August update.
Hope you all got what you wanted subbed in July. I managed to hit the main subs I wanted to get in, Augur, Spirit Machine, Mysterion, Things with Feathers, and a few others.
I just signed the contract for a short story to be published in the Dark Cheer: Cryptids Emerging anthology with a tentative publication date of early 2022. Now I need to work on writing edits as requested for another possible publication.
Other than that, I've now hit 104 total submissions in 2021, and have no plans to slow down, unless I give into the desire to put more work into my novels (either the ones I've already finished or come near to finishing, or new ones). I've listed my basic stats at the end of this blog post, so we can get right to the list of deadlines, windows, and publications for us to submit our creative works to. Best of luck in your writing endeavors everyone. I've also tried to note any places that you can submit poetry, art, and nonfiction. I'm submitting fiction and poetry, so those tend to be the most up-to-date, but do hope the list helps anyone submitting art and nonfiction as well.
Some of my recent reads:
Stephen King's new crime novel Billy Summers: just started listening; superb crime build-up so far.
Neon Leviathan by T.R. Napper: just read the first three stories so far, and wow! Definitely my kind of thing. Dark, psychological, immersive, includes a language that is not English, and makes plenty of connections made between every detail. Napper was a 2015 winner of the Writers of the Future with one of the stories in this anthology, Twelve Minutes to Vinh Quang.
Something is Killing the Children Volumes 1-3: just finished the trilogy and it's perfect. Packed with layered characters and worldbuilding, supernatural suspense that doesn't shy away from violent and dark and terrifying. I won't be reading the single issues yet, though my friend and I chattered for a while about what we guess will happen or be revealed next, but I'll wait until volume 4 is released to read any more of this. It felt on the level of Joe Hill's amazing Locke & Key though with a different focus.
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson: I'm about halfway through and still figuring out what's going on and loving it. So much depth and detail. So many interesting characters and settings. Love the way magic works here, so potent and alive and devastating. The idea of the Warrens! The mix of the moon, the marines, the thieves, the mythology and wars. That detail of the coin helps draw me on through this, but I've definitely been marking many pages and re-reading portions as I move forward. I've been wanting to read this one for quite some time and am not disappointed.
Four deadlines coming up on 8/7: Cossmass Infinities, Fantasy Magazine, Martian Magazine, and Abyss & Apex. Edit: Cossmass Infinities allows up to 17500-word stories now.
Some new adds to the higher paying list include:
8/1-8/7, Martian Magazine
8/1-8/7, Abyss & Apex
8/4-9/1, Uncanny Magazine (short story window), 750-6000 words, 10¢/word, Genre: SF/F
7/31-9/15, Silence in the City (anthology)
9/5-9/11 (only open to BIPOC writers), 9/12-9/18 (open to all writers), Nightmare Magazine
8/10-10/11, Dream Foundry Contest
8/30-10/15, MIRROR, MIRROR: Modern Myths (anthology from Kevin J. Andersen)
10/1-2/1 (tentative dates, listing based on last years details), Jim Baen Memorial Award
6/1/2021-4/15/2022, The Mike Resnick Memorial Award for Short Fiction
Strange Horizons is still not open to fiction subs, but they are open to poetry after August, and they are currently open to art and nonfiction.
Some new adds to the lower paying list include:
8/1-8/31, Dark Moments (drabble monthly challenge, Black Hare Press)
10/31, War (Black Hare Press anthology)
Black Hare Press
Table of Contents (scroll down to each section for clickable links)1. Submission Deadlines/Windows (August 2021 and beyond; 5-20¢/word USD)
