Artisans of the Soul: An
Anthology of Teacher Appreciation
This is an anthology by Energy Threads. Their guidelines
say, “Everyone talks about how courageous it is to be a teacher and how they
touch lives, and yet we can never seem to adequately capture the heart of a
teacher through short conversations in passing. … We are looking for pieces
that specifically highlight the strength, courage, and commitment of teachers
to their students. Pieces must be from the perspective of the teacher so that
you can fully highlight the heart and soul of the teacher or mentor you are
writing about. Genres are limited to general fiction, realism, magical realism,
creative nonfiction, fantasy, and literary.” And, “A small select amount
of poetry, drabbles, and flash pieces will be considered if it meets the theme
and is strong enough to stand with the rest of the selected pieces.”
Deadline: 31 July 2023, or until filled
Length:2,500-7,500 words for fiction and nonfiction
Pay: $5-25
Details here.
Taco Bell Quarterly
Their guidelines say, “Taco Bell Quarterly seeks literary/creative essays,
short stories, fiction/prose, poems, comics, art, one act plays, fever dreams,
multimedia, stupid status updates, criticisms, manifestos, recipes and anything
else that explore any and all elements of Taco Bell. Or not. Shoehorn a chalupa
in your short story. Maybe we’ll love it. An elegy for the discontinued menu
items? Fine. … Something that introduces us to inventive form,
dynamic language, and strong voice. Or perhaps it does none of the above. … We
lean towards pieces that are queer and center their pain/joy in a Taco Bell.”
Deadline: 31 July 2023
Length: 500-1,500 words
Pay: $100
Details here and here.
Spoon Knife Anthology:
Smoke & Mirrors
Spoon Knife is an anthology published by the NeuroQueer Books imprint (which
focuses on queerness and neurodivergence) of Autonomous Press; the theme is ‘Smoke
and Mirrors’. “Autonomous Press is now accepting submissions of short fiction,
short literary memoir, and poetry for the eighth volume of Spoon Knife, our
annual genre-bending lit anthology. … The theme for Spoon Knife 8 is Smoke
& Mirrors. All submissions should touch in some way or another on this
theme, but it can be interpreted as broadly and strangely as you like, and as
literally or figuratively as you like (i.e., actual smoke and actual mirrors
need not appear).”
Deadline: 31 July 2023
Length: Up to 3 poems, up to 10,000 words for prose (see guidelines)
Pay: $20, and $0.01/word (see guidelines)
Details here.
Brink Journal: Relief
Their guidelines say, “we accept a variety of creative work from Nonfiction to
Fiction, from Poetry to Translation. But our hearts beat strongest for hybrid
work that falls into the cross-genre category we call Evocations. We are
interested in work that presses boundaries, uses more than one medium to tell a
story, and both looks and feels different on the page. Additionally, we look
for submissions that engage the theme of each issue as well as the idea of
being on the brink.” They are looking for submissions on the ‘Relief’ theme.
“Relief is a form of ease, yes. It’s a delicious feeling of release. It’s that
hopeful buoyancy caused by reassurance that overrides our systems when pain and
distress are alleviated. Relief is physical. It’s emotional and mental, too.
But as a concept, relief implies so much more than deliverance from discomfort.
Relief connotes the remains of a thing left behind; the residue, the leftover,
the left behind. That which stands when everything else lifts away. Relief is
assistance that arrives in the form of aid, support, or help in a time of
danger, need, or difficulty. Relief is a distinct vivid contrast.
You can throw things into relief. You can bring things into relief. Show us,
create for us, those exact things. Take us to the edge, the brink, of relief.”
Deadline: 31 July 2023
Length: Unspecified
Pay: $25-100
Details here and here.
(And Block Party Magazine wants submissions for the Home theme.
They publish Canadian, and also international writers. They pay $10. The
deadline is 15 August 2023. Details here, here,
and here.)
Written Backwards: Qualia Nous, Vol. 2 Anthology
They want dark science fiction and all blended sub-genres of science fiction
(horror, fantasy, etc.) stories and poems. “What does the title mean? It’s up
to interpretation. Qualia: instances of subjective, conscious experience; the
internal and subjective component of sense perceptions arising from stimulation
of the senses by phenomena; the way it feels to have mental states. Nous:
intellections; awareness; perception; understanding; reason; thought;
intuition; the faculty of the human mind; having the ability to understand what
is true or real; practical intelligence.
While not many like the term “literary,” that is what this anthology is looking
for: groundbreaking work that break normal conventions and will stand the test
of time, propelling emerging and undiscovered writers into the mainstream.”
Deadline: 31 July 2023
Length: Up to 10,000 words for fiction
Pay: $0.10/word capped at 3,000 words for short fiction ($300), 5,000 words for
long fiction ($500 for novelettes between 7,500 – 10,000 words); $50 for short
poems, or $100 for long poems.
Details here.
