SimFiction Review is a quarterly science fiction and fantasy magazine that publishes short stories, interviews, articles and audio fiction. Issues are published quarterly and available on our website, for purchase in ebook format, and via electronic subscription. All original fiction is also published in our trade paperback series. We are currently open for art, non-fiction and short story submissions.
Fiction Guidelines
Non-Fiction Guidelines
Art Guidelines
Fiction Guidelines
Word Limit:
1000-30000 words for short fiction. We also publish novellas and will consider serialized novels. For works over 30,000 words, please query first.
Pay Rate:
10¢ per word up to 2500 words (maximum $250 per story) for first-time authors who have not been previously published by any other publisher or magazine. Novella rates negotiated individually for qualifying authors. Payment via Venmo or check. (International authors may request wire transfers.)
Genres:
Science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction across all subgenres. We welcome hard SF, space opera, cyberpunk, biopunk, hopepunk, climate fiction, alternate history, urban fantasy, mythic fiction, weird fiction, and experimental narratives that explore technological, social, or civilizational themes.
Language:
English. We welcome submissions from international authors and encourage translations of previously unpublished work.
Rights:
We acquire first world electronic rights, first print rights, and non-exclusive anthology rights. All rights revert to the author after publication except for our annual anthology inclusion. Rights are limited to English language publication.
AI Collaboration Policy
SimFiction Review actively encourages the use of AI tools in your creative process. Whether you use AI for ideation, drafting, editing, research, or any aspect of storytelling, we welcome your collaboration with these technologies. Simply disclose your AI usage in your cover letter—we’re interested in how human creativity and artificial intelligence can work together to create compelling narratives.
Submission Requirements:
Stories should be well-crafted and engaging regardless of your creative process. We value strong characterization, compelling plots, and prose that serves the story. Your work should translate effectively to both text and audio formats.
We’re particularly interested in stories that:
- Explore the intersection of technology and human experience
- Examine how AI, simulation, or digital systems affect individuals and societies
- Reimagine historical periods through speculative lenses
- Investigate civilizational change and adaptation
- Present fresh perspectives on familiar themes
Submission Process:
For short fiction (under 30,000 words): Submit through our online portal. You’ll need to provide: author name, email, cover letter (including AI usage disclosure), story title, word count, and your manuscript file in .RTF or .DOCX format.
For novellas and serialized works: Send a query letter to info@yegii.com. Your query should include the length of your work, significant publishing history and awards, information relevant to the specific submission, and any AI collaboration details. If we request the full manuscript, submit it in Modern Manuscript Format as an attachment in .RTF, .DOC, or .DOCX format.
We try to respond to all submissions within 30 days, though some may be held longer for consideration.
Important Guidelines:
- Wait seven days between submissions following a rejection
- No simultaneous submissions
- No queries until two weeks have passed
- Revisions only upon request
- Don’t resubmit previously rejected work
If you are uncertain about anything above, we recommend following the most conservative interpretation. Questions, concerns, or technical issues can be sent to our editors via email.
Privacy & Confidentiality
Author information remains confidential within our editorial team, except when legally required, in cases of threats against staff, for narrator pronunciation assistance, for year’s best anthology inclusions (with author permission), or if plagiarism is discovered. Submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential evaluation material only.
Non-Fiction Guidelines
SimFiction Review is looking for articles of interest to readers of science fiction and fantasy. We are looking for a wide range of types of article including, but not limited to: discussions of the genre publishing business, essays on the writing process and the reading experience, scientific material that might be of use in SF stories, foresight analysis, scenario planning, and technological trend exploration. We pay 10¢ a word up to our word limit of 2500 words.
There are some common types of non-fiction article that we are specifically not interested in receiving queries for. These are:
- Reviews: there are plenty of places that publish such material, we don’t;
- Literary Criticism: again no (especially if it is really just a review);
- Interviews: we do publish interviews, but they are handled separately from the non-fiction articles and are generally commissioned. Please do not pitch interviews to us.
