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Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: 2 cents per word, lore from these stories will also be featured in the upcoming Starspawn videogame which is cool for bragging rights but you won't be paid extra for it which is an honest sticking point for many Theme: Stories set in a variation of the Lovecraft universe which is listed below Note: Be sure to read the legal at the bottom, it is very straightforward as this is for a videogame, but might be news to some Ancient horrors… secret countermeasures… a cosmic cold war, turning hot… This is the world of Starspawn: A Miskatonic Mystery, an indie video game in development by our team of two. We will be doing a Kickstarter later this year, and we would like to offer an original short story anthology as a reward; portions of the stories will also be included in the game, with the full text available as bonus achievements. These stories will flesh out the lore of the game’s universe, and should be based on the prompts listed below. We are offering $0.02 per word (to a maximum of $100), and looking for stories in the 2,500 - 7,500 word range. Submissions are open now, and close on September 15, 2024. We will evaluate all submissions after the closing date. Requirements & Instructions Stories must be set in the game universe, which is a variation of the Lovecraft universe, and described below. Horror, please. Action/horror, comedy/horror, etc. are all fine, but horror, please. Cosmic horror, please; not just a creature feature. Tentacles dripping with eyeballs are great imagery, but there’s more to it. Stories must be based on one of the provided prompts. (You may send us a message if you would like to pitch a new one before you write it; info-at-the...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: US 4¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $4, maximum $25 Theme: Outlaws Eye to the Telescope 54, Outlaws, will be edited by Melissa Ridley Elmes. Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, Belle Star, Wyatt Earp, Bonnie and Clyde … Robin Hood, Aladdin, Zorro, Jean Valjean, the Joker, Villanelle … Malcolm Reynolds, Zoe Washburne, Peter Quill, Gamora, Han Solo, Sam and Dean Winchester … outlaws have a perennial hold on our imaginations, equal parts romanticized and demonized, revered and reviled, admired and loathed, depending on whose side you’re on. Outlaws are anti-heroes. They destabilize existing systems of power, erasing the illusion of control in societies. They bring with them and leave in their wake disorder, chaos, violence, destruction, loss, and death. But on the other hand, they also point to possibilities—of throwing off the shackles of propriety and authority; of living life on their own terms and according to their own ethical codes, standards, and values; of the possibilities that exist beyond established socio-political and cultural structures. I’m looking for your take on outlaws, defined broadly—give me your space cat renegades, your dryad anti-government environmental activists, your fed up monsters ready to throw down against the powers that be, your alien mercenaries, your dynamic lover-robbers, your charming assassins, your child-thieves: make them loud, make them stealthy, make them in-your-face, make them subtle, make them violent, make them pacifist, make them winners or losers, lovable or loatheable—whatever you do, just make sure it’s in verse form, memorable, vivid, and speculative. Submission Guidelines SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Use the form at https://bit.ly/SFPAettt54 to submit. Please submit 1–3 unpublished poems in English (ideally, attached as .docx or .txt) and include a short bio. Translations from other languages are acceptable with the permission of the original poet (unless public domain). Inquiries only to [email protected] with “ETTT”...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Prizes: 10 winners will each receive $10 Theme: Something so strange that the reader feels that they've entered the Twilight Zone Ever look around the world and feel like you've entered the Twilight Zone? Tell me about it! But tell me about it in 600 words or less! From September 1st to September 15th, WWW will accept submissions for our micro fiction competition. 10 winning stories will be selected, and the winning authors will receive $10 each and publication on the website.   THEME: I want to read about behavior so strange, I feel like I've entered the Twilight Zone!     If you need an example of how to establish strange behavior in 600 words or less, I recommend reading these two stories:       War of the Clowns by Mia Couto  No Matter Which Way We Turned By Brian Evenson      Up to 3 submissions per entrant allowed!   Send stories pasted into the BODY of the email to: [email protected]   NO SOONER THAN SEPTEMBER 1st!   Reprints are OK, as long you own the rights. Simultaneous subs are OK. Just tell us *right away* if you need to withdraw your entry. SUBJECT LINE SHOULD READ: "Micro Fiction Competition - Title"   DEADLINE: September 15th Via: Weird Wide Web.

