Events

Deadline: December 31st, 2022 Payment: 0.08 USD / word and Royalties Theme: Mixing art with magic Art is everywhere. Our drive and ability to create for the sake of creativity defines us as a species and enriches our cultures, our societies, our lives. The best of these works of art, from novels to paintings to statues to music, are imbued with a special kind of magic. But when that magic is literal—when Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray ages instead of the actual man, and Mozart's Magic Flute plays its protective song—art takes on a whole new meaning. In ARTIFICE & CRAFT, we invite writers of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and other speculative fiction to spin their own tales of works of art that have been enchanted, hexed, charmed, or cursed. Edited by Edmund R. Schubert & David B. Coe, ARTIFICE & CRAFT will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each. Anchor authors include: Alex Bledsoe, Julie E. Czerneda, Alethea Kontis, James Maxey, C.E. Murphy, Adam Stemple, and Catherynne M. Valente ARTIFICE & CRAFT: Submission Guidelines Zombies Need Brains LLC will accept submissions to its anthology, ARTIFICE & CRAFT, from the moment the Kickstarter funds until December 31st, 2022. This is a one-time open call; there will be no follow-up open calls. Follow us on Twitter (@ZNBLLC) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/zombiesneedbrainsllc) to keep track of the Kickstarter and the open call. Stories must be submitted in electronic format through the submissions management system Moksha here: http://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io. Word count: up to 7500 words. No exceptions. Pay rate: 0.08 USD / word (SFWA professional rate), plus royalties for anthologies (see below) Simultaneous submissions: No. Multiple submissions: Up to three per open call period; please submit each separately. You do not need to wait for one to be rejected before submitting another. “Bonus” submissions will...

Deadline: December 31st, 2022 Payment: 0.08 USD / word and royalties Theme: Fantasy and science fiction stories told from, or through, or with, the dragon's point of view Since Grendel and McCaffrey's Pern, readers have been enthralled with the magic and mystique of dragons. But it's rare that we get to see the world through the dragon's perspective. In DRAGONESQUE, you'll experience an anthology of fantasy and science fiction stories told from, or through, or with, the dragon's point of view. High fantasy, sword & sorcery, urban fantasy, dark fantasy, magical realism, and of course science fiction...DRAGONESQUE will feature a wealth of genres that even a dragon would be tempted to horde. Edited by S.C. Butler & Joshua Palmatier, DRAGONESQUE will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each.  Anchor authors include: Barbara Ashford Gerald Brandt, David B. Coe/D.B. Jackson, Esther M. Friesner, Auston Habershaw, Gini Koch & Bebe Bayliss, and Jean Marie Ward DRAGONESQUE: Submission Guidelines Zombies Need Brains LLC will accept submissions to its anthology, DRAGONESQUE, from the moment the Kickstarter funds until December 31st, 2022. This is a one-time open call; there will be no follow-up open calls. Follow us on Twitter (@ZNBLLC) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/zombiesneedbrainsllc) to keep track of the Kickstarter and the open call. Stories must be submitted in electronic format through the submissions management system Moksha here: http://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io. Word count: up to 7500 words. No exceptions. Pay rate: 0.08 USD / word (SFWA professional rate), plus royalties for anthologies (see below) Simultaneous submissions: No. Multiple submissions: Up to three per open call period; please submit each separately. You do not need to wait for one to be rejected before submitting another. “Bonus” submissions will be deleted unread. Reprints: No. If a story has been previously rejected by the online magazine ZNB...

