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Deadline: April 1st, 2023 Payment: $30 and a Contributors Copy Theme: Video Game Horror Subject – Video Game Horror Word Count – 5,000 minimum, 7,500 maximum Submission Date – December 1st marks the opening, April 1st marks the deadline Payment $30 and a Contributors Copy Author Copies available upon request What we are looking for? What we want to see are stories related to gaming experiences. These can range, and we want you to open that mind and show us the horror of what could happen when you maybe play a game too long. Maybe the VR set fuses to your mind, with your body. Haunted arcades; mysterious systems; game developers inserting something diabolical into their programs. Think about the worlds from your favorite games and twist these into your own nightmarish arenas where pixelated blood flows. Gaming peripherals that control more than games. Get creative and reduce our minds to embers. Gore is welcomed; drench the stories in all shades of blood. Send your stories to [email protected] with the subject title ‘No Lives Left Story Submission’ and then the title of your story. Make sure to apply an author bio if you have one, and attach a story synopsis to your submission email. Also, you can use video games as references by italicizing them, but do not infringe on a video game’s rights. For instance; You can write a story about an Italian plumber that eats shrooms and fights a turtle dragon, but as soon as you call him Mario, you’re infringing on that video game’s rights. We are excited to see what you come up with and we cannot wait to read your Video Games themed horror stories. Via: Splatter Ink Publishing.

Deadline: April 1st, 2023 Payment: 15GBP Theme: Dark Magic If you think you’ve got what it takes to terrify, scar and haunt our audience of 150k+ monthly 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 91.) Dark Magic: deadline 1st April 2023 SUBMIT YOUR STORIES USING THIS FORM If this form isn’t working, please email your submission to [email protected] as a last resort. Title your email with the following syntax: “SUBMISSION | STORY TITLE | THEME | WORDCOUNT”  (e.g. SUBMISSION | THE MARTIAN | SPACE | 1,982) 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 include this at the end of your document, underneath the log line • Payment per accepted story is 15GBP • 2x entries per theme permitted   When will I hear if my story has been accepted or not? We carefully review every single submission that comes through our door....

Deadline: April 1st, 2023 Payment: One cent U.S. per word ($2 minimum) Theme: Fantastic Fiction You really NEED to read the description below. The Cafe Irreal is a quarterly webzine that presents a kind of fantastic fiction infrequently published in English. This fiction, which we would describe as irreal, resembles the work of writers such as Franz Kafka, Kobo Abe, Clarice Lispector and Jorge Luis Borges. As a type of fiction it rejects the tendency to portray people and places realistically and the need for a full resolution to the story; instead, it shows us a reality constantly being undermined. Therefore, we're interested in stories by writers who write about what they don't know, take us places we couldn't possibly go, and don't try to make us care about the characters. We would also suggest you take a look at the current issue, archives, and theory (especially the essay, "What is irrealism?") pages on this web site. We accept unsolicited fiction up to 2,000 words in length. Translations are welcome. There is no minimum length. We accept only electronic submissions via e-mail at [email protected]. We cannot, due to the various computer viruses and worms, accept attachments anymore, so please paste your story into the body of the e-mail. Also include your name, address, e-mail address, and a short bio in the text of the submission; please put the word "submission" in the subject heading of the e-mail to ensure that your submission doesn't get lost among all the spam. We pay an honorarium of one cent U.S. per word ($2 minimum) to buy first-time internet rights (the story will then be archived). Payment is made upon publication. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DON'T ACCEPT SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS and are only interested in reprints in unusual cases (e.g., the story has appeared in print but...

Deadline: April 1st, 2023 Award: First Place Prize: A trophy, $250.00 and have their story bought (at the magazine’s prevailing rate) by Galaxy’s Edge. Second place winner $100 and the third place a prize of $50. Theme: New science fiction short story by a new author This is an annual award sponsored by Galaxy's Edge magazine (published by Arc Manor) and Dragon Con that celebrates new authors. As well as publishing hundreds of books as author and editor, Mike Resnick was known for his "Writer Children"—paying it forward by helping new writers start their careers. This award was created to honor his memory and continue on his legacy by spotlighting the wonderful new voices in the writing world. ​ For more information on eligibility and how to submit, Submissions Guidelines can be found on this page underneath the winner announcement for the 2022 award! WINNER OF THE 2022 AWARD Galaxy’s Edge magazine and Dragon Con have the pleasure of announcing the 2022 winner for THE MIKE RESNICK MEMORIAL AWARD for Best Science Fiction Short Story by a New Author: ​ WINNER "What Would You Pay for a Second Chance?" by Chris Kulp ​ FIRST RUNNER-UP "Seedpod" by Ellen Parent ​ SECOND RUNNER-UP "On the Left" by Sandra Sigienski Congratulations to our winner and finalists, and thank you to all the talented authors who submitted entries for award consideration! Mike Resnick would have so loved to have been here to witness this achievement! ​ SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2023! Short Story (definition): A story up to 7,499 words, as defined by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). ​ New Author (definition): An author who has not had any work published (including short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels in paper, digital or audio form) that has been paid a per-word rate of 6 cents a...

