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Deadline: January 31st, 2021 Payment: $25 per thousand words Theme: Weird westerns set in the world of 'The Widow’s Son' (a link to details below for those who haven't read it. Malahas Press will be publishing a Weird West/Western Horror anthology of short fiction titled A Fistful of Demons from both debut and established authors in the Fall of 2022. We are based in the US, and welcome submissions from around the world. If you’re interested in submitting a short story to A Fistful of Demons, please read the following guidelines. Note that there is no submission fee for this anthology. Zero, niltch, nada. How to submit your story All short story submissions should be made via email to [email protected]. This helps us keep track of the submissions we receive as efficiently as possible. Submit your story as an attachment to the email. DO NOT PASTE YOUR STORY INTO THE EMAIL BODY. Please include only your name and story title in the subject line, e.g. “BOB SMITH – THE DARK RIDER.” Please don’t write to that address with general questions, as it won’t reach the right people. If you have a question you can contact the editor. What we’re looking for A Fistful of Demons is a Weird West/Western Horror short story anthology set in the aftermath of the novel The Widow’s Son. For more details on the setting please read this. It is not necessary to have read the book to submit. Details on the world and setting are provided in the link above. We are looking for stories about adventure in a Wild West beset by supernatural forces and fantastic steampunk technology. While we will accept stories with a romantic narrative, we will not accept erotica. Please note that we do not consider novel excerpts, non-fiction, poetry, or anything with illustrations or photographs. Word Count We’re looking for...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: 1 cents per word Theme: Diverse sci-fi and fantasy fiction. MYTHIC is seeking diverse sci-fi and fantasy fiction. We publish both new, original fiction. Authors are encouraged to submit their stories during the specific reading periods listed below. Reading Periods June 1 through July 31 December 1 through January 31 Guidelines Works should be between 2,000-6,000 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 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. 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). To submit fiction: Send all stories to [email protected]. Your story should be attached. Put “New Submission: Title of Your Story” in the subject line. 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 not submit queries at this time. If you have further questions, use the contact form.   Thank you for your interest in MYTHIC. Via: Mythic Magazine.

Submission Window: January 1st-31st, 2022 Payment: 35% royalty on print books/45% royalty on ebooks and 10 author copies Theme: Gothic novels and novellas With its emphasis on a sublime atmosphere of picturesque scenery, extraordinary and exotic locations (period or contemporary), mystery, and horror, Gothic Fiction carved an indelible impression in the literary world. Beginning with Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto in 1764, the Gothic has stalked the literary shadows for centuries, delivering tangled and tortured narratives of family trauma, psychological distress, and terrible secrets. The terrifying appeal of the Gothic lies within its ability to invoke a pleasing and memorable dread. Nosetouch Press is excited to open a call for a Gothic novel (60,000 words+) or novella (35,000 words+), encouraging writers to delve into the darkness and send us their best work. Previously unpublished work only—no reprints. No YA, poetry, or short story collections. Diverse voices are welcome. We will not consider stories with excessive gore, splattercore, cosmic horror, exploitation/trauma adult content, romance/erotica-centered plots, or child abuse-driven fiction. Starting January 1, 2022, please email your complete manuscript as an email attachment in .doc/.docx format to [email protected]. Please list GOTHIC FICTION CALL and the author name in your subject line. Please include a cover letter containing the word count, a short description of the work, and an author bio. Submissions sent prior to January 1, 2022, will be discarded. The call ends at MIDNIGHT PST, January 31, 2022, unless an extension to the call is announced via our social media channels. Please expect a 3-4 month reading period for all submitted works. Nosetouch Press will notify all writers of acceptance or rejection by email. Good fits for Nosetouch Press are carefully read and reviewed. We greatly appreciate your patience and understand that we have great respect for writers, and will let you know as soon as we’ve reached our final decision. Thank you for...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: 11 US cents / word Theme: Horror that represents you by marginalized authors Quick Specs: Looking for: Short stories Word count: 1000 to 7000 Payment: 11 US cents / word Open to: Mainly marginalized authors; see specifics below Audience: Adult Genre: Horror Subgenre: Horror that represents you Status: Unpublished Simultaneous submissions: YES Multiple Submissions: NO Poetry: Only if it’s a vehicle for a narrative; will be judged as a story first What's it gonna be? This horror anthology comes courtesy of a collaboration between editor Alex Woodroe and the publisher CatStone Books, and will hopefully be the first out of a series of yearly anthologies aiming to give voice to marginalized authors and their stories. CatStone Books is a 501(c)3 nonprofit publishing company that believes in promoting diversity in speculative fiction. This anthology will benefit from CatStone’s full support and resources, and would be released with fanfare in Q4 2022. The total 75.000 words available will mostly come from this open submission call, with a small handful of stories requested from leading voices in the genre.   What We're Looking For: Submissions from marginalized authors: but you get to decide what that means. Does the world need more stories from the daughters of migrants? More authentic Appalachian horror? More women, more nomads, more veterans, more neurodiversity, more non-native English speakers? More thoughts from people who have gone through your experiences; been in your shoes? Then this call is open to you. Horror that represents you: but you get to decide what this means, too. Is it a favourite trope you want to keep alive? A story inspired by your regional myths? Something pulled directly from your family? A personal fear? Something mainstream media has never done justice to? Then this call is open to it. Don’t impose limitations...

Submission Window: January 1st-31st, 2022 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Theme: Forbidden Magic Compiled & Edited by Aric Sundquist Short Story Submission Call: January 1 - 31, 2022 (EST) CLOSED The Cellar Door is a biannual digest of dark, speculative fiction. Each issue will contain 8 to 12 stories based around a specific theme and will include a brand new story from a featured author. The majority of the digest (80%) will be filled from the open submissions. Title: The Cellar Door - Issue #2: Forbidden Magic Theme: Horror stories featuring forbidden or taboo magic. Must include some form of spell casting, necromancy, or alchemy. Type: Supernatural horror, voodoo, witchcraft, cosmic horror. Word Count: 2,000 - 7,500 words. Payment: $25.00 + digital/paperback copy. Featured Author: Gwendolyn Kiste. Accepted authors (so far): JC Martínez. Rights: We are seeking first time rights for 1 year after publication. After that time all rights revert back to the author. The publication will appear in both print and digital formats and will eventually be reissued in The Cellar Door Compendium. Reprints: None. Previously unpublished only. Multiple Submissions: None. Simultaneous Submissions: Yes, but state in your email that it is a simultaneous submission, and please email us immediately if the story is sold elsewhere. File Format: Include your story as an attachment in MS Word, LibreOffice, or Rich Text Format. Manuscript Format: Use the Modern Shunn Format. Include a short bio in the body of your email. Your subject line should read, FM Submission: ("Title") by (Author's Name). For Example, FM Submission: "Witch War" by Richard Matheson. Attach the story as a separate document. Response Time: Two weeks after submissions close, if not sooner. Submission Period: January 1 - 31, 2022 EST. Stories sent before or after will be deleted unread. Note: Any stories submitted to our previous submission calls (Negative Space 1 & 2, Violent Vixens, Woodland Terrors) will have already been considered. Please try...

Submission Window: January 1st-31st, 2022 Payment: $1 per accepted piece Theme: horrorku, horror themed tanka, haibun, see below for details The Submission may include any or all of the following: · Up to seven (7) horrorku or horror tanka  · Up to three (3) haibun · Up to five (5) pieces of cover art All submissions must be original, unpublished work that is not under consideration by a print or web-based journal. Posts in closed, critique-oriented groups and social media sites are acceptable for submission, but public posts on forums such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are not. By submitting a piece to us, you are guaranteeing that it is your original work and not under consideration or published anywhere else in the world. E-mail submission is required. Type poems into the body of the e-mail; no attachments of poetry will be opened. For art submissions, please include all five pieces in a .PDF file or send us a link to a private gallery. If we purchase an art piece for our cover, we will ask that you provide a 300 dpi version of said piece. E-mail: [email protected] Subject: Otoroshi Submission Please include a cover letter noting location in the world. Please include handles for Instagram and Twitter for promotional purposes. At this time, only one submission per issue will be considered unless the editors directly request a second submission. Submission periods are one month long: · January for the Spring Issue · April for the Summer Issue · July for the Fall Issue · October for the Winter Issue Acceptances will be sent shortly after the end of each period. Please note: Although most journals may publish your work as is, we are editors, too. This means we will make suggestions to your work as we see fit. This is to...

