Events

Deadline: February 2nd, 2021 Payment: 6 cents per word for original, 2 cents for reprints Theme: Well written original work in science fiction, fantasy, myth, legend, fairy tales, and eldritch, in written, podcast, video, and/or graphic story form, and from around the world. Note: Reprints welcome     Submissions Schedule We have a new submissions schedule as of June 1, 2020: The first and second day of every month, 12 am of the 1st to 12 am of the 3rd, E.S.T. Only one submission per person. For reading impaired individuals, our submissions manager and ‘forget password’ have a captcha compatible with screen readers. We pay 6¢ per word for new fiction, 2¢ per word for fiction reprints, 2 – 6¢ per word for new fact-based work, 1- 4¢ per word for reprinted fact articles. For new poetry, we pay $1 a line, reprints would be 50¢ a line, up to 40 lines. We’ll look at longer poems but that would be a hard sell, and words over 40 lines would be paid at 6¢ per word. We began The Kepler Award to recognize and encourage writers of excellent science fiction and fantasy stories that creatively extrapolate on known science in constructive and exciting ways. You can learn about The Kepler Award here. You can read a copy of our standard contract here.   It can be varied as needed to include the rights of translators, voice actors, etc. Writers Guidelines We accept new work as well as reprints, prose and poetry, anywhere from 1000 word flash fiction on up, but all else being equal, shorter pieces will be favored.   We have tough standards but only care about the quality of the writing, storytelling ability, characters, plot, and ideas, not whether you’re new or established.  Submit only work you are proud of —...

Deadline: April 15th, 2021 Payment: $20 per story Theme: Electric Spec prefers science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. Fiction Submission Guidelines   submissions at electricspec (dot) comPlease don't query us about your story submission. We don't have the manpower to answer such queries. An editor will email you back as soon as possible with the decision about your story. This can take a few days, or, up to three months. We make every effort to get back to authors in a timely manner but we get a lot of submissions so sometimes it's not possible. A note on our editorial policy: before publication we may edit the story for length or readability. However, we always remain true to the spirit of the story. Issues are published at the end of February, May, August, and November. We reserve the right to shift publication date slightly, as necessary. We have reading periods for each issue, though we never close to submissions. February closes January 15 May closes April 15 August closes July 15 November closes October 15 Please do not submit the same story more than once, and please submit only one story at a time. We consider any story between 250 and 7000 words with speculative fiction elements. We prefer science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. We do not consider poetry, stories with over-the-top sex or violence, serials, novels, fan fiction, or non-fiction. We don't accept multiple submissions; in other words, only submit one story at a time and wait for a response before submitting another. We accept simultaneous submissions as long as you let us know up front and tell us as soon as it's accepted...

Deadline: January 15th, 2021 Payment: $20 per story Theme: Electric Spec prefers science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. Please don't query us about your story submission. We don't have the manpower to answer such queries. An editor will email you back as soon as possible with the decision about your story. This can take a few days, or, up to three months. We make every effort to get back to authors in a timely manner but we get a lot of submissions so sometimes it's not possible. A note on our editorial policy: before publication we may edit the story for length or readability. However, we always remain true to the spirit of the story. Issues are published at the end of February, May, August, and November. We reserve the right to shift publication date slightly, as necessary. We have reading periods for each issue, though we never close to submissions. February closes January 15 May closes April 15 August closes July 15 November closes October 15 Please do not submit the same story more than once, and please submit only one story at a time. We consider any story between 250 and 7000 words with speculative fiction elements. We prefer science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. We do not consider poetry, stories with over-the-top sex or violence, serials, novels, fan fiction, or non-fiction. We don't accept multiple submissions; in other words, only submit one story at a time and wait for a response before submitting another. We accept simultaneous submissions as long as you let us know up front and tell us as soon as it's accepted elsewhere. We do not publish reprints, including anything...

Deadline: January 15th, 2021 Payment: $10 and a contributor's copy Theme: Edgy, fearless, and experimental subject matter and styles great weather for MEDIA seeks poetry and prose for our annual print anthology. Our reading period runs October 15, 2020 to January 15, 2021. Our focus is on edgy, fearless, and experimental subject matter and styles. We highly recommend reading one of our previous collections to see the type of work we are interested in and the design of our books. Our latest anthology is Escape Wheel. Let us know in your cover letter how you found us and what you like about us. We are based in New York City and welcome submissions from both national and international writers. https://www.greatweatherformedia.com/ Guidelines: Surprise us with your fearless best!  We do not consider previously published work, whether print or online. This includes limited edition chapbooks and personal blogs. If your work appears in our most recent anthology, please wait a year before submitting again in any genre. Please submit only once in each genre (poetry / prose) and do not submit again until you have received a response. Simultaneous submissions are fine - just notify us with your good news immediately.  If you wish to withdraw individual pieces from consideration, click on the title of your submission, click on Active, and add a note listing the title(s) to be withdrawn. If you need to withdraw your entire submission, please use the Withdraw button.   Please don't send revisions. You can always add a note to your submissions if there is something you need to let us know about. Payment: One contributor copy, plus $10 for writers based in USA. International writers receive one copy. We aim to respond in 1-4 months. If you have not heard from us after five months, please email [email protected] Copyright: great weather for MEDIA holds first serial rights for material that we publish....

