Events

Deadline: October 31st, 2024 Payment: $20 Theme: Dark fantasy and fantastical horror Speculative fiction is a powerful tool for exploring not only the darkest and most challenging aspects of our world, but of worlds beyond it—and in the psyche. It can take us on harrowing and haunting journeys and introduce us to fascinating and frightening characters. It can leave us shaken and sorrowful and scared. But it is within the darkest stories that hope burns brightest: acts of desperation, passion, and overcoming that showcase the power and resilience of the human—and perhaps non-human—spirit. And in the terrifying unknown, in the gaping maw of the blackest abyss, beauty and wonder await. After all, fear is a component of awe—and of courage. The unknown is filled with possibility for those willing to face it. For this anthology, we're looking for character-driven dark fantasy and fantastical horror stories that take on challenging themes, spark fear and wonder and so many other emotions, and immerse the reader in extremes of experience. Throw off the shackles of the safe and mundane and delve Into the Dark. What We're Seeking For this anthology, we're looking for 1500-4000 word stories in the below genres: Dark Fantasy We're especially hungry for high fantasy stories, but will also consider low fantasy stories. Fantastical Horror We're looking specifically for horror with fantasy-inspired elements, not speculative horror in general. A cosmic or creature horror story might be a fit, but a fully sci-fi horror story wouldn't be a fit for this anthology. Most ghost stories, for instance, also wouldn't be a fit, unless they feature more cosmic consequences. We're looking for stories that prioritize characters and themes, rather than extensive world-building, fast-paced plots, or shock value. We want stories that have something to say. We also appreciate striking voices and literary-leaning prose, but are...

Deadline: October 31st, 2024 Payment: 0.005/word Theme: Science Fiction and fantasy *** SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN FROM OCTOBER 1st, 2024 - OCTOBER 31st, 2024 *** We ask for the following: 1) We are looking for great Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Don’t overthink it! Just write an incredible story and you will find yourself in this anthology. 2) Submit your work in the Shunn Standard Manuscript Format. We only accept documents in DOC, DOCX and RTF formats. 3) We accept work in the range of 1500-7500 words. Anything outside this range will be automatically rejected. 4) Payment for original fiction is currently $0.005/word up to 7500 words. Minimum of $15. Reprints paid at full rate. We retain no rights to your work. 5) Worldstone Publishing encourages submissions from writers of all races, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, etc. We want and value diverse voices. Saying that, we make editorial decisions strictly based on merit, and we do not collect any information that might clue our editors to any of these attributes other than your name, email, address, and cover letter before any decisions are made regarding your submission. Though this is not standard practice we have turned down stories from established bestsellers in favor of new authors, and will continue to do so if we feel a short story better fits our volume and will appeal to our growing readership. 6) Ready to submit? Then send an email directly to [email protected] In the subject line, please write “Anthology Submission: “STORY TITLE”. If this is not followed, your story will be automatically rejected. 7) No multi-submissions. We try to respond to all submissions within 30 days. In past years it has taken us longer for later submissions. We apologize for the inconvenience. 8) Again, reprints are more...

Deadline: October 31st, 2024 Payment: 2 cents per word Theme: Cosmic Horror Calling all cosmic horror authors! Open for Submissions: October 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024 Expected Publication: June 2025 What is cosmic horror? “Cosmic horror, also known as Lovecraftian horror, is a subgenre of horror that emphasizes the terror of the unknowable and incomprehensible. It favors these psychological horrors more than gore or other elements of shock and awe. … The core of all cosmic horror is the protagonist being absolutely terrified of the unknown or the future and what’s going to happen to them. … There should also be a contemplation of the human experience and the humanness of the struggle. They usually don’t have a lot of blood and gore, and instead thrive on the ideas that are scary.” – nofilmschool.com Submissions Requirements Your story: should be approximately 2,000 – 6,000 words in length. should not contain erotica can be part of an ongoing series you might be writing We aim to have our final selections chosen no more than 30 days after the closing date of submissions. Compensation: .02c/word Estimated publication date for this anthology is June 2025. Graveside Press is a new imprint focused on horror, managed by members of the publishing teams that brings you Paper Angel Press, Water Dragon Publishing, Unruly Voices, and Cupid’s Arrow Publishing. We plan to bring you sleep-shattering tales of horror beginning October 2024. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES When submitting, we would greatly appreciate if you can follow the formatting guidelines below: file type: *.doc or *.docx Spelling: US and UK/AU-spelling and colloquialisms accepted Punctuation: US (modern, e.g. single space after periods) Font: Any legible serif, e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond Include author information at the top of page 1 (see sample below) Use formatted indents and not tabs to begin each paragraph Use hard returns to start new paragraphs Use page breaks to begin...