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2022 Payment: 1 cent per word Theme: Genre-bending and tropes typically excluded from mainstream literary magazines Fiction submissions should be sent to [email protected] with the title of your story in the subject line. In your email, please include a short cover letter outlining past publication credits if any, a brief bio if desired, a word count, and which of our magazines you wish to be considered for. The story should be attached to the email as a word document or other common word processing file. Stories should be in standard manuscript format. We accept simultaneous submissions to other journals, but if your story is accepted elsewhere, please alert us immediately.  Please only submit one story at a time for consideration. While we encourage genre-bending and tropes typically excluded from mainstream literary magazines, elements of the fantastic and unusual in your work should not be used as a crutch. If your story is boring without fantastic elements, it is also boring with them. We’re looking for work by both veterans and those without a single byline to their name. We especially welcome stories in translation (if you have confirmed with the original’s rights holder that English translation rights are available), stories that draw on elements and modes beyond the European tradition, and stories from traditionally underrepresented groups. We have no hard rules regarding story length, but we do cap the whole magazine at 80 pages, so don’t send us more than that. A very long story will need to justify taking space that could have gone to other pieces. A short piece may be easy to squeeze in, but creating a coherent, biting story in 1,000 words is always trickier than doing so in 100,000. Our focus is exclusively on fiction. We welcome experimentation, but...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: Stories between 4,000 - 8,000 words will be considered for payment of $25.00 USD. Stories between 2,000 - 3,000 words will be considered for payment of $10.00 USD Theme: Horror in the woods Be it day or night, the forest hides its secrets from our eyes. Whether you find yourself alone or with others, its innocence can be deceiving, and its inhabitants deadly. What horrors await within the wooded land where nature reigns supreme? Be creative! Your story can be supernatural, otherworldly, creature-horror, or down-right evil. Deep in the Woods hides a playground for your imagination! Required theme: All stories must take place in the woods/forest and must be horror or dark fiction. Word count & Compensation: Stories between 4,000 - 8,000 words will be considered for payment of $25.00 USD, an ebook contributor copy, and the right to purchase an unlimited number of print books at discount. Stories between 2,000 - 3,000 words will be considered for payment of $10.00 USD, an ebook contributor copy, and the right to purchase an unlimited number of print books at discount. How to submit: Submissions MUS be sent to [email protected] with the following details included in the SUBJECT line of your email: SUBMISSION - - '' - Example: SUBMISSION - Deep in the Woods - 'Trees' - Lee Andrew Forman Submission deadline: January 31, 2022 Reading & Evaluation Period: Two to three months after close of the deadline. The following will not be considered: ** NO REPRINTS WILL BE CONSIDERED **Multiple submissions will NOT be considered. As per our publishing standards, stories containing pedophilia, or graphic rape scenarios will not be considered. Sirens Call Publications is open to everyone: fledgling writers looking to cut their teeth, indie authors, and authors of note - if you have a tale to...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: $0.08/word Theme: Huge robots. Bodies fragile and powerful. General submission notes: Unless the editors are otherwise specified, you can address cover letters to “Dear editors” or “Dear dave.” Please avoid “Dear Mr. Ring.” If you joke about how straight white men are underrepresented in speculative fiction, it will not win you any points. Please query [email protected] if you aren’t sure if your submission went through. We’re happy to check. Thanks for thinking of Neon Hemlock for your work! Please don’t self-reject. Neon Hemlock Press is now open to submissions of short stories for Luminescent Machinations: Queer Tales of Monumental Invention. The anthology, co-edited by Rhiannon Rasmussen and dave ring, will include queer stories of dark speculative fiction across genres featuring mechas and mechs of all stripes. We running a Kickstarter to fund this project. The compensation level for original stories accepted to this anthology is $0.08/word. You can submit stories on Submittable until January 31st, 2022. Please contact us if there are any accessibility concerns for any reason and we’ll work with you. We are looking for: Wordcount: Under 6,000 words. 1-4,000 words is probably the sweet spot. Concept: Speculative stories focusing on queerness in the darker side of science-fiction, fantasy and horror: mechs, mecha and cybernetics as both extensions and perversions of humanity. What we want to see: Starships, piloted and unpiloted machines of war or industry, the occasional cyborg… mecha are a representation of war, of power and resistance, of transcending human limits, a representation of extension of the body itself. We are looking for stories about these machines and the people who interface with them through a queer lens, in the most inclusive definition of queer. Queer, trans, undefinable. We welcome a broad interpretation of speculative genres; give us living metal and...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: 8 cents/word and 4 cents/word for reprints Theme: Speculative stories--science fiction, fantasy, horror--with Christian themes, characters, or cosmology Note: Reprints Welcome Open to fiction submissions each year during the months of January and July. Open to art submissions year-round. We are looking for speculative stories--science fiction, fantasy, horror--with Christian themes, characters, or cosmology, and for artwork for this site. Fiction Guidelines Technical details Stories can be up to 9000 words (thanks, Patreon supporters!). This is a hard limit--our submission system will enforce it. We pay 8 cents/word for original stories (or original translations of stories that have not previously appeared in English), and 4 cents/word for reprints (thanks again, Patreon!). Authors are paid once we've agreed on edits and signed a contract, prior to earliest publication (generally on our Patreon page). We are seeking 6 months' exclusive worldwide publication rights for original works (with exceptions for established Best of the Year anthologies), and non-exclusive worldwide print and electronic rights thereafter for both original works and reprints. We want to publish your story online in our webzine and keep it there indefinitely. We're also acquiring the right to offer ebook versions of the stories we publish, as Patreon rewards or for purchase; and to publish a print and ebook anthology of all the stories that appeared in the webzine over a given 1- or 2-year period. For original fiction, we want to be the only place publishing it for the first 6 months; after that, you're welcome to publish it anywhere else in any format you like. No multiple or simultaneous submissions. If multiple writers co-write a story, we consider each distinct group of writers a different submitter. In other words, if two people co-write a story, and they submit the co-written story, and each of them also submits a story written...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: $20 Theme: Stories set in deep space and/or on alien planets, far far from Earth March 2022 Issue #22 To have your story considered for Issue 22 due out in March 2022, please submit it before January 31st 2022. Announcement! Since 2017, Alien Dimensions has been working hard to find its feet in the semiprozine world, while still covering costs. I’ve offered a token payment of $10 per story for stories accepted since then as, being a non-profit with no grants, that’s basically all Alien Dimensions can afford. Also, I volunteer my time to edit it. I’ve previously said that if sales increase, I’ll review that token payment. So, whether it was the double issue, covid, reduced number of issues being released, an increase in interest in space fiction worldwide, changing the release time limit from 1 year to 2 years, better advertising, a new algorithm from Amazon, or more people reading via Kindle Unlimited, or, most likely, Issue #21-#22 being just so good, Alien Dimensions has not only been successful in 2021 it has started recovering losses for previous years. As a result, with huge thanks to all the readers and writers, from 2022, payments for accepted stories will rise to USD$20 each. I know that is still far away from professional payments but, I plan to review that every year and increase it when possible. There’s been some contract adjustments for this to happen, too. Future issues will remain online for three years, and the minimum story length for submission is now 4500 words. Also, Alien Dimensions issues will be 200 pages rather than 100. Yes, lots of changes for 2022! So, do you have a space fiction story ready to submit? Submission guidelines Please read everything below to know what I’m looking...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: $0.10 per word Theme: Dire Days Theme: Dire Days Is the end of the world approaching? Some days, it sure feels like it. Many people worry about the future. Economies falter, wars rage, and environments are destroyed. It seems like every day brings news of a new disaster. And to top it off there are personal struggles. That sinking sensation in our gut as the world seems to crumble around us. When it feels like nothing is going our way and every bad thing that could happen does. Dire days indeed, when we feel like throwing in the towel and calling it quits. It’s easy to give up when times are tough, but it’s the people who keep fighting even when the odds seem insurmountable who are hailed as heroes. Those are the ones we write stories about. This call invites you to explore a dire situation, whatever that means to you. Mystery, fantasy, romance, crime. All genres are welcome. Anyone can submit work to the magazine. It’s free. We don’t believe publications should charge authors to be published. However, we have a specific submission process you must adhere to in order to have your work considered. Our submissions window opens on the first and closes at midnight on the final day of each month, just like our contest. The theme of each issue of the magazine is the same as the contest. All submissions to the contest are also treated as submissions to the magazine and are eligible to be published. In fact, we highly recommend submitting your work to the contest, as you could win $3,000 in addition to publication. If you cannot, or choose not to submit to the contest, you are welcome to submit your work directly to the magazine. You...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: $35 Theme: Grim Fantasy with characters exploring the setting’s past while also being deeply involved with the setting’s religion. Hydra Publications, with Hydra fantasy author, Stuart Thaman, leading the way, is hard at work on our next anthology collection. Read the guidelines below and FOLLOW THEM. Submission guidelines: Genre: epic fantasy / sword and sorcery Tone: grim and bleak Setting: feel free to craft your own unique world exclusive to the story or write in one of your own previously established worlds from other books or series. Historical settings (any story that takes place on Earth) are not permitted. The technology level should fit with traditional epic fantasy. Any gunpowder use should be rudimentary. Steampunk settings are acceptable so long as the technology is not much more advanced than the musket age Theme: stories should fit the overall theme of characters exploring the setting’s past while also being deeply involved with the setting’s religion. Examples include characters hunting for religious artifacts, characters plagued by their previous actions while members of the setting’s religious order(s), religious war / crusade, fanatic proselytizing, etc. As long as your story has a heavy element of a unique and interesting religion, it should fit the theme Length: 6,000 – 10,000 words Submission: please email all submissions in the body of your email to [email protected]. Only completed manuscripts will be considered. You must put the anthology title, Ghosts of the Old Gods, in your submission subject line to be considered Payment: upon acceptance of your manuscript, authors will be paid $35 All authors featured in the anthology will be given one free paperback copy of the anthology after it is published All authors featured in the anthology will be given one full page (~225 words) after their story for an author bio and to advertise...