Deadline: January 15th, 2021 Payment: $10 USD for reprints and $20 USD for previously unpublished Theme: Moonlight & Misadventure Note: Reprints allowed Call for Short Story Submissions     Anthology Title: Moonlight & Misadventure: 20-22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense   Genre: Short story/mystery/suspense   Publisher: Superior Shores Press   Editor: Judy Penz Sheluk   Deadlines: The deadline for submission is January 15, 2021 or until 100 submissions have been received, whichever comes first. Starting December 2020, the website page will be updated periodically with the number of submissions received. Late submissions and/or submissions after 100 entries have been documented will not be considered.   All submissions will be acknowledged within 7 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgment within that time, please Contact Me.   Acceptance/rejections will be emailed to all submitting authors on or before April 1, 2021. Please, no simultaneous submissions.   Publication Date: *June 2021 (trade paperback/Kindle; Kobo, Nook, Apple, and other e-book markets to follow at the publisher’s discretion)   *The Publisher reserves the right to postpone and/or cancel due to unforeseen circumstances or if an insufficient number of qualified stories are submitted/accepted.   Description: A multi-author anthology of 20 to 22 short stories of mystery and suspense, with an overarching theme of Moonlight & Misadventure. Estimated length: 250-300 printed pages in trade paperback format. An introduction, acknowledgments, and author bios will be included.   Submission Guidelines: Both previously published and unpublished authors are welcome to submit. There is no entry fee.   Authors may submit 1 (one) reprint or 1 (one) previously unpublished short story, ideally ranging between 1,500 to 5,500 words (though great stories falling “slightly” outside this range will be considered). Preference will be given to new material; reprint material will not exceed 25% of the collection.   Note: Authors of new...

Deadline: January 15th, 2021 Payment: $0.08/word Theme: Speculative stories of queer witches, occult rituals and dark hunger Neon Hemlock's next anthology will be called Unfettered Hexes: Queer Tales of Insatiable Darkness and edited by dave ring. We'll be looking broadly for speculative stories of queer witches, occult rituals and dark hunger. We are currently running a Kickstarter to fund this project. The compensation level for original stories accepted to this anthology is $0.08/word. Please submit your stories using this form. If you are unable to use the submission form for reasons of accessibility or anything else, please email us at admin at neonhemlock dot com for alternate submission instructions. We are looking for: Wordcount: Under 6,000 words. 1-4,000 words is probably the sweet spot. Concept: Unfettered Hexes: Queer Tales of Insatiable Darkness will be a speculative anthology that explores the boundaries between queer witches, the profane, and infinite darkness. Unfettered Hexes asks you to sling salt in a circle, call the corners, and breathe life into the unutterable cadences that call forth the void. Find your coven, craft new rituals and hex your enemies. For this anthology, we use the term "witch" in the broadest sense, paying homage to ritual practices, razor-sharp intent, and connections to the eldritch, the numinous and the otherworldly. We welcome tensions and alignments within those practices, and particularly look forward to non-Western and non-white interpretations. We acknowledge the challenges and strengths of #ownvoices work, while also asking that authors to be careful to avoid cultural appropriation if their writing includes genuine cultural practices. What we want to see: We are looking for speculative stories of witchery with queer narratives. We want queer stories and we want trans stories and we want indefinable stories. We welcome a broad interpretation of speculative genres; give us space witches...

Deadline: January 16th, 2021 Payment: $20 Theme: Fantasy Note: My apologies for the short submission period, just ran across this. Flash Fiction Wanted! After closing open submissions for longer stories and novellas, EXTERUS is looking to round out our magazine with some flash! We’ve got a few blank pages that could be used for advertising space, but we would prefer to see them go to authors instead. If you have a piece or two of fantasy themed flash fiction burning a hole in your computer please send it on over. We will pay a flat fee of $20 for each story of 500 to 2,000 words. The story MUST be fantasy related. It can be funny, grimdark, or anything in between. As far as content is concerned, anything up to R rating is fine, just so long as the ‘adult’ material serves a purpose and is not gratuitous. No animal cruelty or torture, if you please. If you submitted a story that we turned down before, please feel free to submit another one. Just because we declined to print one of your pieces doesn’t mean we don’t like you. Sometimes all it takes is the right story at the right time. Submissions will be open until January the 16th. Please send all submission to [email protected] as an attachment plus a brief summary in the body of the email. We will accept DOC, DOCX, RTF, and PDF files. Payment will be made via Paypal. Via: Exterus Magazine's Facebook.

