Black Fox publishes both established and new writers. We are a literary magazine with an eclectic taste. We welcome all fiction, but we especially like fiction from under-represented genres and styles.

Here at Black Fox, we believe that literature and art have the power to connect people and inspire change. One of our goals is to create a community of readers, writers, and artists who share this belief, and who are dedicated to exploring the world through creativity and imagination. We hope you’ll join us on this journey! We publish both established and new writers. We welcome all fiction, but we especially like fiction from under-represented genres and styles.



Creative Nonfiction

Blog Posts

Quality magazines that compensate writers and don't charge submission fees. Supporting writers financially from both ends of the transaction? Hell yeah.

Lit Mags That Pay & Don't Charge Fees

Basically what it says in the title. Our top most bookmarked fee-free lit mags that nominate for the Pushcart Prize.

Literary Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize (and Don’t Charge Fees)

The top nonfiction lit mags in our database, ranked by how many users have bookmarked them.

The Ultimate List of Places to Submit Your Nonfiction

Quality magazines publishing magical realism that also nominate for prizes, accept simultaneous submissions, and maintain under 20% acceptance rates.

Where to Publish Magical Realism

A targeted resource for short story placements with potential for Pushcart recognition.

Fiction Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Specialized publications that recognize exceptional brief fiction through Pushcart nominations.

A comprehensive guide to journals that regularly nominate work for the Pushcart Prize.

Literary Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

These magazines have the fastest response times, so you won't be left hanging for months. No more endless waiting. Just, you know, regular waiting.

Literary Magazines with the Fastest Response Times

All-time most competitive literary magazines. Getting published in these is a significant achievement for any writer.

Most Competitive Literary Magazines of All Time

Explore the most popular literary magazines of all time. These long-established publications are a staple in the literary world for writers of all genres.

Most Popular Literary Magazines of All Time

Highlights publications that regularly put forward essays, memoirs, and other creative nonfiction for Pushcart consideration.

Nonfiction Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Focuses specifically on poetry journals with established histories of Pushcart nominations.

Poetry Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Black Fox Literary Magazine

Black Fox is accepting submissions for its winter 2026 writing prize. Back by popular demand, the theme for this round is “Fairy Tale Remix.” We are open to loose interpretations of the theme in any genre, as always.

What if the big, bad wolf were a person with a dark, complex past? Or what if Snow White wasn’t so perfect on paper? What if Cinderella was a biology professor who didn't want the prince's heart?

We’re once again looking for original work that reimagines fairy tales from around the world! We challenge writers to reshape classic fairy tales and invent their own spellbinding versions. Give us a twist to a familiar plot, introduce modern elements, or explore unconventional characters. This theme offers a chance to remix fairy tales in your own distinctive way. Writers are encouraged to write fresh, new work that use classic fairy tales as inspiration. Enchant the hearts of our readers! 

Fairy Tale Remix 2.0

We are looking for artwork to feature on the covers of our issues. We prefer art that can be displayed on our cover in portrait format. Please do not send more than five pieces of art at a time. If submitting multiple pieces, we prefer images to be in one document. Review previous issues to get a feel for our tastes. Send your best artwork, including drawings, photographs, etc. through our submission manager found here.




The Black Fox blog is always looking for contributors. We are particularly interested in articles on the craft of writing, book reviews, book news, and publishing news. If it's writing, book, or publishing-related then this is the place for it. If we like your article, we'll publish it on our blog.
Blog posts should meet our general submission guidelines and be 1500 words or less. Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it.

Please make sure your manuscript is double-spaced with 12 point Times New Roman font. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. Author's name, and page number should appear in the top right hand corner of every page. Please visit our submission guidelines underneath the "Submit" section of our website for more details. 
This category is for consideration in our print issue. Accepted contributors to our issues are paid $20 each.
Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it.

General Submission for Fiction

YA Fiction

We are looking for quality poetry. We don’t have many requirements for poetry, but please send only three poems at a time in one document. Poems do not have to be double spaced, but poets should still use Times New Roman, 12 pt. font and the poet’s last name/page number should still appear in the top right-hand corner of every page. If submitting multiple poems, submit them in one document. Poets, please keep in mind that our issue pages are 6x9. For this reason, poems with particularly long lines often don't work well. Please also review our general submission guidelines on the Black Fox website. 
This category is for consideration in our print issue. Accepted contributors to our issues are paid $20 each.
Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it.

