Paid Calls
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Paid Calls: writing work that pays, checked every week

Magazines, contests, open calls and freelance briefs that pay writers. Pay, fee and deadline are copied from each outlet's own guidelines page, and every link is opened again each week. Dead links and passed deadlines come off.

Open calls
84
Outlets
64
Closing in 30 days
17
No-fee contests
7/23

See the listGet it by email

All open calls

84 open calls, soonest deadline first. Rolling calls read all year and sit at the bottom.

  1. Open call

    Neon Hemlock Press Novella Series

    PaysAdvance plus royalties, or royalties only
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Neon Hemlock Press, Novella Series
  2. Contest

    Varnish Varnish Prize for Fiction (literary, to 5,000 words)

    PaysA$350 first; A$100 second; A$50 third
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Varnish, Varnish Prize for Fiction (literary, to 5,000 words)
  3. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Humorous stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Humorous stories
  4. Contest

    Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge: a poem on the month's image

    Pays$100 to each of two winners
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Rattle, Ekphrastic Challenge: a poem on the month's image
  5. Contest

    Reedsy Prompts Monthly contest: The Haunting Season

    Pays$1,500
    Fee$20 USD per entry
    Closes
    Guidelines for Reedsy Prompts, Monthly contest: The Haunting Season
  6. Contest

    The Aluminium Crown Aluminium Crown short story contest (themed, 500-4,000 words)

    PaysAt least A$300 first prize
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for The Aluminium Crown, Aluminium Crown short story contest (themed, 500-4,000 words)
  7. Contest

    Contemporary Verse 2 Foster Poetry Prize 2026 (emerging poets)

    Pays$1,000 and publication
    Fee$35 (includes a subscription); $20 for extra entries
    Closes
    Guidelines for Contemporary Verse 2, Foster Poetry Prize 2026 (emerging poets)
  8. Contest

    The Masters Review Novel Excerpt Contest

    Pays$3,000 first prize plus agent consultation
    Fee$20 per entry
    Closes
    Guidelines for The Masters Review, Novel Excerpt Contest
  9. Contest

    Narrative Magazine Fall 2026 Story Contest

    Pays$2,500 first prize; $1,000 second; $500 third
    Fee$27 per entry
    Closes
    Guidelines for Narrative Magazine, Fall 2026 Story Contest
  10. Open call

    PodCastle Undercity Magic stories

    Pays8 cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for PodCastle, Undercity Magic stories
  11. Contest

    CRAFT Short Fiction Prize 2026

    Pays$2,500 first prize; $500 second; $300 third
    Fee$20 per entry
    Closes
    Guidelines for CRAFT, Short Fiction Prize 2026
  12. Magazine

    Luna Station Quarterly SF and fantasy by women-identified writers

    Pays$10 per story
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Luna Station Quarterly, SF and fantasy by women-identified writers
  13. Open call

    Prairie Fire Branching Out: All About Trees

    PaysPrairie Fire rates: 10 cents/word prose, $40 per poem (CAD)
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Prairie Fire, Branching Out: All About Trees
  14. Magazine

    PRISM international Fiction, poetry and nonfiction

    Pays$40 CAD/page prose, $45 CAD/page poetry
    Fee$3 CAD reading fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for PRISM international, Fiction, poetry and nonfiction
  15. Magazine

    Riddle Fence Fiction, poetry and nonfiction

    Pays$50 per published page
    FeeFree during this window
    Closes
    Guidelines for Riddle Fence, Fiction, poetry and nonfiction
  16. Magazine

    SmokeLong Quarterly Flash up to 1,000 words

    Pays$100, or $150 with audio
    FeeFree during the free window, small fee after
    Closes
    Guidelines for SmokeLong Quarterly, Flash up to 1,000 words
  17. Contest

