by Stuart Conover | Oct 15, 2018 | Events, Magazine, Reprints Allowed, Semipro, Token Payment
Deadline: November 15th, 2018
Payment: Unpublished Fiction: 3¢ per word, $150.00 max, Reprints: 1¢ per word
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.
(more…)
by Stuart Conover | Oct 8, 2018 | Audio, Events, Reprints Allowed, Token Payment
Deadline: October 31st, 2018
Payment: $0.01 per word
Note: Non-audio reprints allowed
Note: They love speculative fiction but aren’t looking for horror, make sure to read the guidelines.
The Overcast is currently open to submissions three times a year, during the months of January, April, and October. (Note we are no longer reading during July. Our summers have just gotten too hectic. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for understanding.)
What We Want
We are interested in speculative fiction, whatever that means to you, be it Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk, Magical Realism, Slipstream, or an as-yet-unnamed genre. Anything that looks at the world and life from an unexpected angle. We want the original vision of William Gibson. The magic and beauty of Erin Morgenstern. The uncompromising voice of Margaret Atwood. The technical brilliance of Ted Chiang. We want to read stories that transport us to places that we’ve never imagined. We want to still be thinking about a story days after reading it. Be original. Be amazing.
We are based in Portland, OR, and shine a spotlight on writers hailing from, living in, or connected in some way to the Pacific Northwest, as loosely defined by the bioregion of Cascadia. We feel there is an exceptionally strong talent pool of speculative writers in Cascadia, and we want to celebrate and promote them to a larger audience. Roughly half the stories we publish are by PNW writers. That said, we are not exclusive, and the other half of our stories come from authors all over the globe. So no matter where you live, send us your stories. If they make us laugh, cry, or turn cartwheels of astonishment, preferably all at once, we will find a place for them on The Overcast.
This is an audio format publication. We feel that stories of around 20-30 minutes in length are the best fit for our podcast. While we will consider submission between 1,000-5,000 words, we read at around 100 words per minute, so the sweet spot for submissions is 2,000-3,000 words. If it comes to a choice between two stories of equal merit, we will generally choose the one that is closer to the sweet spot.
Reprints are welcome, so long as they have not been previously produced in an audio format.
What We Don’t Want
Fan Fiction
Generic settings or characters we’ve seen a million times before (lithe elves, dour dwarves, charming vampires, etc)
Horror. Dark, gritty fiction is fine, but straight horror really isn’t our thing.
What We Pay
Our authors are the soul of our podcast. We strongly believe that creators should get paid for their work. Period. We would love to pay pro rates, but alas that is beyond our current financial reach. We currently pay a semi-pro rate of $0.01 per word. We hope, however, that our podcast will soon bring us fame, fortune, and success beyond our wildest dreams, as well as the ability to pay pro rates. We’d also like a pony. A genetically modified pony with six legs that runs 100mph and urinates a rich, tasty stout.
All payment made via Paypal.
(Our rates are directly tied to our Patreon funding goals. As we reach our goals, our rates will go up. Simple! If you want our authors to get paid more, please help spread the word!)
How To Submit
Please attach your story in standard manuscript format to a brief email containing the following information: Story Title, Word Count, and what, if any, connection you have to Cascadia. Please DO NOT include a bio or list of credits. We do not care how many degrees, awards, or publications you have. We want your fiction to speak for itself. If we love your story, we will ask for a bio upon acceptance.
Send your stories to: [email protected]
Please make the Subject line: “Submission: (Story Title)”
We do not accept multiple or simultaneous submissions.
If you have not heard back from us by the beginning of the submissions period following the one in which you submitted your story, please query.
For some reason, we have had numerous problems responding to submissions from AOL users. Most of our responses get bounced back as undeliverable. To prevent future frustration on all sides, please do not send submissions from AOL mailboxes. Thank you.
Rights
We purchase first worldwide exclusive audio rights, as well as the right to keep the episode in which your story is produced available in our archives for as long as The Overcast remains in operation. We do not own your story, nor do we wish to. You are free to publish and sell it elsewhere in any other format.
