Early Autumn 2025 markets for horror writers

A N I R R E G U L A R M A R K E T S S E R I E S

Here are 18 writing markets and publishing/production opportunities for our Seattle chapter horror folks, in case you're looking for new homes for your work. These listings are for shortform work only (poetry, stories, essays, articles, reviews, comics/graphic narratives, animations).

It's essential that you tailor your submission to each publication by reading and following their guidelines. Always check to make sure they are still open for submissions, as deadlines may close early if they receive more work than they need.

KEY:

1. Markets listed below are in deadline order and may have previously appeared in our Discord or were sourced and/or shared by our members.

2. Note: Not all markets are paid markets, but it can be useful for writers at every level to amass several publication credits (paid or not) in order to break into paying--or higher paying--markets.

3. Only non-fee markets and contests are listed.

4. This irregular posting of potential markets is in no way considered exhaustive. You can also find places to send your work using Chill Subs, Duotrope, HorrorTree, New Pages, Submission Grinder, Submittable, and other places.

5. If you find calls for submissions elsewhere while doing your own research that you think would appeal to our members, feel free to post in the Discord or share at hwaseattle@gmail.com.

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Market listing includes indication of paying market (💲), publication name, THEME (if available), deadline, type of work sought, payment offered (USD), special notices, and link.

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• 💲Bog Matter Magazine. Theme: "The in-between." Deadline: Sept 1, 2025. Looking for short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, comics. Pays .o2/word, minimum $5 for prose, $4/page for comics, and 2 print copies. https://martian.press/bog-matter

  
  

• 💲Eldritch Cat Press. Theme: "Cemetery Stories." Deadline: Sept 1, 2025.  Looking for short fiction. Pays $10 and one digital copy. Story must feature a cat, a cemetery and a song. https://eldritchcatpress.com/current-submissions/

  
  

• Gyroscope Review. Theme: "Fall Crone Power Issue." Deadline: Sept 1, 2025.  Looking for poetry. Nonpaying market. Limited to poets over the age of 50 who identify as female. https://www.gyroscopereview.com/welcome/guidelines/

  
  

• Emerald City Ghosts. Theme: "Monsters, Creatures, and Folklore." Deadline: Sept 6, 2025. Looking for short fiction, poetry, nonfiction. Nonpaying market. Must be a (free) Substack subscriber to submit. Special interest in work set in the PNW. https://emeraldcityghosts.substack.com/p/submissions
  

• Boudin. Contest (no fee): "Halloween/The Ticking Clock." Deadline: Sept 10, 2025.  Looking for short fiction, poetry, nonfiction. Pays in publication, a broadside, and The Skinner Prize. https://www.mcneese.edu/thereview/welcome-to-boudin/boudin-submissions/

  
  

• 💲Vellum Mortis (part of Memento Mori Ink Magazine). Theme: "The Hollow Court." Deadline: Sept 10, 2025.  Looking for flash fiction. Pays $5. https://www.mementomoriinkmag.com/vellummortissub

  
  

• 💲Quarter Press/Quarter(ly). Theme: "Animate Me." Deadline: Sept 14, 2025.  Looking for short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, comics. Pays $5 and one PDF copy. https://quarterpress.com/the-quarterly-journal

  
  

• Bowery Gothic. Theme: "Uncanny Valley." Deadline: Sept 15, 2025. Looking for short fiction, poetry. Pays ? Only responds to acceptances. https://bowerygothic.submittable.com/submit

  
  

• 💲Cast of Wonders podcast. Theme: NA. Deadline: Sept 15, 2025. Looking for short fiction. Pays .08/word for original short fiction. For reprints: $100 flat rate for short fiction, $20 flat rate for flash. Interesting in YA horror.  https://www.castofwonders.org/submissions/
  

• 💲Eye to the Telescope. Theme: "Cyberpunk." Deadline: Sept 15, 2025.  Looking for poetry. Pays .05/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum $5, maximum $25. Fantasy and horror poets encouraged to submit.  https://eyetothetelescope.com/submit.html

  
  

• 💲Penumbric. Theme: NA. Deadline: Sept 15, 2025. Looking for short fiction, poetry, animation, graphic narrative. Pays $10. Submit sooner rather than later, as the call closes as soon as they meet a quota. https://www.penumbric.com/subs.html

  
  

• 💲Three-Lobed Burning Eye. Theme: NA. Deadline: Sept 16, 2025.  Looking for short fiction. Pays .08/words plus one copy. Submissions open Sept 1. https://www.3lobedmag.com/submissions.html

  
  

• 💲Toad Shade Zine. Theme: "We're All Going to Die." Deadline: Sept 30, 2025.  Looking for short fiction. Pays $20. https://toadshadezine.com/submissions/
  

• 💲Tales from the Moonlit Path. Theme: "Halloween 2025." Deadline: Oct 4, 2025. Looking for short fiction, poetry. Pays $10. https://talesmoonlitpath.com/submissions/

  
  

• 💲Daikaijuzine. Theme: NA. Deadline: Oct 5, 2025.  Looking for short fiction, poetry. Pays $10 for short stories; $5 for flash fiction and poetry. Submissions open Sept 28. https://www.daikaijuzine.org/guidelines
  

• 💲Tales from the Moonlit Path. Contest (no fee): "Halloween Challenge: Tropes Edition." Deadline: Oct 13, 2025. Looking for short fiction. Prize is $50 and publication; honorable mentions also published. https://talesmoonlitpath.com/contest-3/halloween-challenge-2025/

  
  

• 💲Into the Deep, Dark Woods. (WCU Anthology.) Deadline: Oct 15, 2025.  Looking for short fiction. Pays .06/word. Submissions open Sept 1. https://wordfirewestern.moksha.io/publication/into-the-deep-dark-woods/guidelines?fbclid
  

• Kaidankai podcast. Theme: "Ghosts or the Supernatural." Deadline: ongoing. Looking for short fiction. Nonpaying market, but your work gets aired on a podcast. https://www.kaidankaistories.com/submit.html