    SmokeLong Quarterly Grand Micro Contest 2026

    Pays$1,000 grand prize; $500 second; $300 third; $150 finalists
    Fee$14 for up to 2 micros, $23 for up to 4
    Closes
    Guidelines for SmokeLong Quarterly, Grand Micro Contest 2026
  18. Contest

    Fractured Lit Fractured & Fused Prize 2026

    Pays$3,500 awarded; $300 second, $200 third
    FeeNot stated on the prize page
    Closes
    Guidelines for Fractured Lit, Fractured & Fused Prize 2026
  19. Magazine

    Booth Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics and lists

    Pays$50 per piece
    Fee$3 per submission
    Closes
    Guidelines for Booth, Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics and lists
  20. Open call

    Carneades.org Experimental Thoughts: philosophical speculative fiction

    Pays2 cents/word
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Carneades.org, Experimental Thoughts: philosophical speculative fiction
  21. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Married and couples stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Married and couples stories
  22. Contest

    Fish Publishing Short Story Prize

    PaysEUR 3,000 first prize; top ten published
    FeeEUR 24 first entry, EUR 16 after
    Closes
    Guidelines for Fish Publishing, Short Story Prize
  23. Magazine

    Prairie Fire Fiction, poetry and nonfiction

    Pays10 cents/word prose (fiction max $250), $40 per poem (CAD)
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Prairie Fire, Fiction, poetry and nonfiction
  24. Contest

    Singapore Unbound 3rd SUSPECT Flash Fiction Contest (100-150 words)

    Pays$300, $200 and $100
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Singapore Unbound, 3rd SUSPECT Flash Fiction Contest (100-150 words)
  25. Magazine

    The Baltimore Review Fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry

    Pays$75
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for The Baltimore Review, Fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry
  26. Contest

    WOW! Women on Writing Fall 2026 Flash Fiction Contest

    Pays$400 first place; 20 winners
    Fee$10 per entry
    Closes
    Guidelines for WOW! Women on Writing, Fall 2026 Flash Fiction Contest
  27. Magazine

    Copper Nickel Poetry, fiction, essays and translation

    Pays$30 per printed page ($50 minimum)
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Copper Nickel, Poetry, fiction, essays and translation
  28. Contest

    Mystery Writers of America and Minotaur Books First Crime Novel Competition

    Pays$10,000 advance and a publishing contract
    FeeNone stated
    Closes
    Guidelines for Mystery Writers of America and Minotaur Books, First Crime Novel Competition
  29. Magazine

    AGNI Fiction, nonfiction and poetry

    Pays$30/page prose, $50/page poetry
    Fee$3 per online submission
    Closes
    Guidelines for AGNI, Fiction, nonfiction and poetry
  30. Contest

    Writers of the Future Writers of the Future, first quarter 2027 (SF and fantasy, new writers)

    Pays$1,000, $750 and $500 each quarter; $5,000 annual grand prize
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Writers of the Future, Writers of the Future, first quarter 2027 (SF and fantasy, new writers)
  31. Contest

    Writing Magazine Grand Flash 2026 (500 words)

    Pays£1,000 first; £200 runner-up
    Fee£18.50 (£16 for subscribers)
    Closes
    Guidelines for Writing Magazine, Grand Flash 2026 (500 words)
  32. Contest

    Writing Magazine The First 5K Novel Prize (opening 5,000 words)

    Pays£5,000 first; £500 runner-up
    Fee£27.50 (£24 for subscribers)
    Closes
    Guidelines for Writing Magazine, The First 5K Novel Prize (opening 5,000 words)
  33. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Pet stories
  34. Contest

    Jerry Jazz Musician 74th Short Fiction Contest

    Pays$150
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Jerry Jazz Musician, 74th Short Fiction Contest
  35. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Positive thinking stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Positive thinking stories
  36. Magazine

    Ninth Letter Poetry, fiction and nonfiction for print

    Pays$25 per poem, $100 for prose
    Fee$3 reading fee (waived Dec 1-31)
    Closes
    Guidelines for Ninth Letter, Poetry, fiction and nonfiction for print
  37. Magazine

