Links and Resources

[ALG71]

Top Paying Short Story Horror Markets

Please click here to contribute any comments, updates, questions, and/or suggestions regarding any information found on this list.


ALFRED HITCHOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE -- www.themysteryplace.com
NOTE: From Submission Guidelines -- "Because this is a mystery magazine, the stories we buy must fall into that genre in some sense or another... We sometimes accept ghost stories or supernatural tales, but those also should involve a crime."
8 cents per word (USD)
12,000 word limit

ABERRANT DREAMS -- www.aberrantdreams.com
NOTE: On indefinite hiatus -- Email accounts inaccessible per latest update (July 11, 2012) Possibly a "dead" market.

BUZZY MAG -- www.buzzymag.com
5 cents per word
10,000 word limit

CEMETERY DANCE -- www.cemeterydance.com
NOTE: Currently closed to submissions. Most recent note from website -- "The plan right now is to reopen during summer 2012."

CHIZINE -- www.chizine.com
NOTE: Currently closed to submissions. Most recent note from website -- "...we will be closed until mid-2012 or thereabouts. Please check back here for an update as to when we'll re-open."

CLARKESWORLD MAGAZINE -- www.clarkesworldmagazine.com
10 cents per word up to 4000 words; 5¢ per word after
1,000 - 8,000 word limit (preferred range: 4,000 words)

CROWDED MAGAZINE (new) -- www.crowdedmagazine.com
5 cents per word (AUS)
5,000 - 20,000 word limit

DAILY SCIENCE FICTION -- www.dailysciencefiction.com
NOTE: Per their submission guidelines-- "We may purchase dark fantasy, but will not publish pure horror." "Pure horror" is obviously a subjective term. Your definition of "pure horror" may not match their definition of it. Looking at the actual published work on their site, they have a "Monsters" sub-category that contains 37 published stories (more than any other sub-category on the site) and at the top of the "Monsters" page they state the following: "All sorts of monsters live here, from Vampires and Werewolves to Selkie and the ever popular Zombies." Sounds like horror to me. A quick read of some stories in the category reveals that they've published at least a few stories that I'd say qualify as horror. Some people are just a bit wary of using the "h-word" and that may be the case here. When in doubt, read some sample stories (always a good idea, and their stories are free to read at their website) and decide from there if this is the right market for your story. -- JComp.
8 cents per word
100 - 10,000 word limit (priority given to flash fic under 1,000 words)

DARK DISCOVERIES -- www.darkdiscoveries.com
NOTE: Temporarily closed to submissions
5 cents per word
500 - 6500 word limit

FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION -- www.sfsite.com/fsf/
.06 to .09 cents/word
25,000 word limit
(duotrope had them listed as accepting horror the last time I checked)

FLASH FICTION ONLINE -- www.flashfictiononline.com
$50 per story (qualifies for SFWA Membership and HWA Affiliate Membership)
500 - 1000 word limit

GLIMMER TRAIN -- www.glimmertrain.com
NOTE: Per www.ralan.com, they have stated they will consider "LITERARY genre work." Probably a tough nut to crack, but they're very highly regarded, so if you have an outstanding, literary horror story that you think will make the grade, go for it.
Word counts, payments and general guidelinse vary from month to month. Please read guidelines for details.

GUD MAGAZINE -- www.gudmagazine.com
NOTE:Currently closed to submissions. Most recent note from website: "We are still closed to submissions for the forseeable future, as we get Issues 7 and 8 out the door. We intend to have news regarding Issue 7 early September 2012."
.03 cents/word +Royalties
15,000 word limit

ON SPEC MAGAZINE -- www.onspec.ca/
NOTE: Currently closed to submissions. From the website: "Thanks for your interest. We are currently closed to new submissions, while we read submissions from the previous period. Please continue to visit our website for updates, follow us on Twitter (@onspecmagazine) and/or join our Facebook group ("I Read On Spec")."
.03 cents/word and up (rates in Canadian currency)
6,000 word limit

ORSON SCOTT CARD's INTERGALACTIC MEDICINE SHOW -- www.intergalacticmedicineshow.com
NOTE: From the website "...'horror' in the sense of supernatural suspense (not gory bloodfests, thanks)."
6 cents per word up to 7500 words; 5 cents a word thereafter
No word limit

