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Deadline: January 15th, 2023 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: January 15th, 2024 Payment: $30 and a contributors copy Theme: 80's and 90s nostalgia horror set in Connecticut 80s and 90s horror...Coming of age, kids on bikes Imagine It, Stand by Me, Stranger Things, Dark, Good Omens, set in Connecticut. Welcome to Horror Over the Handlebars! This is the first in a series of Connecticut-based anthologies--Yankee Scares. All stories must be set in Connecticut. Preference will be given to writers who: Live in Connecticut -- Have some connection to Connecticut -- Live in New England. Other writers may apply and will be offered space as available. For this first anthology, we are looking for 80's and 90s nostalgia horror--the "kids on bikes" coming of age genre, although children riding bicycles aren't required. Look at the kids in the above examples. Open to stories 1,000 to 8,000 words, in English. Query for longer stories. We are not considering stories written, or co-written, by AI at this time. Payment $30 for first publication rights, plus a hard copy and PDFs of all future Yankee Scares anthologies. Query for reprints. Submissions close January 15, 2024 Publication target: August 2024 Submit your manuscript in docx to https://forms.gle/Bag4ZzveRv3gATXC6. Use SHUNN manuscript formatting. Please give us a month to respond. Please follow Bert for updates on Facebook Editors: Gevera Bert Piedmont Author of the Mickey Crow paranormal series and creator of the Quetzalcoatl Ascending world. Member HWA/HWA-CT, NEHW, CAPA John Opalenik Author of The Primeval duology, The Blue Beneath the Mountain, and Among the Willows. Member of HWA/HWA-CT Publisher: Transformations by Obsidian Butterfly, LLC Publication format: Paperback and Kindle Rights:  revert to author one year after publication About this Project This is the first Yankee Scares anthology, a project planned by and for Connecticut horror writers, about Connecticut. Since Connecticut is small, we realize we may have to let other writers play...

Deadline: January 15th, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Feminist horror novel, novella, and story collections for adult readers PsychoToxin PINK will be open for full-length manuscript submissions from Jan. 1-15, with the imprint considering feminist horror novel, novella, and story collections for adult readers. Sorry; no YA, MG, poetry, or nonfiction. Please send query email, including a synopsis and a short biography, to Rebecca Cuthbert, EIC, at [email protected], and attach the first 20 pages of your manuscript. Any questions can be sent to the same email address. Pay is a share of royalties. No reprints/renewals of out-of-print books. Novellas 25-40k words, novels and story collections 55-80k. We're looking for feminist/pink horror, but genre blends are welcome, with strong female and nonbinary characters (heroes or villains!). And it should go without saying, but let's add it just in case: No AI submissions! Any submissions sent after the sub period will not be considered. Any questions, email [email protected]. Via: Pyschotoxin Press.

Submission Window: December 21st to January 21st, 2024 Payment: $50 Theme: Stories about how we seek out, discover, and grasp onto connection. At Astrolabe, we’re looking for work about how we seek out, discover, and grasp onto connection. Into the woods. Across a line. Beneath the ocean. Along a seam. Into the branches of an alternate present or the crevasse of an alternate future. Across the rifts between one another. And then, once we find one other, the myths we make. We’re excited to see as many interpretations of this broad theme as there are stars in the night sky. We’re open to work of all genres, with a particular fondness for anything that moves beyond realism in form or content or spirit. Read about Astrolabe for details on our mission and what we’re doing with the Universe. The details Astrolabe is open for submissions year-round. We pay a $50 honorarium upon publication of one or more pieces from your submission. To help fund those payments, we alternate between free and paid submission periods throughout the year. Our free periods begin the day we publish new work—on the spring equinox, summer solstice, autumnal equinox, and winter solstice—and stay open for a month. Some additional details: We currently accept three types of work: fiction, creative nonfiction, and photography & art. See below for genre-specific instructions. We’re not a market for lineated poetry at the moment. We do accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work was accepted for publication elsewhere—we’ll be thrilled for your good news! No multiple submissions—and if we don’t accept your work, please wait until our next submission period before trying again unless we specifically ask for more work. We consider only unpublished work. We ask for first North American serial rights and non-exclusive print/anthology rights. All copyrights remain yours. Read more about the rights...

