HEXFILED publishes science fiction and speculative fiction that takes the boundary between organism and machine seriously—not as a metaphor to exploit, but as a genuine site of inquiry. We are drawn to work that is strange without being obscure, rigorous without being cold.
Our editorial sensibility leans toward stories where the speculative element is load-bearing: where removing the SF conceit would collapse the story. We love biological SF, ecological futures, post-human consciousness, weird and slipstream fiction, and stories where the science is imagined carefully even if it isn't real. We are less interested in military SF, chosen-one narratives, and portal fantasy.
We accept work in the following categories:
Work falling outside these ranges will be returned unread. If you are unsure whether your piece fits, query first at submissions@hexfiled.com.
We follow Shunn Standard Manuscript Format for prose. Poetry may be submitted in your preferred house style. Please include:
#Simultaneous submissions are permitted. Please withdraw immediately if accepted elsewhere. We accept one prose submission and one poetry submission per reading period, per author. Do not submit the same piece to multiple categories.
We aim to respond to all submissions within 60 days. Flash fiction responses are typically faster (under 30 days). If you have not heard from us after 75 days, please query via email with your submission date and title.
We purchase first world English rights for a period of 90 days from publication date, after which all rights revert to the author. We accept reprints on a case-by-case basis—please indicate in your cover letter if you are submitting a reprint, and include the original publication details.
HEXFILED is currently a non-paying market. It is a new, independent magazine run by one editor, and we want to be upfront about that. We do not offer payment at this time. The goal is to grow into a paying market, and that will be announced clearly when it happens.
What we do offer: careful, attentive reading; detailed personalised feedback on request; and publication in a magazine that takes the work seriously.
Send your submission directly to submissions@hexfiled.com. Please include your manuscript as an attachment (.doc, .docx, or .rtf) and a brief cover letter in the body of the email: your name, title, category, word count, and a short publication history if you have one (not required).
"We read everything. We take risks on strange, difficult work. We are not looking for the safest version of your idea—we are looking for the one that kept you up at night."
— The Editor
Submissions:
submissions@hexfiled.com
General & editorial:
editor@hexfiled.com
Curiosities & other:
curiosities@hexfiled.com