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Submission Window: July 31st to October 31st, 2023 Payment: 4c per word for original stories, 1c per word for reprints (Australian currency) Theme: Body horror that deals with the anthology's title Note: Open to Australasian writers only, where Australasia means Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and the neighbouring islands of the Pacific. This call-out is open to Australasian citizens, residents and ex-pats. To be edited by award-winning author and anthology editor, Deborah Sheldon. Spawn 2: More Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies will comprise stories from Australasian writers obtained entirely from open callout. On-spec submissions are welcome from Australasian writers of every persuasion including non-parents. Stories must be between 1500 and 5000 words. Stories outside of these word counts risk being deleted unread. Reprints will be considered, but must not be available for free anywhere online. The anthology will have only a small number of reprints, regardless. The anthology will be a visceral, frightening read. Each story must nominally tick the box of “body horror” but there is no restriction on subgenre: anything from sci-fi to fantasy to gothic to supernatural to psychological and beyond will be given equal consideration. Feel free to play with the theme and not take it too literally. Ideally, your story should make the reader feel uncomfortably aware of their physicality, morbidity or mortality. While graphic violence and swearing are acceptable, submissions must have a literary bent. Spawn 2: More Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies aims to deliver an elegant—and elevated—anthology of body horror. For a clearer understanding of requirements, we recommended that you read Deb’s first anthology in this IFWG franchise, the multi-award-winning and multi-award-nominated Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, which comprises stories by Australian writers. What to avoid: Gratuitous gore used purely for shock value. Familiar tropes, such...

Deadline: October 31st, 2023 Payment: $15 Theme: Unique ocean-themed horror stories Broken Brain Books is now taking submissions for our first anthology, Screams From The Ocean Floor. We are looking for roughly 15 stories with a mix of invited authors and open call submissions. Welcome to the scariest place on the planet. The bottom of the ocean. No air. Complete Darkness. Immense pressure. Bizarre Creatures. No chance of survival. We are looking for unique ocean-themed horror stories that will leave the reader thinking twice before stepping near the sea again. *Cover art coming soon* Submission Guidelines All stories should include the ocean as a major theme. Stories should be between 3,000 and 5,000 words in length. Stories will be accepted from August 1st to October 31st, 2023. Previously unpublished works only No AI generated works. Broken Brain Books will retain exclusive rights to the story for one year from the date of publication. Both parties will hold joint rights after one year. Payment of $15 + ebook copy for accepted authors Selected stories will be edited by Heather Ann Larson and reviewed with the author. Payment will be sent to the author upon return of a signed contract. Expected publication February/March 2024 Email completed stories to [email protected] as a Microsoft Word attachment. Via: Broken Brain Books.

Deadline: October 31st, 2023 Payment: 1 cent per word for short stories, $10 for poems Theme: Speculative fiction slice-of-life stories with a focus on connection, family, relationships, comfort, and the natural world. We are open to submissions from: February–April, for a June release August–October, for a December release What to send Hearth Stories publishes speculative fiction slice-of-life stories with a focus on connection, family, relationships, comfort, and the natural world. We accept works of up to novella length. However, the ideal length may be something in the 2,000-6,000 word range. We also accept poems that fit our themes. Some things we like: Quiet stories Kindness, tenderness, hope, and support Caregiving, parenting, and partnership Stories that give us butterflies in our stomachs and/or make us smile Works that border into nature writing or touch on ecological topics Animal and non-human perspectives (but we like human stories, too) Writing that evokes senses other than just sight and sound (things with a lot of smell, touch, and taste) Stories involving food and cooking Stories involving hermits, issolated places, or wandering in the woods Bonus points for stories backed by vegan, anarchist, eco-conscious, and anti-capitalist themes (while still fitting the above) There is some overlap between what we do and various genres, such as: slice of life, hopepunk, and solarpunk. Those genres often exist within or alongside fantasy, science fiction, and surrealism; though we are happy to read literary fiction that suits the above criteria as well. We accept translations and reprints. We also accept simultaneous submissions. Please wait to hear back regarding your submission before submitting another piece. There is no wait time or cool off period for submitting another story (whether your first story was passed on or accepted). If some—but not all—of the above describes your work: send it. Definitely do not rule out your...

