by Stuart Conover | Dec 12, 2019 | Events, Magazine, Semipro
Deadline: January 15th, 2020
Payment: $0.10 CAD per word (with a minimum of $20 for very short tales)
Submission Guidelines (fiction)
It’s AE Micro time again. We give you a theme. You send us a very short story. We pick the best and publish a microzine.
This year’s theme is “stars“. Become a galactic idol, journey to a white dwarf, or follow your horoscope.
We will select a minimum of five entries for publication in the microzine: three Canadian stories and two international. As always, we publish science fiction, though our interpretation of the genre is broad and ‘speculative’ fiction without a science-y feel is welcome. The word limit for this one is a minuscule 200 words.
Requirements and details: Submissions must be previously unpublished (in print or online) and should stand alone (i.e., no excerpts from a larger work). Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your piece is selected elsewhere. Please submit no more than two micro submissions at a time. We buy First Serial and First Electronic rights and non-exclusive Audio rights.
AE is proud to offer all fiction authors reimbursement of $0.10 CAD per word (with a minimum of $20 for very short tales), paid within 60 days of acceptance.
Licensing: All content in AE is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives license upon publication. We believe in the Creative Commons mission and feel that it benefits both authors and their readers by allowing creators to reach the widest possible audience. Note that the use of the Creative Commons license has no effect on the ability or right of the author to sell reprint rights, film rights or other secondary rights in the future. Copyright remains at all times with the author, and commercial reproduction is prohibited.
Response Time: we aim to respond to all queries and submissions promptly. Please feel free to send a follow-up query if you have not heard from us within 90 days.
Deadline: The current call for proposals will be open until 15 January 2020 at 11:59PM EST.
How to submit a story: Submit your story online using the form below. Please register an account to help us communicate with you: users can see the status of their submission, make changes, and let us know if they need to withdraw.
We strongly encourage you to user the form below – but you may alternatively email your story to us. Please note the following instructions for email submissions: Please include a brief cover letter and the full text of your story (preferably in plain text) in the body of an email addressed to [email protected]. We will not open any attachments. The very first thing in your subject line should be “CDN Sub” if you are a Canadian citizen or current Canadian resident, otherwise your subject line should begin with “INT Sub.” This is very important, especially if you are Canadian. We publish a limited number of international stories. The subject line must also contain both the title and approximate word count of your piece, like this: “CDN Sub: ‘Title of Story’ (1300 words).” The cover letter should include your name, byline (if different) and a brief (70 words, at most) biography. We will contact you at the same email from which you sent your submission.
Interested in writing something else? We’re also looking for non-fiction contributors and we’d love to hear your idea. Please contact us directly. At this time we cannot reimburse authors for non-fiction contributions. Interested in contributing visual art? We buy art primarily on contract for our specific needs. AE buys first rights and pays between $50 and $300 CAD per illustration depending upon size and intended use.
Via: AE Scifi.
by Stuart Conover | Dec 9, 2019 | Anthology, Events, Semipro
Deadline: February 29th, 2020
Payment: 3 cents per word
Theme: Extinction
Triangulation is open for submissions. We are Parsec Ink’s speculative fiction anthology, now in our 16th year. We’re looking for outstanding fantasy, science fiction, weird fiction, and speculative horror–from new and established writers. Take the theme and run with it. Tell us a story we won’t forget.
Theme: Triangulation: Extinction
Every day, another species creeps closer to extinction, often brought on by things out of their control. The world changes every time an insect, a rhino, a macaw ceases to exist. These changes are tangible. Tell us about them. Bring us stories of imposing threats, extraordinary creatures brought low, stories of those warriors who fight tooth and nail for their survival. What does extinction mean to you? We like our stories to be profound, relatable, poignant yet familiar. Tell a tale for the ages.
While we appreciate and value creative freedom, please note that this issue of Triangulation has a strict theme. We don’t want to read a hundred stories about dinosaurs and asteroids; we want gritty commentaries and hopeful ruminations. Last year’s issue, Dark Skies, wrestled with light pollution, and similarly, this issue addresses an equally as challenging—and real—topic. Let’s do it justice.
Submission Requirements
Submissions Open: December 1, 2019
Submissions Close: February 29, 2020
Word Count: We consider fiction up to 5,000 words, but the sweet spot is 3,000. There is no minimum word count. Stories over 5000 words will be rejected unread.
Genre: We accept science fiction, fantasy, and horror–and enjoy intelligent blends of the three. Stories without a speculative element will not be considered.
We do not accept reprints, multiple submissions, or simultaneous submissions. If we reject a story before the end of the reading period, feel free to send another.
We love creative interpretations of our themes, but we do require the stories to be a solid fit.
We run mature content only if we like the story and find the mature content to be integral to it.