Deadline: October 31st, 2024 Payment: Poetry - $15 USD, Flash - $20 USD, Short Fiction - $40 USD Theme: Road trip/travel horror Note: All entries must have a Utah connection, either on the part of the author or the story itself Timber Ghost Press is proud to present No Exit: A Collection of Utah Horror. With the help of the Utah Horror Writers*, Timber Ghost Press is excited to be publishing the 11th collection of Utah horror. We are seeking well-crafted stories and poems that fit the theme of road trip/travel horror. For this anthology, all entries must have a Utah connection, either on the part of the author or the story itself (it is called Utah horror for a reason). The stories will be evaluated in a blind read by three judges and must receive at least two ”yes” votes to be accepted. Therefore, when submitting, please ensure that there is no identifying information in the story itself. We anticipate an October 2025 release. Accepted authors will receive payment according to the pay scale below, plus a contributor's copy of the anthology. Deadline: October 31st, 2024 11:59 pm MDT  The Following Categories are Open for Submission: Poetry Flash Fiction: 1000 words or less Short Fiction: 1001-5000 words Payment: Poetry - $15 USD Flash - $20 USD Short Fiction - $40 USD What We Do Not Want: Timber Ghost Press may outright reject stories that contain the following: ​​Pedophilia\Rape\Child Molestation Animal Abuse Extreme Violence or Gore Just for the Sake of It ​ Multiple or Simultaneous Submissions: You may submit up to three poems and/or once in each category. For example, you may submit three poems, a piece of flash fiction, and a short story if you like. Regarding simultaneous submissions, we don't mind as long as you let us know if your...

Deadline: October 31st, 2024 Payment: Over 300 words: £0.015 per word. Under 300 words: £5 flat rate. Theme: Tell Me When It's Over Note: Reprints Welcome Tell Me When It's Over This theme is all about endings—be they personal or global. Whether it’s the quiet end of a relationship or the loud bang of an apocalypse, we’re looking for pieces that deal with finality. What happens when it’s all falling apart? How do we face or avoid the end, or prepare for the aftermath? Current Deadline: October 31st, 2024 What are we looking for?​ Currently, we are working on our 1st Season based on planned episodes, but we also accept rolling submissions. ​          We prioritize: ​ Originality and depth Fresh & Unique perspectives Craftsmanship Meaningful interpretations of submission themes (tip: avoid being too literal) Suitable for audio ​​ ​We encourage submissions that allow us to explore new worlds—whether that’s through speculative landscapes, imaginative settings, or narratives that break free from the constraints of reality. Help us escape the everyday! What to Submit: Our main focus is on speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, horror, mystery, weird, slipstream), but we embrace a variety of genres and formats, including non-fiction. ​ ​ Short Stories/Scripts: Up to 15 mins or 3000 words. Poetry/Flash Fiction: Up to 5 mins or 500 words. Songs/Music/Other: Approx 1.30 - 5 mins ​ ​ dystopian urban fantasy weird fiction slipstream speculative afro-futurism​ gothic ​ ​​​ Cosmic horror Lovecraftian horror folk tales retellings mythpunk magical realism surreal Our umbrella focus is the following: ​ fantasy sci-fi horror weird ​                          This includes all sub-genres, such as: ​ Compensation:  Over 300 words: £0.015 per word.  Under 300 words: £5 flat rate. Rights: If previously unpublished, we claim...

Submission Window: October 1 - 14 Members of marginalised groups only, October 15 - 31 General submissions. Payment: £0.02 per word for each piece accepted, with a minimum £20 payment. £50 for selected artwork Theme: Speculative stories about our inner lives; our thoughts, our emotions, our perceptions, our dreams. Inner Worlds is a quarterly digital zine of speculative stories about our inner lives; our thoughts, our emotions, our perceptions, our dreams. We aim to publish works which use elements from science fiction, fantasy, or horror to illuminate the different ways that we experience our selves and our world. That might mean finding a metaphor to express a feeling, or a setting which reflects how your brain works sometimes, or turning a trope on its head to explore a different perspective. We have a specific interest in sharing: stories of neurodiversity experiences of psychological struggle or distress, madness, and extreme states the voices and perspectives of marginalised groups. We'll walk with you in the dark places. But we want your humour, joy, and wonder too. "Can you promise me I'll be happy?" "No, man. Absolutely not. But I can promise that you won't be alone." -Russian Doll, Season One "Ariadne" Who we are At the moment it's just me, Sarah. As a writer, a champion daydreamer, and as someone with lived experience of complex trauma, I'm fascinated by our inner worlds. If you are too and you'd like to get involved in some way, please get in touch at ourinnerworldsprotonmail.com. Support Inner Worlds 1) Send us your words! We're not a pro rate paying market at this time, but we promise to treat all submitted stories with care. 2) Subscribe! There are a few different subscription levels available and it all helps cover the costs and make the magazine more sustainable. 3) Follow...

