Events

Deadline: May 31st, 2025 Payment: Royalties Theme: Haunted workplace stories What I'm Looking For: Haunted workplace stories, modern day or historical, it's completely up to you. Just write a great character-driven story that hooks the reader fast and reels them in hard. There do NOT need to be ghosts. You don't need to have a truly haunted workplace. You can have spooky vibes, vampires, werewolves, the whole nine. Story length will be between 5,000 and 10,000 words. Dates: Open immediately with the final entry being accepted May 31st, 2025. The contracts will be sent out June 30th, 2025. The anthology will be published July 25th. If there are enough awesome stories for more anthologies, you will be informed as to which one you will be included in and when it will be published.  Payment: Payment will be done through Pubshare and will be royalty based.  Rights: I will require the English text exclusivity for one year. You will be paid past the first year, but you can then publish it on your own at that point.  Please send all stories to [email protected] Small details: Please use .docx or .doc to save your file.  Save the file as StoryName-Yourname.docs 12 Times New Roman, double spaced. If you are unsure as to how to format a short story, please refer to https://www.shunn.net/format/classic/ .  Thank you and happy writing!!  Via: Ps and Qs Publishing.

Submission Window: May 1st - 31st, 2025 Payment: 1 cent per word Theme: Reprints of fantasy stories in all of its subgenres IMAGITOPIA is a new fantasy fiction podcast and digital magazine produced by Android Press and featuring narrated fantasy fiction plus other fun stuff like author and editor interviews, news and events, and nerd-outs on fantasy tropes and other related topics.  We currently accept submissions of previous published fantasy short stories for REPRINT ONLY to be narrated for the podcast. We'll also publish in print here on the webzine.  Our first submission window opens on September 1, 2023. For more information on when we're open and closed to submissions throughout the year, please see our Schedule. Submissions are only accepted through IMAGITOPIA's Moksha submission portal. Any submissions received via email or any other method will be deleted without review or response. Email accounts inevitable get tons of spam. So this policy helps make sure we don't lose your submission in the email shuffle. But if for some reason you're unable to submit via our Moksha portal, for example due to accessibility issues, please message us using the form at the bottom of this page, and we'll be happy to make alternative arrangements for your submission. *We're a womxn and trans run publication. We hope authors of all types and stripes will submit work, but we especially encourage BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, womxn, people living with disabilities, those living in the Global South, and authors from other marginalized populations. ​ WORD COUNT flash fiction: up to 1,500 words short stories: up to 5,000 words ​ PAY RATE We currently pay 1 cent USD per word for previously published flash fiction and short stories with a $10 USD minimum. ​ GENRES We accept submissions of fantasy and all its subgenres including but not limited to:  ​​ high fantasy low...

Deadline: May 31st, 2025 Payment: Royalties Theme: Stories where liminal space is a priority  M Presents Publishing is looking for short stories for its forthcoming anthology: Liminal Madness. Liminal Madness is a slight departure from the straight horror that previous anthologies had focused on; while horror is definitely a theme in this book the stories can be about anything so long as the idea of liminal space is priority. Think of the popular Backrooms or any place that is an eerie transition between places, a place that seems normal yet there is something... wrong: a hallway in a school that is strangely silent or a staircase that seems to keep descending with no discernable bottom. Liminal: adj: relating to a transitional or intermediate state, stage, or period Liminal Space: noun: a state or place characterized by being transitional or intermediate in some way; informal: any location that is unsettling, uncanny, or dreamlike Let your imagination run wild as these spaces envelop your mind, whether you've no-clipped out of reality or wandered off the forest path. Looking for: fiction pieces with a horror element with a focus on Liminal Spaces. While there is only one planned anthology, if a sufficient number of entries are received, a second anthology will also be released, title TBD.  Stories by LGBTQ+ and POC authors are welcome, disclosure is unnecessary and won't be asked. Not looking for: erotica, pornography, stories suggesting sexual abuse or child endangerment in a tactless way; if you wouldn't want to read it, do you think I will? Stories written by AI. Payment: Royalties and a digital copy of the book. If you wish to buy a physical copy yourself, it will be made available to you at cost; but it is entirely optional if you wish to do that. Submission length: 3000-5000...