Deadline: October 31st, 2023 Payment: $5 Theme: Laughter and Tears Each Issue will be themed. However you interpret that theme is up to you. We do NOT need your reasoning behind it. Please Note: Deadlines may close earlier if the issue fills!~ Laughter and Tears - Oct. 31 - This time of year becomes an odd mix of happiness and sadness, let’s explore those elements, both individually and where they intersect. What’ve you got to show us? Stories and / or Poems For Stories: We’re open to micro works all the way up to 10,000 words. Just keep two things in mind: We want to be engaged and the submission must be completed (no pitches, please!) For Poems: We’d love to see up to five poems from you, but you can always just send one, too. Art As long as it has some tie to the current issue’s theme, we’re open to see any art created in any medium at any time. Just know that it will need to “work in print” and—might—be presented in black and white. We WILL NOT Accept any AI-Generated art. For ART ONLY, you may choose to submit via email by sending jpgs, PDFs, or PNGs to chrisatquarterpress(at)gmail(dot)com Graphic Stories Show us your comic strips or complete short works; we’d love to see them all! Please try to keep submissions to 20 pages or less. Feel free to also send a collection of comic strips / one shot comics, as well. (Please note that our publication size / dimensions might change between issues. Our “Norm” is 6x9”). These must be COMPLETE works. For Graphic Work / Comics, you may choose to submit via email by sending jpgs, PDFs, or PNGs to chrisatquarterpress(at)gmail(dot)com Analysis / Interviews / Reviews As long as it is tied to the...

Submission Window: October 1st - 31st, 2023 Payment: 8 cents per word and $500 for custom cover art and $100 for cover art drawn from an artist’s existing portfolio. Theme: Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. Note: You must identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. khōréō is a quarterly publication of stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. We’re especially interested in writing and art that explore some aspect of migration, whether explicitly (themes of immigration, colonialism, etc.), metaphorically, or with a sly nod and a wink. Most importantly, we’re a new magazine and we’re still finding our identity: therefore, please don’t self-reject because you’re not sure if your work is a good fit. We won’t know until we see it, so please give us a chance to look! See submission requirements & how to submit at the following pages: Fiction Non-fiction Art Voice actors Who can submit? khōréō is dedicated to diversity and amplifying the voices of immigrant and diaspora authors and artists. We welcome, but do not require, a brief description of the author’s/artist’s identity in their cover letter. We invite you to submit if you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum...

Submission Window: October 1st - 31st, 2023 Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction, $5 for poetry, 1 cent per word for non-fiction, $35 for cover art Theme: Speculative fiction It's our goal to publish diverse voices from around the world, and to do that, we are actively seeking stories, poems, and non-fiction pieces by authors from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in the science fiction and fantasy canon. Our submission cycle is therefore split into two categories, where every other month is explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. The interposing six months remain open to everyone. Guidelines for Fiction We are seeking stories in the English language up to 6,000 words by writers from around the world. We favor submisions that have not been published before (including on your own website), though we do accept a limited number of reprints not currently appearing anywhere online. For our two issues focused on the climate crisis, we're particularly interested in publishing stories from people displaced by or threatened by the climate emergency (see our themes below). For our other four issues, we're open to a wide variety of stories across the SFF and weird spectra. We pay 1¢ per word for fiction, and we try to respond to all submissions within ten weeks. We will also accept a limited number of previously published stories, so please indicate on the form if your submission is a reprint. All submissions must use the Shunn manuscript format (we prefer Courier New) and be either .rtf, .doc, or .docx. We like stories that are subtle in their telling and stick with us long after we've finished. We're more likely to buy stories that balance a sense of wonder with a bold plot and...

Deadline: October 31st, 2023 Payment: $25 Theme: Sword & Sorcery, Dark Fantasy, and Grimdark Just as the classic pulps continue to bring attention, praise, and droves of new readers to legendary writers such as Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Crimson Quill Quarterly wishes to bring attention to budding authors of the Sword & Sorcery, Dark Fantasy, and Grimdark subgenres of fantasy fiction. We appreciate creativity and talent equally and would love to see well written stories driven by developed and intriguing characters and invigorating action that unfolds throughout the plot. While we are not looking for stories that "reinvent the wheel", we appreciate originality above all else. WHAT WE WANT Original tales of nail-biting peril faced down by a fearless protagonists reliant upon their mental might as much as their physical prowess to achieve their goals and overcome their enemies in action packed tales told in no more than 10,000 words. We may be interested in serializing longer pieces in the future, but for our first issue we’re looking to keep it as simple as possible. We are currently open for submissions and will continue to accept stories until Halloween, October 31st, 2023. Feel free to send us multiple submissions, but no more than three tales from one single author. We hope to have our first issue out by January of 2024 and will feature five to six authors for our debut. All selections will be made by the second week of November and each chosen author will receive a payment of $25 via check or digital transaction. We will buy First Rights and will obtain aforementioned rights for six months. Should this venture prove even semi-successful, we hope to increase the amount we can pay our dedicated writers. Notice: Simultaneous submissions...

