Deadline: September 1st, 2021
Payment: Equal split of $500 between all accepted authors
Theme: short parenting stories—CNF or fiction—that incorporate the weird, the surreal, or the speculative into the parenting narrative in some way.
You know those personal parenting essays you read in The New York Times? We don’t want those. We want your short, short parenting stories—CNF or fiction—that incorporate the weird, the surreal, or the speculative into the parenting narrative in some way. We want ghosts and robots and Children of the Corn. We want angry shouts into the void. We want deep love that withstands tidal waves. We want small, everyday moments that turn inside out. We want to be disturbed, to laugh, to whimper, to gasp at the audacity of a parent telling us THAT. Are you not a parent, but you are or were put into a parent-like role and something unexpected and/or creepy and/or mystical happened? We want to read your story, too. We want exceptional writing. We want purposeful prose. We want you and your words!

Parenting Stories Gone Speculative

No poetry, please! Fiction or creative nonfiction only, and no need to tell us which genre your prose falls under. This hybrid collection is about the story!
We welcome parenting-related stories from all types of parents and child-raising caregivers. We are extremely interested in publishing pieces from BIPOC+, LGBTQIA+, and parents of all dis/abilities. Stories will not be read anonymously for this anthology because it’s extremely important to the editor to create and publish a collection that includes a wide variety of parenting voices.
Must be at least 18 to submit.
All work must be the author’s own, in English or accompanied by an English translation. Single pieces by multiple authors considered.
A maximum of 750 words, and preference will be given to shorter pieces. We love micros!
Simultaneous submissions allowed.
Previously published pieces will not be considered, except by special invitation.
Submit via Submittable only. We do not accept email submissions, except by special invitation.
There is no reading fee.
We close our free submission portals when we reach our monthly Submittable submissions cap, so submit early in the month and don’t wait last-minute for the deadline.
Submissions close September 1, 2021.
We respond to every submission, in order. Form response only. We are regretfully unable to provide feedback.
You may submit 1-3 pieces (each one 750 words or fewer), but please submit them all at once, in one single submission, and please only submit to free categories once per month, to give everyone a chance to submit before submissions are capped.
We will accept approximately 60-80 pieces for the collection, depending on length. There is a $500 payment budget for the anthology, and all writers published in the collection receive an even division of that amount, after publication, in an opt-in system (which you will choose at payment time), along with a digital copy of the completed anthology in all formats, and an author-discount price for print versions (without obligation). We do not give out complimentary print editions. A percentage of the proceeds from the books will go to Family Equality.
This anthology is being curated and edited by Hannah Grieco. The editor’s decisions are final.

Via: Alternating Current Arts.