CLOSED: Mad Scientist Journal

This market has closed and this post is for archival purposes only.

This e-zine primarily publishes “scientific papers” by mad scientists. Or, at least, fiction that could be loosely considered such. They must be written in a first person perspective of some sort.

It should also have something to do with “mad science.” We are willing to be flexible on the mad science part, but not the first person part. This can be an essay or newspaper article, but the presumed narrator is someone in the fictional world.

We are willing to take almost any genre for this: humor, SF, fantasy, horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, pulp adventure. All we ask is that it be well written and fit within the needs of this e-zine. Gratuitous anything that doesn’t add to the story is discouraged. Reprints will be considered. We accept multiple submissions, but not simultaneous submissions.

If your story is accepted, we ask that you provide a fictional identity as the source of the article, with bio. Authors will still be credited under their own name. We just want to maintain the atmosphere of “scientific journal.” So, for example, your story might be “An Examination into the Giant Albino Fire Moles” by Professor Higglepiggle, as provided by Joe M. Author.

We currently are publishing a new short story every week on the site. We collect them on a quarterly basis into a book (print and digital) with exclusive content in the book.

Flash Fiction

These stories should be 500-2000 words and stand alone. They must be written in a first person perspective of some sort. If you have a recurring character you’d like to use in future submissions, that would be wonderful.

Short Fiction

These stories should be 2,000-8,000 words and stand alone. They must be written in a first person perspective of some sort. If you have a recurring character you’d like to use in future submissions, that would be wonderful.

How We Want It

Submissions for short fiction should be 2,000-8,000 words in length and use Standard Manuscript Format. Flash fiction should be 500-2000 words and also in Standard Manuscript Format. There are many variations to this on the Internet. We prefer this one: http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html.

Please also put “Sparkle Pony” underneath your contact information in order to prove you’ve read this.

How It Will Appear

We are currently running one new story every Monday on the site. These will be collected into quarterly anthologies.

What We Pay

For flash fiction, we offer $10 for exclusive first worldwide electronic and print rights and for nonexclusive reprinting rights. For short fiction, we offer $20 for the same rights. For reprints, we offer half what we would pay for new fiction and ask for nonexclusive reprint rights. We pay our authors via PayPal.

Please Be Aware

Most publications will not reprint fiction that has appeared in online or print format elsewhere. By selling to a token paying market, you are limiting your ability to make more money off of your fiction. It is up to you, the author, to decide whether you want to give up First Publishing Right for token payment.

How To Send It

You will want to send it through our submission form on Submishmash: http://madscientistjournal.submishmash.com/submit

Questions? Queries can be sent to [email protected].

Via: Mad Scientist Journal