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Deadline: January 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Cryptids Are you a fan of things that go bump in the night? Do you get excited about new sightings of Bigfoot, The Mothman, or the Jersey Devil? Then you’re in the right place. We’re looking for tales of heroes overcoming the odds in the face of these Cryptid horrors. We’re looking for new, previously unpublished stories that take us on an adventure and leave us wanting more. Genre: Cryptid Horror / Fantasy Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 Opening by: TBD Edited by: William Joseph Roberts Anchor Author: TBD Due Date: January 1, 2024 Email submissions to: threeravenspublishing @ gmail dot com with “Cryptid Horror” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. Useful links: https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Cryptids   https://www.creelighting.com/insights/article/most-popular-cryptid-in-every-state/ MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality.   What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore porn) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations...

Submission Window: October 1st - January 1st, 2024 Payment: 8 cents/word for the first 3000 words and 3 cents/word thereafter., Poetry shall be paid at $1.00/line., Art shall be paid at $30/piece., Cover art shall be paid $300 Theme: Dragons of all types Dragons are icons of fantasy and legends about them abound. Found in novels, poetry, and art, they stir the imagination as helpers, heroes, villains, and symbols of love, fear, and wealth. We are looking for renderings of dragons in writing and art that capture the essence of these fascinating creatures. The anthology will be open for submissions from 1 October 2023 to 1 January 2024 or if filled before. Publication will be on or about 15 June 2024. Response to submissions should take 60 days. If you submit and do not receive a response of acceptance or rejection of your work by then, contact us. ​ Should insufficient interest be shown for the anthology, any contributors who have submitted will be advised by 1 January 2024 and the anthology will be canceled. Any remuneration previously paid will be retained by the author/artist. ​ WHAT WE WANT We do not want multiple submissions, reprints, or simultaneous submissions. Submit one work at a time. STORIES shall be original fiction of 3,000 to 6,000 words FIRM. No more, no less. Works outside the word count will be deleted unread. Send manuscripts in standard manuscript format as a DOC or DOCX file attached to the email. No more than five (5) stories shall be accepted for the anthology. A dragon must be central to the story, not incidental. Although it may never actually be seen by the main character, there must be no doubt in the reader's mind of its existence. POETRY shall be of 10 to 24 lines FIRM and be as explicit about the dragon(s) as possible. Include...

Deadline: January 1st, 2024 Payment: $100 Theme: Quality short stories Malarkey Books is a small press based in the middle of nowhere. Our mission is simple: publish good books. We don’t chase trends or cater to a specific niche. We just love books. We are not bound by genre, style, or investors. We are writers, publishing books that don’t fit the ever-narrowing mold of the Big 4 model. Join us. Ends On Monday, January 1, 2024 12:59 AM Description King Ludd's Rag is a print zine of long-form fiction. Each issue contains two stories selected by editor Alan Good—except we're changing that up. This time we're gonna have guest editors. We've lined up five past KLR contributors to select the lineup for the 2024 run of King Ludd's Rag. Each editor gets to pick two stories for publication in 2024, and those editors are Exodus Oktavia Brownlow, Christopher Stevenson, Wayne McCray, Suzy Eynon, and Alan ten-Hoeve. If you're published in KLR you get $100 and a copy of the zine. Your story will appear in print first, followed by a low-priced PDF and eventually publication on our website. The guest editors will select the stories, which will then be edited/proofread by one of our regular editors. Authors have final approval of edits and also will get a PDF of the full laid-out issue to review before publication. Malarkey Books acquires only first-time print/electronic rights. All other rights remain with the original author. You will be free to republish your story at any time in any form, with or without crediting or checking with Malarkey. A total of ten stories will be selected; if all the guest editors hit their cap before the end of the year we will go ahead and close this folder. Writers are under no obligation to...

Deadline: January 1st, 2024 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: January 1st, 2024 Theme: My Bloody Valentine: dark love stories, Tinder dates gone horribly wrong, bitter romance, a lover’s revenge, tragic love, etc. Payment: 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 – $50 per poem (depending on length). Includes one contributor copy. Book Worms Zine is selling out on Etsy and the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. We have another issue planned for Winter 2024. This time around the theme is My Bloody Valentine: dark love stories, Tinder dates gone horribly wrong, bitter romance, a lover’s revenge, tragic love, etc. Dark humor is okay, but it should fit the themes of horror and romance. Specifically looking for original poetry (any length). Submission Guidelines Deadline: January 1, 2024 Payment is 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 – $50 per poem (depending on length). Includes one contributor copy. No reprints or multiple submissions please, including poems. Exclusive rights for six months after publication. ACCEPTING MAIL-IN SUBMISSIONS ONLY! Mail your submissions to: La Regina Studio/Grundy Commons/925 Canal Street/Bristol, PA 19007 *In the past, we’ve made some special allowances for writers living outside the USA. But due to the overwhelming amount of submissions we receive, we are now only accepting mail-in submissions. Acceptance notices are sent through email so there is no need to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please include your email address with your submission. All submissions must be typed (cover letters preferred but not mandatory) and be properly formatted. Be sure to check out the Book Worms Horror Podcast and follow us on Instagram. Via: R. Saint Claire.