We do not accept fanfic, even if it’s based in a fictional universe that has passed into the public domain.
Manuscript Format: Please use industry standard manuscript format. We’re not testing you or trying to make you jump through hoops, but we do want a manuscript that is easy for us to read. We reserve the right to reject a story because it did not adhere to our formatting guidelines.
We accept manuscripts in the following formats:
- .doc or .docx (MS Word)
- .rtf (Rich Text Format — generic document format that most word processors can create)
How We Choose
We are a meritocracy. New authors are as welcome as those with a laundry list of accomplishments. But it’s going to be the story that wins us over. Grab us by the lapels, drag us onto that plane, take us for the ride of our lives… but get us back on the ground safely and home in time for dinner.
We aim to read submissions as they are received. If a story doesn’t work for us, we reject it. If we think the story has great potential but isn’t quite there yet, we request a rewrite. The ones we love the most, we hold on to for further consideration, but we won’t keep you guessing: you’ll get an email. Next, the stories fight it out amongst themselves until we have our final lineup. At which time, final acceptances are sent out. It’s sort of like Enter the Dragon, but without the nunchucks. When a story is accepted, the changes we suggest will typically be minor and/or cosmetic.
Response: Final decisions are made by March 31st.
Eligibility: All writers, including those who are known or related to the editorial staff, can submit to Triangulation. That doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily get in, but we are happy to consider their work.
If Your Story Is Accepted
Compensation: We pay 3¢ per word. Payment will be either via PayPal or check.
Rights: We purchase North American serial rights, audio and electronic rights for the downloadable version(s). All subsidiary rights released upon publication.
How to Submit
Electronic submissions make our lives easier. Please upload your story via Submittable. If this is your first time using Submittable, you will need to create an account with them. Don’t worry: it’s free.
Via: Parsec Ink.
by Stuart Conover | Dec 4, 2019 | Anthology, Events, Royalties, Semipro
Deadline: December 25th, 2019
Payment: $0.01 per word and royalties
Theme: Mystery, locked room
A Room is Locked…
Due Date: December 25, 2019
Word Count: 1,000-7,500 words
Payment: $0.01 per word and a percentage of royalties. Payment made upon publication
In the mystery genre, the idea of a locked room puzzle is one of the standbys. Everyone from Agatha Christie to Edgar Allen Poe has done it, and now it’s your turn.
Your story, to be considered, must feature the idea, concept or tool of a locked room. It can be figurative or literal, the choice is yours. The challenge is to take this old idea and make it new again.
Please email your submissions in standard manuscript format, along with a short bio for consideration to [email protected] Please put “Locked Room Submission” in the subject line.
Expected publication date is sometime July/August 2020.
Via: Antimony and Elder Lace Press.
by Stuart Conover | Dec 3, 2019 | Anthology, Events, Reprints Allowed, Semipro
Deadline: December 31st, 2019
Payment: 1 cent per word
Note: Reprints Only
Theme: Hardcore Horror
Is your story too heavy and hardcore for other “best of” anthologies? Then you’ve come to the right place because Red Room Press is now accepting stories for YEAR’S BEST HARDCORE HORROR VOL. 5, a yearly collection intended to give recognition to the extreme, harder side of horror, stories that break boundaries and trash taboos.
Editors: Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax.
Requirements: The story was originally (or will be) published in a 2019 anthology, single author collection, magazine, or online magazine. Self-published anthologies and collections are acceptable as well.
Deadline: December 31, 2019.
Length: Up to 6000 words. Word count is flexible and longer works are always considered but please note the max payment is $60.00.
Payment: 1 cent a word for reprint rights. ($60 max)
What to Send
Authors:
In the body of an email:
- Author name
- Story title
- Name of anthology or magazine or online magazine it was (or will be) published in:
- If the book is available on Amazon and your story credit appears somewhere on the page, send us the link. If not, send a link to the best source with that information (publisher’s page, etc).
- If the story was in a magazine, send us a web link to the issue TOC where your story appears, or if that’s not available send us a scan of the table of contents (print magazines, etc.).
- A bio
- A short description of the story.
- Attach the entire manuscript in rtf, doc format, or a PDF or mobi of the magazine or book it appears in if available. Note: if sending a doc or rtf, please make sure this is the final version of your story, exactly as it appears in the published version.
Important Note: Make sure your contract allows you to publish the story in a “best of” anthology. If you’re not sure, check with your publisher. If necessary, ask them for a waiver.
Publishers
In an email include the following:
- Name of publication and publisher, date published and format (print, ebook, magazine, etc)
- A pdf, doc, rtf, or mobi of the publication.
- If there are any particular stories you feel we might be interested in feel free to make a note of that (optional).
