Our submission portal for original stories is OPEN from the 1st to the 21st of each month* unless we reach our submission cap of 425 stories.
(*except for December, when all submissions are CLOSED).
Updated 2/14/2023: We are committed to publishing stories written and edited by humans. We reserve the right to reject any submission that we suspect to be primarily generated or created by language modeling software, Chat GPT, chat bots, or any other AI apps, bots, or software. We reserve the right to ban submissions from accounts, emails, or users who we believe or suspect have submitted AI-generated content.
We reopen to reprint submissions March 1st 2023
We are looking for complete 500- to 1000-word stories with crisp prose, well-developed characters, compelling plots, and satisfying resolutions. We want stories that engage our minds and emotions.
We publish across many genres, including speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. For more information on the type of stories we enjoy, please read a few issues and check out our "What We're Looking For" page.
FORMATTING: Please format your submission in a double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman or other serif-type font (NO Courier), with standard 1" margins and black font on an unadorned, white background. No PDF submissions. No Images and no graphics.
ANONYMOUS SUBMISSIONS: Do not include your name, address, email, or other identifying information on your manuscript (header, byline, file name, etc).
SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Please do not submit works that are currently under consideration elsewhere
MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: You may submit one original and one reprint story concurrently (multiple submissions), but may not submit more than 1 original and 1 reprint simultaneously.
QUERIES: You can check on the status of your submission at any time via your Submittable account. If, after 8 weeks, your submission is still marked as "in-progress," you may email flashfictiononlineeditor@gmail.com with QUERY in the subject line for an update on its status. (Submissions sent to this address will be deleted unread.)
We are unable to provide personal feedback or critiques.
We do not accept resubmissions of stories previously rejected by Flash Fiction Online, unless requested by the Editor.
We will NOT consider stories that promote or affirm hatred, prejudice, or violence toward any group of people based on age, race, nationality, religion, sex, gender, political affiliation, disability, neurodiversity, or other social identity.
Love what we publish? Flash Fiction Online is funded entirely through the generosity and support of our readers! Check out our Patreon here.
ANONYMOUS SUBMISSIONS: Do not include your name, address, email, or other identifying information on your manuscript (header, byline, file name, etc). This allows our First Readers to evaluate your story based on the work alone.
PAYMENT & RIGHTS FOR ORIGINAL FICTION: Flash Fiction Online pays $80 per story for first electronic rights for original (previously unpublished) fiction, with 6 months exclusivity, as well as a non-exclusive one-time right to publish the stories in an anthology. The author retains all other rights. Original stories must not have been previously published anywhere, including a blog or on Patreon. Payment is made via PayPal (preferred) or mailed as a check.
Reprint submissions do not need to be anonymized. Original/unpublished stories submitted through this portal will be declined unread.
PAYMENT & RIGHTS FOR REPRINT FICTION: Flash Fiction Online pays 2c/word for non-exclusive electronic rights for previously published stories which are no longer bound by contractual obligations to a publisher. The author retains all other rights. We do not consider stories that were originally self-published, including on a blog or Patreon. Payment is made via PayPal (preferred) or mailed as a check.