Submission Window: May 1st - 31st, 2025 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...

Deadline: May 31st, 2025 Payment: 8 cents per word and $25-$50 on poetry depending on length Theme: Cryptids Call for Submissions: Cryptid Horror – Summer Issue This summer, we’re hunting monsters—and we want you to join the chase. Our upcoming issue is diving deep into cryptid horror, where folklore meets fear and the shadows are never empty. From the fog-drenched hollows of Appalachia to the eerie stillness of primeval forests, we’re looking for stories that stir that ancient dread—the kind that makes you glance over your shoulder… just in case. Whether it’s beasts from local legend or psychological horrors born from the depths of your own personal wilderness, we want your weirdest, wildest, and most chilling creations. Think: backwoods folklore, eerie encounters, survival nightmares, and twisted myths. Unleash your inner cryptozoologist and show us what’s hiding just out of sight. Deadline: May 31, 2025 (must be received by deadline, so please mail early). PAYMENT: 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 for short poems (ten lines or less), $50 for longer poems. Includes one contributor copy. No reprints or multiple submissions, please. Exclusive rights for six months after publication. ACCEPTING MAIL-IN SUBMISSIONS ONLY! Mail your submissions to: La Regina Studio/Grundy Commons/925 Canal Street/Bristol, PA 19007 Decision notices are sent through email so there is no need to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please include your email address with your submission. All submissions must be typed (cover letters preferred but not mandatory) and be properly formatted. Frequently Asked Question: What kind of stories are you looking for? We generally enjoy “fun”, “80s style” horror reminiscent of the zine’s old-school vibe, but we’ve also been blown away by fresh voices that take the genre in a new direction. That being said, the best chance for your story being accepted by Book Worms...

Submission Window: May 15th-31st, 2025 Payment: 2 cents per word Theme: Reprints of self-published horror stories Calling all self-published horror authors! Get those short stories ready! Open submissions begin next week for this brand-new anthology geared toward spotlighting the best in indie horror! In this unique collaboration project, Paul Carro and Candace Nola have teamed up to create a new opportunity for self-published authors! The incredibly talented Laurel Hightower is on-board to write the foreword, and the book will be published in all formats by Uncomfortably Dark Horror. Self (S)care Submission Guidelines This is a paid opportunity for self-published horror stories only. To be eligible: stories must have been published and be available for ordering, download or purchase within 2025, on a platform such as Godless, Google Books, D2D platforms or Amazon. Submission Windows: There will be four submission windows. First & last windows will be slightly longer. No submission will be accepted outside of these windows. 1.      May 15 through May 31 2.      Aug. 15 through Aug. 20 3.      Nov. 15 through Nov. 20 4.      Dec. 15 through Dec. 31   Submission Process: Document cover page should contain Story Title and Word Count only.  Standard formatting (size 12 font, Times New Roman, 1.5 spacing). No identifying information can be on the story document. Email submission to: [email protected] with SELF (S)CARE in subject line with your story title. Email body must contain your story title, word count, and prior publication details, including original date of publication, where it is available, and if it was a solo title or part of a collection. One submission per author. (No Exceptions). Word Count: 8500 max.   Other Details: Reprints only. The selected stories will be paid at .02 per word. Anticipated Release Date is April 15, 2026. Anthology will be produced as an...

