss and Apex with an acceptance for a story I sent them back around the time of this post. I withdrew it when I saw they were using AI art, but they must have sat on it.

First time I've had to turn down an acceptance.

What really pisses me off is this line in the attached contract (my bolding):

"The Author represents and warrants that s/he is the sole author(s) of the Work, that the Work is original, not the work of an AI, and that no one has reserved the rights granted in this agreement. "

ETA: My reply to them:

I am sorry to say that I withdrew this story from consideration last October, around the time you lost your Submissions Grinder listing for using AI art.

I will not knowingly publish my work with anyone who uses AI, whether for artwork or writing, whatever their reasoning.

Could you let us know if they respond? I'm less interested in how they justify themselves than if they have any sort of reflection or change of heart.

pdblake · Feb 16, 2026

Mfraser said:
Could you let us know if they respond? I'm less interested in how they justify themselves than if they have any sort of reflection or change of heart.

Not heard a word from them.

Mfraser · Feb 16, 2026

pdblake said:
Not heard a word from them.

That is a shame...

pdblake · Feb 16, 2026

Mfraser said:
That is a shame...

Or they have no shame.

I like to think they're swamped with email telling them the same thing.

Abyss & Apex Magazine

shadowwalker

empty-nester!

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

Polenth

Mushroom

shadowwalker

empty-nester!

shadowwalker

empty-nester!

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

phantom000

Unimportant

doggone

pdblake

Stytch

pdblake

Friendly Frog

Snarkenfaugister

soapdish

writing

pdblake

Mfraser

lost in space and time

pdblake

Mfraser

lost in space and time

pdblake