Deadline: April 1st, 2023 Payment: Royalties Theme: Dark and speculative fiction WE ARE OPEN TO NOVELLA & NOVEL SUBMISSIONS FOR 2024 PUBLICATION Firstly, we want to take this opportunity to thank you for considering us to represent you and your work. Secondly, take the time to look through our site before contacting us. Make sure we are a good fit for your writing. We are a small press publishing company that specializes in dark and speculative fiction. Don't waste your valuable time and energy on pitching a book that doesn't meet the expectations of our readership. Although, We are not always open for submissions, Andrew still loves to hear pitches. Feel free to message him directly on social media or email us using this contact form.   WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Novellas and novels that fit under the umbrella of dark and speculative fiction. Our readers often want to be transported to a different world or reality where they can escape from their everyday lives. They may be looking for a sense of adventure, excitement, or thrills, and want to be taken on a journey that pushes the boundaries of their imagination. These readers often crave complex and well-developed characters and plot lines, and appreciate books that explore deep, thought-provoking themes. Additionally, readers of dark and speculative fiction often enjoy a level of uncertainty or unpredictability, and want to be surprised by twists and turns in the story. They may also appreciate a sense of darkness or edginess in the themes and tone of the book. If you think your work meets the expectations of our readers, submit your work using the guidelines below. OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR PASSION Being able to work well in a team environment is an important quality for authors to have. It means that they are able to collaborate...

Submission Window: February 1st - April 1st, 2023 Payment: US: $40 + author copy/non-US: $45 + ebook author copy Theme: Shakespeare Retellings (Ideally with a gothic twist though that is not a requirement.) Quill & Crow Publishing House is opening submissions for our second anthology of 2023, Violent Delights & Midsummer Dreams: An Anthology of Shakespeare Retellings. ​ For this collection, we are looking for Shakespeare retellings (5,000 - 8,000 words). We want stories that bring fresh new perspectives on the classic stories, bonus points for providing a Gothic twist. Give us Romeo & Juliet with zombies or the real story of the Wayward Sisters. Deconstruct tropes and bring unique voices to life. Things we are looking for: dark Shakespeare retellings gothic horror deconstructed tropes themes of death/darkness historical horror literary horror gothic/macabre elements modern settings considered ONLY if they maintain a Gothic feel Things we are not looking for: young adult extreme horror/extreme erotica rape/child abuse heavy sci-fi overtly modern adaptations ​ Submission Requirements Please note: Submissions that do not follow requirements will not be considered. 1. We are accepting original works only. You must own the copyright to your submission. 2. Submissions period is from Feb 1st - April 1st, 2023. Please submit all stories to [email protected] with the subject line: Violent Delights / Your Title / Genre. Emails sent to other emails will not be considered. 2. All submissions must be in English and follow standard MLA formatting (double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font). Work must be polished and edited (to the best of your ability). Please submit as a .docx file and include your name, title, and word count on the front page. 3. Story length is 5,000 to 8,000 words. Submissions below 5,000 words and above 8,000 words will not be considered. 4. Accepted authors will receive compensation per contract...

Deadline: April 2nd, 2023 Payment: $20 CAD Theme: Speculative poetry, short fiction, and visual art The Sprawl Mag is accepting submissions of speculative poetry, short fiction, and visual art for Volume 1.2. Whether it is utopic, dystopic, magical, or sci-fi, we look forward to seeing your work. We pay contributors $20 CAD per published piece. ​ We encourage submissions from QTBIPOC, women, nonbinary, queer, and disabled writers. ​ We accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your piece is picked up elsewhere so we can congratulate you! :) ​ We do not accept work that has been previously published. ​ Please include a brief, third-person, 100-word biography with your submission. ​ Please title your documents: firstnamelastname_genre (eg. andrenorton_shortfic) Poetry: - Poetry submissions should be in a legible, size 12-14pt font (eg. Times New Roman) - Poetry submissions should not exceed 40 lines per piece - Poetry submissions may contain 1-4 poems - Please submit your work as a DOC, DOCX, or ODT file Short Fiction: - Short fiction submissions should be in a legible, size 12-14pt font (eg. Times New Roman) - Short fiction submissions should not exceed 1000 words per piece - Short fiction submissions may contain 1-2 pieces - Please submit your work as a DOC, DOCX, or ODT file Visual Art:  - Visual art submissions may contain 1-4 pieces - Please include a short description for each of your pieces (100-300 words) ​- Please submit your work as a JPG, PNG, or PDF SUBMIT Please submit all work to [email protected]. ​ Please, for the love of Mars, only send us work that is speculative (sci-fi & fantasy). Via: The Sprawl Mag.

Submission Window: April 1st-2nd, 2023 Payment: 8 cents per word for original, 2 cents for reprints, For artwork: $10 for the non-exclusive right to use each image, for as long as the site is online.  If we publish a print collection we will pay a pro-rata share for each image used. 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...