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word and $500 for custom cover art and $100 for cover art drawn from an artist’s existing portfolio. Theme: Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. Note: You must identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. khōréō is a quarterly publication of stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. We’re especially interested in writing and art that explore some aspect of migration, whether explicitly (themes of immigration, colonialism, etc.), metaphorically, or with a sly nod and a wink. Most importantly, we’re a new magazine and we’re still finding our identity: therefore, please don’t self-reject because you’re not sure if your work is a good fit. We won’t know until we see it, so please give us a chance to look! See submission requirements & how to submit at the following pages: Fiction Non-fiction Art Voice actors Who can submit? khōréō is dedicated to diversity and amplifying the voices of immigrant and diaspora authors and artists. We welcome, but do not require, a brief description of the author’s/artist’s identity in their cover letter. We invite you to submit if you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum...

Deadline: January 1st, 2024 Payment: $5 and a contributors copy Theme: Stories about everyday items that have become imbued with the curse just from existing in the home where the story takes place, details below! The Yardsale Anthology (Full title to be revealed at a later date). ‌ Open call: November 1st 2023 - January 1st 2024. ‌ Payment: $5 upon publication and one physical contributor copy. ‌ Adult Horror Anthology (no extreme horror or splatterpunk please) see more details below. ‌ 𝙿𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝙰 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚒𝚛. 𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠, 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚊𝚢. ‌ 𝙱𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚕; 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗. ‌ 𝙰𝚝 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚞𝚝. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚋𝚞𝚖𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. ‌ 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚙, 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚢. ‌ At this sale, every item carries a curse, simply for having existed in the home or on the property (more details on this part of the story to come later). All you need to know for now is that we are looking for stories about how the object of your choice acquired at our sale now affects its new owners. ‌ We are looking for more everyday items that have become imbued with the curse just from existing in this home. ‌ You may use any of the following terms: yard sale, garage sale, estate sale to refer to where you acquired your object/piece of furniture but please don’t spend any significant amount of time at the...

Submission Window: January 1st-2nd, 2024 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...

Submission Window: January 1st – January 7th, 2024 Payment: 3 cents per word for original fiction. 5k words = $150, 20 dollars for artwork chosen as interior content. Negotiable, 100 dollars for cover art. Negotiable. Theme: cosmic horror, Lovecraftian, and weird fiction and non-fiction essays that explore the state of horror as well as philosophies often found in cosmic horror Cosmic Horror Monthly is a horror and weird fiction magazine edited by Charles Tyra. Submission periods are twice yearly from January 1st – January 7th and July 1st – July 7th. January stories accepted will appear in issues July – December July stories accepted will appear in issues January – June SUBMISSION PROCEDURES We are now accepting non-fiction submissions as well as fiction. We would love to see non-fiction essays that explore the state of horror as well as philosophies often found in cosmic horror, i.e. pessimism, nihilism, existentialism, etc. Instructions: All writing must be submitted via email to [email protected]. When submitting, include a little background information about yourself in the body and attach the story in the form of a Microsoft Word file. Please include a word count and a brief synopsis of the work. For artwork, please put a link to the gallery/pieces in the body of the email along with any relevant background information. You may also attach example art. Acceptable file formats for attachments are DOC and DOCX for fiction, JPG, and PNG for art. The subject line of the email should read: “CHM Fiction Submission” for fiction, “CHM Non-Fiction Submission” for non-fiction, and “CHM Art Submission” for art. Guidelines Cosmic Horror Monthly is seeking cosmic horror, Lovecraftian, and weird fiction. If you aren’t sure if your work qualifies, submit it. No subject is off-limits and we do encourage writers to try and push the status...

Submission Window: December 1st 2023 - January 8th, 2024 Payment: $15 per poem, $0.01 per word ($40 minimum) for short stories, and $50 per art piece via PayPal Theme: Gothic stories, no set genre Opens on Friday, December 1, 2023 12:00 AM UTC (in 24 days) From December 1st - January 8th, Diet Milk Magazine will be accepting submissions for its Spring/Summer issue. We will be open to poetry, prose, and visual art of all kinds. While the most detailed information can be found on our website, here's a quick rundown of what potential contributors need to know! GENERAL GUIDELINES: All submissions must fall under the Gothic umbrella, but aren't required to be a specific genre No reprints or multiple submissions Simultaneous submissions permitted, though we ask to be informed promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere! Poetry/Prose submissions should be .doc, .docx, or .pdf // Art submissions should be .jpeg or .png If you receive a rejection, you may submit again (with new work) immediately P O E T R Y : Poets may submit up to three poems at a time. No single poem should exceed five pages in length. P R O S E : Authors may submit one short story at a time, up to 5000 words. This doesn't have to be on the dot, but stories exceeding 5025 words will be rejected automatically. A R T : Artists may submit up to two pieces at a time. We'll consider any type of visual art. If you're unsure whether or not your work falls into this category, query us first. Reach out to [email protected] using the subject line "QUERY: YourName ". We'll let you know within 24 hours if your preferred medium is eligible. Responses, Rights, & Payment Please allow up to three weeks for a response. After that, send a gentle nudge via email Diet Milk Magazine asks for first serial rights....

