Deadline: March 31st, 2024
Payment: 10 cents per word
Theme: Dark stories that take place in a city during the winter season

Thank you for your interest in submitting your work to this anthology. We look forward to reading your short story. Please read the following information to help you to become familiar with the anthology and the submission guidelines.

THE CITY

Noisy, crowded, ever in motion, the City can be more than a setting—it can be a character, as nuanced and as fickle as a human being, with as many traits and quirks as the best mapped out characters. The City can be the ever-present and constant companion (or foe) to the protagonist and antagonist alike.

Winter in the City: A Collection of Dark Urban Stories is an anthology that takes place in different cities around the world during the bleak—sometimes harsh—season of winter. Your story submission must conform to the guidelines listed below and feature the City—in fact, the title of each story will be the City of which you write.

We are not looking for vampire/werewolf love trysts. We are looking for fantastical elements within the City itself.

Because we all know—deep in our hearts—that nightmares and fairies, monsters and ghosts, and terrors of the real and imagined call the City their home.

GUIDELINES:

• Short stories (3000-7500 words) that feature something fantastical in a city during winter. Your story will be titled by the city name (i.e. “Boston” or “Sydney”).
• In this case a “city” should be considered a large population center (over 200,000 permanent inhabitants.
• The “city” should be a real place—no “Gotham City” or “Hogsmeade.”
• PLEASE Confirm which city your story will take place in before starting to write. We prefer not want any duplicates.

FORMATTING:

• We read blind—so remove all identifying information from the story. Leaving that in your query/submission is fine.
• Send submissions as a Word Document (.doc or .docx format ONLY) to via our Moksha Submission portal using standard manuscript formatting.
• Times New Roman 12 pt., double-spaced.
• 1-inch Margins all around.
• Left Justified (Align Text Left) .
• One space only after sentences, not two spaces.
• Section breaks should be marked with centered glyphs such as ***.
• TITLE at the top center of the first page only.
• No headers or footers, page numbers only.
• Use Italics instead of underline or _this_ or *this*.
• Use “double quotation marks” instead of ‘single quotation marks’ for all quoted text.
• Include a short (maximum 100 words) biography, written in the third person in you query. Please submit the biography along with your initial story submission.

FAQ:

When is the deadline? Your story is due March 31, 2024

Do I get paid for my story? Yes. 10 US cents per word.

Who may submit? 50% by invitation, and 50% general audience submissions will be accepted. While our submission process will be blind, we welcome and encourage authors from all walks of life to include their stories.

What genres will you accept for this anthology? Dark Fiction stories that are: Fantasy or Science Fiction or Horror (and any sub-genres thereof).

How long/short should my story be? 3000 words minimum to 7500 words maximum. If your story is under 3000 or exceeds 7500 words, please contact us prior to submitting your story; otherwise your story will be rejected out-of-hand.

What are your content standards? Graphic language/scenes are acceptable as long as integral to the story. No gratuitous sex scenes or shock-effect vulgarity. Nothing “X” rated.

Do you accept Multiple Submissions? No. One submission per person only.

Do you accept Simultaneous Submissions? No. Do not submit your story to another venue at the same time.

Do you accept Reprints? No, we are looking for fresh, original, and unpublished work.

Where do I send my electronic submissions?

See our MOKSHA SUBMISSION PAGE. And for questions, please send an e-mail to [email protected]. Also remember to include your name and contact information (name, address, phone, email) with any questions.

Will you notify me that you received my submission? Once reviewed, you will receive a note if your story is accepted or rejected.

Have more questions? Mail: [email protected].
Via: Gamut’s Moksha.