__________
Include in the Email subject line: YEAR’S BEST HARDCORE HORROR
Email to ybhh (at) redroompress.com
We’ll send a notification within 48 hours that we received your submission. If you don’t get this, please inquire. We may not have received it. Please note that we are not sending out rejection notices and will only notify authors if their story was selected. Thank you!
Via: Red Room Press.
by Stuart Conover | Nov 25, 2019 | Events, Magazine, Reprints Allowed, Semipro
Deadline: Decembre 15th, 2019
Payment: 3¢ per word, $150.00 max, 1 cent per word for reprints
Note: Reprints allowed
We are a literary magazine of dark fiction, both short stories and flash fiction. We want your best. But then, doesn’t everyone? No specific sub-genres or themes, just good stories. For inspiration, we suggest “The Twilight Zone”, “The Outer Limits”, and LampLight, Vol1 Issue 1 which is free.
We go for stories that are dark, literary; we are looking for the creepy, the weird and the unsettling.
We do not accept stories with the following: vampires, zombies, werewolves, serial killers, hitmen, excessive gore or sex, excessive abuse against women, revenge fantasies, cannibals, high fantasy.
Writers
We have published writers of all backgrounds from all over the world in LampLight, but not everywhere, nor all shapes and sizes of writers. Help us to shine a light on greater diverse writing and keep LampLight a showcase of the best dark fiction out there by submitting and encouraging others to as well.
Edition and Rights
The quarterly is published as print and ebook, and at the end of the year all the quarterlies are bound together in an annual collection.
We are asking for non-exclusive, worldwide, serial rights to your work for both electronic and print. We want to publish it, we don’t want to own it.
We will take reprints, provided you have the rights we are asking for. We will not consider reprints that are currently available for free online.
If you have already been in LampLight, we ask you wait until the next volume to submit again.
Payment
We accept originals and reprints up to 7,000 words (firm). Payment in USD.
- Unpublished Fiction: 3¢ per word, $150.00 max
- Reprints: 1¢ per word
Please note: works published to a Patreon or similar site are considered reprints
Simultaneous and Multiple Submissions
Simultaneous submissions are fine, just let us know if it gets accepted elsewhere. Multiple submissions are not allowed, and will result in all submissions being rejected.
Submission Times
There are two submission periods for LampLight:
- 15 March – 15 May for the September and December Issues
- For 2019 – 15 October – 15 December for March and June Issues (More Info)
Submissions sent outside of these periods will not be considered.
Where to Submit
Submittable is our preferred method of submission. We accept most file types as well. Please use standard manuscript format for your story (although headers and footers are not needed). Please add REPRINT to the subject line, if your story is a reprint!
If you need to edit your submission
If you uploaded the wrong file, have a newer version, anything, please do not withdraw your story. Instead send us an email and we can release it back to you for editing.
Please note:
We can only get 300 submissions a month through Submittable. If the followed link reads “There are presently no open calls for submissions.” then we have filled our quota for the month. You will be able to submit again on the 1st of the following month. But, when the limit is reached on the last month, time is up!
https://lamplightmagazine.submittable.com/submit
Please remember, Submittable is a third party site. Please read the Terms of Service before you sign up.
If you need a reminder about formatting, here is a good link to read:
http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html
For queries, you can email: [email protected] – Submissions sent to this email address will not be read.
Via: Lamplight.
by Stuart Conover | Nov 14, 2019 | Ongoing Submissions, Online, Semipro
Payment: 1 cent per word
Do you accept unsolicited submissions?
Yes. Please see the information below on how to submit.
How do I submit?
- Email your submission to [email protected] with “After Dinner Conversation – Submission” in the Subject Line.
- Attach your story as .pdf document. If we can’t open it, it will be deleted.
- Assuming your story is accepted, we will send you a simple contract granting us the right to publish your story on our website. Additionally, your story will be considered for inclusion in future podcast discussions and/or as part of the Kindle Direct Publication “After Dinner Conversation” Series.
- No more than three submissions per six months.
What are your looking for?
Your writing can be any genre, and from any perspective. The important thing is that it spurs discussions and requires the reader to expand their mind. If you need an example, read “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by the amazing Ursula K. Le Guin or the convenience store scene from Chuck Palahniuk’s “Fight Club.” The point is, the short story should be interesting as a short story, but also have a deeper point for a longer discussion. If you are hurting for deep ideas to write about, you might want to watch these Crash Course videos on Philosophy. Of course, the best thing to do is read other short stories on the website.
We do not accept novels, poems, or artwork.
What length are you looking for?
- Children’s Stories: Under 1,500 words
- Young Adult: Under 5,000 words
- Adult: 1,500-15,000 words
What does this pay?
Accepted short stories from unsolicited submissions are $0.01 per word (limit $50).
How long will it take to hear back from you?
Usually just 1-2 weeks, but certainly under 1 month.
Via: After Dinner Conversation.