Deadline: January 14th, 2024 Payment: $10 Theme: Space Opera Length: We prefer short, compressed stories that are nevertheless complete and cohesive narratives (1500 to 2500 words). These limits are firm. No more, no less. Stories over or under the limit will not be read. We mean it, friends! This limit serves two functions: (1) the limit is an artistic challenge. It takes skill to tell a compressed, punchy story. (2) We are an amateur publication and only pay a token honorarium, so save your longer works for better paying markets. Style: We prefer "dialog light, action heavy" fiction with vivid imagery that is unselfconsciously literary but nevertheless takes joy in an occasional technical word or pseudo-scientific jargon that immerses the reader in a sci-fi imaginary setting. Please eschew typographical emphasis and variation--e.g. bolding, italicizing, underlining (there are more artful ways of rendering verbal timbre). Questions? E-mail us at [email protected] Publication, payment, and rights: Issues will be published as .pdf files. If work is selected for publication in WAYSTATION, authors will (1) be paid an honorarium of $10 and (2) will be asked to provide, by contract, "First North American Serial Rights." In our opinion, this means that copyright is NOT transferred. All copyright stays with you, the writer; however, you will have sold/transferred a form of "exclusive use rights" called "First North American Serial Rights" (FNASR). This is the right to publish your unpublished work for the first time, and ONLY the first time, no more. The important thing to remember is that some professional publications may ask for FNASR upon acceptance of a specific work; you are not legally permitted to provide those for that specific work after publication in WAYSTATION, for you have already rendered their use to us. In other words, once you publish a work in WAYSTATION, that works' associated...

Submission Window: January 1st - 14th, 2023 Payment: Fiction: 1500-7500 words ($.08 per word, $100 minimum), Poetry: up to 5 poems or 5 pages of poems, whichever is shorter. ($40 per poem), Nonfiction: 1000-2000 words ($75 per essay or article, Cover Art: $100 for reprints, $200 for original unpublished, Interior Art: $50 for reprints, $100 for original unpublished Theme: Solarpunk is a prefigurative, utopian artistic movement that envisions what the future might look like if humanity solved major modern challenges like climate change, and created more sustainable and balanced societies. As a genre and cultural aesthetic, it encompasses literature, visual art, fashion, video games, architecture, and more. Solarpunk carries many aspects of punk ideologies such as rebelliousness, humanitarianism, egalitarianism, animal rights, decolonization, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-authoritarianism, anti-corporatism, and anti-consumerism. Similar to the cyberpunk genre, the big difference between the two is that in solarpunk technology and nature are in harmony with one another rather than in conflict. Submissions are closed for the rest of 2023. Our 2024 submission window schedule will be published by the end of September. (At the moment, our nonfiction department is current and always open for submissions. If the fiction portal is closed and you submit fiction through the open nonfiction portal, your submission will be rejected.) All submissions to Solarpunk Magazine are done via Moksha. Any submissions received via email will be deleted without a response. Please don’t email us to describe your story and ask if it’s something we’d be interested in before submitting. We appreciate the consideration, but its easier if you just submit the story through Moksha. Please read the full submission guidelines on down below or on our Moksha page before submitting your work. All submission periods end at 11:59 pm PST on the 14th of their given month. 2024 Submission Window Schedule: January 1-14 April 1-14*...

Deadline: January 15th, 2023 Payment: 1 cent per word and a contributors copy Theme: short stories to novelettes that are about death Note: Reprints from 2023 ONLY We want to read your death-related fiction! Psychopomp will be publishing Afterlives: The Year’s Best Death Stories 2023, curated by Vajra Chandrasekera Please read the full guidelines before submitting so you can learn about: what we’re looking for how much we’re paying what rights we are buying and how to submit Submission link below the guidelines. What We’re Looking For: We’re looking for stories specifically that have been published on and between January 1st 2023 through December 31st 2023, with a word count between 1,000 words and 19,000 words (so: short stories and novelettes) that are about death. This could mean exploring what happens to us after we die, traveling to the Underworld, Death gods, Death personified, metaphors for death, grieving, funerals, graves, stories based on death myths from cultures across the world, death magic, ghosts, resurrection, and so on. We specifically are not interested in stories that are centered around: the traditional Christian afterlife/pearly gates zombies Note: in our experience publishing The Deadlands, we know that a lot of people interpret “stories about death” to mean slasher/true crime/gore-y horror. We are not opposed to horror as a genre, but it should be ABOUT death, not just MURDERING PEOPLE. Stories should be previously published online, in print, in audio, or via email subscriber list, by an independent magazine or press. Stories published via your own Patreon, blog, or tumblr are not eligible. If the story will be printed before 12/31/23, but has not yet appeared, you may submit the work as soon as you have the final edited version. We will be accepting submissions through January 15, 2024. We DO encourage authors of historically marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Submission Window: January 23rd-30th, 2024 Payment: €0.01 per word, with a €20 minimum. Theme: Diverse sci-fi and fantasy fiction. We are open to submissions within the following periods: January 23rd-30th April 23rd-30th July 23rd-30th October 23rd-30th Submissions received outside of these dates will unfortunately be lost and therefore not responded to. When open, we seek and offer the following: Length: 1,000-5,000 words. These are firm limits. Shorter or longer works will be considered, but the further a story goes outside these bounds the more it will need to impress. Compensation: €0.01 per word, with a €20 minimum. Please be aware that payment is via PayPal only. If you do not receive an acknowledgment within 24 hours of submission, please get in touch. We aim to accept or reject within 14 days of acknowledgment, but rl (real life) and rl (reading load) can get in the way. If you do not hear from us after 30 days, feel free to query. REQUIREMENTS We acquire First Print and Digital rights with a six month period of exclusivity from the date of publication. We also ask permission to potentially include accepted pieces in future anthologies; in event of agreement, an additional payment and digital copy will be offered in compensation. All other rights remain entirely with the author. Simultaneous submissions are not only accepted, they are encouraged. Please tell us if you sim-sub, and we merely ask that you notify us of acceptance at another market as soon as possible. In the event that we accept first, we expect a positive and timely confirmation. Therefore we recommend sim-subbing to markets of equivalent status – we won’t wait for someone else you’d like better to turn you down. We do not accept multiple submissions. Please wait until your first submission has been rejected before submitting another work. If...

