Events

Deadline: October 15th, 2022 Payment: $20 per story or artwork Theme: Electric Spec prefers science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. 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 work with the author to edit the story for length or readability. However, we always remain true to the spirit of the story and the author has final approval. 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...

Deadline: October 15th, 2022 Payment: $5 Theme: The Sun The Icarus Writing Collective, a mythic magazine, was founded in 2022 by Elizabeth Zarb and Kyle Ross. The two met as undergraduates at Emerson College in 2017, finding a combined interest in classic literature and mythology. After a flash fiction workshop course in their senior year, both Elizabeth and Kyle fell in love with the short form and took that passion one step further to establish this collective. In contrast to the Icarus myth, this magazine encourages writers to go beyond their limits and get close to the sun. While hubris can be a downfall, The Icarus Writing Collective strives to create a community where there’s a balance between hubris and humility— together, we’re able to make something beautiful. We call ourselves a “collective” because we aim to create a space where lovers of antiquity can dabble, experiment, and work together to form a new canon of stories, not just the ones picked up by the big publishers. Despite the Greek influences on the aesthetics of the zine, we heavily encourage writers to adapt from their own cultures and favorite mythologies. There is no limit to the stories that can be retold. Writers from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to submit. Issue 01: "The Sun" WRITING SUBMISSIONS OPEN: 08/15 to 10/15 The Icarus Writing Collective currently uses Google Forms to collect submissions! Anything submitted through email will not be considered. We accept simultaneous submissions, as long as you notify us that your piece has been accepted elsewhere. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept previously published works. You’re welcome to submit once to each category. We are able to award writers a $5 honorarium, paid through Venmo or PayPal. Writers retain all rights to their work after publication. The magazine acquires first...

Submission Window: October 1st-15th, 2022 Payment:2 cents per word Theme: Un-themed, general horror flash fiction. Preference to dread-inducing stories. **STARTING IN 2022, SUBMISSIONS OPEN JANUARY, APRIL, JULY, AND OCTOBER (1-15th of each month)** Submissions OPEN. Un-themed, general horror flash fiction. Preference to dread-inducing stories. Length: 500 – 1,000 words. Firm. Author Compensation: 2c/word, paid via PayPal. (Rounded to nearest whole dollar) Publication: Dread Stone Press website (Dose of Dread). Reading Periods: January, April, July, and October; 1st to 15th. Any stories submitted outside of each reading period will not be read. Rights: First World Electronic Rights. Non-exclusive rights thereafter. No reprint restrictions after publication. Original stories ONLY. No reprints. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but NO multiple submissions. You may submit again the next reading period if rejected. If your story is accepted, please sit out one reading period before submitting again. Please, for everyone’s sake, no rough drafts. Successful pieces will require little to no proofreading edits. Email your submission as a Word document attachment to [email protected] with “DOSE – – ” in the subject line. Rejections for Dose of Dread submissions will be sent by the end of the month submitted. If you have not received a reply by then, feel free to follow-up. All rejections will be form rejections. It’s not personal, promise. Which also means please don’t respond to rejections. It’s unnecessary. Please see the General Submission Guidelines below for additional formatting information. Via: Dreadstone press.

Deadline: October 15th, 2022 Payment: $20 Theme: Stories about escaping the darkness Out of the Darkness will be a charity anthology – with proceeds being donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We are looking for stories about escaping the darkness. The darkness of depression, the darkness of being a victim – any and all types of darkness will be considered. Stories do NOT have to have happy endings – but they should still show ways out of the darkness. Maybe one character wasn’t able to escape, but those left behind are able to find a path forward out of the darkness created by their loss. This is a bit open-ended as far as story guidelines so authors are free to explore what this means to them. Break the story-writing rules if you want. If you use a tried-and-true plotline, twist it in an original and interesting way. Original stories are preferred. Query for reprints. ALL writers are encouraged to submit. Doesn’t matter if you’re a pro with years of credits, a beginner just starting out, or a teenager - please feel free to send the editor a story. In your cover email, please tell the editor a bit about yourself and a quick one-line synopsis of the story. Include genre. If experimental, please explain the type or how so the editor doesn’t edit out the form or reject it out of hand. Thank you. In the Subject line please put Submission: Darkness: Title of your story: Your name. Attach as a .rft file, please send to: [email protected] Submissions Open:  Aug 15, 2022 (DO NOT SUBMIT PRIOR TO THIS DATE) Submissions Close:  Oct 15, 2022 Release Date:   Dec 2022 Payment:  $20.00 flat rate. ​ All payments will be made via PayPal. If you do not want to obtain and...

