Submissions

Update as of November 5, 2023.

Mirror Dance has ceased publication. Our email account is no longer being monitored. Please direct any relevant communications to the former editor, Megan Arkenberg.

What We Publish
Mirror Dance is a biannual online magazine of fantasy fiction and poetry. We are open to all sub-genres of fantasy, including magic realism, urban or contemporary fantasy, sword and sorcery, fantasy-of-manners, and stories with mythological or folkloric themes. As a member of the Outer Alliance, we actively seek work with LGBTQIA themes and characters who challenge traditional concepts of gender.

We are open dark fantasy, science fantasy, and historical fiction with fantasy elements. We do not publish science fiction or non-supernatural horror.

Fiction of any length will be considered, though we generally find stories under 5,000 words more suitable for online reading. We value unique voices and beautiful but readable prose styles. We prefer stories with dynamic, fully-developed characters and richly detailed settings over stories driven by a particular twist or plot device.

Poetry of all lengths will be considered, from haiku to epic narratives. We value strong imagery, precise word choice, and a tight, specific focus. Poems must have an identifiable fantasy or mythic element. Please do not send more than three (3) poems in one submission.

Mirror Dance pays $5.00 upon acceptance for each work of fiction or poetry. We can make payments through PayPal, check, or an online donation to the project or charity of your choice.


How to Submit 
Please send your work in a .doc, .docx, or .rtf document to mirrordancefantasy at gmail dot com. In your cover e-mail, include your name and contact information, the title of your submission, and its word count.

Please use the subject line “Mirror Dance Fiction Submission – [Title].” Replace [title] with the title of your submission, and change “fiction” to “flash fiction," "poetry," etc. as appropriate. For all other communications, include “Mirror Dance” in your subject line.


Other Considerations
No simultaneous submissions. Please do not send us work that is currently under consideration elsewhere. If your story becomes unavailable after you’ve submitted it to Mirror Dance, please notify us immediately.

Poor spelling, grammar, and punctuation in your e-mail or your submission itself are grounds for a rejection. A few small typos are acceptable; carelessness is not.

We are happy to consider reprints. Please include previous publication details in your e-mail. We have a slight preference for stories that aren’t currently available in a free-to-read online venue, such as your blog, another e-zine, or a critique site that is not password-protected.

In the case of original fiction, we are asking for first English-language digital rights exclusive for three months. All work published in Mirror Dance will be archived unless the author requests otherwise. The author may request that the work be immediately removed from the website at any time after the first three months of the story’s publication.

Mirror Dance aims to respond to all submissions within 30 days. If you are concerned about the length of a response time, please feel free to query the editor at the e-mail address above.

Thank you for your interest in Mirror Dance! I look forward to reading your submission.