Via: The Overcast.
by Stuart Conover | Oct 8, 2018 | Anthology, Contributor's Copy, Events, Token Payment
Deadline: November 14th, 2018
Payment: $0.0075/word + one copy of the anthology.
Note: I’d likely usually pass on posting a payment this low but it isn’t every day you get a coffee themed anthology.
Title: The Daily Grind
Imprint: Goal Publications (The Goal Publications imprint is only accepting work applicable for a general audience. Any work that would be marked 18+ will not be accepted by this imprint.)
Timeline for Receiving Submissions: July 1st, 2018 – November 14th, 2018
Release: The plan is to release at Fur the More on March 15th, 2019
Lead Editor: Amy Fontaine
Co-Editor: Madison Keller
Payment Rate: $0.0075/word + one copy of the anthology. Contributors/editors may buy additional copies at a 40% discount
Rights: We are asking for first rights on all stories for six months following the publication date. Reprints will be considered, but priority will be given to original works.
Introduction:
Coffee is synonymous with writers and readers, and is a staple for households all over the world. While your story may have a central theme that does not directly involve coffee, coffee must share the spotlight. Some ideas for stories:
– A romance featuring a coffee shop employee and a patron
– An action story about a war between coffee-lovers and tea-lovers
– A slice-of-life about someone who truly can’t begin their day without a cup or seven of coffee
– A comedy in space where someone in a shuttle only dreams of returning home to their one true love: coffee (because they only have crap coffee on board the ship and that just feels like cheating)
– A fantasy where you’re transported away to a far-away land, and the only common ground you can find are…grounds. You know, coffee? Get the joke?
As with all stories published by Goal Publications and Fanged Fiction, stories must utilize the anthropomorphism of their furry characters to a full extent. Despite the coffee theme, we are not looking for the “Fox in Starbucks” trope. For example, what are some of the health safety methods in the coffee shop to prevent fur from flying into food and drinks? How is armor modified to work with anthro characters? Do certain species have a stronger need for caffeine than others? How do a furred character and a scaled character find similarities stuck in a space ship with only bad coffee? Do these far-away inhabitants have different physical characteristics that let them grow special coffee in way-different environments? These are just some of the examples you can use.
Human characters are allowed, and can even be main characters. However, the above must shine through.
Submission Guidelines:
– 3,000-12,000 words (we can talk about shorter, but longer is very unlikely)
– Story must be in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format, and the document name must include both your name (pen name is fine) and the story title
– Font must be basic and readable (TNR, Garamond, Ariel, or something similar), single-spaced, 12pt font
– In your story document, preferably in the upper-righthand corner, should be your name, address, and email
– Submit all stories as an attachment to GPA002[at]goalpublications[dot]com
– Your subject line must read: “Submission – *STORY TITLE*”
– In the body of the email, you must include:
o Your legal name (and pen name if different, as this is what will show on the contract)
o A brief two or three-line synopsis about the story that gives us the main idea of the story
o One line each about how your story includes coffee, and an example of how your story utilizes the animal traits of your anthro characters
o If your story has been published elsewhere before (posting online does count). Please include specific publication names and dates if this story has been published before.
Responses: You will receive a response email letting you know that we have received your story. Please note: if you use a Hotmail, Outlook, or SBCGlobal email, our email server refuses to recognize these as valid. We can receive emails from those, but cannot send. If you do not have another email option, please include another method of contact (such as Telegram, Twitter, FWG Forum username, or something along those lines). While we will be talking about your stories and making comments as they are submitting, we will be making all final judgments on stories after the submission deadline has closed.
Submission Restrictions: We will only accept one story per author, but you may feel free to submit up to two. We do not accept simultaneous submissions.
I look forward to seeing what you brew for this! 
Via: Anthro Aquatic.
by Stuart Conover | Oct 5, 2018 | Events, Flash, Flat Amount, Online, Poetry, Token Payment
Deadline: June 1st, 2019
Payment: all prose 501 to 3,000 words = $0.01/word with a $20 minimum, microflash (up to 150 words) = $5, flash (up to 500 words) = $10 – Longer work will be considered. Regardless of length, all payments are capped at $30. – 1 poem = $7 – Quips, limericks and other short poems = $5 each
Page & Spine is a paying site. Because of the large number of submissions, we will no longer accept submissions that do not comply with our submissions requirements. Emails containing attachments will be deleted unopened.