Deadline: January 21st, 2024 Payment: $100 per story Theme: 500-1000 word speculative fiction stories Hello fellow writers and readers, this is Rebecca Halsey, the new publisher for Flash Fiction Online. We are coming into 2024 with a decently sized queue of literary stories and reprints. Therefore, for our January 2024 reading period, we will only be accepting original speculative fiction. We will consider fantasy, science fiction, horror, and all the fabulous cross-sub-genre goodness within that lot. As is our custom, we will be open until the 21st of the month unless the 425 submissions cap is reached. We look forward to reading your stories! SUBMISSION GUIDELINES We are looking for complete 500- to 1000-word stories with crisp prose, well-developed characters, compelling plots, and satisfying resolutions. We want stories that engage our minds and emotions. We publish across many genres, including speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. For more information on the type of stories we enjoy, please read a few issues and check out our "What We're Looking For" page. Please note, that for January 2024, we will be accepting speculative fiction stories only. SUBMISSION WINDOW: We will be open to submissions on January 1st, and until January 21st, or until our 425 submission cap is reached, whichever comes first. FORMATTING: Please format your submission in a double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman or other serif-type font (NO Courier), with standard 1" margins and black font on an unadorned, white background. No PDF submissions.  No Images and no graphics. ANONYMOUS SUBMISSIONS: Do not include your name, address, email, or other identifying information on your manuscript (header, byline, file name, etc). SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: For the January 2024 reading period, we will accept simultaneous submissions. MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: You may submit only one original story to the January 2024 reading period. AI-GENERATED SUBMISSIONS: We are committed to publishing stories written and edited by humans. We reserve the right to...

Deadline: January 21st, 2024 Prizes: First place is 35 USD, for second place is 25 USD, and for third place is 15 USD, to be distributed via PayPal Theme: Hope Flash Fiction Contest: Hope Since our magazine’s founding, we have noticed a trend in our submissions of works that harken to the darkening of the spirit, the decay of our planet, and our accumulating sense of hopelessness. Can we blame them? We have felt this malaise in our own spirits. As such, we have decided to hold a flash fiction contest in the name of hope. Hope is not the lack of darkness but a defiance of it. It is the mote of light we fix our gazes on as we struggle through the twisting world of our reality and what’s within our psyches. We would like to see the kinds of stories that hook us in the gut but keep us on the reel—that keep us searching for that tiny spark of defiance. The award for first place is 35 USD, for second place is 25 USD, and for third place is 15 USD, to be distributed via PayPal. All three will be published to our website. The first place winner will be given an opportunity to discuss their work in a special feature. The deadline to submit for this special contest is January 21st, 2024. Below are the rules for qualification: Please send us your best interpretation of this theme, in the form of a work of fiction no longer than 1,000 words. Only one submission to this contest is allowed per author. All submissions should honor our magazine’s core theming. We prefer works in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, paranormalism, surrealism, and magical realism. Please include your preferred name for publication, your personal pronouns, and a short author bio...

Deadline: January 25th, 2024 Payment: $10 for accepted stories, and an equal portion of the Kickstarter’s stretch goals Theme: Leadership Gone Right Unlock the power of imagination with Farthest Star Publishing's inaugural open call for short story submissions, themed “Leadership Gone Right”. Are you ready to explore the uncharted territories of leadership in science fiction, fantasy, and horror? We're seeking gripping tales that envision a world where leadership takes a different path, where heroes and anti-heroes emerge in unexpected ways. From galactic leaders to mythical monarchs and supernatural rulers, your story should transport us to new realms where leadership shines brilliantly or takes a haunting turn. This is your chance to craft a story that reshapes the very essence of authority. Submit your most inventive and captivating short stories and let your vision of “Leadership Gone Right” light the way for readers everywhere. We invite storytellers of all dimensions to contribute their tales of leadership reimagined, as we venture into futures and realms where heroes rise to meet the challenges of their worlds with wisdom, compassion, and courage. Or where villains use cunning and guile to crush all opposition. In this anthology, we seek stories that challenge traditional notions of authority, showcasing leadership that is energetic, inspirational, and transformative. From utopian spacefaring societies to mythical kingdoms and beyond, "Leadership Gone Right" invites you to envision leaders who empower and unite, forging paths only they can see toward a future only we can imagine. Are your protagonists visionary captains guiding their starships through the cosmos, or mystic rulers who harness arcane forces to preserve an empire? Perhaps they are benevolent AI overlords overseeing realms of technology, or rebel leaders who inspire change through their unwavering principles. Let your imagination soar as you explore leadership's potential in these imaginative settings. We're on...

