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Saturday, September 5, 2020

September: personal updates and updated submission deadlines for publications paying 5¢/word or higher

Greetings my fellow fiction fans and writerly types,

I realized that my motivation was dropping significantly due to a number of factors, one of which was trying to sort out enough paying work in my side jobs (mostly teaching and voice acting at the moment, and working on starting up a gig with a business partner) as well as an inability to focus due to too much happening at once. Other reasons included summer heat, time with family, video games, and novel reading. With a promising story, I'm struggling through, a fellow writer helped me get back on track by reminding me "What would Kowal do?" which helped me simplify my story, or at least focus it. I've done a ton of research into Japanese and Filipino mythologies for one of my current stories, as well as research into the use of masks, immigration politics, online bullying, trans identity, and more. Love the story, but it will be a hard one to wrap up. Probably means it's one of my better ones.

In August, I got a minor personal from Clarkesworld, but the next publication I sent the story to didn't go for it, so the process continues without any successes to report yet. I did manage to wrap up an application for a novel grant, which included a summary/pitch of the novel, samples of the work, and the general reasoning behind the grant application. It was nice to touch base with my novel writing again. Sadly, I missed the submission deadline for the Grimdark for newbie writers contest (Matthew War Pay It Forward Writing Competition). The deadline was 9/4. I really wanted to enter that, but I just didn't have the proper story ready and/or available. Maybe next year if I haven't gotten published yet.

Personal Goal of 100 Rejections in 2020 (current stats)
2020  Rejections: 61 (36 short, 23 flash, 2 poems)
                Pending: 16 (13 short, 2 flash, 1 novel grant app)
                Total 2020 Submissions:  77

With this post, I'm only updating the deadlines that pay 5¢/word or higher. Those are the only ones I'm paying attention to in my current submission rounds.

I noticed some September deadlines missing from my submission deadlines list, so I've added them in here. I added Escape Pod and PseudoPod. For those publications paying 5¢/word or higher, these are the ones coming up in September (see further details below), Multiplicity of Stories (due tomorrow), Fantasy Magazine (fantasy), Cossmass Infinities (SF/F for under-represented authors), Nightmare Magazine (horror, dark fantasy), Flame Tree Flash Fiction Contest, Upon a Once Time (fairy tale mashups; ending early), Flame Tree's Terrifying Ghosts story call, Reckoning (environmental), Incoming Magazine (comic pitches), Writers of the Future Quarter 4 (any spec), PodCastle (Fantasy), Escape Pod (SF), Future Science Fiction Digest (positive East Asia SF), and Ombak (South East Asian writers only).

Coming up in October is another Fantasy Magazine window, Cossmass Infinities (SF/F, all authors), PseudoPod (Horror/Weird), an Unmasked anthology, and the Dream Foundry Contest (any spec; for new/unpublished writers). Also note the anthologies that have opened up with windows closing at the end of December: Cemetery Media Gates Untitled Flash Anthology (various Horror themes), Lost Contact (Horror/Weird),  three anthologies from Zombies Need Brains seeking god/goddess stories, ship stories, and cultures in conflict stories. Also, The Wild Hunt anthology is still open until early next year.

Submission Deadlines in September and Beyond (pay 5-20¢/word USD or equivalent)



9/7-9/13, Nightmare Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror, BIPOC authors only, Poetry (up to five poems, $40/poem), Reprints OK

9/14-9/20, Nightmare Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror, Poetry (up to five poems, $40/poem), Reprints OK

9/16, Flame Tree Flash Fiction Contest, ~1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme #1: Horror/Werewolf Curse, Genre/Theme #2: SF/Shared Worlds, Note: sign up for their newsletter to get notified of these every month and read the past winners 

7/1-9/18, Upon a Once Time, 1000-3000 words, 8¢/word, Theme: mashup of two fairytales, Genre: SF/Fantasy/Grimdark/New Weird/Dying Earth/genre-bending

8/28-9/20, Flame Tree short story call, 2000-4000 words, 8¢/word, Genre/Theme: Horror/Terrifying Ghosts, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK, Multiple OK, Send stories to 2020@flametreepublishing.com and "include Terrifying Ghosts in the subject header of your submission email," Note: subscribe to Flame Tree's newsletter for advance notice of these submission windows

9/22, Reckoning: 5th Issue, ~20,000 words, 8¢/word ($30/page for poems), Genre: SF/F/General, Theme: enivironmental justic, Simultaneous OK, Poetry OK (prefer multiple 3-5 poems <10 pages, but send only one if longer)