Escape Artists: PseudoPod – Anthologies and Collections Reprint Call
PseudoPod publishes horror fiction in audio and online formats. “We’re looking
for horror: dark, weird fiction. We run the spectrum from grim realism or crime
drama, to magic-realism, to blatantly supernatural dark fantasy. We publish
highly literary stories reminiscent of Poe or Lovecraft as well as vulgar
shock-value pulp fiction. We don’t split hairs about genre definitions, and we
do not observe any taboos about what kind of content can appear in our stories.
Originality demands that you’re better off avoiding vampires, zombies, and
other recognizable horror tropes unless you have put a very unique spin on
them. What matters most is that the stories are dark and compelling.” Until 31st July
2023, they are accepting reprints only, for their Anthologies and Collections call
– they want to purchase submissions of “reprints from anthologies and
collections released at any point in 2023.” (And for a brief period in August,
they will be open for unthemed/general original horror fiction submissions; see
their schedule. Do
not send original fiction now.)
Deadline: 31 July 2023 for reprints
Length: Up to 6,000 words
Pay: $20-100 for general reprints
Details here (guidelines
for general submissions) and here (Submission
portal and details of the reprint call).
(– Also, Cosmic Horror Monthly, which publishes horror and weird
fiction and related nonfiction, is open for submission until 7th July
2023. They pay $0.03/word for stories up to 5,000 words, up to $150.
Details here.
— Another project open now is the Sonoran Horror anthology
from Aphotic Realm Magazine – they want dark, sinister, or eerie stories,
“horror that showcases the sunbeaten land and the creatures and mysteries that
dwell there”; pay is $0.01/word for stories of 1,000-5,000 words, and the
deadline is 15 July 2023. Details here.
— The Cellar Door Issue #4:
After Tomorrow is accepting submissions too, they want “post-apocalyptic
suspense/horror stories about how mankind has come to survive after
our near annihilation. Humorous stories are welcome.” Pay is $25 for stories of
2,000-10,000 words, and the deadline is 31 July 2023; details here.)
Flash Frog: Flash Frogtober
They want flash fiction that is “Small. Brightly Colored. Deadly to the Touch.”
They accept general submissions year-round, with some exceptions; they accept
ghost story submissions during July. “Flash Frog is currently only open for Flash
Frogtober submissions until July 31st. This means we want your ghost stories!
Send us your traditional ghost stories, the ones that haunt and scare. Send us
your unconventional ghost stories, the ones that make us rethink what a ghost
story can be. We are open to your interpretation, so surprise us!”
Deadline: 31 July 2023 for ghost story submissions
Length: Up to 1,000 words
Pay: $25
Details here.
(And December Tales II Anthology from Curious Blue Press is
also looking for ghost story submissions of 2,000-3,500 words.
Pay is $25, and the deadline is 15 July 2023. Details here.)
FIYAH: Belonging
They publish speculative fiction by Black writers of the
African Diaspora. They also publish nonfiction and poetry. They are reading
submissions on the ‘Belonging’ theme, in collaboration with the Othering and
Belonging Institute (OBI) at UC Berkeley. “For this Belonging issue, we are
looking for stories highlighting why, where, and how Black folks belong across
the diaspora and multiverse. Imagine a moment in time or another universe where
Black people aren’t forced to question our right to be ourselves. We want to
see courageous narratives about forging new relationships for the betterment of
all, including the planet/land, whether among the diverse peoples of our global
community or with beings from faraway worlds. We are looking for fun and
dynamic adventures that give rise to a sense of belonging and showcase the
importance of community.”
Deadline: 31 July 2023
Length: 2,000-15,000 words for fiction, up to 4 poems
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction, $50/poem
Details here and here.
The Last Girls Club:
This One’s for the Weirdos
This is a feminist horror magazine. The theme is ‘This
One’s for the Weirdos’. “Most of us know what it is like to not fit in, to not
know how to fit in or to even want to. This one is for the freaks, the geeks,
the neurospicy, and the monsters who can’t quite make themselves fit the mold.
The villagers are out there with the pitchforks and torches. What are you going
to do hotshot? Or are you the one that fits in and undermines from the inside?
Take it where you want.” They accept fiction and poetry submissions, and
nonfiction pitches.
Deadline: 1 August 2023, or until filled
Length: Up to 2,500 words for fiction; up to 3 poems
Pay: $0.015/word up to $37.50 for fiction, $10 for poetry
Details here and here.
(And Banshee, a ‘journal for women who scream’, wants submissions
for their Homeland issue. They pay. There is no deadline
listed. Details here.)
Monosyllabic Queer Theory
This is a poetry anthology call for queer writers. The challenge is “to
transform your favourite queer theory text into a poem that uses only single –
syllable words. Monosyllabic Queer Theory will be a book-length poetry
collection that welcomes all forms of poetry (short, long, prose poems, free
verse, highly formal, and beyond).” They have extensive guidelines (with
examples), including, “Queer theory – simply put, ideas about what it means to
be queer – has sometimes been known for obtuse writing. But does readability
necessarily require simplification? Can writing be both accessible to a wide audience
and offer complicated ideas about sexuality, gender, and desire? Is something
lost in the translation of queer theory into digestible bites? Is something
gained? If the ideas of queer theory have not yet realized their full potential
in mainstream culture, is this an issue of “bad writing”? Can poets help?”