Deadline: April 3rd, 2023 Payment: $20 Theme: Horror that takes place in a bathroom Submissions Call: Think back to all the horror content you’ve ever absorbed. Movies, books, and games. Can you think back to your favorite bathroom scene? From Silent Hill’s PT to Thirteen Ghosts, horror is FULL of scenes captured in a bathroom. Just a brief moment of terror in a room we are at times, our most vulnerable. For this submission, I am looking for a horror short that tells a complete story in a bathroom scene.  If the cracked tiled walls could scream, what would they say? Requirements: 1,500 - 4,000 words Can’t be published Deadline April 3rd Must be formatted as DOC $20 For an accepted story Submissions: Please submit via email with the following in the subject line: Anthology Submission: Title: Word Count Send all submissions to: [email protected] Please note, that while the theme for this call is ‘bathroom scenes’, I’d like to avoid horror comedies or potty horror. The bathroom is merely the scene in which the horror takes place. DM me with any questions! Via: This Tweet.

Deadline: April 7th, 2023 Payment: 40% royalties for net book sales with a chance to increase to 50% should a specific threshold of sales be met. Audio sales are negotiated within the contract. Theme: Horror and Dark Fantasy Note: Canadian Authors Only CANADIAN AUTHORS OPEN NOW MARCH 1 - APRIL 7 HORROR Novel & Novella Stand Alone + Novel & Novella Series Submission We are opening our submission window for CANADIAN authors for 2023. Eerie is and has always been an inclusive publishing house. We would love to read manuscripts from all walks of life including BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA and marginalized humans. If you have a horror story, we want to read it. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Insta or TikTok for updates on the next international  2023 submission window where we are looking for series in horror and dark fantasy Eerie River Publishing only publishes a handful of novels a year. Regrettably, this means we will have to pass on some fantastic writing. We wish we could publish them all but the truth is we wouldn't be able to put the resources needed behind each project to make them a success. And that is what we are here to do. ​ We are an inclusive company that accepts submission from anyone regardless of race, gender or sexuality. We accept agented and non-agented submissions during our submission window. What are we looking for? HORROR & DARK FANTASY ​ ~~~ ​ We are seeking high-quality, novel and novella series in horror and dark fantasy. The series should be two or more books within the same world or following the same characters throughout. At this time we are not interested in short story collections, erotica, strictly religious fiction, YA Fiction, or poetry. ​ We want unique, well-crafted stories with compelling plots, terrifying twists, and entertaining characters,...

Deadline: April 7th, 2023 Payment: $20 Theme: Medical Horror Note: Apologies for the short notice; likely only if you have something sitting around or are a fast writer. This was only sent in today. ISO: Guest Author for Medical Horror Collection by Ruth Anna Evans Submissions should be sent to [email protected] with the subject line "Medical Horror Guest Author - STORY NAME."  I am looking for a story heavy on plot that would fit in well with a collection of short, emotional, medical horror. If you're looking for a sample of the work that would be included, check out "Side Effects Include" on Amazon. It's 99 cents.  Weird twists are awesome, and the story I chose will absolutely nail the ending.  Please pay close attention to the word count, as this is a mini-collection.  Please include your name, email address, and word count on the first page of your manuscript. Double-space, standard font, all that jazz. Include your bio in the body of the email. PLEASE EDIT.  Payment of $20 will be made via PayPal to the selected author. If you have questions after reading all details, feel free to email. Via: Ruth Anna Evans.

Deadline: April 10th, 2023 Payment: $20 Theme: Non-Genre Specific Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry $20 Contributor’s Payment if accepted Submissions period: 2023/02/10 - 2023/04/10 No reprints Submit once per reading cycle Submissions that do not follow guidelines will be deleted unread. If previously accepted, please wait 24 months before submitting again. Only submit once per reading cycle. We are non-genre specific. Read previous issues to get a sense of what we publish. Samjoko purchases first worldwide English-language serial and electronic rights from the date the contract is signed and paid for up until 6 months after publication date. After initial publication date, Samjoko Magazine will maintain non-exclusive rights to publication. Paid submissions must not use the intellectual property of any other author or company. Just To Clarify: your work will not appear, and will not have appeared, in any other available format (blogs and public forums included) until 3 months after the release date of the story in Samjoko Magazine. After 3 months, we’ll retain ongoing non-exclusive distribution rights, but you can self-publish your work or sell your story to another paying market. Each piece we acquire will be published on samjokomagazine.com in an electronic seasonal issue. We may also excerpt pieces for promotional purposes. The author retains all other rights. We pay up to 6 months after publication through PayPal only. Payment projected to happen sooner. Current payment is $20 per accepted submission, though we hope to increase this with greater support from readers. Cover letter should have contact information, PayPal email, and author’s bio less than 100 words. Email subject should read: Example - SUBMISSION: The Grey Wolf (FICTION - 3200) by Lauren Hill See below for detailed submission guidelines. Submissions that do not follow the guidelines will be deleted unread. Notification of receipt and rejections will be form letters to save...