Deadline: May 31st, 2025 Payment: $0.08 CAD per word for short fiction (500-3,500 words) and $60 CAD flat per poem Theme: Speculative fiction focused on long-term friendships and relationships. We're looking for short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. We don't want the blaze of new love or the obsession of a new friend. We want pieces that show that comfort that develops when people know each other for years. Give us deep space, dusty frontiers, or dreamy fantasy. We want stories and poetry with strong, confident relationships amid all the sci-fi/fantasy. While we are primarily looking for stories with happy endings (yeah, yeah), we also want endings that are earned. If things get a little teary or gory, that's ok. We are especially interested in stories featuring queer platonic relationships, ace/aro love stories, and polycules. Payment Payment is $0.08 CAD per word for short fiction (500-3,500 words) and $60 CAD flat per poem. We are purchasing first publication rights, to revert back to the author after one year. Canadian Writers Since Heartlines Spec is primarily a Canadian magazine, we're looking to feature writers identifying as being from Canada/Turtle Island. This includes expats, refugees and displaced people living in Canada, new immigrants, and people who refuse/resist Canadian Identity. Heartlines welcomes submissions from writers of all identities. If you are comfortable, we encourage writers to indicate their intersections in their cover letter. Disclosure is not a requirement to submit, and we recognize that not all people are safe to disclose their identities. We are committed to addressing barriers and systemic discrimination faced by equity-deserving groups, which includes (but is not limited to): Racialized people People with disabilities LGBTQIA+ people Indigenous people Women Neurodivergent people Our goal for each issue is to publish at least 50% Canadian content. Submission...

Deadline: May 31st, 2025 Payment: $1 Theme: 100-word drabble involving: Troll Submissions for the 100 Word Project from Manawaker Studio are open January thru May and July thru November. The 100 Word Project is an ongoing project focused on 100 word stories which will be published as a monthly, themed online journal and in a yearly print anthology. Each month (except for June and December) will bring a new prompt, and in the first half of the next month nine of the submitted drabbles for that prompt will be posted in the public-facing section of the Manawaker Patreon alongside one drabble from Manawaker EiC, CB Droege (An audio edition will be available to Patreon patrons as a subscriber perk). At the end of the year, the ten stories from each of the ten prompts will be assembled into the next volume of the 100 x 100 series to be published as a print, digital, and audio book. The project is curated and edited by CB Droege. 100 x 100 is published by Manawaker Studio as part of their regular line of anthologies. Current prompt The Prompt for May 2025 is ‘Troll‘. The stories The only restrictions are that the stories are 100 words long (granting small leeway for different methods of counting, and not including the title (you don’t have to have a title, but we do like them)), previously unpublished, and written entirely by a person (We know it’s particularly tempting to get a generative AI to help meet the wordcount more precisely, but it’s totally against the spirit of our project.) The idea is that each contributor is writing a brand new story for each prompt as they are announced, but if you happen to have an unpublished drabble that already fits the theme, that works too. There are no genre requirements, but please keep content family...

Deadline: June 1st, 2025 Payment: 2 cents per word for fiction, 3 words per word for poetry Theme: The history and power of Memento Mori artifacts or relics Memento Mori Ink Magazine, in collaboration with Crystal Lake Publishing has issued an open call for submissions to our 2026 anthology. In this collection, we explore the power of Memento Mori artifacts or relics. We want ancient objects or seemingly mundane items which have the power to whisper to those who possess them. We are looking for character-driven stories with a focus on the history and source of power behind their chosen object which must be tied to the afterlife, the passage of time, or the thin veil separating the living from the dead. As these objects reveal their secrets, characters must confront their deepest fears and the inevitable reality of their own mortality. Submission Guidelines: Short Stories: 3,000–5,000 words Poetry: 250–1,500 words (accepting three poetry pieces for this anthology) Compensation: Short Stories: $0.02 per word Poetry: $0.03 per word Important Details: •Deadline: June 1, 2025 •No reprints or simultaneous submissions •Email and word count at the top of your document •Payment via PayPal or Zelle upon acceptance; please include preferred payment method and details under your email •Submit a 100-word bio and a black-and-white photo •No AI-generated content; originality is essential Acceptance letters will go out approximately September 1, 2025 but we reserve the right to move this date. Submit here: https://form.jotform.com/243066993006055 Via: Memento Mori Ink Magazine's Facebook.

Deadline: June 1st, 2025 Payment: 15GBP Theme: Eldritch (Vol 110) ELDRITCH, 1st June 2025 Peel back the curtain of reality and reveal the ultimate indifference and the horror of the infinite beyond. If you think you’ve got what it takes to terrify, scar and haunt our audience of 10,000 daily 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. *** 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 submitted a story to us, please be patient. We WILL let you know if your submission has or hasn’t been successful. Having said that, if you haven’t heard anything up to twelve weeks after the deadline has passed, feel free to ping us an email to check in on it. 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...