THE PEDESTAL MAGAZINE -- www.thepedestalmagazine.com
NOTE: From the website "FROM AUGUST 28-OCTOBER 13, AND AGAIN FROM OCTOBER 28-DECEMBER 13, WE WILL ONLY BE RECEIVING POETRY SUBMISSIONS"
5 cents per word
Word limit unknown

PENUMBRA -- musapublishing.blogspot.com
5 cents per word
100 - 3,500 words

SHIMMER -- www.shimmerzine.com
5 cents per word, minimum $10
10,000 word limit

WEIRD TALES -- www.weirdtalesmagazine.com
NOTE: Currently closed to fiction submissions
.03 to .04 cents/word
10,000 word limit (query for longer works)

ALWAYS CHECK WEBSITES FOR SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

DISCLAIMER: While I'm hoping one of these mags will help me on the way to HWA membership someday, they may or may not qualify for affiliate/active membership. Ultimately, I think, it is up to the membership comittee at the HWA to determine which sales do or do not qualify you for membership. Still, I hope the list can help someone.

I may try and do a similar list for the Sci-fi forum later this summer for SFWA membership, unless someone beats me to it.

Good luck everyone. And if you beat me to HWA membership using this list, I'll put a voodoo curse on you worse than any Thinner the King could dream up. Just kidding...or am I?

[Leukman]

Please click here to contribute any comments, updates, questions, and/or suggestions regarding any information found on this list.

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Can't just be me.

I can't be the only one having difficulty identifying agents who handle horror or dark-suspense, or non-military/police/authority thrillers...or however the **** you want to describe a dark novel that isn't really traditional Horror but it really depends who you ask...

Sure there are TONS of agents that claim to handle Thrillers. And there are several that claim to handle Horror. And the combination of both interests seems best.

But when you really dig in, do some homework, how many of them have sold dark novels/horror novels on any kind of a regular basis? If you look at client lists and sales records of most of these agents, their professed interest in Horror seems to be nothing more than part of the "Interested In" list, with no evidence of said interest.

Alas, this could lead back to the Thriller versus Horror debate, but we'll not go there right now, eh? Instead we might look at those agents who have proven their "taste" with their choices in representation...and sales.

I'm hoping whoever reads this thread is willing to collaborate...Please don't throw names into the hat here JUST because it says on Agent Query (or elsewhere) that they represent "horror" or "dark" or whatever might indicate an interest in this type of work.

Suggestions here should be based on your research and indicate agents who've requested this type of material or who have clients and sales that demonstrate their interest. And please include with your suggestions why you believe the agent/agency has met this criteria.

If you've had ANY positive experience with research, or better yet requests for your work, with/from agents who seem interested in handling this kind of material, PLEASE share it here so that we all may benefit. And if you’ve had any experiences, or have comments/additions on anything already included in the listing, let me know…

NOTE: "Date Added" represents only the point in time that the information was added to this list, not necessarily the time the activity described actually happened. But I felt there needed to be some reference.

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The Living List:

Adrienne Rosado, PMA Literary Film and Management
Date Added: 6-15-10
Notes: Requested partial for Paranormal Thriller

Alice Martell, The Martell Agency
Date Added: 12-29-09
Notes: requested partial of a "dark suspense"

Andy Zack, The Zack Company
Date Added: 1-03-2010
Notes: requested partial of a "dark suspense"

Bob Thixton, Pinder Lane & Garon-Brooke Assoc.
Date Added: 6-25-2010
Notes: requested 3 chapters from a query of a paranormal thriller

Brandi Bowles, Howard Morhaim Lit Agency
Date Added: Spring, 09
Notes: requested FULL ms on “supernatural thriller” query

Claire Gerus, Claire Gerus Literary
Date Added: 2-24-2010
Notes: requested partial of a "dark suspense"

Diana Fox, Fox Literary
Date Added: 1-11-2010
Notes: requested FULL of a "dark suspense"

Dominic Abel, Dominic Abel Associates
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: represents Bentley Little

Donald Maass, Donald Maass
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: Horror sale(s) on PM

Eleanor Jackson, Markson Thoma
Date Added: 6-25-10
Notes: requested 100 pp from a query for a paranormal, psychological thriller

Elizabeth Jote, Objective
Date Added: 6-25-10
Notes: requested a full from 3 chapters and a query for a paranormal thriller

Eva Talmadgge, Emma Sweeney Agency
Date Added: 2-19-10
Notes: requested full of a "dark suspense"

Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: requested partial on “paranormal thriller” query / Horror sale(s) on PM
Update 9-09: requested partial on "zombie/apocalyptic" query.