Deadline: April 14th, 2023 Payment: US authors: $20 and a contributors copy, Non-US authors: $35 Theme: Wonder Note: Reprints Allowed Strange Aeon: 2023 (Wonder) is a continuation of the Strange Aeon anthology series. As always, I want good, solid stories in a cosmic horror/Lovecraftian vein.  I specifically say Lovecraftian rather than Cthulu because I’d like stories across the entire Mythos, including additions by the original group of Mythos authors like Robert Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. . In fact, I’d like to use more stories that do not have specific Lovecraftian references and that move away from the traditional Lovecraft style and voice. Try to avoid pastiche and tell fresh new stories in your own settings. Style preference applies to gore and sex as well: think early Weird Tales, no excessive language or explicit sexual references. (You do not have to remove all profanity from your submission—I can read around it—but, if your story is accepted, you will be required to remove it from the final version.) I am especially interested in stories of mad science, monster-based horror, weird western, and stories that “peel the onion.” Indeed, I cannot emphasize strongly enough the need for these categories. Victoriana and Lovecraft era period pieces will have a much harder time finding acceptance. The theme of this year’s anthology is wonder and I am specifically looking for stories that have a sense of grandeur and discovery. That being said, please send anything you consider a good story. Feel free to query for any questions. If you are planning to write a story especially for this anthology, by all means query the idea first. For this anthology I’m asking for non-exclusive rights and will happily take reprints. Simply tell me the publication history so that I can give proper copyright acknowledgment. I will prioritize...

Deadline: April 15th, 2023 Payment: $25 CND for poems and between $50 and $75 CND per short story Theme: Artificial Intelligence Our Call for Submissions to the House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature, Volume 4 is now OPEN. The theme for this volume is Artificial Intelligence. The deadline for submissions is April 15, 2023; word count: up to 5,000 words. While many presses have been forbidding content created with AI, we are open to work that has used new technologies in the composition. However, we’re not interested in material straight from by ChatGPT (We will know!) Your story or poem has to fit the criteria outlined below. If you have used AI programs in writing your story or poem, please describe your process. SUBMIT to House of Zolo on Moksha What we look for in Fiction – HOZ is looking for literature that explores possibilities for the future. We want challenging short stories that are character driven, that reimagine the world and our place in it. We are looking for: BIPOC authors, feminist authors, LGBTQ2S authors, radical authors, authors who experiment. Concepts that thrill us: transhumanism, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, new systems, resistance, activism, queer perspectives, feminist perspectives, nature. We are not interested in stories that concern the reinvention of empire, rehashing of old narratives, or excessive violence. We entertain all genre based stories so long as they concern the future and relate to our current theme. That said, we are looking for the best speculative fiction stories, so if you think you have something we might want, please consider sending it. What we look for in Poetry HOZ are looking for works of speculative poetry that imagine the future of the world, the future of nature, technology, and/or the human being. Any form of poetry is welcomed. Like our call for fiction...

Submission Window: March 15th, 2023 - April 15th, 2023 Payment: 3 cents per word Theme: Fun and Uplifting Speculative Fiction in the science fiction or fantasy variety NOTE: March 15th-21st reserved for writers of color, submissions for all open on March 22nd, 2023. We are open annually for submissions from March 15th through April 15th for our August issue, and from September 15th through October 15th for our February issue. The first week of submissions (March 15-21 and Sept 15-21) is reserved for writers of color. The remainder of the window will be for general submissions. If you’re a writer of color who submits during that first week and you hear back from us before the general window closes, you’re welcome to send a second submission during that time. WHAT TO SUBMIT The short version: We pay $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20 in exchange for first world electronic rights in English. We ask for an exclusivity period of 3 months from date of publication. Maximum 5,000 words. Your story must contain speculative elements: that means science fiction or fantasy. We do not accept nonfiction. No simultaneous submissions. Only one submission per writer per open period. Save your manuscript as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf and email it as an attachment to [email protected]. As far as manuscript formatting goes, use a readable 12-point font (we like Times New Roman and Courier just fine but we’re not unreasonably picky). Italicize your italics and please double-space; we’re reading on screens and a little white space goes a long way. You’re welcome to include a cover letter, but try to avoid summarizing your story. We don’t generally look at cover letters until after we’ve read the story. Also, please limit your writing credits to your top two or three. (No worries if you don’t have any! We love...

Deadline: April 15, 2023 Prizes: $250/100/50 USD for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place Theme: science fiction and speculative fiction. See regular flash guidelines below, but with the following exceptions: -MAXIMUM 500 words (hard limit) -you can send a total of 3 pieces, which can be all at once if you’d like (each piece must be 500 words or less) -open March 1, 2023 until April 15, 2023 (last place on Earth that it remains April 15) -$250/100/50 USD for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place (all published online, no honorable mentions and will also appear in print in Volume 4) -NO AI-GENERATED SUBMISSIONS (true always, just reiterating) GENERAL (i.e. non micro-fiction) GUIDELINES We are currently closed to GENERAL flash submissions (see above regarding micro-fiction contest). We will open sometime in the spring of 2023 for Volume 4. Please check back here for future updates. We want science fiction and speculative fiction. So long as it falls into one of these categories, we will happily read it. If other elements are present, that is fine, but it must include science or speculative fiction. No more than 1000 words. This is a firm limit. Please no queries about longer pieces. NO AI-GENERATED/ASSISTED STORIES Pay rate is professional - $0.08 US/word This is for marginalized members of the sci-fi/spec community—this includes people of color, the LGBTQ2S+ community, members of marginalized genders, and disabled and neurodiverse people. If you are not a person of color, LGBTQ2S+, neurodiverse, disabled, or of a marginalized gender, please DO NOT send us your work. Authors of all accepted pieces will have the option to include a short bio in the anthology. We understand the sensitive nature of gender identity and sexual orientation, so if you wish this status to remain unwritten and/or if you prefer to be anonymous, we will print...

