Skip to Content

Abyss & Apex 217

About

Hugo-Nominated Magazine of Speculative Fiction

Important: The poetry editor may not respond to all submissions. After waiting a reasonable amount of time, assume your submission will not be accepted.
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States Established in 2003

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 4 x per year.

Fiction Temp Closed

Our mission is to publish the finest in speculative and imaginative fiction and poetry, with special attention to character-driven stories that examine the depths and heights of emotion and motivation from a broad variety of cultural and social perspectives. We want to publish powerful stories with emotion that resonates in our minds and hearts long after the first reading and makes us want to read them again and again. We look for the unique: stories that stand out in a genre that pushes the envelope of unusual. We take special delight in detailed world-building, and we enjoy reading about the realms and inhabitants of your imagination. We have no subject/topic preference, beyond a requirement that the work have a speculative element. We are happy to read high fantasy, magic realism, hard science fiction, sword and sorcery, and genrebending stories that don't quite seem to fit elsewhere. Our tastes span the gamut from classic Golden-Age SF to modern nontraditional formats.

Dates:

Will be open to submissions from 01 August 2024 12:00 AM EDT (in 73 days) through 07 August 2024. 4

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:
GenreSubgenres
Fantasy FantasyOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, Heroic Fantasy, Magic Realism, Sword & Sorcery.
Science Fiction Science FictionOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, Hard Science Fiction.
Lengths:
Flash Fiction Flash FictionUp to 1,000 words.
Short Story Short Story1,000 - 7,500 words.
Novelette Novelette7,500 - 10,000 words.
Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Dark, Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment.
Details: USD $0.08/word up to 1,000 words; flat payment of $80 for longer works.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.
Media: Text.


Poetry Open

We like to see strong, emotionally resonant, literary-quality poetry with a clear speculative element, as well as scifaiku and what some call "science poetry" or "astronomy poetry." Both traditional and modern or nontraditional formats are encouraged, and we have no length restrictions for poetry. Wow us with a sestina, or stun us in free verse. We admire poetry that exceeds our expectations in scansion, imagery, emotional impact and creative wordplay. We love language, and we like to see it worked for all it's worth. Our love of poetry exceeds the space and funds we have to publish it, so we accept only the very best; amaze us!

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 31 May 2024 11:59 PM EDT (in 12 days). 4

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:
GenreSubgenres
Fantasy FantasyOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, Heroic Fantasy, Magic Realism, Sword & Sorcery.
Science Fiction Science FictionOpen to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, Hard Science Fiction.
Lengths:
Poem PoemNo line limits known; Up to 3 pieces.
Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms, including: Formal verse, Free verse, Haiku (or related), Hybrid form, Invented/Nonce form, Sestina.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Dark, Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $5.50 per poem.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.
Media: Text.


Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Abyss & Apex Submission Statistics — Free Preview!

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.
AccuracyWe have received 49 reports from 43 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported0 min | 42.4 mean avg | 41.0 median | 153 max days (32.4 std dev)
Responses95.92 %
Acceptances22.45 % of submissions accepted (47.6 avg. days per acceptance) | 25.58 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here.
Rejections73.47 % (41.3 avg. days per rejection) | 38.9 % personal, 36.1 % form, 25.0 % unspecified | 4.1 % shortlisted
Non-Responses4.08 %
Lost/Returned2.04 % (67.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as lost or returned)
Never Responded-
Withdrawals2.04 % (2.0 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending15 responses are pending (2 min | 77.2 mean avg | 106.0 median | 180 max days waiting | 61.9 std dev) from 15 different members This only includes pending reports from users who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 90 days. (6.1 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 90 days.)
Do not query on the status of your submission before 180 days have passed.
Submissions are acknowledged within 17 days on average.
Most recent response reported was received on 14 May 2024.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 08 Feb 2024.

Work submitted here was also submitted to...

This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!

Members accepted here also had work accepted by...

This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today!

Your Submissions

This section is available to subscribers only. Join today!

Dates

Last Updated: 06 May 2024
Last Audited: 31 Jan 2024. (We audit each active listing twice a year. Learn more at link.)
Date Added: 29 Jul 2005

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.