Submission Window: January 1st - 30th, 2024 Payment: $5.00 Theme: Original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales. Although we started as a magazine of fairy tales, we’re now open to pieces based on or related to fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, and pop culture. Criteria. We’re looking for original feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales. Although we started as a magazine of fairy tales, we’re now open to pieces based on or related to fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, and pop culture. We accept fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and pieces that are in-between. For prose, we accept stories of up to 5,000 words. Longer pieces will be declined. Please note that you do not need to be female or femme to submit a piece; writers of any gender identity and expression are welcome. We’re listed on Duotrope & Chill Subs! How to submit. To submit a piece, please fill out our submission form. Please submit only one piece per reading period. Multiple submissions will be declined. Our submission form is unfortunately not able to send an automatic response or a copy of your submission; if you aren’t sure if your submission has gone through, please email [email protected]. We’re always happy to check! Wish list. We encourage you to read through the journal to get a sense for the stories that generally speak to us, but here are some specific characters, themes, & forms we’d love to see in this round of submissions! coming soon! Policies. We do accept simultaneous submissions; reprints from defunct blogs, magazines, and presses; and pieces that have been pulled from publication for ethical reasons. We do not accept pieces that are currently still available online. We ask that you include content...

Deadline: January 30th, 2024 Payment: 8 cents per word for fiction, $50 per poem Theme: Character-focused, weird sword-and-sorcery: stories of a dark and transgressive nature, set in a secondary or historical-paranormal (“our” reality, but with a twist, if you will) world, What  We  Want Old Moon publishes character-focused, weird sword-and-sorcery: stories of a dark and transgressive nature, set in a secondary or historical-paranormal (“our” reality, but with a twist, if you will) world, with a focus on rounded characters undergoing some sort of conflict, resolved (though not always successfully!) by the might of their main or mind. ​ We love stories that combine that sense of action and adventure with well-rounded characters who make us question our own realities and perceptions. We love to see the gothic, the baroque, the eldritch, and we love to see it hit with an axe. Weird fiction and sword-and-sorcery can both be slippery terms. That is part of the fun! But, for our purposes we know it may help prospective writers if we list a series of authors and their stories we feel encompass (at least in part) what we love about the borderland of sword/sorcery and weird fiction: ​ Joe Abercrombie ("Three's a Crowd," "Yesterday, Near a Village Called Barden...") Laird Barron ("Oblivion Mode," "Ode to Jode the Toad") Leigh Brackett ("The Sea-Kings of Mars")  E.R. Eddison (The Worm Ouroboros) John R. Fultz ("Chivaine") Robert E. Howard ("The Shadow Kingdom," "Worms of the Earth") John Langan ("The Savage Angela in: The Beast in the Tunnels") Tanith Lee (Birthgrave, "Southern Lights") C.L. Moore ("The Black God's Kiss") Silvia Moreno-Garcia (The Return of the Sorcereress) Michael Shea (Nifft the Lean) Clark Ashton Smith ("The Charnel God," "Necromancy in Naat") E. Catherine Tobler ("The Living, Vengeant Stars, "And After the Fire, A Still Small Voice") Gene Wolfe ("Bloodsport") ​ The...

Deadline: January 31st, 2023 Payment: 3 cents a word and a contributors copy Theme: All horror, ideally cross-genre with fantasy or science fiction Nightmares Before Bed is exactly what you think it is.  This will be our first horror anthology and we want to be clear, no sexual violence, abuse of children, overly disturbing images and ideas, or gore will be published.  We want horror, we want to be scared, but let's do it in a way that is respectful.  We'd love to see fantasy horror or sci-fi horror here.  Closes 11:59 pm 01/31/2024. How you incorporate the quarterly theme in your story is up to you.  We do ask that you make sure the theme idea is not an afterthought, but an integral part of the story.  We want truly want stories depicting underdogs rising to the occasion when it seems all hope is lost. We are looking for polished manuscripts of about 3,500 - 12,000 words (not hard cut-offs, but not too much under/over please) in standard Shunn format. Please include your contact information, including full name and email address and any social media links you may have as well as any prior publications. If your story is nobledark, noblebright, grimdark, or grimbright or something in the middle of all of those that's okay.  Let us take a look. Submissions should be sent to [email protected] as an attached Word doc or docx. Please format the email subject line and your submitted file name as “The Underdogs Rise – by for ”. Accepted authors will be paid $.03/word and receive a contributor copy of the standard mass market paperback. We are purchasing first world-wide print rights for three years from publication (reprints in “best of” yearly anthologies will be allowed). We plan to notify all authors on the outcome of submissions by mid-December. Reprints are...

Submission Window: November 1st, 2023 - January 31st, 2024 Payment: $25 and a contributors copy Theme: Stories that involve an encounter with the literary/mythological/theological Devil Reading from 1 November 2023 through 31 January 2024. Publishing target March 2024. Critical Blast Publishing will be opening their reading period for the third volume in THE DEVIL YOU KNOW anthology collection, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW BEST. We are looking for stories that involve an encounter with the literary/mythological/theological Devil himself in situations that range from comedy to tragedy, via horror, comedy, fantasy, or science fiction. All genres welcome as long as the theme is met. Rights: First serial and e-book rights. Payment: $25 plus author copy; authors also have the opportunity to purchase more books at cost (i.e. the same price we pay to have them printed and shipped) with no limits. Word Count: 2000 - 10000 Query on reprints Send submissions in WORD DOCUMENT  using the William Shunn Manuscript format to: [email protected]. Via: Critical Blast.