    Gulf Coast Poetry, fiction and nonfiction for print

    Pays$50 per page in print
    Fee$3 reading fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Gulf Coast, Poetry, fiction and nonfiction for print
  38. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Dog stories
  39. Magazine

    The Georgia Review Prose and poetry for print

    Pays$50 per printed page prose; $4 per line poetry; up to $800
    Fee$3 online; free by mail or for subscribers
    Closes
    Guidelines for The Georgia Review, Prose and poetry for print
  40. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Cat stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Cat stories
  41. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Holiday stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Holiday stories
  42. Contest

    Bridport Prize Flash Fiction Award

    PaysGBP 1,000 first prize
    FeeGBP 12
    Closes
    Guidelines for Bridport Prize, Flash Fiction Award
  43. Contest

    Bridport Prize Novel Award

    PaysGBP 1,500 first prize
    FeeGBP 26
    Closes
    Guidelines for Bridport Prize, Novel Award
  44. Contest

    Bridport Prize Poetry Award

    PaysGBP 5,000 first prize
    FeeGBP 13
    Closes
    Guidelines for Bridport Prize, Poetry Award
  45. Contest

    Bridport Prize Short Story Award

    PaysGBP 5,000 first prize
    FeeGBP 15
    Closes
    Guidelines for Bridport Prize, Short Story Award
  46. Open call

    Chicken Soup for the Soul Miracles and divine intervention stories

    Pays$250 plus 10 copies of the book, if published
    FeeNo fee
    Closes
    Guidelines for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Miracles and divine intervention stories
  47. Open call

    Abyss & Apex Holiday stories

    Pays8 cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Abyss & Apex, Holiday stories
  48. Freelance

    Airbyte Data engineering articles

    Pays$300-500 per article
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Airbyte, Data engineering articles
  49. Freelance

    Amezmo PHP hosting and web development tutorials

    Pays$300 per 2,000-word article
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Amezmo, PHP hosting and web development tutorials
  50. Magazine

    Analog Science Fiction and Fact Science fiction and fact articles

    Pays8-10 cents/word fiction; 9 cents/word fact
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Science fiction and fact articles
  51. Freelance

    AppSignal Ruby, Elixir and JavaScript articles

    PaysPaid per post once approved (rate not published)
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for AppSignal, Ruby, Elixir and JavaScript articles
  52. Magazine

    Asimov's Science Fiction Science fiction stories and poems

    Pays8-10 cents/word; $1/line for poems
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Asimov's Science Fiction, Science fiction stories and poems
  53. Magazine

    Beneath Ceaseless Skies Secondary-world fantasy stories

    Pays8 cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Secondary-world fantasy stories
  54. Magazine

    Bourbon Penn Odd and speculative stories, 2,000-7,500 words

    Pays5 cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Bourbon Penn, Odd and speculative stories, 2,000-7,500 words
  55. Freelance

    Bugfender Mobile and web development articles

    PaysUp to $500 per article
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Bugfender, Mobile and web development articles
  56. Freelance

    Civo Cloud and Kubernetes tutorials

    PaysFee agreed when your idea is accepted; paid by PayPal or Civo credit
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Civo, Cloud and Kubernetes tutorials
  57. Magazine

    Clarkesworld Nonfiction on SF, writing and publishing

    Pays12 cents/word, up to 2,500 words
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Clarkesworld, Nonfiction on SF, writing and publishing
  58. Magazine

    Clarkesworld Short science fiction and fantasy

    Pays15 cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Clarkesworld, Short science fiction and fantasy
  59. Magazine

    CRAFT Flash, short fiction and creative nonfiction

    Pays$100 flash, $200 fiction or CNF
    FeeNone stated
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for CRAFT, Flash, short fiction and creative nonfiction
  60. Freelance