2. Publications Open for Submissions (No Specified Deadline; 5-20¢/word USD)
3. Submission Deadlines/Windows (August 2021 and beyond; 1-4¢/word USD)
4. Publications Open for Submission (No Specified Deadline; 1-4¢/word USD)
5. Other Submission Opportunities (Kickstarters, Advance/Royalties, Charities, etc.)
6. Publications Closed
7. Search for More Markets
8. Advice, Motivation, and Workshops
9. More Links
10. Current Submission Stats on my Writing
1. Submission Deadlines/Windows (August 2021 and beyond; 5-20¢/word USD)
8/1-8/7 (midnight UTC), Cossmass Infinities, 2000-17,500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF/F, Simultaneous OK, Note: this window is open to all authors
8/1-8/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
8/1-8/7, Martian Magazine, exactly 100 words (determined by Google Docs), 8¢/word, Genre: SF, wants more cyberpunk/SF horror/tech/starships/holograms/other planets/dark SF/characters making decisions, wants beginning, middle, and end, Reprints OK (4¢/word), Multiple OK (up to 3 submitted in separate emails), Simultaneous OK, include cover letter and short 50-word bio w/ social links in body of email
8/1-8/7, Abyss & Apex, ~1000 words (8¢/word), 1001-10,000 words ($80), Genre: any speculative but no horror, wants good flash fiction of 1250 words or less, Poetry (currently closed)
8/1-8/14, Diabolical Plots, ~3500 words, 10¢/word, Genre: SF/F/H (must have speculative element, i.e. even horror must include a speculative element; welcomes mixing in other genres), anonymous submissions, simultaneous OK, only one submission/window (they do not accept multiple anymore), note: especially likes weird/wonder/strong character and plot arcs/worldbuilding/ philosophical food/readable/religion/platonic friendships
8/16, Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF (Mind Control) or Horror (Memento Mori), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Molly Rosevear at molly@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story
7/1 (8AM UTC) - 8/20 (8AM UTC), Life Beyond Us (anthology), 1000-5000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF (preferably but not necessarily leaning toward hard SF), Theme: explore the unknown (unfamiliar life forms on Earth and beyond; strange life's discoveries and related ethical question), originals only, translations welcome, link to the successfully funded Kickstarter here
8/23, Friends Journal: Quaker Speculative Fiction Special Issue, 500-2000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any speculative (including SF, Fantasy, Alt History, Horror, Romance), Theme: how would the world and the way Quakers live in it be different if X were true?, Note: anonymous submissions; welcomes submissions from Friends and non-Friends alike
8/10-8/31, PseudoPod (Flash Fiction Contest), ~500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: any horror, Reprints OK, Simultaneous OK (if not an Escape Artists podcast)
8/1-8/31, Origins & Encounters (LeVar Burton Reads in partnership with FIYAH), 2800-5200 words, speculative fiction, 1st place = $500 + read by LeVar on the podcast, 2nd = $250, 3rd = $100
8/4-9/1, Uncanny Magazine (short story window), 750-6000 words, 10¢/word, Genre: SF/F.
9/1-9/2, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, open 1st-2nd every month, 1000-40000 words (shorter preferred), 8¢/word (reprints 2¢/word), Genre: F/SF, Poetry ($1/line, ~40 lines, reprints 50¢/word), Articles (2-8¢/word, reprints 1-4¢/word), unedited feedback provided if requested in cover letter, note: closed June-August 2021 and reopening in September with pay rates increased (!) to 8¢/word
9/1-9/7, 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
9/1-9/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
9/1-9/13, PseudoPod, ~6000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: horror (dark, weird fiction; spectrum from grim realism or crime drama, to magic-realism, to blatantly supernatural dark fantasy)
7/31-9/15, Silence in the City (anthology), 2500-5000 words, 6¢/word, Genre/Theme: speculative stories "asking what happens when a city--and all of modern civilization--is plunged into darkness"
9/5-9/11 (only open to BIPOC writers), 9/12-9/18 (open to all writers), Nightmare Magazine, 1500-7500 words (~1000 words for Horror Labs subs), 8 cents/word ($40/poem), Genre: Horror / Dark Fantasy, Multiple Subs: one short story and one sub to Horror Lab (either one flash, one creative essay, or five poems)
9/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF or Horror (the two specific prompts are listed in newsletter at the beginning of each month), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Molly Rosevear at molly@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story
9/30, WotF Q3, ~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 10/1-10/2, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, open 1st-2nd every month, 1000-40000 words (shorter preferred), 8¢/word (reprints 2¢/word), Genre: F/SF, Poetry ($1/line, ~40 lines, reprints 50¢/word), Articles (2-8¢/word, reprints 1-4¢/word), unedited feedback provided if requested in cover letter, note: closed June-August 2021 and reopening in September with pay rates increased (!) to 8¢/word