Submission Window: December 1st, 2023 - January 31st, 2024 Payment: $25 and a contributor's copy Theme: Horror/suspense stories that take place in swamps, bayous, and marshlands The Cellar Door - Issue #5: Marshland Horrors Compiled & Edited by Aric Sundquist Short Story Submission Call: Dec 1, 2023 - Jan 31, 2024 The Cellar Door is a biannual anthology of dark 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 anthology will be filled from the open submissions. Title: The Cellar Door - Issue #5: Marshland Horrors Theme: Looking for horror/suspense stories that take place in swamps, bayous, and marshlands. Special preference for stories with backwater cults/legends, cryptid monsters, and other slimy creatures lurking just below the water. Type: Creature feature, serial killer, undead/zombies, voodoo/witchcraft, suspense/thriller, cosmic horror. Word Count: 2,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: $25.00 + digital & paperback copy. Featured Author: Scotty Milder Accepted Authors (so far): Cover Art: Mikio Murakami 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. 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. Also, be sure to follow the Manuscript Format guidelines below when submitting. 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, MH Submission: ("Title") by (Author's Name). For Example, MH Submission: "The Raft" by Stephen King. Attach the story as a separate document. Response Time: 4 weeks after submissions close,...

Deadline: January 31st, 2024 Payment: $5 Theme: What happens in the dark? What lurks there? Show me those intimate moments—or the ones that will freak me the fuck out. Or any combination therein. A Literary Journal with Some Art, Comics, and Analysis Thrown in for Good Measure As Quarter Press continues to grow, we’re adding another coin to our pocketful of change. We want to offer a space for shorter works to mingle with art and other bits of nonsense, so we bring you The Quarter(ly): It just makes cents. Issues are themed; however, we consider all interpretations. Please Note: All submission windows may be closed early if “full.” 2024’s Themes and Deadlines: In the Dark (Jan. 31) What’ve you got to show us? Stories and / or Poems For Stories: We’re open to micro works all the way up to 10,000 words. Just keep two things in mind: We want to be engaged and the submission must be completed (no pitches, please!) For Poems: We’d love to see up to five poems from you, but you can always just send one, too. Art As long as it has some tie to the current issue’s theme, we’re open to see any art created in any medium at any time. Just know that it will need to “work in print” and—might—be presented in black and white. We WILL NOT Accept any AI-Generated art. For ART ONLY, you may choose to submit via email by sending jpgs, PDFs, or PNGs to chrisatquarterpress(at)gmail(dot)com Graphic Stories Show us your comic strips or complete short works; we’d love to see them all! Please try to keep submissions to 20 pages or less. Feel free to also send a collection of comic strips / one shot comics, as well. (Please note that our publication size /...

Submission Window: December 1st 2023- January 31st, 2024 Payment: $10 Theme: Stories of any genre by writers who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. We welcome submissions by those who identify with and as any of the following descriptors: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. This is a space for the words, works, and worlds of and by those whose bodyminds defy social expectations and invite new ways of thinking and knowing. We do not need to know the specifics of your identity/diagnosis/experience unless you want us to. We invite closeted and questioning people to share their work, as well as those whose experiences fall outside the confines of the language we used above. We welcome submissions from creators of all ages. We particularly encourage unpublished/emerging/young creators to submit. If you know an incarcerated/institutionalized creator who would like to submit, email us for information as to where to mail the submission, or clearly indicate in your message that you are submitting on their behalf. We publish on a quarterly schedule, with issues coming out on: February 15 May 15 August 15 November 15 We are open for all submissions EXCEPT during publication months. That is to say, we are open for submissions January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and December. Things to note This is a leftist magazine. We hate capitalism, “america,” cops, prisons, borders, neoliberalism, and all the rest. We don’t tolerate white supremacy, zionism, cisheterosexism, ableism, transmisogyny, xenophobia, fatphobia, intersexism, and anti-sex worker sentiment here. We reserve the right to reject and/or remove content from creators whose work does not align with our values. We do not tolerate AI-generated or -assisted submissions. Anyone found to be using AI will have their content immediately rejected/removed...

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2023 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 Mysterion is 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 on their own, that would not violate our no multiple submissions policy. Submitting two...

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2024 Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction, $5 for poetry, 1 cent per word for non-fiction, $35 for cover art Theme: Speculative fiction - Limited demographic window 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...

Submission Window: January 1st-31st, 2024 Payment: 1 cent per word Theme: Any form of speculative fiction that falls under fantasy IMAGITOPIA is a new fantasy fiction podcast and digital magazine produced by Android Press and featuring narrated fantasy fiction plus other fun stuff like author and editor interviews, news and events, and nerd-outs on fantasy tropes and other related topics.  We currently accept submissions of previous published fantasy short stories for REPRINT ONLY to be narrated for the podcast. We'll also publish in print here on the webzine.  Our first submission window opens on September 1, 2023. For more information on when we're open and closed to submissions throughout the year, please see our Schedule. Submissions are only accepted through IMAGITOPIA's Moksha submission portal. Any submissions received via email or any other method will be deleted without review or response. Email accounts inevitable get tons of spam. So this policy helps make sure we don't lose your submission in the email shuffle. But if for some reason you're unable to submit via our Moksha portal, for example due to accessibility issues, please message us using the form at the bottom of this page, and we'll be happy to make alternative arrangements for your submission. *We're a womxn and trans run publication. We hope authors of all types and stripes will submit work, but we especially encourage BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, womxn, people living with disabilities, those living in the Global South, and authors from other marginalized populations. ​ WORD COUNT flash fiction: up to 1,500 words short stories: up to 5,000 words ​ PAY RATE We currently pay 1 cent USD per word for previously published flash fiction and short stories with a $10 USD minimum. ​ GENRES We accept submissions of fantasy and all its subgenres including but not limited to:  ​​ high fantasy low fantasy mythpunk...