Deadline: January 31st, 2022 Payment: 0.5 cent per word Theme: Hopeful stories that take place during winter in the following genres: fantasy, slipstream, magical realism, and fabulism Note: Apologies for the short window, this just hit my inbox. Iridescent Words seeks short stories between 800 and 5000 words for our upcoming anthology. Send us well-crafted, polished gems. Writing that is ethereal and dancing with imagery, evocative and enchanting. Stories that glitter with dark magic, exuberant, luscious, melancholic or hopeful. We accept: fantasy, slipstream, magical realism, and fabulism. ​ Send us stirring tales of mischievous creatures, elves, fae or trolls, spell-weavers, or ancient gods. Winter goddesses such as Cailleach, Khione or Skadi. Frost demons and snow sprites. Sugar plum fairies, ice dragons or frost giants. Use creatures, gods or characters from mythology and folklore or make up your own. ​ We would like the stories to be set in this world (though portals to other worlds can certainly be opened), and represent a range of cultures and locations. ​ Consider: What would happen in an encounter with a barbagazi in the Alps?  What kind of bargain could you make with a frost-sprite? ​ ​ Stories must be set at least partially during winter and include a speculative element. Something magical, however you choose to interpret it. ​ Stories should be suitable to read around the fire with your family. ​ Payment: We will raise money through a fundraising campaign, with the aim to pay writers minimum 0.5 cent/word. This will depend on how much is raised and could even increase if more money is raised. Funds will also be used to pay for original cover art. ​ What we do NOT want: -Stories with content unsuitable for ages 16 and up -Graphic violence, sex or foul language -Dystopian, grimdark or depressing...

Deadline: February 1st, 2022 Payment: 15GBP Theme: Metamorphosis 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. (Vol 78.) Metamorphosis II; deadline 1st February 2022 !!!NEW SUBMISSION PROCESS!!! SUBMIT YOUR STORIES USING THIS FORM If, this form isn’t working, then please email your submission to [email protected] as a last resort. But please let us know why as we’re hoping to use the form going forward. Title your email with the following syntax: SUBMISSION | STORY TITLE | THEME | WORDCOUNT (e.g. SUBMISSION | THE MARTIAN | SPACE | 1,982) It is important that your story complies with our Submission Guidelines. Any stories found not to be in compliance will be immediately discarded. Click HERE for details 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. HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: • 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...

Deadline: February 1st, 2022 Payment: $0.08 per word USD for original fiction, $100 flat rate for reprints over 1,500 words, and $20 flat rate for flash fiction reprints (stories below 1,500 words). Theme: Fun speculative cat stories CatsCast is looking for fun speculative cat stories! A CatsCast story should leave cat-loving listeners a little happier after listening than they were before. Specifically, we’re looking for speculative fiction stories about cats. “Cats” in this context are, well, cats — but since this is a speculative fiction podcast, they don’t have to be exactly the same species as the housecats we have here on Earth. The stories should have happy, or at least hopeful, endings for all featured cats. Humor is strongly encouraged but not required. Some stories we love: Copy Cat by K. A. Teryna and Alex Shvartsman Made of Cats: A Love Story by Judith Tarr The Thing in the Basement by Gerri Leen Stories MUST NOT have graphic descriptions of cruelty to animals (brief references to acts that occur “off-camera” are okay). Romantic storylines are fine, but please, no graphic depictions of sex. We want our fun cat stories to be fun for everyone, so please avoid offensive stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, religion, or body size. Feel free to dump on cat-haters, though. Submission Details: Submissions are open through February 1, 2022. We’re open to both original stories and reprints, but please don’t submit a story that has appeared in any of the other Escape Artists podcasts (Escape Pod, PodCastle, PseudoPod, or Cast of Wonders). Story length: 6000 word maximum, no minimum. Simultaneous submissions: You may submit your story to other venues in addition to CatsCast, with one exception: please don’t submit here and to another Escape Artists podcast at the same time. If you do submit elsewhere, please let us...

Deadline: February 1st, 2022 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry Theme: Story must begin with: Rayna sat in front of the mirror removing her makeup and wondered who she would discover underneath. 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...

Deadline: February 1st, 2022 Payment: One cent per word and a contributors copy Theme: Sword-and-sorcery stories where Samhain/Halloween is relevant to the plot On October 31, 2021, DMR Books will reopen for submissions once again for a themed anthology tentatively entitled Samhain Sorceries. The concept for this book will be sword-and-sorcery stories where Samhain/Halloween is relevant to the plot. For clarification, sword-and-sorcery is a genre that combines swashbuckling adventure with supernatural elements (usually of a horrific nature) in a pre-industrial setting. Unlike most S&S stories, which are set in an invented world like Hyperborea or Nehwon, the tales in Samhain Sorceries should take place in the British Isles. Any time period is suitable, as long as it’s pre-industrial. Admittedly, not many stories that fall in this category have been written, so I would suggest reading those few that exist to get a better idea of what I’m looking for. Those stories are “The Unlawful Hunter” and “The Haunting of Mara” by Keith Taylor (which can be found in Renegade Swords II) and “All Will Be Righted on Samhain” by Howie K. Bentley and David C. Smith (which appears in Swords of Steel Omnibus). What we’re not looking for: Urban fantasy or anything with a modern-day setting. Tolkien-style epic/high fantasy. Stories that read like a D&D session. No LitRPG, either. Anything with orcs in it. If your story has orcs, it will automatically be rejected. I’m not kidding. Badly written amazon warrior women. I won’t dismiss stories with a fighting woman out of hand, as long as a) there’s some kind of explanation for her superior strength and combat abilities and b) she still has some feminine qualities. If neither of those are present, the character might as well be male. Profanity. If a word would get censored on network TV,...

Deadline: February 1st, 2022 Payment: Royalty Split Theme: Be careful what you wish for We’ve all heard the tales, and the warnings: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. If you had a wish, how careful would you be? Would you regret it, or would your wildest dreams come true? Submission dates December 1, 2021 to February 1, 2022 We want stories about wishes granted. Whether they played out the way the wisher wanted is up to you. For this anthology, please no extreme horror or sex. Please keep content and language limited to the equivalent of a “PG-13” rated movie. We want to be able to share this with our mothers and children. Please remember, Knight Writing Press will not accept a story that glorifies, supports, encourages, or gratuitously includes hate, hate crimes, rape, sex, sex crimes, or any other forms of inhumanity. While we know it is tempting to walk those lines with wishes, do not send us stories about wishes used for rape, torture, or abusive mind control unless you are showing the consequences and why it shouldn’t be done. Even then, we probably don’t want to see it. This anthology is supposed to fun escapism, not an outlet for high-handed morality stories nor mentally masturbative abusers. There are no genre restrictions on this anthology, however the main premise of wishes coming true heavily implies fantastic/magical elements. Please keep this in mind if your story does not contain those elements. It will be up to the editors to decide if a non-magical wish granted fits the theme well enough. Please make sure you read and follow all submission guidelines and look over the sample contract before you submit. In the text of your query letter, please include confirmation that you understand we are using Draft2Digital and that...