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, ~10,000 words, Genre: any speculative, anonymous submissions, writing contest judges are Vajra Chandrasekera and Premee Mohamed, only open to new writers (published less than 4000 words of paid speculative writing, earned less than USD320 from that, never nominated for a major speculative award, not a previous winner of this contest), Art OK (separate contest but same deadline)
8/30-10/15, MIRROR, MIRROR: Modern Myths (anthology from Kevin J. Andersen), ~5000 words, 6¢/word, Genre: F/SF/H/magical/romance, Theme: mirrors, reflections, new and fresh once upon a time stories (no copyrighted characters), PG-13
10/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF or Horror (the two specific prompts are listed in newsletter at the beginning of each month), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Molly Rosevear at molly@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story
10/7-10/21, Diabolical Pots (themed anthology from Diabolical Plots), ~3500 words), 10¢/word, Genre: speculative, Theme: any speculative centered around food, Editor: Kel Coleman (especially interested in lush descriptions, immersive world-building, sf high on emotional resonance and low on unexamined imperialism, any kind of prose that is intentional and serves the story)
10/1-10/31, khoreo, ~5000 words, 8¢/word, any speculative, Note: only open to subs from authors identifying as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms (see their website), Non-Fiction OK, Art OK
11/1-11/2, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, open 1st-2nd every month, 1000-40000 words (shorter preferred), 8¢/word (reprints 2¢/word), Genre: F/SF, Poetry ($1/line, ~40 lines, reprints 50¢/word), Articles (2-8¢/word, reprints 1-4¢/word), unedited feedback provided if requested in cover letter, note: closed June-August 2021 and reopening in September with pay rates increased (!) to 8¢/word
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
11/1-11/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
9/7-11/14, One Story, 3k-8k words, $500/story, Genre: any literary, Simultaneous OK, also open to submissions 1/15-5/31
11/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF or Horror (the two specific prompts are listed in newsletter at the beginning of each month), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Molly Rosevear at molly@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story
11/30, ServiceScape Short Story Award 2021, ~5000 words, $1000 for one winner, any genre/theme (see website for previous winning stories)
12/1-12/2, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, open 1st-2nd every month, 1000-40000 words (shorter preferred), 6¢/word (reprints 2¢/word), Genre: F/SF, Poetry ($1/line, ~40 lines, reprints 50¢/word), Articles (2-6¢/word, reprints 1-4¢/word), unedited feedback provided if requested in cover letter, note: closed June-August 2021 and reopening in September with pay rates increased (!) to 8¢/word
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
12/1-12/7, Fantasy Magazine, ~7500 words, 8¢/word, Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy, Poetry ($40/poem, send up to 6)
12/15 (tentative; see newsletter), Flame Tree (Monthly Flash Fiction Contest), 700-1000 words, 8¢/word, Genre: SF or Horror (the two specific prompts are listed in newsletter at the beginning of each month), must subscribe to their newsletter, submit entry to Newsletter Editor Molly Rosevear at molly@flametreepublishing.com w/ theme as subject heading and author details/bio at end of story
12/30, WotF Q3, ~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
10/1-2/1/2022 (tentative dates, listing based on last years details), Jim Baen Memorial Award, ~8000 words, grand prize (published at 8¢/word, engraved trophy, entry into International Space Development Conference, year membership in National Space Society, books and merchandise), 2nd and 3rd place (entry into International Space Development Conference, year membership in National Space Society, books and merchandise), Genre: SF, Theme: the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration
9/1/2021-5/31/2022, Escape Pod, 1500-6000 (reprints 1500-18000), 8¢/word (reprints $100), Genre/Theme: any SF (prefer high clarity and pacing to match their audio format; prefer to see a ray of hope even in darker stories)
2. Publications Open for Submissions (No Specified Deadline; 5-20¢/word USD)
Anathema: Spec from the Margins, 1500-6k words (if 1500-2k words pays 5¢/word), $100 CAD/story ($50/poem), Genre: SF/F/H, Simultaneous OK, Poetry OK (under 100 lines, Non-Fiction OK (1500-3000 words), Limited demographic: queer/two-spirit person of colour/Indigenous/Aboriginal, Note on Genre/Theme: "We are open to any form of genre or speculative content. We talk about what we do as "SF/F/H, the weird, slipstream, surrealism, fabulism, and more," elsewhere on the site. But we are not limited to those genres. Use them as a starting point and send whatever you want: as long as it's got some kind of speculative content we'll consider it. And we are also interested in seeing work that has been difficult to place because of content or perspective."
Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, open 1st-2nd every month, 1000-40000 words (shorter preferred), 8¢/word (reprints 2¢/word), Genre: F/SF, Poetry ($1/line, ~40 lines, reprints 50¢/word), Articles (2-8¢/word, reprints 1-4¢/word), unedited feedback provided if requested in cover letter, note: closed June-August 2021 and reopening in September with pay rates increased (!) to 8¢/word
Cricket, ~6000 words (best = 1200-1800 & 600-900), 25 cents/word, Genre/Theme: middle grade readers (realistic contemporary fiction, historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy, folk tales, myths and legends, and humor), also seeking poetry / nonfiction / puzzles / activities / art, Note: other magazines at the link include Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, Ask, Muse
Strange Horizons (currently closed to fiction & poetry), ~10,000 words (~5000 best), 10¢/word, Genre: SF/Fantasy/Humor/Literary, Poetry (currently closed, $50/poem), Art OK (email, see website), Nonfiction OK (email, see website), closed to fictions subs until further notice (catching up on backlog), open to poetry after August
The Dark, 2000-6000 words, 6¢/word,
Genre: Horror/Dark Fantasy/ExperimentalThe Deadlands, ~5000 words (sweet spot = 3-4k), 10¢/word,Genre/Theme: speculative fiction that concerns itself with death–but also everything death may involve, Reprints OK (~5000 words, 1¢/word), Poetry OK during open periods (currently closed since June 14th; when open: 3 poems/submission, $50/poem), Nonfiction OK (1-4k words, $100/essay), Art OK ($100/cover art)
3. Submission Deadlines/Windows (August 2021 and beyond; 1-4¢/word USD)
8/15-8/30 (9/1-9/7 BIPOC-only), Apparition Literature, 1000-5100 words, 3¢/word, Genre: any speculative, Theme: Wonder, Poetry OK (~2 pages/poem; sub ~5 poems/submission, $30/poem)
8/1-8/31, Dark Moments (drabble monthly challenge, Black Hare Press), exactly 100 words(excluding title and pen name), 4¢/word, Genre: anything dark, Theme: underwater
9/1, Books and Bikes in Space, 1000-6000 words, profits split between contributors (minimum of $50 each + copies of the book), Genre: any speculative/fantastical, Theme: books and bikes must be elements intrinsic to the story, welcomes ownvoices and first-time writers
10/31, War (Black Hare Press anthology), 5000+ words, $50+digital copy, Genre: any dark speculative, Theme: war/conflict, anonymous submissions, wants British spellings, anthology in print and digital formats, include in email real name, pseudonym, ~100 word bio w/ ~4 social links, 40-word blurb, ~500-word synopsis
9/15-11/15, Lamplight Magazine, ~7000 words, 3¢/word, Genre: Dark/Literary, Reprints (1¢/word), simultaneous OK, Note: they are limited to 300 submissions/month and will close each month after that limit is reached
11/15 (reading period begins on 11/15 and ends when reaches goal of 80,000 words), 2000-6000 words, 2¢/word, Genre/Theme: any PG-13 dealing with the idea of Cthlu FhCon (see story prompt on website)
12/31, We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2021 (Neon Hemlock anthology), ~17,500 words, 1¢/word, speculative exploring queerness/transness, reprints from 2021 only, simultaneous OK, multiple OK
4. Publications Open for Submission (No Specified Deadline; 1-4¢/word USD)
Black Hare Press, 5000-17,000 words, $25 (5k-10k), $50 (10k-17k), Genre: anything dark, anonymous submissions, wants British spellings, anthology in print and digital formats, include in email real name, pseudonym, ~100 word bio w/ ~4 social links, 40-word blurb, ~500-word synopsis
The Common Tongue Magazine, 600-6000 words, 3¢/word, Genre: only high fantasy with a dark tone (dark fantasy, grimdark, sword & sorcery), Languages: English or Spanish (translations also accepted), Poetry OK (up to 40 lines), Note: seeking original stories or stories set in their Arthuruin Shared Universe, Nonfiction OK (~2500 words, 3¢/word), Art OK ($200-400)
