Columns > Published on May 6th, 2015

Reach a Wider Audience: 11 Foreign Literary Markets

The number of markets that pay for reprints (or even accept them) is pretty low. Typically, once you’ve sold the First English Rights to a story, you’re looking at much lower pay and a much harder sell for any further publication.

There is, however, an alternative: Non-English speaking venues. Not all of them are paying markets, but even if you're just getting contributor's copies for your story, they will translate your work for free and you will get a wider audience and more exposure. You're leaving money on the table by ignoring these.

If you've published novels in English, this might be your first step towards getting them published in other languages. A list of short story sales can be instrumental in selling your novels abroad.

The Markets

These are my picks. Some are paying and some are not. I tried to include magazines in print format that at least offer contributor copies. My advice is to send out an email to the editor, introduce yourself and pitch a story or two. Developing a relationship is important.

I also tried to include pertinent information about each market, but Google Translate is your friend and most of the websites are easy to navigate. The links point straight to the Submission Guidelines, where available.

Paying

XB-1

Editor: Martin Sust
A Czech monthly science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine. Pay varies (from $2/page to contributor’s copies only). Has published stories by Elizabeth Bear, Ramsey Campbell, Ken Liu, Graham Masterton and more. Postal submissions only. You can reach the foreign rights editor at: sust@casopisxb1.cz

Galaxies Science-Fiction

Editor: Pierre Gévart
French science fiction magazine. Max 8,000 words. Pays 100 Euros plus copy. Contact: galaxiessf@gmail.com.

Storie

Editor: Gianluca Bassi

Italian bi-monthly literary fiction and poetry magazine. Pays up to 600$ plus copies. Maximum length of 4000 words, previously unpublished work only. Postal submissions. Check link for postal address (in English).

Nowa Fantastyka

Editor: Marcin Zwierzchowski
Polish science fiction magazine. Pays $3 per page. Contact foreign rights manager at marcinzwierzchowski@proszynskimedia.pl

Tenebres

Editor: Benoît Domis

Publishes horror and dark fantasy anthologies with various themes. Pays 25 Euros per story. Contact: benoit.domis@dreampress.com

Non Paying

Hyperpulp

Editor: Alexandre Mandarino
Quarterly bilingual (English and Portuguese) genre webzine. Publishes fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, war and western, magical realism, slipstream, cyberpunk and new weird, with a literary twist. Maximum 7,500 words. Contact: editor@hyperpulp.com.

Terra Fantastica

Editor: Yuri Ilkov
Science fiction and fantasy magazine. Maximum 3,500 words. Pays in copies. Contact: bash_generala@abv.bg.

Proxima

Editor: Niels Dalgaard
Danish science fiction magazine published by Science Fiction Cirklen. Max 10k words. Pays in copies. Contact: proxima@sciencefiction.dk.

Spin

Editor: Suvi Kauppila, Foreign Rights Editor.
Finnish quarterly genre magazine published by the Turku Science Fiction Society. Maximum 8,000 words. Pays in copies. Contact: spin.submissions@gmail.com.

The Dramaturges of Yann

Editor: Nikos Chr. Theodorou
Greek science fiction print magazine. Pays in copies. Contact: niktheod@freemail.gr.

Bang!

Editor: Rogério Ribeiro
Portuguese quarterly genre magazine. Pays in copies. Contact: revistabang@gmail.com


Have you had any experience with foreign markets? Let us know in the comments. 

About the author

George Cotronis lives in the wilderness of Northern Sweden. He designs book covers and sometimes writes. His stories have appeared in XIII, Big Pulp and Vignettes from the End of the World. He is also the editor in chief at Kraken Press and Aghast: A Journal of the Darkly Fantastic. You can see his work at www.ravenkult.com or read his rants over at his blog.

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