Submission Window: April 1st-15th, 2023 Payment: 2 cents per word Theme: Un-themed, general horror flash fiction. Preference to dread-inducing stories. Un-themed, general horror flash fiction. Preference to dread-inducing stories. Length: 500 – 1,000 words. Firm. Author Compensation: 2c/word, paid via PayPal. (Rounded to nearest whole dollar) Publication: Dread Stone Press website (Dose of Dread). Reading Periods: January, April, July, and October; 1st to 15th. Any stories submitted outside of each reading period will not be read. Rights: First World Electronic Rights. Non-exclusive rights thereafter. No reprint restrictions after publication. Original stories ONLY. No reprints. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but NO multiple submissions. You may submit again the next reading period if rejected. If your story is accepted, please sit out one reading period before submitting again. Please, for everyone’s sake, no rough drafts. Successful pieces will require little to no proofreading edits. Email your submission as a Word document attachment to dreadstonepress (at) gmail (dot) com with “DOSE – – ” in the subject line. Rejections for Dose of Dread submissions will be sent by the end of the month submitted. If you have not received a reply by then, feel free to follow-up. All rejections will be form rejections. It’s not personal, promise. Which also means please don’t respond to rejections. It’s unnecessary. Please see the General Submission Guidelines below for additional formatting information. Via: Dreadstone Press.

Deadline: April 15th, 2023 Payment: $20 per story or artwork Theme: Electric Spec prefers science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. submissions at electricspec (dot) comPlease don't query us about your story submission. We don't have the manpower to answer such queries. An editor will email you back as soon as possible with the decision about your story. This can take a few days, or, up to three months. We make every effort to get back to authors in a timely manner but we get a lot of submissions so sometimes it's not possible. A note on our editorial policy: before publication we may work with the author to edit the story for length or readability. However, we always remain true to the spirit of the story and the author has final approval. Issues are published at the end of February, May, August, and November. We reserve the right to shift publication date slightly, as necessary. We have reading periods for each issue, though we never close to submissions. February closes January 15 May closes April 15 August closes July 15 November closes October 15 Please do not submit the same story more than once, and please submit only one story at a time. We consider any story between 250 and 7000 words with speculative fiction elements. We prefer science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre, but we're willing to push the limits of traditional forms of these genres. We do not consider poetry, stories with over-the-top sex or violence, serials, novels, fan fiction, or non-fiction. We don't accept multiple submissions; in other words, only submit one story at a time and wait for a response before submitting another. We accept simultaneous submissions as long as you let us know up...

Deadline: April 15th, 2023 Payment: Royalties Theme: horror, science fiction, and fantasy Note: Seeking Latinx authors FlowerSong Press is currently seeking outstanding and unique manuscripts from Latinx authors in the area of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Please review the following guidelines for authors. If you feel your manuscript meets our needs and is consistent with our mission, we welcome the chance to read it. Guidelines for Fiction We are seeking already finished, full-length novels from Latinx authors ranging from 75,000 to 150,000 words. We are not currently accepting short stories, novellas, or short story collections. If your novel is the first of a trilogy or series, be aware that we will not commit to publishing more than one book at a time. Stories should emphasize careful and thoughtful development of complex, three-dimensional and fallible characters, complicated relationships and conflicts, and strong, coherent plots with satisfying resolutions. We will consider historical (any time period or culture), traditional fantasy, horror, and science-fiction genre stories as long as they meet the criteria above. Although we prefer adult fiction, we will consider manuscripts aimed at a young adult audience, as long as the writing is intelligent and does not condescend to that age group. We are not considering juvenile fiction at this time. If your manuscript conforms to the above guidelines, send a query by electronic submission. Each query must include the following for consideration: A cover letter with a pitch, your story synopsis (500 words or less), the total word count of your manuscript, and an author bio. Your pitch should explain why your manuscript is perfect for FlowerSong Press. Your synopsis should describe the whole story, including the ending--we want a synopsis, not a teaser. Your bio should focus on your writing and/or publishing experience and credits and other background specifically...