Poetry

We are looking for quality flash fiction. We love flash fiction that makes every word count! Please submit no more than two stories, each 1,000 words or less. If your story is over 1,000 words, please submit it to the general fiction category. Please submit a double-spaced document with 12 pt Times New Roman font, including your name and page number in the upper right hand corner of each page. Please read our submission guidelines before submitting. 
This category is for consideration in our print issue. Accepted contributors to our issues are paid $20 each.
Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it.

Flash Fiction

We're looking for personal essays and creative nonfiction. We tend to resonate more with nonfiction pieces that read more like fiction. There is no submission fee, but please prepare your manuscript according to our guidelines.
Preparing your Manuscript:
Please make sure your manuscript is double-spaced with 12 point Times New Roman font. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. Author's name, and page number should appear in the top right hand corner of every page. Please visit our submission guidelines underneath the "Submit" section of our website. 
This category is for consideration in our print issue. Accepted contributors to our issues are paid $20 each.
Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it.

Nonfiction

Black Fox is accepting submissions for our 2026 Spring Fox Tales Writing Prize. Back by popular demand, the theme for this round is “First Chapters.” We are open to any genre, as always.
For our spring contest, we’re switching things up. We want to read the first chapter of your work in progress! First chapters can often be one of the most challenging parts of a book to write—they are, after all, a first impression. A good first chapter sets the tone for the book and keeps readers turning pages. We’re challenging writers to dig into their project files and polish up those opening pages. Hook us with your first line. Immerse us in your setting. Earn our intrigue with your plot. Make us root for your main character. Capture our attention with your voice. Give us honesty so raw we lose ourselves in time while reading your work.
We’re looking for first chapters of novels, memoirs, or novels in verse that are so compelling we’ll want to read on.
Please submit your strongest fiction (novels), creative nonfiction (memoirs), or poetry (novels in verse), and we will choose one winner with the best first chapter. The prize is $325 and print publication of their first chapter in the Summer 2026 issue. All submissions are considered for print publication in the Summer 2026 issue. The contest entry fee is $12, and submissions must be submitted before midnight (ET) on May 31, 2026.
Please make sure your manuscript is double-spaced with 12-point font. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. Author’s name and page number should appear in the top right-hand corner of every page. We also ask that you specify the category/genre of your work in the cover letter. Please see our Submission Guidelines before submitting.
We will select a winner by the beginning of August 2026, and each entrant will receive a response.
Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it. ***Writers, please note that entry fees and feedback fees are non-refundable, and payment to the winner is awarded via PayPal. We reserve the right to extend the contest deadline if necessary.***
The Black Fox team looks forward to reading your wonderful submissions!

Spring Fox Tales Prize: First Chapters

Black Fox is accepting submissions for its fall 2026 writing prize. The theme for this round is “Eclectic Endings.” We are open to loose interpretations of the theme in any genre, as always.
As writers, we’re familiar with endings. We type the words often. Some endings are happy. Some are sad. Some are bittersweet. Some leave us unsettled. We’re looking for work that explores the many ways things can end, and what that means for protagonists, narrators, and speakers in your work. Give us the messy, complicated end to a relationship, or the celebratory end of career, or the bittersweet end of time spent in a particular place. Tell us what remains after the end of a party—or the world. Help us answer the question: What does “the end” mean? In the case of finality, what is the aftermath? And is it ever really the end or simply a new beginning?
Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and we will choose one winner who interprets the theme best. The prize is $325 and print publication in the Winter 2027 issue. All submissions are considered for print publication in the Winter 2027 issue. The contest entry fee is $12, and submissions must be submitted before midnight (EST) on November 30, 2026.
Please make sure your manuscript is double-spaced with 12-point font. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. Author’s name and page number should appear in the top right-hand corner of every page. We also ask that you specify the category/genre of your work in the cover letter.
For poetry, send up to three poems in the same document. For flash fiction, send up to two stories in the same document. General prose submissions should only send one piece per submission. Writers may submit additional work as separate entries. Please see our Submission Guidelines before submitting.
Black Fox is anti generative AI. We accept submissions from human authors only. We do not consider work authored or submitted on its own behalf by AI systems, autonomous agents, bots, or other non-human entities.
We will select a winner by the end of January 2027, and each entrant will receive a response.
Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it. ***Writers, please note that entry fees are non-refundable, and payment to the winner is awarded via PayPal. We reserve the right to extend the contest deadline if necessary.***
The Black Fox team looks forward to reading your wonderful submissions!

Black Fox Literary Magazine

Highlights

About

Featured Call

General Submission for Fiction

Appears in collections