Deadline: January 31st, 2024 Payment: $25 USD Theme: Speculative mysteries that include Puzzles. Riddles. Cyphers. Codes that need cracked and ticking clocks that build tension. Puzzles. Riddles. Cyphers. Codes that need cracked and ticking clocks that build tension. Unreliable narrators, secret notes shared in the dark, characters who are in for the surprise of their lives. We want to read your twisty, speculative mysteries. We’re looking for stories that surprise us with a well-drawn plot twist, so please make sure those twists make sense in the context of the story. We are not looking for twists that come from nowhere, but rather ones that click into place when we think back on the previous details in the narrative. We prefer stories set in a rural backdrop with the intimate feeling of a small town. Stories set in a city aren’t an automatic rejection, but they will need to feature the familiarity and closeness of a more rural setting. All stories must feature a speculative element, whether it’s magic or monsters or anything in between. All subgenres of speculative fiction are welcome, although military/political/alien-based sci-fi will be a harder sell. We will judge all stories by their own merits though, so if you think you have something that fits, we want to read it. A note on horror: we are not looking for gratuitous violence, grimdark, or gothic romanticism. All stories must be previously unpublished (this includes your own website/blog). We will not accept any stories featuring bigotry, hateful language, or sexual assault of any kind. This is an anthology for adults so some sex/violence/profanity is fine, as long as it directly pertains to the story and isn’t used solely for shock value. We do want our mothers to read this, so any sex should be fade-to-black rather than overly descriptive....

Submission Window: January 1st - 31st, 2024 Payment: $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue Theme: Any genre, short story Mission = Revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful. Payout = Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Wait, you mean if this substack gets thousands of subscribers, the winner would get thousands of dollars? Yes! The New Yorker pays roughly $7,500 per story and I sincerely hope to go way past that. What does the timeline look like? Submit stories by the end of the month, winner to be announced on the 15th. There is ONE story that wins and receives the full payout. Where do I send submissions? [email protected] What are the rules for submitting? 1. No Fees 2. Send in Microsoft Word or Google Doc form 3. Any genre 4. 6- 10,000 words. Yes, just 6 words, like Hemingway's famous 6-word story "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." 5. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute. 6. Acknowledge Distribution Rights on this Substack - You can still sell your story elsewhere but we need to be able to save and publish it here. The goal is to create a library for subscribers. 7. Only the winner will be published and rights will only transfer for the winning story. What do I get for subscribing? One beautiful story every month. The complete library. The joy of supporting artists and doing something interesting. What if I can’t pay right now? That’s ok! If you publish a blurb about this site on your website, blog, or social media, I will send you one full story of your choosing. Best of all, it is...

Deadline: January 31st, 2024 Payment: 30-50% royalties Theme: chapbook length poetry and prose, short story collections, and completed manuscripts of "shocking writing that is different from mainstream prose and poetry." SUBMISSIONS (OPEN TILL FEB 2024) Hidden Hand Press was founded in 2023 with the intention of publishing the darkest and most intense prose and poetry. We pride ourselves on having publications that defies the norm. The press is based in Mexico and we accept completed manuscripts for publication in English and Spanish quarterly. Our publications are not for the faint of heart.   We accept submissions of unpublished manuscripts only. We want new shocking writing that is different from mainstream prose and poetry. All submissions should be typed in a legible 12-point font like Arial or Times New Roman Single or double spacing is fine Submit in PDF only Please proofread your work before submission   Any submissions that do not adhere to these requirements will NOT be read. All submissions are to be emailed to [email protected]. Email Submission here Notes: We sign the book and pay our authors royalties between 30-50% depending on several factors. We're only accepting previously unpublished manuscripts Via: Hidden Hand Press.

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Car Wars GameLit Fiction Genre: Car Wars GameLit Fiction Theme: Despite the grain blight, fuel shortages, and wasteland raiders, goods and supplies still need to get through. Ride along with the big rig wasteland road crews between cities, keeping civilization civilized one delivery at a time. Concept: We’re looking for stories about Land Trains, Truck Caravans, and the fast action responders running defense for these mega rigs traversing the wastelands from one city to the next. We want plenty of high-intensity action and carnage possible, backed by compelling character-driven stories. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 (standard word count) Opening Essay by: TBD Edited by: William Joseph Roberts Anchor Author: TBD Due Date: February 1, 2024 Email Submissions to: [email protected] with “Convoy Chaos” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality.   What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore adult content) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic...