Deadline: April 19th, 2023 Payment: 4k-6k word story - $30 (USD), 6k-8k word story - $40 (USD), 8k-10k word story - $50 (USD) Theme: Tales of Halloween Horror Volume 8 of the popular Better Off Dead series will be themed around Halloween Horror. Submissions open until the deadline listed above. SUBMISSION INFO Submissions must be between 4,000 and 10,000 words (Word counts are firm) Title, submitter's name, pen name (if different), story word count and author email address must be centered at the top of your submission Submissions must be written using American English spelling and terminology Submissions cannot be written by AI (Artificial Intelligence.) Any author that submits work that is not written by them will be disqualified from submitting to SSP in the future. Believe us when we say that we can spot an AI written story a mile away. Don't waste our time or yours. Submissions must be written in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, 1" margins, double spaced with a special first line indention of 0.3" Submissions must not contain headers, footers or page numbers All scene breaks must be three asterisks, centered on the page, with no spaces in between (***) Submissions must be in .Docx or .Doc format Submissions should be clean and edited to the best of author's ability Submissions must contain elements of horror centered around the Halloween holiday. The editors are looking for originality. Many tropes have been recreated over and over. We'd love to see stories that are fresh and jaw-dropping. Extreme horror is okay for this publication, however submissions need not be extreme Submissions must not have been published elsewhere before in any medium Authors may submit as many stories as they want for review, however, there will be a limit of one published story per author Simultaneous submissions are...

Deadline: April 29th, 2023 Payment: 15GBP Theme: Cryptids If you think you’ve got what it takes to terrify, scar and haunt our audience of 150k+ monthly 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 92) Cryptids: deadline 29th April 2023 SUBMIT YOUR STORIES USING THIS FORM If this form isn’t working, please email your submission to [email protected] as a last resort. Title your email with the following syntax: “SUBMISSION | STORY TITLE | THEME | WORDCOUNT”  (e.g. SUBMISSION | THE MARTIAN | SPACE | 1,982) 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 include this at the end of your document, underneath the log line • Payment per accepted story is 15GBP • 2x entries per theme permitted   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...

Deadline: April 30th, 2023 Payment: 8 cents per word Theme: Science fiction drabbles General Submissions are open April 1st – 30th! What we want more of: Cyberpunk Sci-fi horror Stories with Tech Starships Holograms Stories involving other planets Dark sci-fi Characters making a decision What we want less of: *GASP* we were really talking about humans, Earth, etc. Twist stories where the twist doesn’t change the way we view the story. We caused the apocalypse because humanity sucks. We accidentally called the aliens who are invading us because of some silly reason. General Guidelines Martian magazine publishes drabbles, stories of exactly 100 words (excluding title). Stories submitted of greater than or less than 100 words will be rejected. We use Google Docs to determine word count. We publish science fiction. Every subgenre of science fiction is acceptable but the science fiction element must be present. Submitted works must be stories. They must have a beginning, middle, and at least hint at the end. They may be 100 words, but we are not interested in thoughts or feelings without action or characters that don’t do anything. We will have set reading periods each year. Submissions will only be read in those reading periods. Stories sent outside of the reading periods will not be read unless they were specifically solicited by the editor. We pay .08 per word for original fiction, paid on publication of the selected work. Reprints are accepted and paid at .04 per word, half that of original fiction. We accept simultaneous submissions. Just please let us know if your work was selected elsewhere if we have not yet gotten back to you. We accept multiple submissions-up to three at a time, sent as separate emails. We will respond within two weeks with either a rejection or hold request. The rights we...

Submission Window: April 1st - 30th, 2023 Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction, $5 for poetry, 1 cent per word for non-fiction, $35 for cover art Theme: Speculative fiction It's our goal to publish diverse voices from around the world, and to do that, we are actively seeking stories, poems, and non-fiction pieces by authors from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in the science fiction and fantasy canon. Our submission cycle is therefore split into two categories, where every other month is explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. The interposing six months remain open to everyone. Guidelines for Fiction We are seeking stories in the English language up to 6,000 words by writers from around the world. We favor submisions that have not been published before (including on your own website), though we do accept a limited number of reprints not currently appearing anywhere online. For our two issues focused on the climate crisis, we're particularly interested in publishing stories from people displaced by or threatened by the climate emergency (see our themes below). For our other four issues, we're open to a wide variety of stories across the SFF and weird spectra. We pay 1¢ per word for fiction, and we try to respond to all submissions within ten weeks. We will also accept a limited number of previously published stories, so please indicate on the form if your submission is a reprint. All submissions must use the Shunn manuscript format (we prefer Courier New) and be either .rtf, .doc, or .docx. We like stories that are subtle in their telling and stick with us long after we've finished. We're more likely to buy stories that balance a sense of wonder with a bold plot and...