Submission Window: October 1st - 31st, 2023 Payment: $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue Theme: Any genre, short story Mission = Revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful. Payout = Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Wait, you mean if this substack gets thousands of subscribers, the winner would get thousands of dollars? Yes! The New Yorker pays roughly $7,500 per story and I sincerely hope to go way past that. What does the timeline look like? Submit stories by the end of the month, winner to be announced on the 15th. There is ONE story that wins and receives the full payout. Where do I send submissions? [email protected] What are the rules for submitting? 1. No Fees 2. Send in Microsoft Word or Google Doc form 3. Any genre 4. 6- 10,000 words. Yes, just 6 words, like Hemingway's famous 6-word story "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." 5. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute. 6. Acknowledge Distribution Rights on this Substack - You can still sell your story elsewhere but we need to be able to save and publish it here. The goal is to create a library for subscribers. 7. Only the winner will be published and rights will only transfer for the winning story. What do I get for subscribing? One beautiful story every month. The complete library. The joy of supporting artists and doing something interesting. What if I can’t pay right now? That’s ok! If you publish a blurb about this site on your website, blog, or social media, I will send you one full story of your choosing. Best of all, it is...

Submission Window: October 1st - 31st, 2023 Payment: $10 Theme: Stories of any genre by writers who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. We welcome submissions by those who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. This is a space for the words, works, and worlds of and by those whose bodyminds defy social expectations and invite new ways of thinking and knowing. We do not need to know the specifics of your identity/diagnosis/experience unless you want us to. We invite closeted and questioning people to share their work, as well as those whose experiences fall outside the confines of the language we used above. We welcome submissions from creators of all ages. We particularly encourage unpublished/emerging/young creators to submit. If you know an incarcerated/institutionalized creator who would like to submit, email us for information as to where to mail the submission, or clearly indicate in your message that you are submitting on their behalf. We publish on a quarterly schedule, with issues coming out on: February 15 May 15 August 15 November 15 We are open for all submissions EXCEPT during publication months. That is to say, we are open for submissions January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and December. Things to note This is a leftist magazine. We hate capitalism, “america,” cops, prisons, borders, neoliberalism, and all the rest. We don’t tolerate white supremacy, cisheterosexism, ableism, transmisogyny, xenophobia, fatphobia, intersexism, and anti-sex worker sentiment here. We reserve the right to reject and/or remove content from creators whose work does not align with our values. We do not tolerate AI-generated or -assisted submissions. Anyone found to be using AI will have their content immediately rejected/removed and will...

Deadline: October 31st, 2023 Payment: $45 and a contributors copy Theme: Rescuing Curiosity Continuing with our thematic arc, our next anthology will focus on Rescuing Curiosity. In collaboration with Inked in Gray, we seek to publish powerful, authentic stories from members of our community. All profits from Rescuing Curiosity, as well as all previously published WriteHive anthologies go directly to WriteHive to help fund all our programming initiatives This upcoming anthology will officially open September 1, 2023, and we will be collecting submissions until October 31, 2023. We will be looking for stories that explore characters or groups discovering, reclaiming, rescuing if you will, their curiosity and interests in life, hobbies, etc. Submissions will not be accepted prior to September 1, 2023 or after October 31st. Writing the Future We Need: Rescuing Curiosity ** ABSOLUTELY NO AI WRITTEN OR AI ASSISTED SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. NO AI INVOLVEMENT WHATSOEVER PLEASE**   Theme: Rescuing Curiosity Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or horror only Age: Adult. No MG or YA There is no limitation to how you incorporate this theme into your work as long as the story falls within the Sci-Fi, Horror, or Fantasy genre. We encourage you to take the theme and show its manifestation beyond the physical, showing us something unique and engaging. Submission Period: Sept 1, 2023 to Oct 31, 2023 Submission Cost: Free Word Limit: Max of 8K words per piece, not including addition information below Payment: $45 per accepted piece plus one paperback contributor copy Rights: First edition exclusive anthology rights for the first six months of publication **Submissions and anthology communications will be managed by Dakota Rayne and WriteHive. Please submit your work at the link below, which will take you to the WriteHive Submission page. Publication details: The anthology will be printed and published by Inked in Gray Press. Inked in Gray Press is considered the publisher and...