Deadline: November 1st, 2024 Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction, $10 per poem, $25 for artwork, $50 for cover art Theme: Rituals Note: Reprints Welcome NonBinary Review is currently open for submissions on the theme of RITUALS. Often, when we think of rituals, we think of robed, hooded figures standing around a large symbol of power etched into the floor, trying to summon a deity who will grant them their every desire. At least, that's what Hollywood would have us believe. But the truth is that much of our lives is dictated by rituals. The Brushing of the Teeth, The Making of the Coffee, The Feeding of the Pets, The After-Work Drinks, The Watching of the Baking Show - we all have aspects of our lives where we insist on things being done just so, turning something otherwise mundane into a ritual. Rituals can be comforting, or they can be confining. They can help us make sense of our habits, and they can look strange to outside observers. We want the best speculative takes on ritual - weird rituals, unexpected rituals, little-known rituals. We want to hear not just how rituals are enacted, but where they come from, how they get started, and what unintended consequences happen as a result. Fiction: All submissions must have a clear relationship to our theme, and be double-spaced in 12pt Times New Roman or they will be rejected. NonBinary Review  pays 1¢ per word for prose with a limit of 3000 words. Poetry: Submitters may include up to THREE poems per submission, but each must be a separate file. NonBinary Review pays a $10 flat fee for poetry. Artwork: All submissions must have a clear relationship to our theme and be submitted as a jpg., .png., .tiff., or .psd file of 300dpi or greater (accepted pieces must...

Deadline: November 1st, 2024 Payment: 2 contributors copies if released in print, 5 cents CAD per word, .25 CAD per word for poetry up to 200 words with .10 CAD per word after Theme: The conflicts related to the hopeful and optimistic nature of Solarpunk (see below.) Note: Stories will also be discussed academically as a part of the editor's PhD dissertation. Solarpunk is optimistic. Solarpunk is hopeful. Solarpunk is about change and unity. Solarpunks seem to agree on these points. But what are the points of conflict within solarpunk? When do solarpunks disagree, and why? Is solarpunk a monolith, is it fractured and disparate, or is it somewhere in between? What spaces of tension exist within both genre and community that can flare to sudden flame at the right (or wrong) provocation? And, what do these conflicts look like in a solarpunk world? This anthology is about these conflicts. Stories should explore a solarpunk conflict, either one manufactured entirely for the story, or one based in a real-world point of contention you feel currently divides solarpunks, or that has done so in the past. Conflicts can be as small or as grand as you would like, though the story as a whole should be legibly solarpunk and should not champion a non-solarpunk ethos. I also invite stories that speak to perceived gaps in the solarpunk canon - for example, there has been commentary before on how solarpunk is close to afrofuturism in aspect and some goals, but has very little overlap. While there are some stories that do address that missing overlap, there is, of course, room for more. Some example points of conflict are listed below, though please do not feel restricted to these possibilities! • Is techno-solutionism the way forwards, or do we need to eschew modern...

Deadline: November 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Forest Fae Genre: Fantasy Theme: Forest Fae Concept: Change comes for all. Come, dance through the Wyld places. Bear witness to a world that fights against the encroachment of civilization. Wyld Magick, the latest offering from Three Ravens Publishing, peels back the veil, giving you a taste of a world full of dryads, elementals, and strange beasts unseen by any who now walk the earth. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 (standard word count) Edited by: Philip K. Booker / William Joseph Roberts Opening Essay: TBD Anchor Author: Faith Hunter Due Date: November 1, 2024 Email Submissions to: [email protected] with “Wyld Magick” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality.   What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore porn) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations can alter or otherwise move the plot forward in ways that the reader may not expect when properly used, these elements...

Deadline: November 1st, 2024 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry Theme: Story must begin with: The parking lot was empty. Winter: The parking lot was empty. Due date: November 1, 2024 We love that writers around the world are inspired by our first lines, and we know that not every story will be sent to us. However, we ask that you do not submit stories starting with our first lines to other journals (or post them online on public sites) until we've notified you as to our decision (usually four weeks after the deadline). When the entire premise of the publication revolves around one sentence, we don't want it to look as if we stole that sentence from another writer. If you have questions, feel free to drop us a line. Also, we understand that writers may add our first line to a story they are currently working on or have already completed, and that's cool. But please do not add our first line to a previously published story and submit it to us. We do not accept previously published stories, even if they have been repurposed for our first lines. And, just to be clear, we do not accept simultaneous submissions. One more thing while I've got you here: Writers compete against one another for magazine space, so, technically, every literary magazine is running a contest. There are, however, literary magazines that run traditional contests, where they charge entry fees and rank the winners. We do not - nor will we ever - charge a submission fee, nor do we rank our stories in order of importance. Occasionally, we run contests to help come up with new first lines, or we run fun, gimmicky competitions for free stuff, but the actual journal is not a...