Submission Window: September 22nd to October 15th, 2022 Payment: $0.07/word. Payment for reprints is $0.03/word, Poems are paid at the rate of $25 to $100 Theme: All SF and Fantasy genres, but horror is unlikely to find a home here. Ideally stories with a message of hope. Note: Reprints are welcome To accept submissions, DreamForge uses our own “Submissions Portal.” The link to that portal will be supplied on this page at about Midnight on 9/21/22 and remain open through Midnight 10/15/22. When you submit stories through our portal, you will be able to provide a brief cover letter, tell us why you feel the story is right for DreamForge, and upload your manuscript doc. Our response time? At DreamForge, all staff and readers are volunteers. While we’re all set to devote time to this, our day jobs and personal lives can set us back. So, expect 2-3 weeks minimum for us to get back to you. If we respond more quickly, or take significantly longer, those are just the breaks and don’t necessarily mean anything specifically regarding your story. Because submitting stories can sometimes feel like you’ve dropped your manuscript into a time warp, we don’t mind simultaneous submissions.  If your story sells elsewhere, we’ll help you celebrate! Most stories will be returned without editorial comment. You will always get a polite response, but providing feedback often takes time we don’t have.  A quick calculation shows you the problem. Let’s say we receive 500 hopeful submissions this period and we spend just 5 minutes each giving each one some feedback.  That’s 2500 minutes.  41.6 hours.  That’s time we really don’t have, and honesty it takes more than 5 minutes to provide insightful and politely crafted commentary. However, if you want to engage with us and other writers as we welcome guest...

Deadline: October 15th, 2022 Payment: $5 for stories under 1,000 words and $10 for stories 1,000 words to 1,500 words. Theme: Erotic Halloween Stories It’s that time of year again. Pumpkin spice. Halloween decor. Scary movies. And Circlet Press Halloween Microfictions. For our Halloween microfictions we want stories that reflect our sensibilities—literary, erotic, exploring and celebrating gender and sexuality—while also harnessing the spirit of Autumn and October and Halloween. Horror is welcome so long as it is erotic and character-driven. Let your imaginations run wild. Stories can be funny or heartbreaking, steamy or sweet, and full on Pumpkin Spice Latte or just dusted with a hint of cinnamon, metaphorically speaking. A few things to bear in mind: A happy ending is not necessary. HOWEVER, I will not accept any stories where one spouse kills the other. Halloween party hookups, night club hookups, demon summoning, and hot to trot ghosts have been done to death. If you’re going to send those PLEASE make it original. I am 100% open to classic monsters. I love vampires and zombies and werewolves and lots of other creatures. Just make sure to give them your own unique spin if that’s what you do. I STRONGLY encourage authors to read the works posted to our website in order to familiarize yourselves with what we publish. REQUIREMENTS: Stories must contain erotic elements. Consent must be EXPLICIT. Nothing under the age of consent. Nothing with animals. No fan fiction. The details: Word count limit is 1,500. No reprints. Multiple submissions are okay. Please send as a Word doc or RTF (or in the body of the email) and follow standard manuscript formatting guidelines. Look up William Shunn if you aren’t familiar with manuscript formatting. The deadline is October 15th, 11:59 pm EST. Payment will be $5 for stories...

Deadline: October 16th, 2022 Payment: $0.01 per word for short stories, $25 per poem and a contributor's copy Theme: An anthology of sea horror stories SAND, SALT, BLOOD is an anthology of sea horror stories, aiming to raise money for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution – https://rnli.org). We’re looking for horror stories set on, in or around the sea, including coastal areas and islands, as long as the sea plays a key part. Let’s face it – the sea is terrifying! What’s lurking down there? What happens when that comes to the surface? What about isolated communities on small islands, or dock workers loading and unloading ships? Although the editor likes stories with sirens, mermaids, and other sea creatures, think beyond that too. Horror isn’t just about the shock and gore – consider the creepy and eerie, too, the kind of atmosphere that raises the hair on your neck and makes you feel like you’re being watched… SAND, SALT, BLOOD will be edited by Elle Turpitt and published by Sliced Up Press. What we’re looking for: Submissions must be in the horror genre. All subgenres are welcome including bizarro, splatterpunk and extreme horror, but don’t shock for the sake of shock. Poetry is also welcome. We’re especially interested in submissions from women, BIPOC, disabled and LGBTQIA+ authors. All submissions must be original. We will not accept reprints, or stories published elsewhere, including on blogs, social media, etc. (This does not include stories published on password protected websites for the intention of critique.) Submit your best work in modern or classic manuscript format (as outlined on www.shunn.net/format), as an MS Word .doc or .docx attachment. Anything sent in a different format will be rejected without reply. Authors may submit 3 (three) stories or poems maximum for consideration. Please ensure these are sent in separate...