Deadline: December 31st, 2022 Payment: 0.08 USD / word plus royalties Theme: Unique science fiction and fantasy takes on games, game playing, and games in culture. Games played in fiction often symbolize more than winning and losing. Games represent risk and reward, wealth and class, strategy and blind fortune. In science fiction and fantasy, games can be matters of cosmic importance and of literal life and death—whether the idle pastimes of Star Trek’s 3D chess, the all-consuming TTRPG of the Gamearth trilogy, a frenetic quest as in Ready Player One, the lethal reality TV shows of The Hunger Games, or choosing a new interstellar emperor as in The Player of Games. In GAME ON!, we’re looking for unique science fiction and fantasy takes on games, game playing, and games in culture. A game or games—real or imagined—should be central to the story in some fashion. Please note anything considered a ‘sport’ (i.e.: baseball, soccer, rollerball, etc.) won’t be a fit for this anthology. Games used in stories must also not infringe on real-world trademarked names or third-party copyrights. Edited by Stephen Kotowych & Tony Pi, GAME ON! will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each. Anchor authors and their selected games include: Eric Choi (video gambling), Aliette de Bodard (mạt chược/Vietnamese mahjong), James Alan Gardner (homebrew kids game compilation/solitaire), Ed Greenwood (dragon social games), Cat Rambo (Euchre), Sean Williams (hide-and-seek), and Melissa Yuan-Innes (haunted house game) GAME ON!: Submission Guidelines Zombies Need Brains LLC will accept submissions to its anthology, GAME ON!, from the moment the Kickstarter funds until December 31st, 2022. This is a one-time open call; there will be no follow-up open calls. Follow us on Twitter (@ZNBLLC) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/zombiesneedbrainsllc) to keep track of the Kickstarter and the open call. Stories must be submitted in electronic format through...

Deadline: December 31st, 2022 Payment: $5 and royalties Theme: Speculative Fiction stories featuring a Human/Alien first contact that starts optomistically, but then, well, things happen. Note: Reprints Welcome I hereby announce that submissions are open for Yay! They're Here! We are looking for Speculative Fiction stories featuring a Human/Alien first contact that starts optomistically, but then, well, things happen. Remeber that scene in Mars Attacks where the Humans enthusiatically welcome the Martians? Or in Monsters vs. Aliens, where the Human president goes up to greet the aliems? Or teh opening to Mork and Mindy? How do things go wrong with the encounter, and how can your characters make it right? Or can they? Length: the target range is between 2000-6000 words. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Target date for publication is June 2023. Pay: $5, with a share of royalties, and the chance to publicize your own website and other works in the biography and in our newsletter. Payments will be made by Paypal, unless other arrangements are made, and will be sent upon receipt of a signed contract. We welcome new authors, and will work with all authors to bring their stories into the vision of the book. The final draft will be sent to the author for final approval. Guidelines: 1) Submit your story as an *.rtf file attached to your cover letter. (Go to "Save As" and click on Rich Text Format or rtf.) 2) One-inch margins, double-spaced text. 3) NO TABS! Please use the paragraph formatting tool to indent the paragraphs, and either use CENTER to place your section dividers, or just leave them on the left side. 4) NO page numbers or other headers or footers on the pages! 5) Mark your italics with an underscore before and after the italics. Otherwise, your italics will not show up in the final...

Deadline: December 31st, 2022 Payment: 0.08 USD / word plus royalties Theme: Stories in the future where humanity has embraced the Earth and learned to co-exist with it Imagine a Solarpunk future where societies value cooperation over consumerism, where technology solves ecological challenges rather than creating them. SOLAR FLARE will envision a future where humanity has embraced the Earth and learned to co-exist with it, not simply on it, where sustainability is a way of life, not merely a catch phrase. Join us as these stellar authors share their visions of a hopeful tomorrow. Edited by Patricia Bray & Joshua Palmatier, SOLAR FLARE will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each.  Anchor authors include: Chaz Brenchley, Nicole Givens Kurtz, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin, Kristine Smith, and Lauren C. Teffeau SOLAR FLARE: Submission Guidelines Zombies Need Brains LLC will accept submissions to its anthology, SOLAR FLARE, from the moment the Kickstarter funds until December 31st, 2022. This is a one-time open call; there will be no follow-up open calls. Follow us on Twitter (@ZNBLLC) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/zombiesneedbrainsllc) to keep track of the Kickstarter and the open call. Stories must be submitted in electronic format through the submissions management system Moksha here: http://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io. Word count: up to 7500 words. No exceptions. Pay rate: 0.08 USD / word (SFWA professional rate), plus royalties for anthologies (see below) Simultaneous submissions: No. Multiple submissions: Up to three per open call period; please submit each separately. You do not need to wait for one to be rejected before submitting another. “Bonus” submissions will be deleted unread. Reprints: No. If a story has been previously rejected by the online magazine ZNB Presents, it is permitted to submit that story to a ZNB Anthology call, like...