9/25, Incoming Magazine, Pitches for 20-page black and white comic, Genre: SF, £ 800/$1000, email story outline (text/storyboard) and a selection of concept art/past work to: magincoming@gmail.com

7/1-9/30, WotF Q4, ~17000 words (aim for 3000-10,000), 8¢/word, prize money (1st $1000, 2nd $750, 3rd $500, annual grand $5000, plus Hollywood workshop; semi-finalists get feedback), Genre: F/SF, Note: contest for new writers w/o 4+ pro-level publications; the forum is very helpful, especially the Super Secrets thread; free workshop available on website

9/1-9/30, PodCastle, ~6000 words (3000-4500 best), 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy, Simultaneous OK, Reprints ($100 for >1500 words, $20 for flash), Multiple OK (one flash, one short)

9/30, Escape Pod, 1500-6000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any SF, Reprints OK ($100/story) 

9/30, Future Science Fiction Digest, 500-10,000 words (~5000 preferred), 8¢/word, Genre: SF, Theme: positive East Asia

9/30, Ombak Magazine, ~4000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: F/SF/H (weird fiction), Simultaneous OK, Limited to authors from Southeast Asia

10/1-10/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)

10/1-10/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is open to all authors

8/10-10/11 Dream Foundry Contest, Words ~10,000, prize (1st $1000, 2nd $500, 3rd $200), Note: contest for new writers (have published 4000 words or less, earned $320 or less from those words and never been nominated for a major award), Note: winners are not published but do receive critiques along with the financial reward

9/1-10/31, UnMasked: Stories of Risk and Revelation (WordFire Press), ~5000 words, 6¢/word, Genre: SF/F/H/alien/magical/witchcraft/AI/romance, Theme: unmasking must be central to story, PG-13 audience, Edited by Kevin J. Anderson

10/15-11/2, PseudoPod, 1500-6000 words (4500 best) or ~1499 words (500-1000 best), 8¢/word, Genre: Horror/Dark Fantasy/Weird, Simultaneous OK (if not both Escape Artists publications)

10/31, Chiral Mad 5, ~5000 words (poetry: ~50 lines, up to 5 poems), 6¢/word (poems:$1/line) Theme: The End Is The Beginning / The Beginning Is The End, Note: for underrepresented demographic only, "If you are not part of an underrepresented demographic (POC, LGBTQIA+, female), please do not submit at this time, but feel free to send recommendations", Note: proceeds go to BLM

11/1 Weird Christams Flash Fiction Contest (3rd annual), ~350 words, prize money (1st=$50, 2nd=$25,10+HMs=$5, Genre: SpecFic/SF/F/H/Humor/Weird, Reprints: query, Note: accepts narrative poetry, multiple entries OK

10/15-11/2, PseudoPod (General Submissions), 1500-6000 words (4500 best), 8¢/word, Genre: any horror, Reprints OK 

11/1-11/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)

11/1-11/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is only open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors

11/30, ServiceScape Short Story Award, ~5000 words, $1,000 USD (one winner), Genre: any

11/30: Cast of Wonders (General Submissions), ~6000 words (best 3000-4500 or flash <1000), 8¢/word, Genre: any YA, Note: good feedback provided last time I submitted

11/30, Strange Horizons, open every Mon 16:00 UTC - Tue 16:00 UTC, ~10,000 words, 10¢/word, Genre: all speculative, (Note: closes for all of December, Poetry OK, Non-Fiction OK

11/30-12/4, Fireside (Autumn 2021 Issue), ~3000 words, 12.5¢/word, Genre: Any (English or Spanish) 

12/1-12/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)

12/1-12/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is open to all authors

8/7-12/26, Cemetery Media Gates Untitled Flash Fiction Anthology, 500-1000 words (submit 1 story per theme, up to 5 stories), 8¢/word, Genre: Horror, Theme: Cemetery Chillers, Spook Houses, Supernatural Slashers, Witchcraft, Within the Woods

12/31, Lost Contact, 1000-7000 words, 5¢/word, Genre: Horror/Weird Science, Theme: use lost contact idea as you please and link it with horror and technology, Simultaneous OK

8/27-12/31, THE MODERN DEITY’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING HUMANITY, DERELICT, and WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (three anthologies from Zombies Need Brains LLC), 7500 words, 8¢/words + royalties, Theme 1: urban fantasy w/ a god/deity, Theme 2: SF/F about abandoned ships, Theme 3: SF/F about colliding cultures, Sub to contact@zombiesneedbrains.com w/ name of anthology and title of story submitted, Multiple OK (separate emails), Reprints/Simultaneous NO