Deadline: April 30th, 2023 Payment: $10 Theme: Your darkest, strangest microfiction in the form of user manuals, FAQs, and how-to guides for the use of (or by) robots! We are looking for your darkest, strangest microfiction in the form of user manuals, FAQs, and how-to guides for the use of (or by) robots! Tell us a story while guiding humans through the use of a strange machine, or guiding sentient robots through human activities they may not understand. Reveal deep yearnings and dark secrets between the lines, show us fascinating futures or weird horrors, and don’t be afraid to mix biology with machine. Let your imaginations go wild to create beautiful, surreal, and dark user-guides for strange machines! Please no simultaneous submissions or multiple submissions. We will aim to have first responses back within 30 days of closing to submissions. Word count: Up to 250 words Payment: $10 Submissions open: April 01 Submissions close: At midnight US central time on April 30. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 1) Submit your work in Shunn Standard Manuscript Format (Modern or Classic) and attach as a DOC, DOCX, RTF, or ODT file format. 2) Maximum word length is a firm 250 words. Anything more will be auto-rejected. 3) Payment for original fiction is $10 and a digital copy. 4) Please include a brief bio in the body of the email; we ask that bios are kept short and sweet, considering the size of the piece being published. 5) If the work you are submitting is an English translation, please include the translator name and email address either in your cover letter or within your manuscript. By submitting, you are verifying in good faith that you have the right to have your translated work published in Apex Magazine. 6) Strange Machines welcomes and encourages submissions from writers of all races, color, religion...

Deadline: April 30th, 2023 Payment: 10 cents per word Theme: Shadows & Knives, and a crow Note: There is ALSO a contest you can enter your work into instead of a magazine for a chance to win $3,000. However, it is pay to play on the contest. Write a story involving Shadows & Knives, and a crow. $3,000 grand prize. Hurry down the street as night falls. Is that movement in the shadows? Don’t look back. Dark figures block your path, steel glinting. No time to think. Do you run, fight, or scream? Murder is as old as time. The lights come on and someone’s dead. Everyone’s a suspect. The genius detective plays cat and mouse with a meticulous villain. Bodies, blackmail, and bloodstained letters. The cozy mystery is anything but for the victim. Prepare your alibi, avoid suspicion, and hope the trail of bodies leads back to the butler. The investigator has a secret, and the killer is working with the police. Conspiracies, confessions, and court intrigue. Assassins and bloody night raids—danger lurks in the dark. So accept the invitation, gather round the campfire, and hope the train doesn’t go through a tunnel. It’s a mystery, and we’re all gathered for the big reveal. This contest invites you to explore shadows and knives, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome. Submissions close April 30th at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers All new writers 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. Each issue...

Deadline: April 30th, 2023 Payment: An advance against royalties of $750, as well as 25% of net net receipts Theme: speculative fiction or literary novellas Psychopomp.com publishes otherworldly novellas about death, multiverses, time travel, and other strange lands. Open Call For Novellas We are currently open to otherworldly novella submissions. Please read the guidelines thoroughly before submitting. What We’re Looking For: We are looking for speculative fiction or literary novellas between 20,000 to 40,000 words that fall under one (or some!) of the following themes: stories where grief or loss play a leading role stories that feature the afterlife or the underworld stories that involve the journey through death/the journey of the dead stories that involve death personified (Death!) stories that take place in, or utilize a multiverse stories that involve time travel (esp. those that involve time travel + a previously mentioned theme) origin stories (especially as they relate to previously mentioned themes) stories where the characters slowly lose their sense of reality goth space, but make it goth stories where things that are not usually personified ARE personified (planets? galaxies? time? …bones?) creepy meta-horror amazingly original ghost stories We are ABSOLUTELY not interested in the following themes: conventional horror story tropes (zombies, werewolves, vampires, etc.) slashy, gory horror stereotypical christian afterlife stories of angels, devils, pearly gates, etc. stories that are heavy on the humor (Douglas Adams type of humor is a bad fit; dark, smart, black humor is more likely to land but will STILL be a hard sell) hard sci-fi military sci-fi sword and sorcery fantasy (we want nothing to do with goblins, orcs, etc.) the fae mermaids/selkies Submission Details: We are looking to acquire original, unpublished novellas. If your story has been published in any way (including self published or published on your Patreon) please...

Deadline: April 30th, 2023 Payment: 5 cents per word Theme: horror/dark fiction 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, 1-2 interviews and/or review – Fiction:   We are looking for horror/dark fiction pieces between 500-5000 words firm. Genre mashing is absolutely allowed. We do not accept stories that involve the sexual abuse/exploitation of minors direct or implied. Common sense when submitting please. 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. While not a requirement, we strongly suggest you pick up a copy of the digital magazine to help better understand the types of work we’re 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 01 – October 31   SPRING ISSUE: November 01 – January 31   SUMMER ISSUE: February 01 – April 30   FALL ISSUE: May 01 – July 31 All submissions must be sent via e-mail to: [email protected] as an attached word document or .rtf with the word “Fiction Submission – STORY TITLE” in the subject line. In the body of the email include a word count. A short bio is welcome, but not mandatory. 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...

