Horror Magazines
The Most Comprehensive Horror Magazine Listing Online Since 1999
Our Authority in Horror Publishing
Every Writer has been listing literary magazines online since 1999, making us the web’s original and longest-running directory of publication opportunities for writers. For over 25 years, we’ve been connecting horror authors with publishers, building a reputation as the most trusted source for horror market information on the internet.
As pioneers in the online literary market space, we’ve watched horror publishing evolve from print-only periodicals to today’s diverse ecosystem of digital publications, podcasts, and multimedia platforms. Our decades of experience and relationships with editors give us unparalleled insight into the horror publishing landscape.
Welcome to the internet’s most extensive directory of horror magazines and publications. Whether you’re seeking a home for your terrifying tale or researching the current horror publishing landscape, our comprehensive database puts the entire horror magazine ecosystem at your fingertips.
How to Use This Directory
Our horror magazine listings are organized alphabetically and fully searchable. We’ve implemented the following system to help you navigate:
- Active Links: Magazine names followed by “>” link directly to their submission pages
- Defunct Publications: Marked with “X” or “DEFUNCT” for historical reference
- Search Filters: Filter by payment rates, submission periods, or horror subgenres
- Last Updated: Each listing shows when we last verified its accuracy
Found a broken link? Email us at everywriter@outlook.com with “Horror Directory Update” in the subject line.
Our Quality Standards
While our directory aims to be comprehensive, we maintain strict standards for which publications we include. Every horror magazine in our listings must demonstrate sustainability and professionalism:
- Established Presence: We only list publications that show staying power in the industry
- Institutional Backing: Magazines must either have organizational support or be independently stable
- Professional Web Presence: Publications must maintain their own official domain (no free hosting sites)
- Editorial Standards: Evidence of consistent editorial oversight and quality control
- Reliable Publication Schedule: Demonstrated history of meeting announced publication dates
These criteria ensure that writers submitting to our listed magazines have the best possible chance of a professional experience and actual publication if accepted. We regularly review all listings to maintain these standards.
The Vital Importance of Horror Magazines
Horror magazines have shaped our nightmares since the 1600s, when early horror pamphlets circulated tales of the macabre among eager readers. These publications directly influenced classics like Dracula and Frankenstein, as Bram Stoker himself was known to devour these frightening periodicals.
Today’s horror magazines continue this legacy as the beating heart of the genre. They serve as laboratories where emerging horror conventions first take form before spreading to novels, film, and television. Stephen King’s “Creepshow” paid homage to the horror comics and pulp magazines that influenced him, demonstrating how these publications nurture the seeds of tomorrow’s horror landmarks.
While they may appear small in circulation, horror magazines wield outsized influence. They are the true innovators—read religiously by hardcore fans, established authors, and tomorrow’s horror visionaries. These publications aren’t merely repositories of terror; they’re the cornerstone of the entire horror ecosystem.
Categories of Horror Publications
Professional Horror Markets
Publications paying 8¢+ per word (SFWA professional rates)
Semi-Professional Horror Markets
Publications paying 3-7¢ per word
Token Payment Horror Markets
Publications paying below semi-pro rates but offering compensation
Exposure Horror Markets
Non-paying publications offering visibility
Specialized Horror Publications
- Cosmic/Lovecraftian Horror
- Gothic/Victorian Horror
- Body Horror
- Folk Horror
- Psychological Horror
- Supernatural Horror
Featured Horror Publications
Cemetery Dance
The premier horror publication running since 1988, featuring works by Stephen King, Peter Straub, and emerging voices. Published in both print and digital formats with competitive payment rates.
Nightmare Magazine
A monthly digital publication of horror and dark fantasy, edited by Wendy Wagner. Pays professional rates and has been nominated for multiple genre awards.
The Dark Magazine
A monthly electronic publication of dark fantasy and horror, paying professional rates for fiction up to 6,000 words.
Complete Horror Magazine Directory
All listings are alphabetical and updated monthly. Click on any title to visit their submission guidelines.
Resources for Horror Writers
Submission Guidelines Decoder
Understanding what horror editors want isn’t always straightforward. Common terms you’ll encounter:
- Dark Fiction: Typically broader than pure horror, including dark fantasy and supernatural elements
- Psychological Horror: Focus on mental/emotional terror rather than gore or monsters
- No Gore Porn: Violence should serve the story, not be the story
- Lovecraftian: Cosmic horror, unknowable entities, existential dread
Essential Resources
- Horror Writers Association – Professional organization for horror writers
- The Submission Grinder – Free submission tracker and market database
- Horror Tree – Regular listings of horror submission calls
Community and Updates
Have questions about a specific horror magazine? Post in the comments below. Our community of horror writers often shares insights about response times, editor preferences, and acceptance rates.
Want to help keep this resource current? Email us about new horror magazines or status changes to existing listings at everywriter@outlook.com. Together, we can maintain the web’s most valuable resource for horror publication opportunities.
Last updated: March 2025
You might also want to look at our Top 10 Horror Magazines list.
- Weird Lit Magazine
- Toasted Cheese
- The Wise Owl
- The Future Fire
- The Creativity Webzine
- Suspense Magazine >
- StoSo Press
- Speculative 66
- SCREAM
- Rue Morgue Magazine >
- Nightmare >
- Horror Magazines – A Detailed list of over 100
- Gore Noir Magazine
- Flash Phantoms: A Journal of Horror Flash Fiction
- Flash Fiction Online
- Fears Magazines >
- FANGORIA Magazine >
- Cosmic Horror Monthly >
- Coffin Bell
- Cemetery Dance >
- Bloodletter Magazine
- Bewildering Stories >
- Anotherealm: Magazine of Speculative Fiction >
- Aberration Labyrinth
- 7th-Circle Pyrite
Aberration Labyrinth
Anotherealm: Magazine of Speculative Fiction >
Bewildering Stories >
Bloodletter Magazine
Cemetery Dance >
Coffin Bell
Cosmic Horror Monthly >
FANGORIA Magazine >
Fears Magazines >
Flash Fiction Online
Flash Phantoms: A Journal of Horror Flash Fiction
Flash Phantoms: A Journal of Horror Flash Fiction
- Website: https://www.flashphantoms.net/
- Print magazine: No (digital publication only)
- Size: New publication
- Location: Not specified
- Submissions: Accepts horror flash fiction (1,000 words or less) and micro fiction horror (100 words excluding title). Stories should be edgy from the beginning and end with impact. All submissions must be unpublished, in English, and from writers worldwide. Submit through Submittable. $5 fee for 24-hour response. AI-generated content not accepted.
- Other information: Features a Story of the Month with author interview. Double-spaced, 12pt formatting required with no paragraph indentation. Include brief cover letter with bio. No simultaneous submissions unless withdrawn immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. Submit one story at a time. Originally started as a three-woman team but has expanded.
- Genres: Horror Flash Fiction, Horror Micro Fiction
- Publication frequency: Not specified
- Payment: No payment currently offered, plans to pay writers in the future
- Founded: Not specified
- Editors: Laura Shell, Pam Metz, Terry Strait
- Social media: Listed on Duotrope, Submission Grinder, and Chill Subs, Facebook