Deadline: January 17th 2021 Payment: AU$5.00 for stories under 2500 words / AU$10.00 for anything above 2500 words Theme: Underground Colp is our 'anything goes' genre-free anthology collection. Expect to see a little bit of this and a little bit of that.   Current theme: UNDERGROUND Beneath the earth, beneath all the hustle and bustle of the big city, there are endless possibilities. Stories waiting to be told about mysterious creatures or forgotten cultures. Tunnels that shouldn't be followed and doors that should probably remain shut. For this collection, we would like stories in which a large proportion of the narrative takes place under the ground. Colp is for everyone and therefore we are willing to read stories that fall into any genre. So, no matter whether your story is a horror, adventure, romance, sci-fi or historical fiction piece, please send it on through. Be original. We also encourage new and unpublished writers to take the leap and get in touch. Please ensure that you read through the general guidelines and format your submission accordingly. If you have any specific questions please contact us using the form on the home page or via the listed social media accounts. To help make sure that your submission gets to the correct place, please include the following in the subject line of your email: Colp - Underground - Story Title. Word count: 1000 - 5500 words Deadline: January 17 2021 Payment: AU$5.00 for stories under 2500 words / AU$10.00 for anything above 2500 words Via: Gypsum Sound Tales.

Deadline: January 18th, 2021 Payment: $.10 per word Theme: Intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs. Uncanny Magazine will be open to poetry submissions from January 4 to January 18. Please follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter to get all submission updates.  Editors-in-Chief: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Uncanny Magazine is seeking passionate, diverse SF/F fiction and poetry from writers from every conceivable background.  We want  intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs. Uncanny believes there’s still plenty of room in the genre for tales that make you feel. Uncanny Magazine is a Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Qualifying Professional Market. Fiction Guidelines Uncanny is looking for original, unpublished speculative fiction stories between 750-6000 words. Payment is $.10 per word (including audio rights). We will reject any story that doesn’t follow our guidelines and procedures. You may not resubmit a rejected story. If you aren’t sure if your story counts as unpublished, please query us. Submission procedures: 1- NEW! Please submit your story via Uncanny‘s Moksha submission system. 2- All stories should be in Modern Manuscript Format and attached in .RTF, .DOC, or .DOCX formats. Please feel free to include your pronouns (optional) along with your name and email address in the upper left corner of your manuscript. Note, you do not need to add your mailing address or legal name to your manuscript. We will only ask for that information if your story is chosen for publication. 3- Your cover letter should contain the length of your story, your significant publishing history and awards, and information that might be relevant to that specific submission. 4- Please do not send multiple submissions at once. 5- We try to respond to all submissions in 30 days. Please feel free to query uncannymagazine gmail...

Deadline: January 25th, 2021 Prize: 2 prizes. ¢.5 per word (half a cent), with a max of $15 plus a one-time royalty bonus and inclusion in a "Best Of" yearly anthology Theme: MONSTERS (or Creatures) MONTHLY HORROR OPEN CALL Submissions Open: 1st - 25th of the Month Responses will be completed by the 15th of the next month. Example: January theme opens January 1 and closes end of day Jan 25. You will have a response back by February 15th. Theme: HORROR - Although the monthly theme will change, the running theme for this year’s monthly contest will be MONSTERS (or Creatures)! January: Faeries February: Wendigos March: Djinn Word count: 1500 - 3000 with some wiggle room above the limit. Not under. Top Two Stories: Will be accepted into the "Best Of" Anthology released early 2022 Payment: Flat rate payment ¢.5 per word (half a cent), with a max of $15 plus a one-time royalty bonus payment after one year of sales. Runner Up: Will have their story and bio featured on our newsletter and blog. Payment: One time $5.00 (USD) payment Who can submit? Open to the public Reprints? No Multiple Submission? No  Only one submission per month per author Formatting: Put your name, email, and title on the top of the manuscript. Please use a standard font, either 11 or 12 pt, double spaced, and indent paragraphs. Title your manuscript "Title of Story - Theme and month" Example "The Ring of Death - Faeries January" How to submit? Submit via the FORM - Which will open on January 1, 2021 IF you have issues with the form, please email your manuscript to [email protected] Title your email the same as the manuscript Submit your manuscript via the Form on our submission section here: https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/open-submission Although we are a horror publisher we are...