1/1-1/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)

1/1-1/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is only open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors

2/1-2/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)

2/1-2/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is open to all authors

7/1-2/28/2021, The Wild Hunt: Stories of the Chase, 1000-3000 words, 8¢/word,  Theme: The Wild Hunt's folklore, myths, and drama), Genre: SF/Fantasy/Grimdark/New Weird/Dying Earth/genre-bending

3/1-3/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)

3/1-3/7, Cossmass Infinities, 2000-10,000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is only open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors

8/10/2021-8/31/2021, PseudoPod (Flash Fiction Contest), ~1500 words (500-1000 best), 8¢/word, Genre: any horror, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK (if not an Escape Artists podcast)


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NOTE: I HAVE NOT UPDATED THE LISTS BELOW SINCE EARLY AUGUST

Submission Deadlines in August and Beyond (pay 1-4¢/word USD or equivalent)

8/30, Heartwreck: Romantic Disasters at Sea, 2000-5000 words, 2¢/word, Seeking personal essays and creative memoir about love gone wrong at sea

8/15-8/31, Apparition Literary Magazine, 1000-5000 words, 3¢/word, Genre: Speculative/Fantasy/SF/Horror/ Literary, Theme: Satisfaction 

5/1-8/31, Under the Hooded Monster Contest, 1000-10,000 words, grand prize $100, Theme: YA fantasy short stories about a person facing and overcoming a monster

8/31, Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, 1500-5000 words (not strict), 6c (AUD) per word, Genre: speculative, Theme: body horror related to pregnancy/birth/babies, Note: for Australian writers only, Reprints OK (sort of)

8/1-8/31, Curiosities, ~7500 words, 4¢/word (reprints 1¢/word), Genre/Theme: dark corners of retropunk (steam,diesel,dread,bronze, and others, but no atompunk)

9/15-11/15, New Tales of Fairy Godmothers by Kate Wolford, 4000-7500 words, 1¢/word, Genre: fairy tale fantasy, Theme: new fairy godmother tales that refresh/subvert the trope, simultaneous OK

9/15-11/15, Lamplight Magazine, ~7000 words, 3¢/word, Genre: Dark/Literary

1/4-11/15, In Darkness Delight Anthology (Corpus Press), 2500-7500 words, 3¢/word, Genre: Horror, SF (soft)

11/30, Women Destroy Retro Science Fiction, 750-1500 ($10) or 1501-2500 words ($15), Genre/Theme: retro-futurism with a female filled world of impossible wonders, Note: Women authors only (Transwomen authors accepted because transwomen are women)

12/1 Worldbuilding Fantasy Anthology, 3500-7000 or 9000-15,000 words, flat payment (short $100; novella $200), Theme: Politics as Conflict. Genre: any Fantasy (PG-13)

3/15/2021-5/15/2021, Lamplight Magazine, ~7000 words. 3¢/word, Genre: Dark/Literary


Publications Open for Submission (No specified deadline; pay 5-20¢/word USD or equivalent)











CLOSED TO SUBS UNTIL FEB 2021 Hybrid Fiction, 500-5000 words (or serialized novellas), 6¢/word, Genre: speculative hybrid/cross-genre (blend of 2+ genres, such as dark fantasy, steampunk western, historical fantasy, weird western, crime fantasy, etc.)










Where to search for submission windows on your own?




Where to Submit Short Stories: 30 Magazines and Websites That Want Your Work, a decent list with a literary focus

28 Themed Submission Calls for August by S. Kalekar, submission possibilities including a few good ones I haven't had time to add to the lists above

Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: plenty of updated lists of agents, calls for submission, contests, conferences, recipes, and more


Need motivation for the submission game? 

Submitting Short Fiction: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Genre Edition by Holly Lyn Walrath, a useful guide on playing the submission game written in 2019

Submission Tetris: An Analytic Approach by Laurence Raphael Brothers, a brief but useful consideration of what and where to submit in the submissions game from SFWA


Also, great advice at these links below

Charlie Jane Anders' advice: chapters from her forthcoming non-fiction book Never Say You Can't Survive with new chapters released every Tuesday

Delilah S. Dawson's page of links, including her advice on how to get published


And here, more links

This is a listing of speculative award winners. Go read, study, and improve yourself.

Here are grants to apply for with the Speculative Literature Foundation

This is a listing at critter.org that shows general response times of various publishers and magazines

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