Deadline: February 1st, 2023 Payment: Fiction: 1¢ per word, Poetry: $10 flat fee, Artwork: $25 flat fee (Cover art is $50) Theme: Lies for Children NonBinary Review is open for submissions on the theme of "lies for children." “If you keep making that face, it’ll freeze that way.” “We found you under a cabbage leaf.” “If you drink coffee, it’ll stunt your growth.” “If you go to sleep with wet hair, you’ll catch pneumonia.” Adults tell children some outrageous lies. Think back to your own childhood and explanations your parents gave you for things you didn’t understand or superstitions they perpetuated. Why do adults feel that children need credulity-straining fictions rather than objective truths? What things do we find so uncomfortable that we can’t explain them to children? How do those lies affect our relationship with the children we lied to, or the adults who lied to us? Some of these lies are benevolent (although kind of weird), but some can be trauma-inducing. We want to hear the stories behind those lies, and the consequences they engendered. We’re NOT looking for fairy tales, re-tellings of children’s bedtime stories, tall tales, Santa Claus/Easter bunny/tooth fairy origin stories, or any other fictions that even children know are stories told for fun. Zoetic Press publishes the best in speculative lit - experimental, interstitial, luminous. We welcome submissions from EVERYONE. The only requirement is that they be in English, or translated into English (we love a translation). If your writing is outstanding, no matter who you are, we have a place for it. NonBinary Review, our award-winning themed lit journal is published quarterly. Each issue revolves around a specific theme, but we're asking contributors to go beyond the old familiar media tropes - we want speculative work that looks at our theme from unexpected angles....

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Space soldiers during an assault Genre: Military Science Fiction Theme: Assault on the beachhead or LZ (landing zone) Concept: We’re looking for the vibe of the ODST from HALO or the men and women from Starship Troopers. These are the soldiers who’re riding flying coffins to the ground so they can make a beachhead for the main assault. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 (standard word count) Opening Essay by: TBD Edited by: JR Handley & Bayonet Books Anchor Author: TBD Due Date: February 1, 2024 Email Submissions to: [email protected] with “Contested Landing” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality.   What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore porn) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations can alter or otherwise move the plot forward in ways that the reader may not expect when properly used, these...

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry Theme: Story must begin with: Mr. Morton needed a new pair of shoes. 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 a contest in the traditional sense. Fiction: All stories must...

Submission Window: January 1st - February 1st, 2024 Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD max, Poems-less than 200 words $10, Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD max Theme: Poison Opens on Monday, January 1, 2024 12:00 AM PST (in 19 days) Last Girls Club Spring Issue Theme is Poison: Poison has an interesting history as a liberator, a political tool, and the perfect murder. It also could mean the poisoning of our air, our water, and our land. Take it where you want. Acceptances will be notified on Feb 15. No more than two fiction or flash fiction stories per author per submission period. Fiction is limited to 2,500 words or less. Authors are paid $0.015 USD per word upon acceptance ($37.50 USD max). Flash fiction is limited to under 1,000 words. Authors are paid $0.015 USD per word upon acceptance ($15 USD max). No more than three poems per poet. Poems are limited to 200 words or less for each poem. Poets are paid $10 USD upon acceptance. I prefer to use PayPal to pay authors, but will work with authors where PayPal is not available. Nonfiction columns will must be pitched to editor in chief before submission. Email your idea to [email protected] The Last Girls Club Magazine is a quarterly feminist horror magazine that publishes international short stories and poems from the female gaze. It is an homage to the scary comics and zines of the late 20th century. Please check on the website for the theme in detail. Submissions will be accepted from Jan 1-Feb 1, April 1-May 1, July 1-Aug 1, Oct 1-Nov 1. Final notifications will be Feb 15, May 15, Aug 15, Nov 15. Authors must be 18+. Submissions from underage authors will not be considered. No more than...

Deadline: February 1st, 2024 Payment: $5 Theme: Splatter/Gore-friendly horror We want solid, entertaining writing that evokes feelings. Carnage House is a splatter friendly web ’zine—so nothing against cozy, but cozy, we’re not. We’re looking for gore, extreme horror, splatterpunk, and horror with sexual elements to it. For a better understanding of what we’ll take, think of the Hot Blood book series or Love in Vein. Or, as a more practical proposition, read our first issue at carnagehouse.com. We invite LGBTQIA and BIPOC themes, and we encourage authors from diverse backgrounds to submit to us. Hard NOs: Nothing with children in an adult manner. If you’re writing a story about a child predator who gets what’s coming to him—great. But we don’t want to read about that predator violating his victims. We won’t publish anything supporting a racist, transphobic, or homophobic agenda, so don’t try it. Our description includes the words “splatter” and “friendly” for a reason. We love splatter, and we’re super friendly. Carnage House is about supporting writers and entertaining readers, and we’re dedicated to both in equal measure. We look forward to reading your work in all its splattertastic glory. The Editors [email protected] Submissions: We want solid entertaining writing. That has to be clearly stated because we are open to gore, extreme horror, splatterpunk, and horror with sexual elements to it. Sounds great? Like anything too good to be true, there is a catch. We have some hard “Nos.” Before you go off about the freedom of expression, remember, this is a web ‘zine, not a government. We donate our time to it and if we’re not getting joy from reading your story we’re not going to publish it. This website runs on our love of horror. Starting Vol 2 (this submission call), we offer a token payment of $5...