    Draft.dev Technical blog posts for software companies

    PaysPaid per article (rate set on assignment)
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Draft.dev, Technical blog posts for software companies
  61. Magazine

    Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Mystery and crime short stories

    Pays6-8 cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery and crime short stories
  62. Freelance

    Envato Tuts+ Tutorials in code, design and photography

    PaysPaid per tutorial (rate not published)
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Envato Tuts+, Tutorials in code, design and photography
  63. Magazine

    Etherea Magazine Fantasy and science fiction stories

    PaysA$100 per story; A$25 for flash; A$200 for novelettes
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Etherea Magazine, Fantasy and science fiction stories
  64. Magazine

    Geist Notes & Dispatches: short personal nonfiction

    PaysUsually $100-300
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Geist, Notes & Dispatches: short personal nonfiction
  65. Magazine

    Geist Short stories up to 5,000 words

    PaysUp to $650
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Geist, Short stories up to 5,000 words
  66. Magazine

    Guideposts First-person true stories

    PaysPaid on acceptance (rate not published)
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Guideposts, First-person true stories
  67. Magazine

    Interzone SF and fantasy short fiction

    Pays1.5 euro cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Interzone, SF and fantasy short fiction
  68. Freelance

    Jane Friedman Articles for The Bottom Line, a paid publishing-industry newsletter

    PaysPaid per assignment; 25% kill fee
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Jane Friedman, Articles for The Bottom Line, a paid publishing-industry newsletter
  69. Freelance

    Longreads Personal essays

    Pays$500
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Longreads, Personal essays
  70. Freelance

    Longreads Reading lists

    Pays$350 per list
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Longreads, Reading lists
  71. Freelance

    Longreads Reported features

    PaysFrom 50 cents/word
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Longreads, Reported features
  72. Freelance

    Longreads Researched and critical essays

    PaysFrom $500
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Longreads, Researched and critical essays
  73. Magazine

    Poetry Magazine Poems and prose about poetry

    Pays$500 per poem; $400 per prose page
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Poetry Magazine, Poems and prose about poetry
  74. Magazine

    Points in Case Humor articles and lists

    Pays$35 per article, $10 per list
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Points in Case, Humor articles and lists
  75. Freelance

    Reactor Essays, lists and reviews, by pitch

    PaysPaid; rates sent when a pitch is accepted
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Reactor, Essays, lists and reviews, by pitch
  76. Freelance

    Real Python Python tutorials

    PaysPaid per tutorial, starting with a paid pilot
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Real Python, Python tutorials
  77. Contest

    Reedsy Prompts Weekly short story contest

    Pays$250 each week
    Fee$5 USD per entry
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Reedsy Prompts, Weekly short story contest
  78. Freelance

    SigNoz Observability and DevOps articles

    PaysPaid per article; amount agreed before you start
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for SigNoz, Observability and DevOps articles
  79. Freelance

    Smashing Magazine Web design and development articles

    PaysHonorarium, paid on publication
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Smashing Magazine, Web design and development articles
  80. Magazine

    Strange Horizons Speculative poetry

    Pays$50 per poem
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for Strange Horizons, Speculative poetry
  81. Magazine

    The Christian Science Monitor The Home Forum: essays and short poems

    Pays$750 per essay; $250 per poem
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for The Christian Science Monitor, The Home Forum: essays and short poems
  82. Magazine

    The NoSleep Podcast Horror stories for audio

    Pays$60 flash, $250 regular stories
    FeeNo fee
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for The NoSleep Podcast, Horror stories for audio
  83. Magazine

    The Sun Personal essays, fiction and poetry

    Pays$200 and up, by length
    Fee$2.50 online; free by mail
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for The Sun, Personal essays, fiction and poetry
  84. Magazine

    The Yale Review Nonfiction essays and pitches

    Pays$250-$1,000 for prose
    FeeNone stated for nonfiction
    ClosesRolling
    Guidelines for The Yale Review, Nonfiction essays and pitches

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