Literary Journal

Fictive Dream

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Journals & literary magazines1 open opportunity listedUnited Kingdom

About the magazine

Fictive Dream is an online literary magazine founded in 2016 by editor Laura Black. It was established to provide a dedicated platform for short fiction, with a particular emphasis on stories that possess a dreamlike or speculative quality. The magazine publishes a new story every Monday and has built a reputation for curating tightly crafted narratives that often blur the boundaries between the real and the surreal. Its mission is to champion concise, evocative storytelling that lingers in the reader's mind, offering a space where the uncanny and the everyday intersect.

Editorial focus

Fictive Dream is an online magazine dedicated to the short story. “We chose our name with more than just a backward glance to American writer and teacher John Gardner whose concept of the fictive dream remains a cornerstone of good writing. Powerful writing ensures that readers never slip out of the fictional world or dream that a writer creates. This is the sort of writing we’re looking to promote here at Fictive Dream .”

FictionTranslation

Submitting your work

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentNo payment

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Fictive Dream accepts submissions of short fiction between 500 and 2,000 words. They welcome stories with a speculative, surreal, or dreamlike element, but literary quality is paramount. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify promptly if your work is placed elsewhere. Submit via their online form, and expect a response within a few weeks. Reading periods are typically open year-round, but check the website for any updates.

We publish stories of up to 2,500 words that have not been previously published (including an author’s own blog or social media). There are no reading fees, and we are not a fee paying publication. We do, however, nominate stories for international awards such as Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions and Best Microfiction. We are open for submissions throughout the year. We have eclectic tastes and don't shy away from difficult subject matter. Please read a selection of stories on our site to get a feel for the sort of material we like.

Read official guidelines