Requirements and rates:
Short Stories up to 3,000 words. Flash Fiction to 1,000 words. Format: Single space. Indent paragraphs. Do not skip a line between paragraphs. Considered between October 1st and June 1st only.
Up to 3 Poems of not more than a total of three typewritten pages. Considered between October 1st and June 1st only.
The Writers’ Table writing-related essays, book reviews, favorite author profiles of not more than 2,000 words.
The Reading Lamp topical essays, non-fiction, fiction to 3,000 words, poems
Crumbs short, witty Poetry, Quips and thought-provoking Flash Fiction (to 150 words)
End Notes essays, poems, book reviews on any subject
Payscale: all prose 501 to 3,000 words = $0.01/word with a $20 minimum, microflash (up to 150 words) = $5, flash (up to 500 words) = $10
Longer work will be considered. Regardless of length, all payments are capped at $30.
1 poem = $7
quips, limericks and other short poems = $5 each
Because we have bulging pending files in our short story, reading lamp and poems categories, submissions will be accepted only between October 1 and June 1 in these categories. Please plan your submissions accordingly.
Due to a happy surfeit of unpublished submissions, reprints will not be accepted until further notice.
“Published” is defined as any piece that has been on public view anytime, anywhere. Members only critique sites where work is viewed only by paying members is not a publication venue.
Author generated photography will not be paid, but may be published at the editorial board’s discretion with the understanding that Page & Spine can neither control dissemination nor protect copyrights and will not be held responsible for theft or misuse.
Due to a welcome flood of submissions, our usually short turn-around time has increased to six months, more or less. Simultaneous submissions will not be considered, so please take our delayed response into consideration when you submit.
For additional information or to share your writing with us, please send your submissions in the body of an e-mail to [email protected] . Please mark the subject line: “Submission” or “Inquiry” as appropriate. To avoid spreading viruses, attachments will not be opened and attachment-bearing e-mails will be deleted unopened.
Via: Page & Spine.
by Stuart Conover | Oct 3, 2018 | Anthology, Events, Token Payment
Deadline: January 1st, 2019
Payment: $1 per 100 words.
Note: Reprints Allowed
Nexxis Fantasy has a twice a year publication. Our goal is to publish an exquisite science fiction anthology filled with the greatest works from across the galaxy.
We are accepting short stories and flash fiction up to 15,000 words. We are also accepting Fantasy art and photography. If you’re looking to submit a novella or novel please use this form.
This upcoming anthology’s theme will be “Lost”. We’re also happy to announce that all profits from this anthology will be donated to Doctors Without Borders which provides aid to people threatened by violence, neglect, natural disasters, epidemics and health emergencies.
- Get Paid for your accepted submission. $1 per 100 words.
- Keep the rights to your work. You allow us non-exclusive rights to publish your work.
- Can be an awesome story you’ve already published before.
- Join other great authors and artists and reach thousands of fantasy fans.
- All profits from the book will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
Manuscripts should be finished. Submission deadline is January 1st, 2019.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us. You can either submit your submission using the form to the right or by emailing us at [email protected].
Authors must be 18 years old or older to submit.
Via: Nexxis Fantasy.
by Stuart Conover | Oct 2, 2018 | Anthology, Events, Token Payment
Deadline: December 31st, 2018
Payment: .01 cent/word plus 1 contributor copy
SEASONED MEAT: Just like the title suggests, this anthology is designed for seasoned authors with one or more stories under their belt. As with Fresh Meat, we want all varieties of stories.
- Email: [email protected]
- Length: 500 words up to 7K
- Deadline: December 31, 2018
- Multiple Submissions: Up to 2 stories (attached to same email)
- Simultaneous Submissions: No
- Payment: .01 cent/word plus 1 contributor copy
Via: Splatter Club.
