For writers who love the strange edges of speculative fiction — the quiet, surreal, emotionally rich places where science fiction meets literary depth — Fusion Fragment is one of the most exciting magazines currently open to submissions. While the market for speculative fiction is always evolving, only a handful of magazines consistently publish bold, thoughtful, beautifully crafted stories. Fusion Fragment is one of them.
If you’ve been looking for a paying home for your sci-fi, slipstream, or speculative-literary short stories or novelettes, this is a call worth paying attention to. Below is a full breakdown of what the magazine is about, what they’re looking for, how to submit, and how to increase your chances of acceptance.
What Is Fusion Fragment?
Fusion Fragment is a Canadian speculative fiction magazine that publishes “SF-tinged” short stories and novelettes that lean toward the atmospheric, the uncanny, and the emotionally resonant. Unlike some sci-fi markets that focus on high-action adventures or hard science world-building, Fusion Fragment tends to gravitate toward pieces that blend tone, character, mood, and subtle strangeness.
Think of stories that feel like stepping into a haunting dream, walking through the remnants of a forgotten future, or watching a small, quiet moment unfold inside a vast cosmic world. Their editorial taste leans toward:
- Slipstream
- Cyberpunk
- Post-apocalyptic fiction
- Surreal or experimental speculative fiction
- Quiet, character-driven sci-fi
- Bizarre or mood-heavy speculative narratives
They are less interested in fast-paced action, comedic plots, or stories that feel like blockbuster film scripts. Instead, they welcome fiction that prioritizes feeling over spectacle, atmosphere over explosions, and interiority over plot twists.
For writers who enjoy literary speculative fiction — the kind you might find in the pages of Lightspeed, Clarkesworld, F&SF, or Strange Horizons — Fusion Fragment offers a unique and beautiful space to publish.
What Fusion Fragment Is Looking For
Fusion Fragment accepts unpublished short fiction between 2,000 and 15,000 words. That wide word-count range means they are comfortable publishing both shorter stories and full novelettes, which is rare among magazines and a great opportunity for writers who love longer forms.
Ideal submissions have:
- A speculative or science-fiction foundation
- Strong, developed characters
- A reflective or atmospheric tone
- A sense of strangeness, surrealism, or the uncanny
- Beautiful prose or an engaging narrative voice
- Depth and emotional resonance
They are generally not looking for:
- Pure comedy
- Pure action or pulp sci-fi
- Fan-fiction–style plots
- Stories generated by AI or written with AI support
- Extremely experimental pieces without a coherent narrative core
Payment and Rights
Fusion Fragment is a paying market, which already sets it apart.
- They pay 4 cents CAD per word
- Maximum payment: 400 CAD
- Payment is typically through PayPal
- They purchase first serial rights
If PayPal does not work in your country (for example, Nigeria), they mention they try to accommodate alternative payment options, so writers should not hesitate to submit.
Submission Format and How to Send Your Work
Submitting to Fusion Fragment is simple and straightforward:
- Prepare your manuscript in RTF, DOC, DOCX, or ODT.
- Format it cleanly — standard manuscript format is perfect.
- Include a brief cover note (your name, word count, story title).
- Submit via their Moksha submission portal on their website.
- Wait for a response — they respond, but like most magazines, timelines vary.
Fusion Fragment also allows simultaneous submissions, which means you can send your story to other magazines at the same time — but you must withdraw it immediately if it gets accepted elsewhere.
A Few Tips to Increase Your Acceptance Chances
Submitting to speculative magazines is both an art and a persistence game. Here are several ways to strengthen your submission to Fusion Fragment:
1. Match the Tone
Read a few stories on their website. Notice the energy: quiet, strange, introspective. If your story has that same DNA, it’s a strong sign.
2. Use Atmosphere to Your Advantage
Fusion Fragment loves mood — the eerie, the subtle, the psychological. Let your story breathe. Let tension come from emotion, not weapons.
3. Build Compelling Characters
Even in worlds filled with robots, rituals, or the ruins of distant futures, Fusion Fragment wants human depth — characters with desires, fears, and wounds.
4. Avoid Over-Explaining
You don’t need to detail every piece of tech or justify every strange element. Let the mystery remain.
5. Polish Your Prose
This magazine appreciates thoughtful writing. A well-crafted voice will stand out.
6. Don’t Stress Over Theme
They publish all kinds of speculative fiction — your unique voice matters more than fitting a specific subgenre.
Why You Should Submit to Fusion Fragment
If you’re a writer who thrives in the space between science fiction and literary fiction, there are three major reasons to consider submitting:
1. A Paying Market That Values Art
Not many magazines pay for long fiction, especially up to 15,000 words.
2. A Unique Editorial Taste
Fusion Fragment champions stories that don’t always fit elsewhere — the dreamy, the quiet, the liminal.
3. A Good Home for Longer Pieces
If you’ve been struggling to place a novelette, this is a rare chance.
Final Thoughts
Fusion Fragment is the kind of magazine that rewards writers who take creative risks — the ones who build worlds with mood and meaning, the ones who write speculative fiction that feels alive. If you have a polished story with emotional depth and a touch of the strange, this is a call you should not ignore.