Deadline: September 29th, 2024
Payment: 8 cents per word up to $400
Theme: No restrictions on genre (seeking all types of stories; fiction and creative nonfiction)
Note: Must be subscribed (free) to the magazine in order to submit, no submission fee.)
SUBMISSIONS TO OUR MONTHLY MAGAZINE ARE CURRENTLY OPEN THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29TH, READ THE GUIDELINES BELOW CAREFULLY – FAILURE TO ADHERE TO OUR RULES MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION, AND WHO WANTS THAT?
Please note that we have additional perks and leeway for MEMBERS, highlighted in GREEN. Your membership not only gives you a leg up in the submission process, but helps keep the lights on (and pay our talented writers).
Why submit to us?
– WE PAY WRITERS FAIRLY. It’s hard work writing good stories, and you deserve to get paid. Or maybe you don’t and you’re just duping us? Regardless, we pay 8 cents a word for stories up to 2,500 words. Stories longer than this are capped at $200 payment ($400 for MEMBERS).
– NO SUBMISSION FEES. We’re not saying the other guys are getting rich off $3 per submission, but there’s something about the idea that we, as writers, have you pay you, the publisher, just for the privilege of rejecting our work with a form letter, bothers us. (Costs of running an E-zine aside) We’re going to go ahead and coin a phrase right here and now – ‘Write privilege’, get it? Of course, you do.
– GET YOUR WORK IN FRONT OF A LARGE AND GROWING AUDIENCE. Our aim is fixed on telling good stories, period, and because of that we have built a massive readership from all over the globe. Want to get your stories out to more than just dear old nana? Then you’ve come to the right place.
– REASONABLE TURN-AROUND TIME. If you haven’t heard from us within 90 days, then your story was rejected. Rejections stink – we get it – but its better than forever waiting and wondering. All MEMBERS get their stories reviewed within ONE month!
– WORKABILITY. Is that the right term? Well, we’re going with it. Unlike large publishers who view authors as just a number, we actually work with you to help present the story in its best possible light. We do, however, expect reciprocity; Story Unlikely is comprised of volunteers who are by nature team players. If you’re an inflexible my way or the highway type – or even worse, an unbearable ideologue – then consider this a premature breakup. No really, it’s us, not you.
– GET ILLUSTRATED. We illustrate ALL stories we publish, and we think we’re doing a pretty bang-up job with that.
What to Submit to us?
– STORY LENGTH: Our story limit is 10,000 words, but MEMBERS can submit up to 15,000 word stories.
– CONTENT: To put it simply, we’re looking for good stories, measured both by the quality of the writing and the skill in storytelling. We prefer prose that elicits emotion: make us laugh or cry, think or consider, anything on the edges or in between.
– GENRE AND STYLE: Good stories don’t just come in all shapes and sizes, but in all genres, too (fiction and nonfiction). Although some genres naturally lend themselves to certain feelings, by no means do we expect authors to follow preordained paths. We like stories that cross genres, experiment, and push the boundaries of literature while maintaining the utmost quality in literary technique and storytelling, which is why we’re open to just about anything.
– WHAT WE’RE NOT LOOKING FOR: Excessive anything. Think PG-13, R if necessary. We’re not attempting to salt the earth with more cultural dogma couched as mediocre fiction, or writers who are jockeying for the title of Most Woke. There’s enough of that out there already. You want to impress us? Write a good story. You want to get published? Write a great one.
– NEW STORIES AND REPRINTS: We accept previously published stories – and oh how we love a good reprint(!), as long as you, dear author, have retained full rights. For reprints, we pay 1 cent per word with a maximum payout of $75, and $150 for MEMBERS – the story can still be up to 15k in length, or 10k for non-members.
– A NOTE ON PODCASTING: Last year we began telling stories audibly through our podcast. Click HERE for details on our podcast publishing guidelines. All submissions will be considered first for our magazine, and second for our podcast.
– ONE STORY PER AUTHOR PER 90 DAYS: We do not accept multiple submissions. We DO accept simultaneous submissions (IE, you can send it out somewhere else at the same time. Just inform us immediately if it is accepted.) MEMBERS can submit stories once every 30 days!
-PERSONAL FEEDBACK: Though we don’t respond to rejections, historically we have sent constructive feedback to stories that were close but didn’t quite cut the mustard (what does that even mean?). Moving forward, we will only respond with personal critiques to MEMBERS, (though again, only a small percentage of stories will receive feedback). We are run by volunteers, and with our ever-increasing costs, we have to prioritize those who help us stay financially viable. For a chance to receive personal feedback, Members MUST submit through our Member Portal
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