Submission Window: January 7th - 28th, 2024 Payment: $20 Theme: Stories told through alien perspectives (see below for clarification on that.) Submission Guidelines Here you will find all you need to send us your stories. We look forward to reading them. As a reminder: we only publish five stories per issue. Magazines like ours generally receive submissions numbering in the hundreds. Don't be too hard on yourself if we do not take yours. There is a lot of competition and it mostly comes down to individual editor opinion (which is unpredictable and not a reflection of quality of writing necessarily). We know the submission process is hard and we wish you the very best in your writing. When to Submit Submissions are open: January 7th–28th (closing at 10pm PST on the 28th) July 7th–28th (closing at 10pm PST on the 28th) What to Submit Astral publishes short stories ranging from 1,000–7,000 words. We want stories that are told from an alien perspective. By alien we usually mean extraterrestrial... but other perspectives can also qualify, such as Lovecraftian horrors, plants, bacteria, etc. Send us weird and surreal stories that challenge our notions about ourselves and the universe. We are, broadly, wanting to read stories from non-humanoid points of view. Submitted stories can feature humans, but the main perspective should be alien or should have a narrative focus that interacts with alien consciousness as much as possible. We imagine most of the stories we will be sent will fall into the science fiction category, but we also welcome horror and fantasy stories (particularly if they are "other world" fantasy stories). If you are unsure if your story fits: send it. Don't self-censor (so long as you believe there is some legitimate possiblity that we would be interested in the piece given the above statements). We do accept...

Submission Window: January 22nd - January 29th, 2024 Payment: $25 Theme: Fairy tales that are inspired by classic tales are what we are seeking. Mashups of classic fairy tales are welcome as well. The following is relevant to all submissions for 2024 for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Please read it in its entirety before considering submitting here. ​ Writing opportunities for 2024 include: New Fairy Tales: Fairy tales that are inspired by classic tales are what we are seeking. Mashups of classic fairy tales are welcome as well. Submissions must follow the theme below to be considered. Poetry: Poetry inspired by fairy tales and that follows the theme is also welcome.  We are not seeking art or nonfiction. ​ The theme for the year is simply classic fairy tales—more below. HERE IS HOW YOU SUBMIT AND FORMAT AND WHEN Only the kind of submissions outlined below will be accepted at The Fairy Tale Magazine (FTM) in 2024. Here are the submission periods for both stories and poems: ​ We will be opening the submissions window for the SPRING/SUMMER Issue on  Jan. 22, 2024 at 12 AM, EST., and closing it on Jan. 29, 2024  at 11:59 PM., EST.  ​The FALL/WINTER submissions window will be June 17, 2024 at 12 AM, EST., and closing on June 24, 2024 at 11:59 PM, EST. There will be two issues. ​ (There will be one contest this year, during the summer. Details will be announced later in the year.) No submissions will be considered or acknowledged if received outside of the windows stated above. You submit through email only. Please use this address only:  [email protected]. That is for submissions only.  ​ Your last name, the publication month you are submitting for, and the year should be in the subject line of the email of your submission. ​ You must be 18 years old or...

Deadline: January 29st, 2024 Prize: First Place: £4,500. Second Place: £2,500. Up to six additional Runners Up writers will receive £850. Theme: Great works of science fiction and fantasy by new writers Entrants must: self-identify as a person of colour, be aged over 18, be living in the UK or Ireland. Future Worlds Prize 2024 is now open for entries! We're looking for great works of science fiction and fantasy by new writers. The prize is open to everything from space operas and dystopias to books set in magical worlds and more. Entry information To enter, you must: self-identify as a person of colour be aged over 18 be living in the UK or Ireland. As part of your entry, please submit: a 5,000-10,000 word extract of either a short story or the opening chapters of a novel a covering letter a short summary/synopsis of your work, of no more than 1,000 words. Please ensure that you submit three separate documents, and that your name does not appear anywhere on the extract or synopsis. Accepted formats are: Microsoft Word Pages PDF Google Doc. Read the full terms and conditions for the prize below. Your entry should be sent to: [email protected]. Key dates for the prize are: Entries close: January 29, 2024 Shortlist announced: March 2024 Winner announced: April 2024 TERMS AND CONDITIONS This writing competition is called “Future Worlds Prize for Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers of Colour” (“Prize”). Entrants will need to submit 5,000-10,000 of either a short story or opening chapters of a novel in accordance with the terms and conditions below (“Entry”). The entrants should supply a covering letter and a short summary of their short story or novel of no more than 1,000 words alongside their Entry. Entries should be submitted as a Word document, PDF or...