Payment: $1500 Deadline: February 1st, 2022 Theme: Greek Gods, any genre An Open Call for New and Established Writers Greek mythology has proven itself to be of perennial interest. From reprints of classics like the D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths to retellings of the Iliad, Odyssey, and the Aeneid by everyone from Ursula K. Le Guin to Madeline Miller, writers are continually fascinated and readers are continually compelled by these stories. But while we know today that the Greco-Roman world was international and diverse in racial, ethnic, and sexual identities, this is hardly reflected in the retellings we have. Readers of all backgrounds are actively looking for inclusive, broad-ranging, cross-genre retellings; it’s time to give them their favorite myths with a new twist. Edited by Jenn Northington and S. Zainab Williams and published by Vintage, Fit For the Gods will shine new light on these beloved myths, and bring much-needed representation to them. All genres except nonfiction are welcome. Please note that this anthology is intended for an adult audience; we will not be considering works written for YA or younger audiences. Think Sword Stone Table (co-edited by Northington, including a story by Williams) but Greco-Roman mythology! Eligibility Requirements: New and established authors may submit an original work for consideration. Submission Requirements: All entries must be submitted to fitforthegodsanthology at gmaildotcom by 11:59pm Eastern, February 1, 2022, and must include the following: An original short story of 5,000 – 10,000 words, in two versions: One version of the manuscript with name removed, attached as a .doc, .docx, or .txt file. One version of the manuscript with name and contact information, attached as a .doc, .docx, or .txt file. Optional: Anything else we should know about you? We’d love to consider works by authors from marginalized communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled authors, and would be interested in knowing if that’s you. Feel free...

Submission Window: February 1st-2nd, 2022 Payment: 8 cents per word for original, 2 cents for reprints Theme: Well written original work in science fiction, fantasy, myth, legend, fairy tales, and eldritch, in written, podcast, video, and/or graphic story form, and from around the world. Note: Reprints welcome     Submissions Schedule We have a new submissions schedule as of June 1, 2020: The first and second day of every month, 12 am of the 1st to 12 am of the 3rd, E.S.T. Only one submission per person. For reading impaired individuals, our submissions manager and ‘forget password’ have a captcha compatible with screen readers. We pay 8¢ per word for new fiction, 2¢ per word for fiction reprints, 2 – 6¢ per word for new fact-based work, 1- 4¢ per word for reprinted fact articles. For new poetry, we pay $1 a line, reprints would be 50¢ a line, up to 40 lines. We’ll look at longer poems but that would be a hard sell, and words over 40 lines would be paid at 6¢ per word. We began The Kepler Award to recognize and encourage writers of excellent science fiction and fantasy stories that creatively extrapolate on known science in constructive and exciting ways. You can learn about The Kepler Award here. You can read a copy of our standard contract here.   It can be varied as needed to include the rights of translators, voice actors, etc. Writers Guidelines We accept new work as well as reprints, prose and poetry, anywhere from 1000 word flash fiction on up, but all else being equal, shorter pieces will be favored.   We have tough standards but only care about the quality of the writing, storytelling ability, characters, plot, and ideas, not whether you’re new or established.  Submit only work you are proud of...

Deadline: February 6th, 2022 Payment: £0.04 per word, with a minimum payment of £10 per accepted piece. Theme: Original stories related to ghosts AND folklore Note: Apologies for the short window, I only stumbled across this one just now I’m delighted to launch an exciting new project in collaboration with the fantastic Alternative Stories & Fake Realities podcast: GHOSTLORE: An Audio Fiction Anthology And we’re now open to flash fiction submissions! Ghostlore is a genre of folklore concerning ghosts, and I can’t wait to read creative responses to this. The anthology will form part of Alternative Stories & Fake Realities’ Season 6, in Spring 2022, and will link to a folklore discussion panel on a similar theme. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR Original stories related to ghosts AND folklore – stories should contain at least an element of both. We would love to see stories representing folklore from around the world. For this call we’re looking for fiction 800 words or less, with a preference for shorter pieces. We’re looking for a combination of micro-fiction and flash fiction pieces, and will be able to accept more shorter pieces than longer pieces. Stories from a range of genres are welcome – as long as they contain the elements mentioned above! Whether funny, dark, heartbreaking, weird, uncanny, atmospheric, gothic, or horror, I want to read them all! Stories that would translate well to audio. (Experimental structures may be a hard sell for this reason.) New and established writers welcome. The anthology will be a mix of invited writers (to be announced soon) and open submission (roughly 30% invited/70% open submission). We particularly welcome submissions from underrepresented writers. TERMS AND PAYMENT Payment: £0.04 per word, with a minimum payment of £10 per accepted piece. Publication format: The selected stories will be read and recorded by professional actors and compiled into an audio...

Deadline: February 11th 2022 Payment: $.01 per word advanced against royalties Theme: Science Fiction Note: Reprints Welcome Rockets and Robots is looking for science fiction adventure stories set on alien worlds, space ships, or the post-21st century future. NO FANTASY! Word Balloon Books sells print editions at comic cons, Ren Fairs, and book festivals. We've noticed that most books at these event target adult readers,  so in 2022 we're launching a line of anthologies appropriate for readers 10 and up. We're open to challenging themes and subject matter, but language, graphic violence, and sexual content should be rated G. Child or teen protagonists preferred. Pay for all anthologies is $.01 per word advanced against royalties, with a possible bonus based on crowdfunding. Publication is NOT dependent on crowdfunding, however. Contributor copies will be provided as well. No firm word count limit, but under 3k is preferred. REPRINTS WELCOME! Email submission in standard manuscript format to [email protected]. Please specify the anthology you're submitting to, and if the story has been previously published.  Deadline for all February 11. 2022, though watch this space for adjustments! NOTE: These are preliminary covers. Final covers will be revealed closer to publication date. Via: James Maxey.  

Deadline: February 11th 2022 Payment: $.01 per word advanced against royalties Theme: Giant bugs! Note: Reprints Welcome Beware the Bugs is open to stories about giant bugs (or, perhaps, normal sized bugs and tiny humans). Fantasy or science fiction are welcome. Word Balloon Books sells print editions at comic cons, Ren Fairs, and book festivals. We've noticed that most books at these event target adult readers,  so in 2022 we're launching a line of anthologies appropriate for readers 10 and up. We're open to challenging themes and subject matter, but language, graphic violence, and sexual content should be rated G. Child or teen protagonists preferred. Pay for all anthologies is $.01 per word advanced against royalties, with a possible bonus based on crowdfunding. Publication is NOT dependent on crowdfunding, however. Contributor copies will be provided as well. No firm word count limit, but under 3k is preferred. REPRINTS WELCOME! Email submission in standard manuscript format to [email protected]. Please specify the anthology you're submitting to, and if the story has been previously published.  Deadline for all February 11. 2022, though watch this space for adjustments! Via: James Maxey.

Deadline: February 11th 2022 Payment: $.01 per word advanced against royalties Theme: Wondrous pets Note: Reprints Welcome Paradoxical Pets is open to stories about wondrous pets, be they alien, magical, artificial, or common pets with some special power. Fantasy or science fiction are welcome. Word Balloon Books sells print editions at comic cons, Ren Fairs, and book festivals. We've noticed that most books at these event target adult readers,  so in 2022 we're launching a line of anthologies appropriate for readers 10 and up. We're open to challenging themes and subject matter, but language, graphic violence, and sexual content should be rated G. Child or teen protagonists preferred. Pay for all anthologies is $.01 per word advanced against royalties, with a possible bonus based on crowdfunding. Publication is NOT dependent on crowdfunding, however. Contributor copies will be provided as well. No firm word count limit, but under 3k is preferred. REPRINTS WELCOME! Email submission in standard manuscript format to [email protected]. Please specify the anthology you're submitting to, and if the story has been previously published.  Deadline for all February 11. 2022, though watch this space for adjustments! Via: James Maxey.

Deadline: February 14th, 2022 Payment: $150 upfront payment; 40% royalties Theme: General Horror, prefers Weird, Cosmic (though generally not the Cthulhu Mythos), Folk, and Body Horror. Note: Send in pitches only Note: I dropped the ball on this and meant to post on February 1st, my apologies. **This is a pitch call. Please do not submit full story manuscripts (more info on this below)** *Open February 1 – February 14. Submissions sent before or after will be deleted unread.* Background/About: Dread Stone Press is seeking novelette length horror stories for an as yet untitled “Novelette Split Book Series”. Each book in the series will contain two novelette length stories from different authors. The goal is to provide an outlet for that “hard-to-sell” length of story, as well as give more individual exposure to authors in a multi-author setting. Remember Split Albums/EPs that the music industry used to do? Kind of like that. The initial plan is to release two of these books this year to gauge interest and measure success. If they prove worthwhile, the series will continue into next year with more books released. One author has already been invited and will appear in Volume 1 of the Split Series. So, this call will be selecting three additional stories. All of that said, if you don’t have anything ready right now, don’t fret! There will *most likely* be another pitch call for this series later in 2022. Theme: No specific theme required; consider this a general horror call. However, subgenres I (Alex) like to read: Weird, Cosmic (though generally not the Cthulhu Mythos), Folk, and Body Horror. Length: 10,000 – 20,000 words will be considered, though stories closer to 15,000 words preferred. Author Compensation: $150 upfront payment; 40% royalties (Meaning each book’s royalties will be 40/40/20 with the two featured authors getting...