- Reprints: every article we publish must be original to SimFiction Review. There is no point in sending us material that has already been published elsewhere, especially if it is elsewhere online.
We welcome articles written, co-written, or assisted by AI tools, provided this assistance is disclosed in your query.
In addition, here are a few comments about the style of articles that we prefer:
- Keep yourself out of the article. We are looking for objective analysis of issues, not touchy-feely journalism;
- We are not an academic journal. Footnotes are fine, indeed we like them (though we don’t include them in the word count), especially if they come with web links. However, you need to pitch your writing style for a general audience, not for a group of fellow scientists or literature professors;
- Please, no interviews in disguise. An article about the work of an individual, stuffed with quotes from that individual, is functionally equivalent to an interview. An article that is mainly quotes from a group of people is functionally equivalent to an interview. We want your words, not someone else’s;
- Don’t bait the audience. There’s a certain style of article that deliberately seeks to incite rage across the blogosphere. We are not that desperate for eyeballs;
- Make sure you know your topic. If you are going to write about quantum physics, bear in mind that we probably have several quantum physicists reading this magazine and they will laugh at you (and us) if we run an article full of errors. You don’t have to have a PhD in the topic before you write for us, and we’d be happy to find someone to fact-check for you, but we do need to ensure articles are not an embarrassment to us, or to you.
Finally, what do we like to see?
- Articles that are thoughtful, in-depth, and well-written;
- Subjects that we haven’t covered before;
- Accompanying illustrations (but please do check the copyright situation);
- A clear passion for the subject matter.
Non-Fiction Submissions Process
Please do not send completed articles. Instead send a query letter with the subject header NONFICTION QUERY: [title or concept] to nonfiction@simfictionreview.com. There are no response times. We will generally only respond to queries we wish to follow-up on. A follow-up email should not be taken as a guarantee of publication.
Art Guidelines
The cover for each issue of SimFiction Review is used across all editions (online, ebook, digital subscription, and print) of the magazine. Our rights are restricted to those covers and marketing materials for that specific issue. All other rights remain with the artist. Payment is $450 and two copies of the print edition. The artist’s bio and link to their online portfolio will be included in the issue featuring their art.
What Kind of Art We’re Looking For
Genre art doesn’t have to look genre. It can, but we strongly suggest that you take a look at the cover art from prior issues.
We consider our cover art to be its own story. We do not look for pieces that have overlap with that issue’s fiction, so tell us a story through your art.
Color artwork is preferred. We have bought B&W art, but it is a very hard sell.
We prefer digital or traditional 2D paintings and illustrations. We welcome AI-generated and AI-assisted artwork, provided the use of AI tools is disclosed. No photography or photomanipulations.
Author names and our header will appear on all finished covers. If your art contains crucial elements that appear in these locations, it probably won’t work for us. If we’re very enthusiastic about a piece that suffers from this problem, we may ask if you’d be willing to make changes.
Landscape artwork is preferred but not required. Since we use landscape art as wrap-around covers for the print edition, it should be able to stand alone when only the right half is visible.
Artwork must be available in a 300dpi .tif or other high-resolution format. Landscape covers measure 11″ wide by 8.5″ high. (Portrait 5.5″ wide by 8.5 high.) Artwork for covers must include a 1/4″ bleed. Do not crop your own artwork if it goes outside these margins.
Artwork must be friendly to resizing. We publish in a variety of formats. Something that looks great at full-size on our print edition needs to be remain impressive at 350px tall on our website.
We will not consider artwork that has been previously used for magazine or book covers. We reserve the right to make exceptions, but they will be rare and by invitation only. Unpublished portfolio work will be considered.
Art Submissions Process
Artists interested in submitting their work for consideration should send the URL of their online gallery or portfolio to our editors (art@simfictionreview.com). Please indicate if any works in your portfolio involve AI assistance. Please do not attach images to the message. We will get in-touch with you if we’re interested in licensing a particular piece as a cover. Your online portfolio will be periodically reviewed for new works, so there should be no need to send us updates unless you change the location of your portfolio.