specpotpourri
Resources for SFF Poets
On this page: links to an online anthology of speculative poetry, submission-tracking tools, specpo-publishing markets, genre poetry archives, and more places to go for publishing news and reviews of speculative poetry.
Specpo down the Ages
New to speculative poetry? To get a rough idea of what English-language poetry in the genres of fantasy, horror, science fiction, and exploratory science has looked like over the past five centuries, browse specpotpourri's online anthology of SFF verse in English, a list of illustrative pieces written from the sixteenth century onward available to read on the Internet for free.
Submission-Tracking Tools
In my experience, it's a very good idea to systematically keep tabs on what you've submitted when and where. You can keep records in a notebook or spreadsheet, of course, but there are websites available that make the job much easier, and provide useful market data from other writers to boot.
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A free online service that helps writers keep track of their submissions, acceptances, and rejections, as well as view average wait times and acceptance rates from listed markets. Geared toward writers of sci-fi and fantasy.
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An online service for tracking submissions, acceptances, and rejections preferred to The Grinder by some writers. Charges a subscription fee.
Paying Specpo Venues
The following magazines and journals regularly publish some form of speculative poetry, do not charge a submission fee, and pay at least a token amount for accepted work:
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Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, mythopoeic, and folklore-inspired poetry. Publishes quarterly online.
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Analog Science Fiction and Fact
Sci-fi and factual science poetry. Publishes quarterly in print and in digital format.
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Andromeda Spaceways Magazine
Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror poetry. Publishes quarterly in digital format.
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Poetry "with obvious fantasy or sci-fi elements." Publishes quarterly in digital format.
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Fantasy and sci-fi poetry. Publishes sporadically online.
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Asimov's Science Fiction and Fantasy
Fantasy, sci-fi, and factual science poetry. Publishes quarterly in print and in digital format, with featured excerpts online.
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Augur Magazine
Sci-fi and fantasy poetry; poems that are "speculative, surreal, or slightly strange," with a focus on work by Canadian and Indigenous writers. Publishes twice a year in digital format.
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Breakroom Stories
"Strange" narratives enjoyable in audio format. Publishes twice a month online.
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Chrome Baby
Sci-fi poetry. Publishes multiple times a year online.
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Dark fantasy ballads and free verse. Publishes in print, ebook format, and online.
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Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores
Sci-fi, fantasy, and folklore- or myth-inspired poetry. Publishes online.
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Optimistic/hopeful sci-fi and fantasy poetry. Publishes in print and online.
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Fantasy and sci-fi poetry. Publishes three times a year in print.
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Fantasy and folklore-inspired poetry. Publishes quarterly in print and online.
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Fantasy and folklore-inspired poetry, with a particular focus on deities and heroes of polytheistic traditions. Publishes quarterly online.
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Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, mythopoeic, folklore-inspired, and factual science poetry. Publishes quarterly online.
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Fantasy, sci-fi, and horror poetry by Black writers. Publishes quarterly in digital format.
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Fantasy and mythopoeic poetry. Publishes twice a year in print.
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Speculative poetry. Publishes online.
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Fantasy, sci-fi, mythopoeic, and folklore-inspired poetry, especially work with "feminist, queer, postcolonial and ecological themes." Publishes quarterly online.
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Speculative poetry with LGBTQ elements. Publishes twice a month online. Accepts reprints.
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Fantasy, sci-fi, mythopoeic, horror, and folklore-inspired poetry. Publishes quarterly online.
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Poetry "with science-fiction- or fantasy-related themes." Publishes in print.
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Speculative poetry "with high emotion." Publishes quarterly online.
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Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror poetry. Publishes three or four times a year online.
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Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror poetry. Publishes quarterly online.
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Fantasy and folklore-inspired poetry, in particular work concerning figures from Greek myth. Publishes quarterly in print and throughout the year online.
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Fantasy and sci-fi poetry with "strong visual images." Publishes sporadically online.
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Speculative poetry in translation. Publishes three or four times a year online.
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Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, mythopoeic, folklore-inspired, and factual science poetry. Publishes quarterly in print.
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Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and folklore-inspired poetry. Publishes weekly online.
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Fantasy poetry "tuned to ancient and traditional myths and fairy tales." Publishes online.
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Poetry that retells traditional fairy tales and myths. Publishes online.
House of Honored Dead
The following is a list of online journals with high levels of specpo content that no longer actively publish, but maintain archives specpo readers might find worth a look.
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Fantasy, mythopoeic, and folklore-inspired poetry.
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Fantasy, horror, and sci-fi poetry.
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Fantasy and folklore-inspired short-form poetry.
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Fantasy and horror poetry.
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Fantasy, horror, and folklore-inspired poetry.
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Fantasy and folklore-inspired poetry.
Other Specpo News Sources
More places to go for updates on new specpo publications, reviews of SFF poetry, and opportunities for poets:
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Regularly updated overview of the current news from writers and editors active in specpo circles. Curated by Diane Severson.
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Into the Looking Glass (Podcast)
A series of interviews with speculative poets discussing their craft, hosted by Jasmine Arch. New episodes uploaded monthly to Podbay, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.
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Specpo: The SFPA 'Verse of Verse
Official blog of the SFPA, featuring essays by guest bloggers and updates on speculative poetry awards, contests, conventions, workshops, and more. Run by the organization's president.
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The SFPA's email newsletter, intended especially for people with an interest in speculative poetry who are not currently members of the Association.
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Brief articles in the SFPA's Star*Line magazine dealing with recently published specpo chapbooks and anthologies, written by a variety of reviewers and regularly posted online in full.
SFF Journals on Twitter
A list of active paying specpo publishers' official Twitter accounts.