Deadline: February 15, 2022, 11:59 PM PST. Payment: 1 Free print edition. Authors are entitled to purchase additional copies at 50% discount for resale. Theme: Unopened Doors Word count: 500-7,000 max Sunbury Press is now accepting submissions for an anthology themed and titled, Unopened Doors, edited by Catherine Jordan. No need to query. Send completed, edited, previously unpublished stories in .doc/docx format. E-mail submissions with “Unopened Doors” and title in the subject line to: [email protected] Stories must be horror or dark fiction. These stories will be published by Sunbury Press in e-book and print. No erotica; no stories with a lot of spelling and grammar errors; no stories that glorify, minimize, or inaccurately represent child abuse, animal abuse, or sexual assault; no stories with intolerance of race, religion, nationality, physical or mental ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. This anthology is open to a diversity of viewpoints, and we welcome a wider interpretation of the theme, including those perspectives faced by women, minorities, and marginalized persons from around the world. We want to feel your dread, grief, anxiety, and fear when faced by an unopened door.  ​MANUSCRIPT FORMAT: Story must be written using American English spelling and terminology 12 pt. Georgia or Times New Roman font, normal margins, and double spaced Include author’s name, title, and word count on the first page Do not use any special formatting like headers, page numbers, images, and page/section breaks Indicate scene breaks with three stars, no space (***) Use double quotation marks for dialogue   A note on editorial: 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. We reserve the right to shift publication date slightly, as necessary....

Deadline: February 15th, 2022 Payment: $100 and a paperback copy Theme: Collection of traditional Sherlock Holmes stories that must somehow connect to the theme of “medical mystery”. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Medical Mysteries Description: A collection of traditional Sherlock Holmes stories that must somehow connect to the theme of “medical mystery”. This could include Holmes investigating a crime committed at Bart’s hospital, having a nurse as a client, or figuring out the cause of a strange illness killing off some of London’s wealthiest citizens. The topic is quite broad on purpose and we invite authors to be creative with their submissions. This anthology is in collaboration with Dr. Ed Chan who is raising awareness of lung disease caused by Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria, a very difficult-to-treat (often times incurable) and increasingly prevalent form of pneumonia (related to tuberculosis) caused by microorganisms that are acquired from our home and outdoor environments. A portion of the proceeds raised from the book will go to help fund research work on this disease to the Denver Research Institute, one of several non-profit (501c3) organizations mandated by the U.S. Congress to help orchestrate research relevant for military veterans. DRI is affiliated with the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System. NONE of the proceeds will go for Dr. Chan's salary. Guidelines: a 5,000 - 10,000 word pastiche (okay to go over or under some) that is canonically accurate (i.e. Holmes and Watson should be the Holmes and Watson we encounter in Doyle’s writings) and connects to the medical theme of the anthology. Authors may submit multiple stories to the anthology. Rights: All authors shall retain the rights to their submitted work outside of the anthology and may reprint their submission one year after the anthology’s publication date. Payment: Authors shall receive $100 for each accepted submission and...

Deadline: February 15th, 2022 Payment: 5 cents per word Theme: horror/dark fiction QUARTERLY PRINT MAGAZINE   Breakdown of content:   8 fiction pieces (approximate word lengths) – 1x 5000, 1x 3000, 1x 2500, 2x 1500, 3x 500 3-5 non-fiction pieces – 1 article, 1-2 briefs, 1 interview and/or review – Fiction:   We are looking for horror/dark fiction pieces between 500-5000 words firm. Common sense when submitting please. We do not accept stories that involve the sexual abuse/exploitation of minors direct or implied. We are not looking for pure shock value. All components of your story should have merit. Gore for gore’s sake is not what we are looking for.   Our pay rates 5 cents per word All payments are made in US funds via PayPal.   We accept submissions during the following reading periods , with an expected response time of up to 16 weeks. This way we are able to accommodate all the submissions we receive. If you have not heard back from us after 16 weeks, please feel free to send us an update query.   WINTER ISSUE: August 15 – November 15   SPRING ISSUE: November 16 – February 15   SUMMER ISSUE: February 16 – May 15   FALL ISSUE: May 16 – August 15   All submissions must be sent via e-mail to: [email protected] as an attached word document with the word “Fiction Submission – STORY TITLE” in the subject line. Please also include if you wish your story considered for both the quarterly print and the website publication. Note compensation rates are different for website so be certain.   ***VERY IMPORTANT: Stories embedded in the body of an email will go unread.***       MANUSCRIPT FORMATTING: 12 point standard font standard margins left side of header: name, contact info right side of header: word count top of first page:...

Submission Window: February 1st-15th, 2022 Payment: 1 winner each month will win $10 Canadian Theme: A story at exactly 50-words If you’d like to have a 50-word story that you wrote featured on FiftyWordStories.com, first make sure that you understand exactly what a 50-word story is, and then read the submission requirements below closely. Submissions System Each month, submissions will be open between days 1 and 15 of that month. Any stories received on days 16 to 31 of a month will be deleted, but can be resubmitted the following month. You may only submit one story per month. From the stories received in those 15 days, the best stories will be selected to be published that same month. Only enough stories will be selected to publish two stories per weekday. There is no payment associated with stories. However, each month a “Story of the Month” is selected, and receives a prize of $10 Canadian. Stories that were not selected will not be published, will not roll over into the following month, and cannot be resubmitted in following months. Authors will be notified whether their story has been selected or not once all stories from the month’s submissions have been reviewed. How to Submit Please email your submission to [email protected]. Paste the story into the body of the email. Please include a title, your name, and a brief third-person bio. Feel free to include a link to your website! If you are submitting a story related to a specific date or holiday, please include that information in the Subject line of your submission. You can also send your story in using the form at the bottom of this page. Tips and Guides Looking for help with writing microfiction? Check out Bob Thurber’s Anatomy of a Microfiction page. Terms and Conditions Please keep the content of your submissions appropriate for...

Deadline: February 20th, 2022 Payment: $3 Theme: Science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and dark fantasy that elevate the gay community and its supporters Thank you for your interest in submitting work to our gay fantasy arts & literary journal! ​ No entry fee is required, and all rights in the story remain the property of the author or artist. All types of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and dark fantasy are welcome. ​ We accept submissions on a rolling basis. We are a quarterly publication publishing 4 times a year; Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. For our inaugural publication, please submit your works by February 20th, 2022. ​ Before submitting to us please keep in mind that we are devoted to gay fantasy. Your work should strongly reflect that. We are interested in work that elevates dreams and fairy tales in the gay community and its supporters. We're looking for original works of magic and fantasy. Even in darkness, hope can exist. We want to be transported to new worlds or fascinating new versions of our own! When considering submitting to us please ensure the work meets the above criteria. ​ All entries must be in English and original works. Plagiarism, which includes the use of third-party poetry, song lyrics, characters or another person’s universe, without written permission, will not be accepted. Submissions may not have been previously published in professional media or anywhere accessible online without a friend request or password. This includes personal blogs. ​ Fiction: We welcome fiction, 5,000 words or less. Submit as a Word document only. No PDFs. For flash fiction and shorter pieces, you can submit up to five stories - all in one document. Each story should start on a new page. Formatting should be in 12-point Times New Roman, Double-spaced.  Please include a short bio. No multiple...

Deadline: February 20th, 2022 Payment: $25 Theme: Themes around the Dead and Reanimated. Skywatcher Press is excited to launch our themed biannual anthology series UNLEASHED featuring top notch fiction by new and established authors.  We are seeking stories across the wide possibilities of the horror landscape. Our goal is to terrify readers, make their skin crawl, and keep them on the edge of their seats.    This anthology series is released biannually, so if your story doesn't get chosen, keep trying! Stories can be up to 10,000 words, and we will make exceptions for longer.  Once selected, pay will be $25 per story. We are eagerly awaiting your most twisted, nightmarish creations!  2022 Spring Release! Seeking themes around the Dead and Reanimated. Submission DEADLINE is February 20, 2022 HOW TO SUBMIT For consideration, please send submissions in .doc format to [email protected] All submissions must be original works of fiction, and we are seeking First Print Rights. If you have any doubt about professional manuscript formatting, here is a handy dandy guide to manuscript formatting: How to Properly Format Your Manuscript Via: SkyWatcher Press.

