Payment for fiction ranges from $200 to $300. Payment for poetry is a minimum of $50, and $100 for long poems. For nonfiction, payment averages around $100. For flash fiction and flash nonfiction, payment has historically averaged $40 to $50. The amount is determined by the revenues received from submission fees (our fees range from $4 to $7), print journal sales, and contributions from sources such as donors and foundations.
Because we're committed to transparency in the publishing process, especially where author payment is concerned, we publish a transparency index for each of our issues.
Here are our audited statistics from each of our issues and reading periods:
Issue 9
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
248 |
282 |
57 |
70 |
24 |
681 |
| Fee Income |
992.00 |
1968.00 |
353.00 |
350.00 |
126.00 |
3789.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
295.00 |
378.00 |
74.00 |
87.00 |
30.00 |
1196.69 |
| Donation Share |
10.00 |
10.00 |
10.00 |
10.00 |
10.00 |
50.00 |
| Publisher Share |
244.00 |
557.00 |
0.00 |
73.00 |
0.00 |
1163.86 |
| Available to Pay |
463.00 |
1044.00 |
289.00 |
200.00 |
106.00 |
2845.45 |
| Pieces Selected |
10 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
24 |
| Pay Rate |
50.00 |
253.00 |
120.00 |
50.00 |
45.00 |
|
Notes: Figures are rounded to the nearest dollar amount. Some income from Fiction was shifted to increase payment amounts to Poetry and Nonfiction. Flash Fiction and Flash Nonfiction maximums are $50. In case you’re wondering, the Publisher Share is used for things like business licenses and fees, advertising, and web development. So far, for each issue we’ve elected to cut our publishers’ share, and put additional funds into the payment pool.
Issue 8
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
460 |
301 |
62 |
86 |
47 |
956 |
| Fee Income |
1840.00 |
2123.00 |
382.00 |
420.00 |
240.00 |
5005.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
547.40 |
404.14 |
80.48 |
106.14 |
58.53 |
1196.69 |
| Donation Share |
27.60 |
27.60 |
27.60 |
27.60 |
27.60 |
138.00 |
| Publisher Share |
452.41 |
601.60 |
0.00 |
109.85 |
0.00 |
1163.86 |
| Available to Pay |
867.79 |
1144.86 |
392.12 |
231.61 |
209.07 |
2845.45 |
| Pieces Selected |
13 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
28 |
| Pay Rate |
66.75 |
250.00 |
149.00 |
50.00 |
50.00 |
|
Note: some income from Fiction and Flash Fiction was shifted to increase payment amounts to Nonfiction. Flash Fiction and Flash Nonfiction maximums are $50.
Issue 7
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
154 |
154 |
24 |
53 |
25 |
410 |
| Fee Income |
616.00 |
924.00 |
144.00 |
212.00 |
100.00 |
1996.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
183.26 |
198.66 |
30.96 |
63.07 |
29.75 |
505.70 |
| Donation Share |
21.20 |
21.20 |
21.20 |
21.20 |
21.20 |
106.00 |
| Print Sales Share |
8.80 |
8.80 |
8.80 |
8.80 |
8.80 |
44.00 |
| Publisher Share |
154.54 |
256.95 |
-99.19 |
27.60 |
27.67 |
367.57 |
| Available to Pay |
308.20 |
498.39 |
124.81 |
151.33 |
72.68 |
1272.73 |
| Pieces Selected |
10 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
19 |
| Pay Rate |
30.82 |
160.13 |
75.00 |
50.00 |
50.00 |
|
Issue 6
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
160 |
141 |
38 |
48 |
22 |
409 |
| Fee |
4.00 |
6.00 |
6.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
|
| Fee Income |
640.00 |
846.00 |
228.00 |
192.00 |
88.00 |
1994.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
190.00 |
182.00 |
49.00 |
57.00 |
26.00 |
504.00 |
| Donation Share |
5.00 |
5.00 |
55.00 |
5.00 |
55.00 |
125.00 |
| Print Sales Share |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
25.00 |
| Publisher Share |
130.00 |
258.00 |
14.00 |
5.00 |
11.00 |
418.00 |
| Available to Pay |
330.00 |
416.00 |
225.00 |
140.00 |
111.00 |
1222.00 |
| Pieces Selected |
11 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
25 |
| Pay Rate |
30.00 |
104.00 |
75.00 |
35.00 |
37.00 |
|
Issue 5