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: Fiction: 10 cents a word, Poetry: $50 Theme: Anansi stories Note: Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid authors only Submissions for the Fall 2024 Issue are now open. Theme: Anansi stories. Submissions for this issue will be reserved for Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid writers. To learn more, scroll below to our Fall 2024 information. To be alerted about future submissions calls, please follow our Facebook page or subscribe to our newsletter. —— Please read carefully below for our editorial aesthetic, rights information, AI policy, and guidelines. The aesthetic: My editorial tastes mainly align with the original vision of The Green Sheaf: I love folklore, fairy tales, mythology, and the mystical. I also enjoy the speculative, the darkly fantastical, folk horror, the weird/numinous, the surreal/strange, the gothic, and magical realism/slipstream. Furthermore, I love poetic language, exquisite prose, and lush imagery. My favorite authors of short fiction include Angela Carter, K-Ming Chang, Carmen Maria Machado, Angela Buck, María Fernanda Ampuero, Agustina Bazterrica, Gwendolyn Kiste, Jamaica Kincaid, Sheree Renée Thomas, Nalo Hopkinson, Caroline Yoachim, Karen Russell, Ramona Ausubel, Kelly Link, Aimee Bender, Barbara Molinard, Leonora Carrington, Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, and Gabriel García Márquez, among others. I love the films of Robert Eggers, Federico Fellini, Tim Burton, and Guillermo del Toro. I’m also haunted by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Transport me with your words. AI Policy: We will not accept AI-generated work. Rights: We request first North American serial rights—which will revert to you immediately on publication—and non-exclusive rights to archive your work electronically. __________ Call for Submissions: Fall 2024 Issue Our Fall 2024 issue will publish Black female-identifying and Black gender-fluid writers only. Theme: Anansi stories Because of Pamela Colman Smith’s deep love of Afro-Caribbean folklore and especially Anansi, I would love to see your...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: $25 for accepted short stories and $10 for accepted poetry.  Theme: Cozy reads, any genre (maybe not horror.) These are works without explicit or gratuitous scenes of sex, violence, or gore. Rainy Weather Days is looking for submissions for our second volume—expected to be published October 31, 2024!    Our magazine, founded in 2024, isn’t just another literary magazine. We focus on polished and grounded works of prose and poetry that are enjoyable to read. Our focus is on cozy reads. These are works without explicit or gratuitous scenes of sex, violence, or gore. We value artistic expression! We are looking for works that are daring, even challenging, but not so experimental to the point of overwhelming the narrative. Also, as part of our idea of “cozy,” we use easy-on-the-eyes fonts sized 16–18pt! Our digital releases will come in several convenient formats as well, including e-reader formats. We plan to release digital and print versions of our magazine on a quarterly basis—our first issue (July 2024) releases July 31! We may release some free online or online-only stories on our website from time to time as well (authors will be asked beforehand for permission for an online release.)   Prose: We will consider prose of length 1,500–15,000 words.  Please format prose manuscripts with 12–18pt font, preferably Times New Roman, New Courier, or Garamond. Otherwise, please use a standard manuscript format (Examples at https://www.shunn.net/format/story/.) Please submit in .doc or .docx formats (Word) or in .odt format (Libreoffice.) Poetry: Please limit submissions to a maximum of 10 poems, one poem per page. Please format with 12–18pt font, preferably Times New Roman, New Courier, or Garamond. Please submit in .doc, .docx, .odt, or .pdf formats. Please include a cover letter! Tell us about yourself and what your piece means to you...

Deadline: September 15th, 2024 Payment: .08 per word Theme: A 100-word Speculative fiction (science fiction or fantasy) story with the idea of "Run!" Theme – RUN! We’re excited to announce our August/September submission period will include a theme: RUN! You can submit one story to the themed submission and one to the general submission (for a total of two submissions). We hope this format sparks some new ideas and wonderful stories while still giving our writers the chance to send us their best work. Now what are we looking for with RUN? We’re looking for anything and everything! We’re open to any take on the theme. You can be running from bigfoot, running for mayor, strutting down a runway, or anything in between—just make sure you do it in 100 words. Submissions are open August 15 through September 15. Please submit via the following two Google forms: RUN! Themed Submissions Un-Themed Submissions What do we want? Speculative fiction (science fiction or fantasy) Note: We accept horror, but it must have a speculative element, whether science fiction or fantasy. Drabbles (100-word stories EXACTLY) Note: We calculate word count using Microsoft Word. If using Google Docs, please manually count your words. It has a truly baffling definition of a word (e.g., “1,000” = 2 words). Actual, complete stories Even though they’re only 100-words, drabbles still need all the essential elements of a story: character, setting, conflict, theme, and plot. What do we NOT want? Child abuse (of any type) Erotica Rape Revenge stories Hateful content All the details Simultaneous submissions: Yes! Go crazy. Submit everywhere! But if it is accepted elsewhere, please let us know. Response time: Responses will be within 60 days. Please query after this time. Multiple submissions: For the upcoming submission period, you may submit one themed submission (RUN!) and one general/un-themed submission (for a total of two stories). Note: Only one story will be accepted per author...