Deadline: February 28th, 2022 Payment: Royalties Theme: Fighting for love Deadline – February 28th, 2022 Publication – June 2022 Word Count – 5,000 to 15,000 Theme – Everyone deserves a chance at love. Whether it lasts forever or ends up being temporary, these characters will fight for the chance at happily ever after. Publisher INFORMATION Company name: Dragon Soul Press Anthology Submission Email: [email protected] Website: http://dragonsoulpress.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dragonsoulpress/ Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/26543/dragon-soul-press The Grinder: https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/Market/Index?id=9529   CHECKLIST Introduction of author This is not where the biography goes. Author Contact Information / Pen name MUST be included with real name. If real name is same as pen name, state so in email. Author Biography in Third Person in 100-200 words Mandatory minimum of 100. Submission Word Count Also applies to poetry. Word count. Not line count. Submission Formatted in Times New Roman 12 PT Font. One-inch margins. No indentations. No double-spacing. No extra spacing between paragraphs. No chapters. Only DOC and DOCX accepted.Format video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftjuYtJWIBI Format image example at bottom of page. Summary/Query Letter Summarized outline of all major events within the story. All emails should be addressed as “Dear Editor” Email subject and file name must be as follows – “Story Title by Author Name for (Name of) Anthology” All of the author’s social media links, including website if applicable Author must have an active social media account.   Important information Maximum of two submissions per anthology per author. Authors can submit to all anthologies simultaneously. Reprints from third party sources accepted IF author currently holds full rights. We will not publish duplicate stories within DSP. Authors get 30% Royalties for first year from date of publication. Afterwards, 30% of all proceeds go to a charity chosen by the Publisher. Story rights – The Publisher permanently reserves the right to publish the Work within the Anthology while the...

Deadline: February 28th, 2022 Payment: Royalties Theme: All poetry pieces are welcome. There is no theme. Organic Ink: Volume 5 (Not Rated) Deadline – February 28th, 2022 Publication – June 2022 Word Count – 2,000 word count minimum (not line count) Theme – All poetry pieces are welcome. There is no theme. Publisher INFORMATION Company name: Dragon Soul Press Anthology Submission Email: [email protected] Website: http://dragonsoulpress.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dragonsoulpress/ Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/26543/dragon-soul-press The Grinder: https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/Market/Index?id=9529   CHECKLIST Introduction of author This is not where the biography goes. Author Contact Information / Pen name MUST be included with real name. If real name is same as pen name, state so in email. Author Biography in Third Person in 100-200 words Mandatory minimum of 100. Submission Word Count Also applies to poetry. Word count. Not line count. Submission Formatted in Times New Roman 12 PT Font. One-inch margins. No indentations. No double-spacing. No extra spacing between paragraphs. No chapters. Only DOC and DOCX accepted.Format video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftjuYtJWIBI Format image example at bottom of page. Summary/Query Letter Summarized outline of all major events within the story. All emails should be addressed as “Dear Editor” Email subject and file name must be as follows – “Story Title by Author Name for (Name of) Anthology” All of the author’s social media links, including website if applicable Author must have an active social media account.   Important information Maximum of two submissions per anthology per author. Authors can submit to all anthologies simultaneously. Reprints from third party sources accepted IF author currently holds full rights. We will not publish duplicate stories within DSP. Authors get 30% Royalties for first year from date of publication. Afterwards, 30% of all proceeds go to a charity chosen by the Publisher. Story rights – The Publisher permanently reserves the right to publish the Work within the Anthology while the Author keeps ownership rights...

Deadline: February 28th, 2022 Payment: £25 Theme: All forms of horror, ideally stories that take place outside of suburban America We are now officially open for submissions to our second anthology and our first young adult horror anthology, titled Nerve-Janglers: Thirteen Tales of Terror. We will be seeking horror fiction of all forms and flavours, all sub-genres and themes, that specifically fall into the category of teen-grade young adult fiction. These will be published as part of a new and ongoing YA horror imprint from Night Terror Novels Publishing, titled Nerve-Janglers. Our cover art will be finalised and uploaded to this page in the near future. If this has piqued your interest, please scroll down for the full details! What are We Looking For? We are looking for original and unpublished fictional stories that run the gamut of the horror genre and all its assorted sub-genres—we’re open to it all, so long as it has a strong horror twist flowing through its veins. Since the Nerve-Janglers series is aiming to offer varied slices of horror, you can really go wild as far as settings, storylines and themes go. We are especially keen to read stories that take place outside of suburban America (though they are still welcome too, of course!), and would love to read stories featuring LGBTQIA+ characters. The only concrete rules for consideration are that the story must fall within the classification of teen-grade young adult fiction and must adhere to our guidelines detailed below. As this is a young adult anthology, it is important for all submitting authors to understand what teen-grade YA fiction does and doesn’t include. Your best bet for a successful submission is to know the genre and what we are aiming for here, or to be familiar with the YA horror franchises we are paying homage to—including Goosebumps, Fear Street, Point Horror and Shivers. Please also refer to the Wikipedia page on the genre if...

Deadline: Febraury 28th, 2022 Payment: a flat fee of between $30 and $50 USD will be offered. Theme: Speculative fiction that takes place in the wild west that has at least one main character belongs to the LGBTQ+ spectrum I’ve written a Queer Weird West novel, titled Writ in Blood – and frankly I just haven’t had enough yet! Hence this call for submissions to a new anthology titled Queer Weird West Tales. This hybrid subgenre requires three elements: Queer: At least one main character belongs to the LGBTQ+ spectrum, defined in whatever way seems natural to them. Weird: The story contains a speculative fiction element, drawing on fantasy, horror, or science fiction. West: The setting is the Old West – or the time and place of any other frontier. If that strikes a creative chord with you, here are the details: Editor: Julie Bozza Content: Fiction and narrative nonfiction welcome. Sexual encounters are welcome, and can be explicit, but the focus must remain on character and story. Similarly, violence and the results thereof can be vividly described, but should always serve the story. Word count: Between 3,000 and 10,000 words. Royalties: A flat fee of between $30 and $50 USD will be offered. Deadline: Submissions due by 28 February 2022, either directly or via Duotrope. Publication: Planned for July 2022, in eBook and paperback formats. Enquiries: [email protected] I would be happy to hear about what you have in mind for your submission, and to talk through any queries or concerns you might have along the way. If you’re interested in my credentials, I’m proud to have edited the anthologies A Pride of Poppies (2015) and A Certain Persuasion (2016) for Manifold Press. I’m looking forward to reading your bodacious tales! Ideas and Inspiration… If you’re looking to ponder the possibilities, here’s a random list of watching and reading material, both fiction...

Deadline: February 28th, 2022. Payment: $10 per story, in exchange for nonexclusive publishing rights. Theme: “Lunar horror and isolation.” See below for details. Note: Reprints Welcome Deadline: February 28th, 2022. Payment: $10 per story, in exchange for nonexclusive publishing rights. Theme: “Lunar horror and isolation.” See below for details. Word count: 2,000 to 5,000 words. This is very flexible, especially for longer stories, but please get in touch before sending something smaller or larger. Reprints: Yes! Please, for the love of God, send me reprints. $10 is just a token payment, and I know it. Simultaneous submissions: Yes. Multiple submissions: Yes—limit of 2 per author. “MOON: The Book of Lunar Horror” is going to be a bit of an art project, really. In addition to stories, I’m going to be looking for art and poetry (separately from this submissions call), working with neural nets, and trying to do some interesting things with the format and layout. I am working on a tight budget here, so reprints are completely acceptable. Theme The theme for this anthology is “lunar horror and isolation.” What that means is flexible: “a team of scientists on the moon discovers something terrible” is as viable as “survivalist cult living in the backcountry, haunted by some monstrosity which comes out only in the moonlight” or “big city shut-in who is tormented by visions of the moon.” I am especially interested in Eugene Thacker’s contrast between “the world as humans interpret it” and “the world as it is, beyond human needs and human understanding,” and cosmic pessimism in general. I have a short primer on Eugene Thacker here, if that’s up your alley, but other approaches to the theme are equally valid. If your story doesn’t currently fit the theme, but you think that you can revise the story and introduce the necessary elements, then send it in anyway,...

Deadline: February 28th, 2022 Prizes: £15 for each of our three favourite pieces Theme: 206 word pieces of horror/dark fiction on any topic, in any style, as long as it sits in the horror/dark fiction genre There are 206 bones in the human body. We want a word per bone. From you. We're seeking 206 word pieces of horror/dark fiction on any topic, in any style, as long as it sits in the horror/dark fiction genre. (Word count does not include title.) Elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and any other genre are fine, as long as the main theme is horror. We will pay a prize of £15 for each of our three favourite pieces (which will be published online). If we receive enough good submissions (help us, my pretties), we'll publish them in a print and e-book publication. See our 'Submission Guidelines' section for information on how to submit. Deadline: February 28th 2022 (midnight, last place on earth) or until full. ALL PROFIT FROM THE SALE OF THIS ANTHOLOGY WILL GOTO CHILDREN'S CHARITIES IN THE UK #endchildpoverty Via: Bag Of Bones Press.