Deadline: October 22nd, 2022 Payment: $.06/word, $.03/word for reprints - for stories in the 500 – 4,000 word range Theme: All forms of speculative fiction, prefer 'weird' fiction The Drabblecast is currently open for submissions until Oct. 22. The Drabblecast is an award-winning online speculative fiction magazine and podcast that publishes “Strange Stories for Strange Listeners,” often also classified as “Weird Fiction.” Loosely, this encompasses any and all genres, but largely centers around those of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. We’re looking for powerful stories that are simultaneously relatable and a good degree off the beaten path. We’re looking for stories that will work particularly well when read aloud and treated with full cast audio production. We’re looking for submissions that are humorous, bizarre, gross, disturbing, badass, interesting, and original — your favorite story that we both know would be a hit if only it found the right home. We’ve been expecting you! Please wipe your feet on the various dismembered feet on your way in. What We Buy Short Fiction — 500 – 4,000 words We Also Run Drabbles — Exactly 100 words. Twabbles — Exactly 100 characters. Episode Art — See the Art page. Payment Considerations: The Drabblecast currently pays $.06/word for original fiction, with a cap of $300.00. The Drabblecast accepts reprint submissions at a pay rate of $.03/word, with a cap of $300.00. Stories under 500 words (including Drabbles and Twabbles) are published on a pro bono basis. The Drabblecast accepts Simultaneous Submissions (please let us know if someone else accepts before us) Drabblecast does NOT accept Multiple Submissions, unless specifically requested or solicited by Drabblecast editorial staff. Your Submission Should: Submit stories to [email protected] Include your name and story title in the subject of the email. Include bio (including preferred gender pronouns), story word count, information regarding the submission’s publication history or indication if the work is original and unpublished in the...

Deadline: October 28th, 2022 Payment: 6 cents per word and a contributors copy Theme: Coming of age with a horror twist A Coming of Age Horror Anthology open call for submissions! Do you love the nostalgic feel of the Amblin movies of the 80s and 90s? Tales that may well have impacted on your own childhood. The Goonies, Stand by Me, ET, Jurassic Park etc.? Nowhere Fast pays homage to the well-loved theme, Coming of Age, and then adds a horror element. Did you ever just wish you could have made The Goonies a little gorier? That ET was actually evil or that Hook was based on the Hookman urban legend rather than just a bumbling pirate? What if The Explorers was as violent as Aliens or The Craft had a Blair Witch vibe? Now is your chance to make your twist on these classics a reality. PLEASE NOTE – these movies and characters are IP and cannot be used without permission. Your story should be a tribute, not a sequel. Any work featuring actual characters from these movies will be rejected. Nowhere Fast is a COA anthology which is a mixture of invite and submissions. We can tell you that everyone involved is very excited about this and we have a fantastic foreword and cover lined up. TOC so far … Brian Keene Josh Malerman Jonathan Janz CJ Tudor Cynthia Pelayo Adam Cesare Richard Chizmar Hailey Piper Gwendolyn Kiste Stephen Graham Jones Kathe Koja Kasey Lansdale   INTRO BY SADIE HARTMANN TO BE EDITED BY JANINE PIPE, LEZA CANTORAL AND CHRISTOPH PAUL We would like to see varied interpretations of this sub-genre and invite diverse and own voices to bring their own flair and unique flavour to their narrative. This is open to anyone; we actively encourage all writers,...

Deadline: October 30th, 2022 Payment: €200 Theme: Defending nature and empowering communities In partnership with OceanCare, Stormbird Press’ opens a call for Our Ocean’d Earth contributions. This call is for nonfiction or fiction writing that conveys one clear and unified message: that our oceans are worth fighting for. To help restore a culture of inspiration and reverence towards Earth’s oceans we are looking for masterfully woven stories from a range of perspectives—from marine life researchers to conservationists, free divers to writers with a deep connection to the sea, and more—who can reveal secrets of the oceans and their inhabitants, or have in some way formed a unique bond with an ocean or its marine life. The ideal submission will be a short essay or story of 1000 to 3000 words that will reflect Stormbird Press’ core principle: defending nature and empowering communities. The anthology will be distributed by OceanCare and featured in Stormbird Press’ 2023 catalogue. Deadline for submissions: October 30, 2022 (11.000pm AEDT) Payment: Each published piece will receive a payment of €200. Each author will be featured on the Stormbird Press author page and receive unlimited Our Ocean’d Earth ebook downloads for one year. The copyright will remain with the author. SUBMISSIONS Please include (in a single word document) a 1000-3000 word essay, a less than 300 word author bio, and your best contact details, including current mailing address and phone number. In the subject line of your email, please write: ‘Ocean Anthology Submission’, the title of the submission and the country in which your story is set. For example: Ocean Anthology Submission: Requiem for Hope (Brazil) Send submissions to [email protected]. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered. Please refer to our submission page for further style, tone, and editing expectations, including principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent. Via: Storm Bird press.