Deadline: September 22nd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: Stories featuring Achilles Note: Reprints Welcome Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories. Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first four books in the series are Medusa, Odin, Circe and Anansi. We're now opening up submissions for the next two books, Achilles and Morgana le Fay. Achilles Achilles, the great warrior of the Trojan War, was considered the epitome of heroism in Greek mythology. His bravery in combat is famously depicted in Homer’s Iliad, but every hero has their flaws. Authors from classical times all the way through to late Antiquity and the modern era have interpreted his character in a multitude of ways, and this latest book will look at the man behind the myth. There is much to explore, from his exploits in the war and interactions with Agamemnon, Patroclus, Hector and more, back to his early days as an infant dipped into the River Styx, exposing one vulnerable heel. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new or expanded angles to the character: have him follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, give deeper background, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales and poetry. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms:...

Deadline: September 22nd, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: Stories featuring Morgana le Fay Note: Reprints Welcome Flame Tree are bringing you a brand new gorgeous hardcover series brimming with myths and short stories. Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first four books in the series are Medusa, Odin, Circe and Anansi. We're now opening up submissions for the next two books, Achilles and Morgana le Fay. Morgana le Fay Morgana le Fay is a mysterious figure of Arthurian legend, found in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Le Morte d'Arthur and a number of other accounts. She is often seen in the context of the men in those myths – a half-sister of King Arthur, a jilted lover of Lancelot, a foil of Merlin – and yet is an extremely powerful character herself. She has deep roots in Celtic mythology and offers a fascinating canvas to be explored. Well known for her magical abilities, including shape-shifting, her complex character oscillates between benevolent healer and malevolent sorceress. Her relationship with Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is marked by both familial loyalty and deep-seated enmity, making her one of the most enigmatic and multifaceted figures in the Arthurian mythos. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have her follow alternative...

Deadline: September 22nd, 2024 Payment: Artwork: Cover $250, Interior: $50, Creative Non-Fiction & Fiction: 10 cents per word, Poetry: $50 per page, Reprints: 2 cents per word Theme: No set theme or genre as long, though they lean towards any aspect of environmental justice, from food sovereignty to ocean plastics to industrial cleanup to Indigenous rights Reckoning 9 is open for general submissions! There is no specific theme for this issue; if your work concerns any aspect of environmental justice, from food sovereignty to ocean plastics to industrial cleanup to Indigenous rights, we want to see it. In fact, we look forward most eagerly to perspectives none of us has thought of. Please help us learn and understand. The editors for the issue will be C.G. Aubrey, Priya Chand, and Catherine Rockwood, with help and support from the rest of the wonderful and brilliant Reckoning staff. As always, we are seeking art, poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction up to 20,000 words in length, in particular from Indigenous, Black, Brown, queer, trans, disabled, neurodivergent and/or otherwise marginalized writers and artists from everywhere, and we pay $50/page for poetry and art, 10c/word for prose. Deadline for this issue is the solar equinox, September 22, 2024. We’re always open to submissions. There are never any fees to submit. We pay SFWA-qualifying “professional” rates upon acceptance; click below to see how much for different kinds of work. Response time has ranged from one to six months and is slowest October through January, when we’re putting together a new issue and editors for the following issue have not been chosen. We’re currently reading for Reckoning 9. Issue editors and specific guidelines are here. To see what we’re looking for, try Reckoning 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, the special issues, the podcast, the interviews, or even LCRW 33. The short version: creative writing and art about environmental justice. We are always seeking work...

Deadline: September 27th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Speculative Coffee-themed stories Because we KNOW how many of us drink the stuff—we’re going to need TWO volumes of this one. The perfect cuppa joe. The nectar of the gods. The safety liquid you hand your partner in the morning. We love the stuff, and can’t get enough. But how did we FIND that flavorful bean? We invite our authors to visit our favorite coffee merchant, King Harv’s Coffee, and pick a variety from his amazing list. Then write a fantastical story about the detective work, the journey, the adventure of finding the oh-so-perfect plant. Don’t limit yourself to this planet! OR SF! Sword and Sorcery works too! From Dave at King Harv’s Coffee: It all began when we took over the dome at the old South Pole station for  the use as a coffee greenhouse.  As you undoubtedly well know, the coffee was banned from world trade to by that ridiculous Antarctic treaty, and it became clear to us that coffee grown on alternate planets and celestial objects was the only thing that made economic sense. Shockingly this has never been reported on in the main stream media! Opens: 7/27/24 Closes: 9/27/24 Contracts: 10/12/24 Publication: 11/08/24 Guidelines for all our anthologies: 5,000 to 8,000 words. Length and genre are negotiable, as long as the story fits the concept, and is entertaining. Any submission must be in Times New Roman (preferred, but you can use Georgian or other readable font), 12PT, double spaced, with your name, title of the story, and your email on it. Name the file as -—. Send it in a .docx format as an attachment—no links. Refer to the submission guideline graphic below for how to format your story—It has all the information you need! Feel free to download it...