Fiction

Vestal Review

Vestal Review is a magazine for flash fiction and pays contributors $75, sent via PayPal, against a $3 reading fee for general submissions — proposals carry no fee. It assumes writing has not been produced, shaped or edited by AI, asks for first electronic rights, and reverts all rights to the writer afterwards.

🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-09 Researched by BRYME Editorial Desk.

The docket

The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 288-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.

Payment: $75 per contributor, sent via PayPalOf the other 63 records quoting in USD on this desk that state a figure, 51 state less, 8 state more, 4 state exactly this.
Length: Flash fiction — the magazine's whole remit; no word limit stated on the guidelines page
Who can submit: Not statedNo stated country restriction on the guidelines page.
Reading period: Submissions are taken during Vestal Review's reading periods.You may submit as often as you like during them, but only one piece per submission, and only after hearing back about the previous one.
Response time: Not statedNo response time recorded. A follow-up after two to three weeks is reasonable; silence past that is a soft no, not a rejection.
Simultaneous submissions: You may submit elsewhere at the same timeAs writers, we understand the frustration of waiting for months and months for an editor’s reply, so we do allow simultaneous submissions. — https://www.vestalreview.net/guidelines (read 2026-09-30)
AI policy: AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
Rights: StatedVestal Review asks for first electronic rights. After that period all rights revert to the writer, with the request that you acknowledge Vestal Review in any subsequent printing, whether on the web or in hard copy.
Experience: Not yet assessedBRYME has read this publication's guideline but has not yet put the experience question to it, so this row is untouched rather than unanswered — it is our gap, not theirs. Treat it exactly as you would an unstated policy.

What this record does not tell you

This publication leaves 3 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.

Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
Experience — BRYME has not assessed this one yet, so do not read the blank as either a welcome or a bar. Look at who the publication normally publishes before you pitch.

Record last human-checked 2026-09-30. Sources listed at the foot of this page. Figures are compared only against other records quoting in USD on this desk quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.

Quick facts

Payment: $75 per contributor, sent via PayPal
Word count: Flash fiction — the magazine's whole remit; no word limit stated on the guidelines page
Submission: Online submission — $3 reading fee, none for proposals
International writers: Yes
Status: 🟢 Currently accepting
Last verified: 2026-09

🟡 Research only. BRYME has researched this opportunity but has not yet submitted to it. Nothing here should be read as a claim of acceptance, publication or payment.

What this publication wants

This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Fiction. Official guideline: Vestal Review guidelines.

Topics, themes and styles they look for

Flash fiction. That is the magazine's entire remit.
Proposals, which carry no reading fee.

Subjects they avoid

Writing produced, shaped or edited by AI. The guidelines state the magazine assumes your writing has not been.
More than one piece per submission, or a second submission before the first is answered.

Key requirements

Pay the $3 reading fee for general submissions; proposals are free.
Send one piece per submission.
Wait until you hear back before submitting again.
Have a PayPal account — that is how the $75 is sent.

Who can submit

No stated country restriction on the guidelines page.

Rights

Vestal Review asks for first electronic rights. After that period all rights revert to the writer, with the request that you acknowledge Vestal Review in any subsequent printing, whether on the web or in hard copy.

AI policy

Prohibited

How to write for them

Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.

BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.

How to pitch

Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.

Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
Say why it fits this publication.
Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
Close professionally and thank them for their time.
Send through the official channel only.

Open Last verified 2026-09-30 Official submission page

Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.

Track this pitch

How to submit

Online submission — $3 reading fee, none for proposals

Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.

Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
Submission: Online submission — $3 reading fee, none for proposals

What the guideline asks you to prepare

Read https://www.vestalreview.net/guidelines before sending.
Write flash — nothing longer belongs here.
One piece at a time, and wait for the answer.

Safety note. Never pay to submit your work. A legitimate publication does not ask writers to pay a fee or provide identity documents to be considered. If you are asked to, do not proceed.

What happens after submission

Expected response: Not stated; wait for a reply before submitting again

If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.

OFFICIAL

Read the official guideline

Open the publication's own page and confirm everything on this record before you pitch.

Open → GUIDE

How to write a pitch

A step-by-step structure for a pitch that a busy editor can act on.

Open the guide →

Check, question or correct this record

BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.

What do these statuses mean? Every badge on this page explained — open, closed, researched, tested, paid. Report an outdated listing Guideline changed, link dead, or submissions closed? Tell the desk and it gets rechecked. How BRYME verifies The editorial standard behind this record: sources, dates, corrections and limits.