Publication: Tractor Beam
Topic(s): Speculative Fiction, Soilpunk, Climate Change, Sci-Fi
Rate: $1,000 per accepted submission
Deadline: 15 October 2025
Submit Via: Webform

Tractor Beam is a quarterly speculative and science fiction publication reimagining hopeful futures for our planet through soilpunk—radical stories rooted in soil, food, farming, and sustainability. They’re calling for fresh submissions of fiction and graphic work that explore climate-conscious storytelling, grounded in science and human resilience.

For Issue 4, Tractor Beam wants bold, optimistic narratives on:

• Decay and rot as renewal
• Frozen earth, snow, and ice
• Oceans and underwater soil
• Soil as tech or fashion
• Soil as origin of life
• Anti-apocalyptic futures

Stories should spark questions like: “Could this really happen?” or “What science do we need to thrive?” They welcome cross-genre submissions—romance, spy thrillers, coming-of-age tales—so long as they interrogate climate crisis solutions and imagine better worlds.

Word Count: Under 6,000 words for fiction, or graphic novellas up to 16 panels. Pitches and pencils welcome.
Payment: $1,000 flat for accepted work.

What They’re Looking For:

Writers and artists who can blend creativity with soil science, climate innovation, regenerative agriculture, or speculative tech. Optimism is key—these stories should inspire change, not dwell in despair.

How To Get This Client:

Pitch a story that merges hard science with compelling characters and narrative. Go beyond dystopia—Tractor Beam wants hopeful futures that feel possible. Use recent research in food, soil, or climate tech as inspiration. Be original, be bold, and keep it under 6K words.

💡 Pro tip: Editors love submissions that balance imagination with feasibility. Don’t just dream—ground your sci-fi in real science.

🔥 Don’t just scroll past this—$1,000 for one story is serious money. And if you’re still struggling with pitches, our Sure Media Freelance Training Program is your ticket. Writers who’ve gone through it are landing gigs like this every week. If you’re not in, you’re already behind.