Deadline: January 31st, 2023 Payment: 5-12 US cents per word Theme: Stories will be set in the fictional comic book universe of the Absolute Power tabletop role-playing game Note: Not a huge fan of how they determine the payment scale but as it is rare that we see superhero markets open I wanted to include this one. Dyskami Publishing Company is seeking short story submissions for our upcoming superhero fiction anthology Path of Absolute Power. Stories will be set in the fictional comic book universe of the Absolute Power tabletop role-playing game (the second edition of the Silver Age Sentinels RPG) and is a thematic follow-up sequel to the Path of the Just (2003) and Path of the Bold (2004) anthologies published by Guardians of Order. This anthology will contain traditional short story fiction and is not a LitRPG or GameLit work, however; the powerful, dramatic narratives should be decoupled from role-playing game mechanics. Stories should explore the actions of heroes, villains, and neutrals as they navigate the enticement of great power in a world of normal people. The complexities of using superpowers in a mundane world are perhaps best described in the opening sentences of Book One of the Absolute Power role-playing game: The Silver Age has come and gone. Superpowers now bring fear as often as comfort, and shades of grey cast the world in shadow, muting the shining colours of yesteryear. Villains have become stronger, and their influence is felt in every nation. The need for heroes is greater than ever. Can you balance superhuman gifts with humility, compassion, and hope? Do you have what it takes to resist the ever-present lure of Absolute Power? The game title “Absolute Power” is not intended to glorify raw might or some concept of necessary corruption. Absolute Power is a warning against the...

Submission Window: December 1st - 31st, 2022 Payment: Drabbles and Flash - £5, 1001 to 4000 words - £10, 4001 to 8000 words - £15 Theme: All forms of speculative fiction that move the reader Note: Only publishes creators from under represented and/or marginalized communities. WE ONLY PUBLISH CREATORS FROM UNDER REPRESENTED AND/OR MARGINALISED BACKGROUNDS AND/OR COMMUNITIES We don't ask for any proof, we take this on trust with the expectation that anyone not from a marginalised background or underrepresented community wouldn't take up the space of someone who is. We ask you to consider this before submitting. QUARTERLY ONLINE ANTHOLOGY: BRIEF We’re looking for stories you’ve poured your soul into but haven’t been able to find the right home for. We’re looking for stories that make us feel something. Warmth, love, melancholy, rage. We want it all.  All genres, styles and themes will be considered and we especially love stories that are outside the box in their telling. Ambiguous endings? Non-linear storytelling? Antagonist’s point-of-view? A story told in just one scene? We love it all. SUBMISSIONS: OPEN Quarterly Online Anthology Submission Schedule: March 1st - 31st (Summer Issue) July 1st - 31st (Autumn Issue) September 1st - 30th (Winter Issue) December 1st - 31st (Spring Issue) ​ we do not have set issue themes but feel free to be inspired by the season, seasonal occasions and events SUBMISSION GUIDELINES - ONLINE ONLY These are the guidelines for our Quarterly Online Anthology. For more information on print anthologies go to Print Anthologies How to submit: Please submit via the form at the bottom of this page. If you have any problems using the form please email us for assistance. Who should submit: Please ONLY SUBMIT IF: you are aged 18 or over you belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people....

