What we are looking for

Genre: Dark Fantasy
Word Count: 7,500 – 20,000 words
Deadline: April 30, 2020

Submission Guidelines

What to Include in the Email

An introduction is always nice. Tell us who you are. Have we met, or did somebody refer you to us? Here is a good place to remind us.

The elevator pitch. In one to three sentences, what’s the selling point for the story? What’s it about? What makes it stand apart?

What are the genre(s), main theme(s), and word count?

The dreaded synopsis. Try to keep this around 500 words or less. We don’t need to know who everybody is or every detail of what happens in the story, just the broad strokes. Give us an idea of what to expect. Think of it like a movie trailer in text!

The Manuscript

Please attach your manuscript to the email in standard manuscript format as a Word document (.doc or .docx). This should be double-spaced in 12 point Times New Roman or Courier (we prefer Courier) with non-spaced, indented paragraphs. Ensure that your legal name, address, email address, and the word count appears at the top of the first page. If you are not familiar with standard manuscript formats, please review this article.

Only original, unpublished submissions will be considered.

What is dark fantasy?

The definition of dark fantasy can be debated, but it is generally any story with fantastic or supernatural elements that incorporate horror themes and/or a gloomy atmosphere. In all, the genre is hard to pin down with any specific tropes. It is more a sense of atmosphere—darkness and dread mixed with the elements of fantasy.

What we would really like to see

We are very interested in stories with a historically inspired setting. This can be a secondary world with a sword and sorcery theme, a Victorian tale of the occult, or a 20th century neo-noir tale. These are just examples though, don’t be afraid to explore more options!

We’re definitely looking for dark fantasy though, not just horror, so don’t forget the magic. A coven of witches, an underground occult conspiracy, or a maniacal necromancer would all work well. Of course, vampires, zombies, and werewolves are also welcome! Just don’t forget to make it dark, gloomy, and if possible, terrifying. If there’s a mystery thrown into the mix as well, all the better!