Neon and Smoke
11050 Wallbrook Dr.
Dallas TX 75238
Phone: (972)755-9133
Fax:
Website: https://www.neonandsmoke.com/
Guidelines: https://www.neonandsmoke.com/submissions
Editor: T James and Jon Watson
Email address: mailto:neon@neonandsmoke.com
About The Publication:
“Neon & Smoke is a half-genre/half-lit fiction magazine for bold, voice-driven work. We seek stories with characters who make choices—who move forward or get pushed back, but never stand still. We value the writer’s experience, responding with care and clarity, and we especially seek to uplift underrepresented voices.” Monthly and Triannual. Pays on publication. Publishes ms within 8-12 weeks after acceptance. Buys first N.A. rights. No reprints. Responds within one week. Guidelines available online .
Current Needs:
“We’re looking for bold fiction—literary stories that pulse with the energy of genre. Work that spans the full breadth and depth of human experience: horror, speculative, erotic, comedic, and beyond. Above all, we seek stories about people who refuse to be compressed by their experiences—characters who stretch, fight, stumble, and persist in ways that feel unmistakably alive.” Pays $20/article up to 1100 words. Submit manuscript with short bio through Duosuma.
Pays $20/article up to 1100 words.
Photos/Art:
“We accept photography, illustrations, digital art, collages, and mixed media that aligns with the Neon & Smoke aesthetic. Artists may submit up to three original, unpublished, high-resolution pieces, without identifying information in the files or file names. We especially encourage work that engages with our themes.”
Hints:
“A common mistake we see is when writers send us a strong story that wasn’t really written with Neon & Smoke in mind. It often feels pulled from the “cadre” of stories they already have on hand, rather than something that carries the spirit we’re after—a blend of literary and genre, especially when the two sit within the same piece. Neon & Smoke isn’t “hard” to get into; it’s just “different.” If you’re sending us something you’ve already crafted, make sure it beats with that N&S pulse. Another missed opportunity is when writers don’t fully sit with the feedback we provide. We do our best to give thoughtful notes on most submissions—not as universal writing advice, but to help writers get closer to a “yes” with Neon & Smoke. Our feedback is tuned to our particular aesthetic, so it may not apply elsewhere—but it will help you align with us. We love reading new work, and our advice is simple: if you’re going to submit again, take our feedback seriously—it’s designed to put you on the inside track with us.”
Welcomes New Writers: Yes