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
234 |
197 |
25 |
63 |
29 |
548 |
| Fee |
4.00 |
6.00 |
6.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
|
| Fee Income |
936.00 |
1182.00 |
150.00 |
252.00 |
116.00 |
2636.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
278.46 |
254.13 |
32.25 |
74.97 |
34.51 |
582.64 |
| Donation Share |
31.50 |
31.50 |
31.50 |
31.50 |
31.50 |
157.50 |
| Print Sales Share |
21.37 |
21.37 |
21.37 |
21.37 |
21.37 |
106.87 |
| Publisher Share |
118.81 |
166.12 |
0.00 |
34.72 |
18.00 |
437.65 |
| Available to Pay |
591.60 |
814.63 |
170.62 |
195.18 |
116.36 |
1888.39 |
| Pieces Selected |
15 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
31 |
| Pay Rate |
39.44 |
135.77 |
85.31 |
39.04 |
38.79 |
|
Issue 4
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
242 |
123 |
39 |
49 |
23 |
476 |
| Fee |
4.00 |
6.00 |
6.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
|
| Fee Income |
968.00 |
738.00 |
234.00 |
196.00 |
92.00 |
2228.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
287.98 |
158.67 |
39.51 |
58.31 |
27.37 |
582.64 |
| Donation Share |
15.43 |
15.43 |
15.43 |
15.43 |
15.43 |
52.50 |
| Print Sales Share |
21.64 |
21.64 |
21.64 |
21.64 |
21.64 |
108.21 |
| Publisher Share |
122.79 |
105.17 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
1.70 |
229.66 |
| Available to Pay |
594.30 |
511.23 |
220.76 |
174.76 |
100.00 |
1576.41 |
| Pieces Selected |
15 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
27 |
| Pay Rate |
39.62 |
127.81 |
110.36 |
43.69 |
50.00 |
|
Issue 3
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
144 |
91 |
21 |
44 |
10 |
310 |
| Fee |
4.00 |
6.00 |
6.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
|
| Fee Income |
576.00 |
546.00 |
126.00 |
176.00 |
40.00 |
1464.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
171.36 |
117.39 |
27.09 |
52.36 |
11.90 |
380.10 |
| Donation Share |
5.00 |
5.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
22.00 |
| Print Sales Share |
21.64 |
21.64 |
21.64 |
21.64 |
21.64 |
108.21 |
| Publisher Share |
74.60 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
431.21 |
| Available to Pay |
356.68 |
455.25 |
124.55 |
149.28 |
53.74 |
1005.49 |
| Pieces Selected |
10 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
20 |
| Pay Rate |
35.67 |
113.81 |
62.28 |
49.76 |
53.74 |
|
Issue 2
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Nonfiction |
Flash |
Flash Nonfiction |
Total |
| Submissions |
225 |
135 |
49 |
52 |
24 |
461 |
| Fee |
4.00 |
6.00 |
6.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
|
| Fee Income |
900.00 |
810.00 |
294.00 |
208.00 |
96.00 |
2308.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
267.75 |
174.15 |
63.21 |
61.88 |
28.56 |
595.55 |
| Donation Share |
139.51 |
139.51 |
139.51 |
42.67 |
43.81 |
505.00 |
| Print Sales Share |
19.00 |
19.00 |
19.00 |
19.00 |
19.00 |
95.00 |
| Publisher Share |
113.97 |
229.20 |
0.00 |
57.79 |
30.25 |
431.21 |
| Available to Pay |
676.79 |
565.16 |
389.29 |
150.00 |
100.00 |
1881.24 |
| Pieces Selected |
18 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
31 |
| Pay Rate |
37.60 |
141.29 |
97.32 |
50.00 |
50.00 |
|
Issue 1
| Category |
Poetry |
Fiction |
Flash |
Total |
| Submissions |
351 |
167 |
79 |
597 |
| Fee |
4.00 |
6.00 |
4.00 |
|
| Sub Total |
1404.00 |
1002.00 |
316.00 |
2722.00 |
| Submittable fee 5% + $.99 per sub |
417.69 |
215.43 |
94.01 |
727.13 |
| Donation Share |
35.00 |
45.00 |
35.00 |
115.00 |
| Sub Total |
1021.31 |
831.57 |
256.99 |
2109.87 |
| Publisher Share |
295.00 |
150.00 |
6.99 |
445.00 |
| Available to Pay |
726.31 |
681.57 |
250.00 |
1664.87 |
| Pieces Selected |
24 |
5 |
5 |
34 |
| Pay Rate |
30.26 |
136.31 |
50.00 |
|
In case you’re wondering, the Publisher Share is used for things like business licenses and fees, advertising, and web development. So far, for each issue we’ve elected to cut our publishers’ share, and put additional funds into the payment pool. -JP