Deadline: 1 August 2023
Length: Unspecified
Pay: CAD250
Details here.
(And Fifth Wheel Press is looking for work by queer, trans,
and gender variant writers on the ‘dreamland’ theme. They pay $5,
and the deadline is 31 July 2023. Details here.)
B Cubed Press: Alternative Leadership
They want fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for this anthology. “Leadership by
the under-represented, by those too often forced to watch as those less
qualified, less capable rise in a system that cannot see the value of diversity
and change.
We’re looking for broken barriers of all kinds. Can a man lead the National
Organization of Women? Can a woman lead the NFL Players Association? Not
in our current world, perhaps, but maybe in alternative worlds?
This will be a book about those things, in government, in the PTA, in the
Horde, in the town or village. In the world. About the Orc would be King of the
Goblins, the woman who would be Pope. The only limits are those of your own
imagination. … The Alternatives series often uses humor and satire as a way of
looking at issues. You don’t have to write satire or humor to sell us a story,
but it sometimes helps. We are unabashedly social justice fans and love
redemption.”
Deadline: 1 August 2023
Length: Up to 5,000 words preferred for fiction (see guidelines)
Pay: $0.03/word
Details here and here.
Mysterion: Speculative
fiction with Christian themes
They want science fiction, fantasy and horror stories that engage meaningfully
with Christian themes, characters or cosmology. The stories need not teach a
moral, or be close to an approved theological position, or be pro-Christian.
They are especially interested in stories that show Christians from cultures
beyond those of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. They also accept
translations and reprints. They have two annual reading periods for fiction,
January and July. Art is accepted through the year.
Deadline: 1 August 2023
Length: Up to 9,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here and here.
The First Line Journal
They want fiction and poetry that begins with pre-set first lines, one for each
quarterly issue. For nonfiction, they want critical articles about your
favorite first line from a literary work. For fiction and poetry, the first
line for the Fall issue is: ‘As soon as Harriet entered the building, she
headed to the seventh floor.’
Deadline: 1 August 2023
Length: 300-5,000 words for fiction; 500-800 words for nonfiction Pay: $25-50
for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry (less postage fee for international
writers who want print contributor copies – see guidelines)
Details here.
Occult Detective Magazine
Their guidelines say, “We are looking for intriguing fiction which features
those who investigate or explore the strange and unusual, and we are eager to
read submissions featuring a diverse range of characters, cultures and periods.
So although we do enjoy and accept classic Victorian/Edwardian sleuths,
seventies PIs and so on, a fresh twist is always likely to interest us. Your
‘investigator’ does not have to have a professional role, and can be anyone
seeking answers – check out what we have already published to see the very
broad range we cover. Tales with more varied geographical and historical
settings are encouraged as a welcome change from the usual 21stC UK and US
settings (though we take these as well, naturally). We love weird literary
tales, will consider well-written Pulp, and will also accept fantasy and SF
stories, as long as they fit the overall concept. Do not send us detective
stories with no paranormal, occult, psychic or weird elements – or general
weird and paranormal stories with no investigative work of any nature.”
Deadline: 1 August 2023
Length: 5000-10,000 words for fiction; 2,000-4,000 words for nonfiction
Pay: £0.01/word for fiction, with a cap of £45; nonfiction is also at
£0.01, with a cap of £25
Details here (scroll
down – download guidelines).
Queens in Wonderland Anthology
Their website says, “This is an LGBTQ+ Alice in Wonderland themed anthology,
and we want to see it all. Throw some of those iconic characters into space.
Put them in an urban fantasy. We’d love to see a cyberpunk or decopunk (or any
punk!) version. A classic Lewis Carroll version would be good too. Feel free to
take any of the characters (don’t forget about the White Queen or the Dormouse)
or use any of the world-building from the classic Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass and what Alice Found There you wish.”
Please see their note about contributor copies.
Deadline: 31 August 2023
Length: 1,500-5,000 words
Pay: $20
Details here.
Lampblack Magazine:
Labor
They want submissions from Black writers only; fiction,
nonfiction, and poetry on the Labor theme. Their website says,
“We are committed to the advancement of Black literature through direct aid,
programs for writers and readers of Black literature, and a magazine dedicated
to voices from the Black diaspora.” And, “Across the diaspora, we experience
labor in different ways: labor of love; emotional labor; physical labor;
service work; the resistance of labor. For the third issue of Lampblack
magazine, we invite you to submit poetry, short fiction stories, and
non-fiction essays on the subject of labor.” Please note, at the time of
writing, there was no deadline given in the submission guidelines.
Deadline: Unspecified
Length: Up to 10 pages of poetry; up to 20 pages of prose
Pay: $350
Details here.