Submission Window: February 1st - 28th, 2022 Payment: ¢1 per word CAD Theme: Horror stories with a theme of Earth Earth Elements Book One:  Four-part series Open date: February 1st Close date: February 28th Stories of horror with the theme of 'earth' - Rated R welcomed 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 February 1 IF you have issues with the form, please email your manuscript to [email protected] Title your...

Deadline: February 28th, 2022 Payment: £15 Theme: Horror set at school, college, university, or somewhere in-between Note: Any harm to children (of any age) must be sensitive and well-considered. For Whom the School Bell Tolls edited by Jay Alexander Submissions open from January 8th to February 28th. Selected authors will receive a £15 fee. We're looking for stories between 1,000-6,000 words. The theme is HORROR IN THE CLASSROOM - whether that’s horror set at school, college, university, or somewhere in-between. You could even set your story at a nursery, but please bear in mind: any harm to children (of any age) must be sensitive and well-considered. We appreciate that this is a risk of the subgenre but ask all authors to be considerate of age when dishing out horror to their characters. After all, there are plenty of teachers within these walls… Releases April 2022. Important: please send all submissions to [email protected]. Please ensure you follow these guidelines for all submissions. Any stories not following these guidelines may, unfortunately, be rejected. We will accept reprints (as long as you inform us where they have been published before, and own the rights to the stories), and multiple submissions (up to two per author per submissions call). Refer to individual submissions calls for an outline of the theme and length we’re looking for, as well as a specific email address for you to send your submissions to. Themes, lengths and submissions email addresses vary from book to book, so pay close attention to make sure your story ends up in the right place. Email your submission to the email address corresponding to the submissions call you are responding to. Please include your name and the title of the submission in the subject header in this format: “AUTHOR NAME - STORY TITLE -...

Deadline: February 28th, 2022 Payment: 3¢ per word Theme: Stories that explore the possibility of creating sustainable energy with alternative technologies and/or social change. Triangulation: Energy – Call for Submissions and Guidelines Beginning December 1, 2021, the annual Triangulation anthology will accept submissions for Triangulation: Energy. We continue to tackle environmental issues as we did with Triangulation: Dark Skies (light pollution), Triangulation: Extinction (loss of biodiversity), and Triangulation: Habitats (sustainable habitation). The theme this year will be energy, sustainable energy. We’re looking for outstanding fantasy, science fiction, weird fiction, and speculative horror–from both new and established writers. Editors: John Thompson, Co-editor Triangulation: Habitats, Assistant Editor, Triangulation: Extinction. Storm Walden, Assistant Editor, Triangulation: Habitats. This year we’re looking for stories that explore the possibility of creating sustainable energy with alternative technologies and/or social change. Economical fusion energy has been ten years away for sixty years. Hydroelectric is location dependant. Solar and wind have seen leaps and bounds in technology but by themselves can’t provide the steady flow the grid requires to distribute the load. Yet. As soon as we learned to control fire, anywhere from one to two million years ago depending on who you ask, we’ve been harnessing that energy to cook food, shape stone, keep warm, keep the sabertooth away, and move stuff around the planet. Ever since then, we’ve been merrily burning everything combustible to utilize its stored energy while pouring heat and waste particles into the atmosphere. Forests of wood, mountains of coal, lakes of natural gas, and seas of petroleum have gone up. We delve deeper, raze mountains, we race to consume the Earth’s resources at a rate that is changing our environment. We need to find a new balance, either through technology, or social change, or a combination of both. What else is on the horizon? Will great Bussard...

Deadline: February 28th, 2022 Payment: Drabbles and Flash - £5, Short Stories 1001 to 4000 words - £10, Short Stories 4001 to 8000 words - £15 Theme: stories you’ve poured your soul into but haven’t been able to find the right home for 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:   February 1 - 28 (for June issue) April 1 - 30 (for August issue) June 1 - 30 (for October issue) August 1 - 31 (for December issue) October 1 - 31 (for February issue) ​December 1 - 31 (for April issue) ​ we do not have set issue themes but feel free to be inspired by the season, seasonal occasions and events SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 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 and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Whilst we also love stories about diverse characters, it is not compulsory that your story feature them. What to submit: Drabble (exactly 100 words) Flash Fiction (101 to 1000 words) Short Stories (1000 to 8000 words) We do not publish non-fiction, poetry or creative non-fiction ​ Pay: A Coup of Owls pays flat rates to writers for selected works as follows Drabbles and...

Deadline: March 1st, 2022 Payment: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10 Theme: To the Pond Upcoming premises (target themes) and deadlines for submission : To the Pond (March 1, 2022) To download a PDF file of the guidelines, click here . ALL SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, POEMS, PHOTOGRAPHS and ART MUST RELATE TO ONE OF THE PREMISES SPECIFIED ABOVE. NOTE: Previously published pieces are welcome, provided that the submission fits the theme and that the author owns the copyright. The premise (target theme) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental. Fewer than 20 double-spaced typewritten pages preferred. Indicate premise (target theme) on title page. Be sure to Indicate target theme in cover letter or on first page of manuscript. Include self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with each submission. Rejected manuscripts unaccompanied by an SASE will not be returned. Response time: 3 months after premise deadline.  NO READER'S FEE. Mail to: THEMA, Box 8747, Metairie, LA 70011-8747. Outside the US: email [email protected] On acceptance for publication, we will pay the following amount: short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10; artwork, $25 for cover, $10 for interior page display. Copyright reverts to author after publication. THEMA isn't for everyone. To find out why, click here. New to submitting manuscripts to journals? Click here to download a PDF file of a few basic guidelines. Unlike many publishers, we prefer works submitted by the authors themselves, without the involvement of an agent. Be sure to indicate premise and include SASE for each submission.  BE SURE to include a separate SASE for each premise. No handwritten manuscripts will be considered. NOTE: We do not accept e-mailed submissions EXCEPT from authors who live outside the U.S. For those living outside the U.S., submit manuscript as an email attachment (readable by MSWord ― either as a...

Deadline: March 1st, 2022 Payment: $1c per word, and $15 per poem Theme: The gamut of everything from absurdist horror to bizarre science-fiction to unsettling dark fantasy. • What are we looking for? We’re looking for short stories, flash fiction, and poetry that runs the gamut of everything from absurdist horror to bizarre science-fiction to unsettling dark fantasy. We love the uncanny; what we look for is the telling drop in your stomach when you absently look up at the skies and there are far more constellations than you’d remembered, brighter and closer and in configurations you don’t quite recall. We want stories about the bleed error of the universe printing outside the margins of reality. We are interested in stories with LGBTQ2S+ and diverse leads, especially with narratives that are not confined to tragedy tropes. • What do we not want? Please don’t send us anything bigoted or hateful, we’d all be wasting our time. At this point we’re not seeking photography or art. We do not take reprints, including translations. Previously published works on personal websites count as reprints. • How much do we pay? We pay 1c per word, and $15 per poem, regardless of length. • What about word limits? We have a firm limit on stories not exceeding 7000 words. The ideal word count would be in the 2000-4000 range for short stories. We prefer poetry to not exceed 1500 words. • How do you submit? You can submit via e-mail to [email protected]. Please send us works in .doc, .docx, or .rtf formats. We recommend including your name and contact information in the file. SUBMISSIONS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN FOR THE APRIL 2022 ISSUE. Submissions close March 01, 2022. We are fine with multiple submissions, but we ask that you refrain from simultaneous submissions to other publishers, as that complicates our schedule...

Deadline: March 1st, 2022 Payment: $20 Theme: We ask our fiction writers to imagine their readers navigating a story with one finger poised over a mouse button. Can your story stay that finger to the end? “Turning words into art is unnatural. It begins with a contrary attitude. It says, I am unhappy with the way things are and desire to make things different. Rather than represent the world, I will make something wildly and savagely new. I will defy logic. I will invest in new perceptions. I will combine and recombine and fabricate and juggle until something that I have never experienced is experienced. The process is alchemical. The process is violent. It goes to the heart of creativity. It disrupts and shatters. It is splendid with provocation. It is an aggression against banality. It is sharp and loud like a janitor scraping frost from a window. The hectic bounce of steam on a street after a truck roars by. The anarchy of waters, the comedy of the face, dangerous feelings vented from a cage of skin.” ~ John Olson Poetry — We believe poetry is contrary by nature, always defying, always tonguing the tang of novelty. We look especially for plurality of meaning, for dual reverberation of beauty and concern. Contrary’s poetry in particular often mimics the effects of fiction or commentary. We find ourselves enamored of prose poems because they are naturally contrary toward form – they tug on the forces of exposition or narrative – but prose poems remain the minority of all the poetic forms we publish. Please consider that Contrary receives vast amounts of poetry and that we can publish only a small percentage of that work. Please submit no more than three poems per issue. Our poetry editor is Shaindel Beers. Fiction — We ask our fiction writers to imagine...

