Deadline: February 28th, 2014
Payment: $10/piece + a hard copy of the issue your piece appears in.

Despumation is a literary magazine published by Despumation Press (go figure).

Before you do anything, read this. Seriously. As a matter of fact, it’s a really good idea if you read everything on this page and the links provided, which actually isn’t very much. Because we can tell if you haven’t read it. You’ve been warned.

For our first issue, we’re concentrating on song stories: short fiction based on your favorite metal song. To get a good idea as to what we’re looking for, click here.

When I read your story out loud, I want to hear the metal. Trying to figure out how to structure your story? Listen to (a) song; use its rhythm and tempo to hammer out (a) plot and timing.

Are you at a place where the topic or action seems particularly “metal” to you? Read it out loud. What does it sound like? Are there some consonants that sound more pounding, or sharp, or burning, or stabbing? Are there some vowels that drone on, drag out? Use those words, but don’t sacrifice meaning. How about your setting? Does it evoke the plodding of the drums and bass? Does it look like the vocalist sounds?

I know, right? It’s harder than you thought it’d be.

This is what I’m looking for. Stories that celebrate a (metal)’s theme(s) and sound; stories that read like a live show. Stories that make the reader feel like they’ve just spent twelve hours with a warm beer in their hand, satisfyingly half-time nodding to the bowel-shaking pulse of a double bass, or like they’ve just crawled out of a pit and are wondering if maybe something is broken. It’ll be a challenge for the writer, but I think any writer would welcome it.

In terms of non-fiction, we’re looking for metal-related essays and articles. We’re open to topics; surprise us. But again, in terms of this issue, we’re really looking for stories based on metal songs.

Here are your submission guidelines:

I am a wicked taskmaster. Really, if you’re metal, you can take it.

-No wacky fonts. 12pt min.

-Word count: 3000-5000. We’re generally looking for short stories and non-fiction essays, but we will also take a look at flash fiction.

-Please include page numbers. Also, your name, title of the piece, approx. word count, and contact info on the title page.

-Docx or doc, thank you.

-Simultaneous submissions are okay (just let us know if a piece has been accepted elsewhere), but please nothing that has been published previously.

–Send to: [email protected] (electronic subs only)

-Subject line: Fiction Sub, Non-Fiction Sub, Art/Photography Sub (pick the appropriate subject line).

Deadline: Feb 28th, 2014

Payment: $10/piece + a hard copy of the issue your piece appears in.

Via: Despumation Press