Submission Window: December 1st - 31st, 2022 Payment: ¢1 per word CAD Theme: Stories of horror with the theme of 'wind' - Rated R welcomed Elements Book four OPEN DECEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 31 Stories of horror with the theme of 'wind' - Rated R welcomed ​Tornados - Dust Storms - wind power - air-born viruses -  Welcome to our four-book series, dedicated to horror from the elements. Each quarter has been assigned an 'element'. Please review the elements and open submission windows below. Each quarter submission window is only one month, so please make sure to submit during that specific time period Patreon members will be allowed to submit one week early, and be given a one-week extension to each quarter call. Although there can be some fantasy elements tossed in there, the overall feel of the stories must remain in the horror genre. Aim to scare. ​ Each part will be approximately 70,000 words and have its own ebook and paperback. Once all four sections are complete we will release a 'collection' containing all four books in ebook, paperback and hardcover form.  ​​Word count: 1500 - 7000 firm. Payment: Flat rate payment ¢1 per word CAD after approved edits. Reprints? No ​ Multiple Submission? No 💀 Only one submission per author per theme/quarter. (Fire, Earth, Air, Water) ​ Formatting:  Please use 12 pt Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing, set auto-indent new paragraphs. Add the story title to the top of the manuscript. Do not include your name or email in the manuscript. These stories will be read "blind" by our reading team. Title your manuscript "Title of Story - Theme"  example "The Ruin - Earth" Please make sure the title of the story and the title on the manuscript match. ​ How to submit? Submit via the Form - Which will open on the start...

Submission Window: December 1st-31st, 2022 Payment: 1 cents per word, $25 for reprints, and a contributors copy Theme: Diverse sci-fi and fantasy fiction. Note: Reprints Welcome MYTHIC is seeking diverse sci-fi and fantasy fiction. We publish both new fiction and reprints. Authors are encouraged to submit their stories during the specific reading periods listed below. NEXT SUBMISSIONS PERIOD: DECEMBER 1- 31, 2022 GUIDELINES Works should be between 2,000-5,000 words. (No wiggle room above or below.) 1.) Submit in Standard Manuscript Format We prefer Times New Roman or Courier and 12-point type. Double-spaced pages. Do not have tabs in your manuscript; please set first line indents. Please include your name and contact information at the beginning of the story. Submit in .doc, .docx, .rtf format. 2.) Please NO SIMULTANEOUS OR MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS. Rights Purchased: For NEW/UNPUBLISHED FICTION, we are purchasing World English Rights For REPRINTS we are purchasing reprint rights Following an exclusivity period, all other rights revert to the author. MYTHIC retains a nonexclusive right to keep stories in the issue they appear for as long as the issue remains in print. Compensation: At this time, we PAY $0.01 CENTS A WORD for NEW short fiction. At this time, we PAY $25.00 for REPRINT short fiction. We provide authors with one free copy of the issue in which their story appears. Payment made upon publication via PayPal. (We are not responsible for any transaction fees). Authors will also receive free ad space to promote their book or sci-fi/fantasy project in an issue of MYTHIC. To submit fiction: Send all stories to [email protected]. Your story should be attached. Be sure your subject line is: "New Submission: Title of your Story" or "Reprint: Title of your Story". Please include your name, title, word count, and contact information in the body of the email. Note on nonfiction: All articles and other content are chosen in-house. Please do...

Deadline: January 1st, 2022 Payment: 15GBP Theme: If you think you’ve got what it takes to terrify, scar and haunt our audience of 150k+ monthly listeners, then we want your stories! If accepted, we’ll get our fantastic narration team to lend their voices, our editor will sprinkle some magic pixie dust on the track, and you could have your story heard by thousands of listeners each week. (Vol 89.) Strange Weather; deadline 1st January 2023 SUBMIT YOUR STORIES USING THIS FORM If this form isn’t working, please email your submission to [email protected] as a last resort. Title your email with the following syntax: “SUBMISSION | STORY TITLE | THEME | WORDCOUNT”  (e.g. SUBMISSION | THE MARTIAN | SPACE | 1,982) Submission Guidelines • Stories must be 2,000 (10% tolerance +/-) • Save stories in a Word document - Times New Roman font, size 12 • Include a 1-2 sentence log line for your story at the end of the document • Ensure that your name and an email address are somewhere on the document • Stories must fit an upcoming theme • By submitting your story to us, you are confirming that you are the original creator of the story • We will consider entrants whose work has been entered and published elsewhere, however please ensure you state where and when your story has been used elsewhere on the document • You will be allowed to place one call-to-action for your own work at the end of the episode. Be sure to include this at the end of your document, underneath the log line • Payment per accepted story is 15GBP • 2x entries per theme permitted   When will I hear if my story has been accepted or not? We carefully review every single submission that comes through our door. If you’ve...