At The Fairtales we believe stories should both comfort and challenge. We don’t want fairytales. We want Fairtales. We publish writings that cut through noise and dig into what matters. From sharp short stories to essays on systems and society, we care about clear voices, original ideas, and bold perspectives.

We publish both emerging and established writers from anywhere — but we’re especially here for voices from underrepresented groups.

Both Shorts and Longs categories are open year round and we do not charge any submission fees. We accept simultaneous submissions but ask that you inform us immediately and withdraw your work if your story is accepted elsewhere.

We pay EUR 25 for original shorts and EUR 50 for original longs.

For Shorts we expect 500 words or less. For Longs we expect 1000 -1500 words.

Writers may submit up to two stories in the same document. Please wait 1 month after our initial reply before submitting again.

With each story we expect a brief third-person introduction of the author.

We normally take 1 month to give you a reply, but normally revert faster than that.

We accept submissions only via our submission form for now.

The Fairtales holds first serial publication rights for three months after publication. Authors agree not to publish, nor authorize or permit the publication of, any part of the material for three months following The Fairtales first publication. For reprints, we ask for acknowledgment of its publication in The Fairtales first.

Optional Editorial Feedback:

We offer to provide editorial feedback with your submission. Opt-in when submitting and we will provide a letter discussing the strengths of the story as well as any editorial recommendations.