Submission Window: February 1st - 2nd, 2024 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,...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 (Extended from original post!) Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints Theme: Stories Featuring Odin Note: Reprints Welcome Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first three books will focus respectively on Odin, Anansi and Medusa. Odin Everyone knows about Odin, the All-father, the one-eyed, all-seeing, powerful King of the Gods, presiding over his great hall Valhalla, surveying the nine realms and the billions of souls. He bears the pain of Ragnarok, the joy of travelling in disguise through Midgard and shapeshifting in the dusk joins his ravens in their flights across the mythic landscape. Featuring new stories from open submissions this enthralling book reveals the larger-than-life stories of Odin and his kin, their adventures in the ancient and the modern world, with the gods, the giants, the valkyrie and the creatures of the epic Norse literature. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have him follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, imagine new futures, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 (Extended from original post!) Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Theme: Stories about Anansi, a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first three books will focus respectively on Odin, Anansi and Medusa. Anansi Anansi is at once a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance. From his origins in West African folklore, to his lauded status in Jamaica, Anansi is a versatile immortal whose many stories reflect the early world of his origins, and the potential for re-imagination. Sometimes dark and chilling, occasionally light-hearted, but always lively and clever, Anansi appears in the lives of everyday folk, pricks the pomposity of the mighty and in this collection of new stories, appears in the modern and the ancient world, a symbol still of individuality and resilience, adapting to City life, with the undertow of ancient lore ever-present. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have him follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, imagine new futures, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 (Extended from original post!) Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Theme: Stories about Medusa Note: Reprints Welcome Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales. New and emerging writers from open submissions, reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well-known stories, alongside specially commissioned text on the origins and the cultural background of the mythology. The first three books will focus respectively on Odin, Anansi and Medusa. Medusa Variously described as a fiend, a monster, a charming seductress who was felled by the righteous might of Perseus, son of Zeus, Medusa is perhaps the most misunderstood of mythological women. Described by male historians and epic writers such as Virgil and Ovid there are many aspects of her imagined life which find resonance in the struggles of the outsider, the cursed and those used in the service of another's vision of the world around them. This fascinating collection brings together new stories and ancient origins, offering a wider perspective on the whole life of the powerful, wonderful Medusa. Stories submitted for consideration need to explore new angles to the character: have her follow alternative paths, present different viewpoints, counter the patriarchal narrative and male gaze, or perhaps pursue story lines that are hinted at in the original tales. Submissions to: [email protected]   Terms: Multiple submissions are fine but must be in separate emails. Simultaneous submissions are fine but you must have the right to license your story in an anthology. For accepted stories we pay Science Fiction & Fantasy...

Submission Window: February 3-4, 2024 for all writers, and February 2-4 for writers who identify with one of the following groups: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled. Payment: 5 cents per word Theme: Brilliant but unloved and rejected horror stories Xanax Hamster knows you have a horror flash fiction trunk story that is your beloved, misunderstood baby, but it hasn’t found a home yet. Xanax Hamster wants to be that home. For one weekend in February, send us your brilliant but unloved and rejected horror stories, maximum 1500 words, for possible inclusion in a biannual (that means twice a year) zine, to be published in June and December (see?). We have room for 4-5 stories in each issue, depending on their word count. Each issue will feature at least one story that’s the first pro-rate sale for an author. Stories are not required to have anything to do with xanax or hamsters, and mentioning xanax or hamsters in your story will have no impact on whether we accept or reject your story. Edited by Ende Mac and Michael W. Phillips Jr. Issue 1 cover art by Bonnie Hockin. Issue 2 cover art by Jacky Kelsey. General Info Subs are open February 3-4, 2024 for all writers, and February 2-4 for writers who identify with one of the following groups: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled. This is a stupid short submission window, but we have to go with what we think we can handle. We will select stories for both 2024 issues of the zine from this one submission period. Stories should be 1500 words or less. Preference will be given to shorter stories. We want trunk stories—stories that have been rejected a bunch of times. We won’t ask for receipts, but if you lie to us—well, just don’t, OK? Pay is 5 cents a word (US$). Payment is via PayPal, but we...

Deadline: February 4th, 2024 Payment: 3 (Euro) cents per word for original fiction and 1 (Euro) cent per word for translations of fiction into English. Theme: Hard SF that zooms out of the personal and lifts off into the structural, the systemic, the epic. There are plenty of amazing print and online journals out there for ‘character-driven’ fiction, and we encourage you to read them. Sci Phi Journal (SPJ) is not one of them, though. Hence, we are not too keen on stories predominantly about the sentiments and subjective experiences of fictional people. We want hard SF that zooms out of the personal and lifts off into the structural, the systemic, the epic. We yearn for carefully crafted philosophical speculation that puzzles over the questions of the future and alternate pasts. And we have a soft spot for stories created as ‘artifacts’ (fictional, ‘in-universe’ non-fiction). So here are SPJ‘s quests: – Campbellian hard SF. Reaching back to the roots of classic sci-fi, these rigorous tales take themselves seriously and push the boundaries of our scientific imagination, scaling from the nano to the meta. The cast, if any, is functional and disposable. It’s the sociological, technological and indeed cosmic developments that sweep the reader up in an expanding sense of wonder. (For a contemporary long-form example that received mainstream attention, see the latter two books of Cixin Liu’s Three-Body Problem trilogy.) – Fictional non-fiction. The purest, most intimate form of world-building. A transcript of the last UN Security Council meeting before an extinction-level event. The dental bills of a cybernetic vampire. Interviews with eyewitnesses of a battle between Martians and archangels. (Epistolary fiction falls within this category, though we encourage you to interpret it more broadly, across the full spectrum of artifact fiction.) Think ‘World War Z’, not ‘Walking Dead’. – Speculative philosophy. Extrapolating abstract ideas to examine the implications if they were to manifest....