Submission Window: January 1st, 2022 - March 1st, 2022 Payment: 3 cents per word and a contributors copy Theme: Fast-paced gory stories The Evil Cookie Publishing specializes in horror anthologies and novels/novellas within the realm of Splatterpunk / Extreme Horror / Dark Humor. Title: Counting Bodies Like Sheep Book Type: Extreme Horror Anthology Editor: K. Trap Jones Theme: Open Short story Length: 3,000 word MAX Pay: 3 cents per word + 1 Paperback No Reprints No Multiple Subs No Simultaneous Subs Rights: Exclusive worldwide print/electronic/digital rights for one (1) year Sub Date Begins: Jan 1, 2022 Sub Date Ends: Mar 1, 2022 Any subs sent before or after the dates will be crumbled up and fed to the sheep Submit To: [email protected] Subject Line: SHEEP SUB: (story title) by (author name) EDITOR’S NOTE: I’m looking for fast-paced gory stories with the perfect blend of Extreme Horror + Splatterpunk + Dark Humor elements. Nothing involving children and I’m not a big fan of heavy religious or political plots. Via: The Evil Cookie.

Deadline: March 1st, 2022 Payment: Royalties Theme: Stories about mermaids The thing about mermaids is they have a tail problem. It seems they either want to get rid of their tail so they can walk on land, or they want to get their tail back, having somehow lost it so they could be on land. Or, they fell in love with someone who doesn’t have a tail… It never seems to end. All we know for sure, is that it’s a problem. Submission dates January 15, 2022 to March 1, 2022 We want stories about mermaids. All kinds of stories about mermaids. Be creative! There are no genre restrictions on this anthology, however the main premise of Mermaidens implies water-dwelling, fish-tailed women. Please keep this in mind if your story does not contain those elements. It will be up to the editors to decide if a non water-dwelling, un-fish-tailed woman (or merman) fits the theme well enough. For this anthology, please no extreme horror or sex. Please keep content and language limited to the equivalent of a “PG-13” rated movie. We want to be able to share this with our mothers and children. Please remember, Knight Writing Press will not accept a story that glorifies, supports, encourages, or gratuitously includes hate, hate crimes, rape, sex, sex crimes, or any other forms of inhumanity. While we know it is tempting to walk those lines with mermaids being “sirens” who lure men, do not send us stories about  rape, torture, or abusive mind control unless you are showing the consequences and why it shouldn’t be done. Even then, we probably don’t want to see it. This anthology is supposed to fun escapism, not an outlet for high-handed morality stories nor mentally masturbative abusers. Please make sure you read and follow all submission guidelines and...

Deadline: March 1st, 2022 Payment: 1c CAD per word, and $15 CAD per poem Theme: Short stories, flash fiction, and poetry that runs the gamut of everything from absurdist horror to bizarre science-fiction to unsettling dark fantasy. • What are we looking for? We’re looking for short stories, flash fiction, and poetry that runs the gamut of everything from absurdist horror to bizarre science-fiction to unsettling dark fantasy. We love the uncanny; what we look for is the telling drop in your stomach when you absently look up at the skies and there are far more constellations than you’d remembered, brighter and closer and in configurations you don’t quite recall. We want stories about the bleed error of the universe printing outside the margins of reality. We are interested in stories with LGBTQ2S+ and diverse leads, especially with narratives that are not confined to tragedy tropes. • What do we not want? Please don’t send us anything bigoted or hateful, we’d all be wasting our time. At this point we’re not seeking photography or art. We do not take reprints, including translations. Previously published works on personal websites (including sites such as Wattpad, Medium, etc) count as reprints. Please note that you must be eighteen years of age or above to submit your work. • How much do we pay? We pay 1c per word, and $15 per poem, regardless of length. All listed currency is in CAD. • What about word limits? We have a firm limit on stories not exceeding 7000 words. The ideal word count would be in the 2000-4000 range for short stories. We prefer poetry to not exceed 1500 words. • How do you submit? You can submit via e-mail to [email protected]. Please send us works in .doc, .docx, or .rtf formats. We recommend including your name and contact information...

Submission Window: March 1st-2nd, 2022 Payment: 8 cents per word for original, 2 cents for reprints Theme: Well written original work in science fiction, fantasy, myth, legend, fairy tales, and eldritch, in written, podcast, video, and/or graphic story form, and from around the world. Note: Reprints welcome     Submissions Schedule We have a new submissions schedule as of June 1, 2020: The first and second day of every month, 12 am of the 1st to 12 am of the 3rd, E.S.T. Only one submission per person. For reading impaired individuals, our submissions manager and ‘forget password’ have a captcha compatible with screen readers. We pay 8¢ per word for new fiction, 2¢ per word for fiction reprints, 2 – 6¢ per word for new fact-based work, 1- 4¢ per word for reprinted fact articles. For new poetry, we pay $1 a line, reprints would be 50¢ a line, up to 40 lines. We’ll look at longer poems but that would be a hard sell, and words over 40 lines would be paid at 6¢ per word. We began The Kepler Award to recognize and encourage writers of excellent science fiction and fantasy stories that creatively extrapolate on known science in constructive and exciting ways. You can learn about The Kepler Award here. You can read a copy of our standard contract here.   It can be varied as needed to include the rights of translators, voice actors, etc. Writers Guidelines We accept new work as well as reprints, prose and poetry, anywhere from 1000 word flash fiction on up, but all else being equal, shorter pieces will be favored.   We have tough standards but only care about the quality of the writing, storytelling ability, characters, plot, and ideas, not whether you’re new or established.  Submit only work you are proud of...

Submission Window: March 1st-3rd 2022 Payment: $50 Theme: Weather. A new theme, weather, starts in January 2022. Hi there! We’ll no doubt write more about this later in the next year, but for now, what follows below will tell you all you need to know. Added March 3, 3021: Although it states below that only one work per author per submission, I am suddenly getting multiple poems at a time. Only one story or poem per submission, per author. (Kate Wolford, Editor-In-Chief.) And the theme for 2022? It’s “WEATHER.” (No more submissions are being accepted for publication in December of 2021). The following is relevant to all submissions for 2022, and the first submission window opens Jan. 1. More below.   Writing opportunities for 2022 include:   New Fairy Tales: Fairy tales that are almost or entirely new or are just new takes on old tales are all welcome. Mashups of existing 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.   Please read the following in its entirety before submitting.   Want to know what is likely to get published here? There are well over 10 years of stories, essays and art on this current site. It’s the best place to start if you want to be published here.   HERE IS HOW YOU SUBMIT AND FORMAT   Only the kind of submissions outlined below will be accepted at EC in 2022.   * Writers will have a chance to submit fairy-tale inspired stories/poems five times in 2022. Since we will be choosing eight to 10 works per publishing month, there are up to 50 slots to be filled in 2022. That’s a lot! And it does not...

Deadline: March 3rd 2022 Payment: Undeclared token payment, initially a pure donation anthology Theme: New Weird Horror Note: Sorry for the short notice, just hit my inbox. Note: Trans and Gender Non-Conforming creators only Extreme conditions demand extreme responses. This is perhaps not the most well-organized submissions call, but when has pragmatism ever stopped us? This one comes from the guts; we’ll figure out the rest as we go along. We are now accepting submissions for Your Body is Not Your Body: A New Weird Horror Anthology to combat Texas’ attempts to criminalize Trans youth. All proceeds from the sale of this anthology will go directly to Equality Texas (https://www.equalitytexas.org/). ***EDIT 02.24.22***: a multitude of generous Horror fans have begun contributing to a creator compensation fund, so this project WILL NOW be paying all accepted creators; we don’t want to speculate as to the amount, but it will be something. If you are interested in contributing to this creator compensation fund, donate here. Alright, so what do we want? *4,000 words maximum (no minimum) *Reprints are acceptable, but we need to know the original place of publication. No more than two submissions per creator, please. *Genre: New Weird Horror. What that means to us: the immediacy of classic Pulp Horror with a deeper dive into the human condition and an (un)healthy injection of Surrealism. We love Magical Realism, Body Horror, Optimistic Nihilism, Folk Horror, genre splicing of all stripes. Needless to say: feel free to let your political rage and righteous anger runneth over. Today is a day for Big Weird Sledgehammers, not subtlety (though we love quiet Weird Horror too!) *Trans and Gender Non-Conforming creators only, please. Alex and I are grateful beyond words that so many folks are standing up as allies alongside us, but for this project it...