Helen Heller, Helen Heller Agency
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: represents Susie Moloney (The Dwelling)

Irene Krass, Krass Literary Agency
Date Added: 9-29-09
Notes: requested 20pg sample of a "paranormal thriller/horror"

Jack Byrne, Sternig & Byrne
Date Added: 6-25-10
Notes: requested a partial from a query for a dark fantasy

Jake Bauman, Rob Weisback Creative Management
Date Added: 2-24-2010
Notes: requested FULL of a "dark suspense"

Jason Ashlock, Movable Type
Date Added: 1-4-2010
Notes: requested FULL of a "dark suspense"

Jennifer de la Fuente, Fountain Literary
Date Added: 11-13-09
Notes: requested partcial of a "paranormal thriller/horror"

Jennifer Schober, Spencerhill Associates
Date Added: 1-15-2010
Notes: requested 100 pages of a "dark suspense"

Jenny Bent, The Bent Agency
Date Added: 3-24-2010
Notes: requested FULL of a "dark suspense"

Jessica Regel, Jean V Naggar Literary Agency
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: requested partial on “dark urban fantasy/supernatural thriller” query

Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich
Date Added: Spring, 09
Notes: requested FULL on “paranormal thriller/horror” in response to query sent to Miriam Goderich / Agency has several thriller/horror sales

Joanna Stampfel-Volpe, Nancy Coffey Literary
Date Added: 12-21-09
Notes: requested partial of "dark suspense"

Joe Veltre, Artists Literary Group
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: Represents Sarah Langan (The Missing, The Keeper)

Katie Kotchman, Don Congdon
Date Added: 6-25-2010
Notes: requested 50 pp from a query for a paranormal thriller

Kathleen Anderson, Fox Literary
Date Added: 2-24-2010
Notes: requested partial of a "dark suspense"

Luke Janklow, Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Date Added:9-09
Notes: requested FULL on "zombie/apocalyptic" query

Matthew Mahoney, Ralph M. Vicinanza LTL
Date Added: 1-25-2010
Notes: requested partial from a "dark suspense" query

Mary Beth Chappell, Zachary, Schuster, Harmsworth Agency
Date Added: 9-10-09
Notes: Requested partial on 'traditional' ghost-story/horror manuscript

Melissa Sarver, Elizabeth Kaplan Literary
Date Added: 2-19-10
Notes: requested full of a "dark suspense"

Miriam Kriss, Irene Goodman Literary Agency
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: requested partial on “paranormal thriller/horror” query

Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: requested partial on “dark suspense/horror” query

Peter Rubie, Fineprint
Date Added: 6-25-10
Notes: requested a synopsis and 30 pp from a query for a paranormal thriller

Peter Steinberg, The Steinberg Agency
Date Added: 2-19-10
Notes: requested full of a "dark suspense"

Richard Henshaw, Richard Henshaw Group
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: Represents Karen E Taylor (Twelve Steps from Darkness) / Recent verbiage on site states horror should only be submitted by writers with previous publishing credits in the genre.

Ricia Mainhardt Agency
Date Added: 9-10-09
Notes: Requested full from unsolicited query for 'traditional' ghost-story/horror manuscript

Rob Daniel, Andrea Hurst Agency
Date Added: 6-15-10
Notes: Requested partial for Paranormal Thriller

Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger
Date Added: Spring, 09
Notes: Horror sale(s) on PM / represents Jonathan Mayberry
Date Added: 9-10-09
Notes: Responded to query that she did not handle horror.

Sara Megibow, Nelson Agency
Date Added: 7-28-11
Notes: requested partial on a [dark] urban fantasy

Scott Miller, Trident Media
Date Added:Fall, 08
Notes: requested FULL on “paranormal thriller/horror” / Agent has several thriller/horror sales

Simon Lipskar, Writer's House
Date Added:Spring, 09
Notes: Represents Douglas Clegg

Sharon Belcastero, Belcastro Agency
Date Added:9-10-09
Notes: requested synopsis & three chapters - then requested full for 'traditional' ghost-story/horror manuscript

Tamar Rydzinski, Laura Dail Literary
Date Added: 12-28-09
Notes: requested partial of a "dark suspense"

Weronika Janczuk, Lynn Franklin Associates
Date Added: 7-29-11
Notes: recently signed a dark literary zombie ms

Victoria Skurnick, Levine Greenberg
Date Added: 6-25-10
Notes: requested a full from a query for a paranormal thriller