5. Other Submission Opportunities (Kickstarters, Advance/Royalties, Charities, Requires fee to enter, etc.)
Novellas/Novels:
6. Publications Closed
Blood Knife, ~1200 words, 9¢/word, Genre: SF/F/H (especially likes dark fantasy, gothic fiction, cosmic horror, and cyberpunk), Theme: "emphasis on tone and style than on strict genre adherence," and "the decadent, the grotesque, the weird, the alienating, and the agonizing," and welcomes political content as well as sex/violence/gore, Simultaneous OK, Non-fiction OK ($60 for 800-word article), working through backlog and will reopen "sometime in the summer"
Deep Magic, 1000-40,000 words, 8¢/word up to 7499 words ($599.92 pay cap above that), Genre: SF and Fantasy, Note: PG-13, Reprints OK (2¢/word up to 10,000 words and capped at $200 for longer), Note: permanently closed to submissions; they have just released their Best Of anthology Vol. 2 and I highly recommend it grabbing yourself a copy, and they will also be releasing a summer issue with a gorgeous cover and great stories), permanently closed (they just released their final issue--what a beautiful choice for the cover; might be one of my favs; sad to say goodbye, especially as I enjoyed doing a little first reading for them)
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.), "on hiatus until further notice due to the pandemic," website expired which likely means they have closed for good
7. Search for More Markets
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
8. Advice, Motivation, and Workshops
Eric Witchey has some excellent workshops this month to check out, all leading up to his year-long intensive year-long fiction fluency series I'd highly recommend based on my experience speaking with him on fiction-related topics and reviewing his work in the past
Wulf Moon's Super Secrets: a ton of great advice on writing short stories that win (he runs a workshop that you can peek in on and learn from as it goes)
Wulf Moon also has great workshops at Fyrecon, and is available as a professional editor and voice actor; check out his website for more info
Cat Rambo's Website: lots of good resources and classes
Submitting Short Fiction: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Genre Edition by Holly Lyn Walrath, a useful guide on playing the submission game written in 2019
9. More Links
Personally, I use ProWritingAid to help revise my writing. It's not always right, but it's another helpful tool for wading through revisions. If you want to try it out, use this link to sign up for a free account:
https://prowritingaid.com/en/Account/Register?rafid=xNnjM. If 10 of my friends use the
link, supposedly I'll get a one-year license. Yay!
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 publications
Publisher's Pick Free Ebook of the Month (Maintained by Arc Manor of Galaxy's Edge)
On writing cover letters for submissions to the short fiction market by Christie
10. Current Submission Stats on my Writing
Accepted (2021): 2 (1 short, 1 short w/ request for revision)
Pending (2021): 16 (1 novella, 10 novelettes or short stories, 0 flash/drabble, 5 poems)
Rejections (for subs made in 2021): 86 (1 novella, 43 shorts, 15 flash, 27 poetry)
Submissions Total (2021): 104 (2 novella, 85 novelettes/short, 15 flash/drabble, 32 poems)
Writers of the Future Results for 2021: Q1 SHM, Q2 Rejection, Q3 submitted, Q4 to be written