Submission Window: April 1st-30th, 2023 Payment: $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue Theme: Any genre, short story Mission = Revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful. Payout = Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Wait, you mean if this substack gets thousands of subscribers, the winner would get thousands of dollars? Yes! The New Yorker pays roughly $7,500 per story and I sincerely hope to go way past that. What does the timeline look like? Submit stories by the end of the month, winner to be announced on the 15th. There is ONE story that wins and receives the full payout. Where do I send submissions? [email protected] What are the rules for submitting? 1. No Fees 2. Send in Microsoft Word or Google Doc form 3. Any genre 4. 6- 10,000 words. Yes, just 6 words, like Hemingway's famous 6-word story "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." 5. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute. 6. Acknowledge Distribution Rights on this Substack - You can still sell your story elsewhere but we need to be able to save and publish it here. The goal is to create a library for subscribers. 7. Only the winner will be published and rights will only transfer for the winning story. What do I get for subscribing? One beautiful story every month. The complete library. The joy of supporting artists and doing something interesting. What if I can’t pay right now? That’s ok! If you publish a blurb about this site on your website, blog, or social media, I will send you one full story of your choosing. Best of all, it is on the...

Deadline: April 30th, 2023 Prizes: The GRAND PRIZE winner will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website and paid at industry-standard rates for professional story submittals. The author will also receive a handsome engraved award and a prize package containing $500 of free Baen Books. SECOND place winner will receive a prize package containing $500 of free Baen Books. THIRD place winner will receive a prize package containing $300 of free Baen Books. Theme: Fantasy, though all fantasy genres are open, e.g. epic fantasy, heroic fantasy, sword and sorcery, contemporary fantasy, etc. Write and submit a short story of no more than 8,000 words. It must be a work of fantasy, though all fantasy genres are open, e.g. epic fantasy, heroic fantasy, sword and sorcery, contemporary fantasy, etc. No entry fee. But only one submission per person...we suggest your best one! No reprints (i.e. the story must be unpublished). All entries must be original unpublished works in English. Plagiarism, poetry, song lyrics, settings and/or characters from published gaming worlds or another author’s works of fiction will not be considered. E-mail submissions only. Send entries as .RTF attachments to: [email protected] Please put BFAA SUBMISSION in the subject line when sending a contest entry and BFAA QUESTION in the subject line for questions to the contest administrator. Please include the following in the body of your email: the title of the work the author's name, address, and telephone number an approximate word-count The manuscript should be a RTF attachment, in standard manuscript format, and should be titled and numbered on every page, but the author's name MUST BE DELETED to facilitate fair judging. Click here for our standard manuscript format guidelines. Employees of Baen Books and Staff of Dragon Con are not eligible. Previous Grand Prize winners are...

Submission Window: April 1st - 30th, 2023 Payment: 8 cents per word and $500 for custom cover art and $100 for cover art drawn from an artist’s existing portfolio. Theme: Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. THEMED ISSUE: FLASH ONLY Note: You must identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. khōréō is a quarterly publication of stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. We’re especially interested in writing and art that explore some aspect of migration, whether explicitly (themes of immigration, colonialism, etc.), metaphorically, or with a sly nod and a wink. Most importantly, we’re a new magazine and we’re still finding our identity: therefore, please don’t self-reject because you’re not sure if your work is a good fit. We won’t know until we see it, so please give us a chance to look! 2023 Themed Issue: Flash (April submission period) Our last issue of the year is focused on flash fiction. We’re looking for stories of 1,500 words or fewer; flash submitted in earlier reading periods will also be considered for this issue. Submissions will be open April 1-30 for publication in December 2023. See submission requirements & how to submit at the following pages: Fiction Non-fiction Art Voice actors Who can submit? khōréō is dedicated to diversity and amplifying the voices of immigrant and diaspora...

Submission Window: April 1st-30th, 2023 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: March 16th, 2023 - April 30th, 2023 Payment: 3 cents per word (potentially higher depending on Kickstarter) and a contributors copy Theme: Hauntings Note: women military veterans only A horror anthology written by women military veterans. Submissions will open March 16th for those who identify as a woman and have served in the military. Closing date is April 30, 2023. Do not send submissions early. THEME: Hauntings/to be haunted/to haunt. We’re not looking for service-related stories, only that haunting be the central theme. Hauntings of a classic horror nature, as well as other types such as psychological, haunted by trauma, life choices, and similar that take the reader into a dark, horror tale. The goal is to highlight excellent talent from women military veterans who are horror writers, not for stories to be focused on the military, although you may include the military in your story if you wish. Submission Guidelines: File: .docx or .doc Format: Modern Shunn https://www.shunn.net/format/story/ Length: Short stories 2,000 to 4,000 words. Poems may be up to 60 lines with no special indenting or other unusual formatting requirements. Email to: info at tundraswanpress dot com Submission Subject Line: HauntedZone_StoryTitle File Name: Please name your manuscript like this: HAUNTED ZONE_StoryTitle_AuthorName Author Bio: Provide a brief third-person bio—no more than 300 words. Include your author website link if you have one. Include 1-2 sentences about your military service, branch, dates served, etc. Simultaneous/Multiple/Reprint Submissions? You may submit simultaneously to other markets, but please notify us right away if the story is accepted elsewhere. You may send up to two submissions, but only one per category (one short story, one poem). Original, unpublished stories only. No reprints. Payment & Rights Pay: **$0.03/word per accepted submission (minimum). Each author will also receive a contributor copy. Exclusivity/Reversion of rights: We distribute our anthologies in both paper and eBook formats across multiple retailers. We ask for...