These are calls for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Some of the themes include time, magic, Elder Gods and ancient terrors, margins, holiday romance, music and smashing medical paternalism. Most of these pay writers, from token to pro rates.
Sword & Sorceress 33
They want sword and sorcery stories with a strong female protagonist that readers should care about. They are willing to consider urban fantasy, but there will be only one of these in this anthology.
Deadline: 13 May 2018
Length: Up to 9,000 words, with preference for shorter
Pay: $0.06/word as advance against royalties
Details here.
Cast of Wonders: Banned Books Week – Libraries
This YA speculative fiction podcast features stories is celebrating Banned Books Week, an annual international event celebrating the freedom to read and raising awareness of the immense social value of free and open access to information. The theme for 2018 is Libraries. Stories could be about “books that need reading, of the hidden tomes that wait for just the right reader, and of characters in search of their story…. about the heroism of librarians, the power of walls and shelves, of hold requests and index cards, and the truths they safeguard.”
Deadline: 15 May 2018
Length: Up to 3,000 words
Pay: $0.06/word
Details here.
Scourge of the Seas of Time (and Space): A Pirate Anthology
This is a call for pirate stories, including those who sailed the Caribbean under the Jolly Roger, Barbary Corsairs, pirates in the China Sea, in the ancient Mediterranean or in outer space. They are fans of women and queer pirates and those with diverse backgrounds. They would prefer adventure to romance, but romance subplots are fine. They accept reprints.
Deadline: 15 May 2018
Length: 5,000-6,000 words (can accept 4,000-7,500)
Pay: $100
Details here.
Blood Bound Books: ‘Best of’ Anthology
To celebrate their 10th year of publishing anthologies, Blood Bound Books is publishing a ‘Best of’ fiction anthology, a limited-edition hardcover, which will feature picks from their old books and also new work. All sub-genres of horror are accepted – extreme, bizzaro, erotic, new weird or splatterpunk.
Deadline: 31 May 2018
Length: 500-7,000 words
Pay: At least $0.05/word, up to $0.08/word (see guidelines)
Details here (scroll down).
Apotheosis 2: More Stories of Survival After the Rise of the Elder Gods
Lovecraft Mythos stories often climax at the moment of the fateful return of the Elder Gods, and the audience is left to ponder what might happen next. For this anthology, they want stories about humanity under the reign of the Elder Gods and ancient terrors. They are looking for character-driven stories set during a time in the future where the ancient terrors that once ruled the Earth have claimed complete and utter dominion of the Earth. The editors are less concerned about the strict interpretation of the Elder Gods than good stories that deal with real human concerns. How do people survive? How does life change? Will people accept their new gods or will they rebel? What will it mean to be human in such a world of gods and monsters? They welcome diversity. See guidelines for further details about editor preferences.
Deadline: 31 May 2018
Length: 2,000-7,000 words
Pay: $0.03/word
Details here.
Slice Literary Magazine: Time
They will consider fiction, nonfiction and poetry on the theme of Time.
Deadline: 1 June 2018
Length: Up to 5,000 words for prose
Pay: $250 for long stories and essays, $75 for flash fiction and poetry
Details here.
Ye Olde Magick Shoppe Fantasy Anthology
Stories in this fantasy anthology need not have a literal shop; however, they must include as a significant plot element the selling of a magical good or service, by someone whose profession this is. Whether this is interpreted positively or negatively (legitimate business, black-market dealer, etc.) is up to the writer. Payment is based on the project’s Kickstarter success.
Deadline: 1 June 2018
Length: 3,500-7,000 words
Pay: $100-500 if the Kickstarter succeeds, $25 if it does not
Details here.
SubTerrain Magazine: Margins
They welcome fiction, nonfiction, commentary and poetry from all writers, including underrepresented groups and are currently accepting work on the theme – about life on the margins, being on the border or edge of society. There is no fee for mailed submissions.
Deadline: 8 June 2018
Length: Up to 3,000 words for fiction, 4,000 words for other prose
Pay: CAD0.10/word for prose, up to CAD500; CAD50 per poem
Details here.
Less Than Three Press: Home for the Holidays
This LGBTQ+ romance publisher wants stories on the theme. Their website says, “In a busy world where something always needs to get done and it feels like family and friends always have to be pushed to last place, holidays are one of the few times we allow ourselves to come together with loves one—or enjoy some valuable quiet time alone.” This call is for the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum, including aromantic stories that focus on friendship/queerplatonic relationships. They accept any sub-genre, including sci-fi, mystery etc.
Deadline: 30 June 2018
Length: 15,000-40,000 words
Pay: Royalties
Details here.
Alban Lake: City in the Ice
This publishing house “with a preference for science fiction and fantasy” asks writers to create a story set in a place in Antartica, and based on real and imaginative events that have been inspired by the place – they have a detailed, specific timeline about these on their submissions page and stories must fall within the given timeline and refer to at least two of these events, whether real or imaginary. Deadline: 30 June 2018
Length: 3,000-10,000 words
Pay: $25
Details here.
NonBinary Review#18: The Wind in the Willows
They want writers and poets to explore the theme “in any way that speaks to them: re-write a familiar story from a new point of view, mash genres together, give us a personal essay about some aspect of our theme that has haunted you all your life.” Submissions must have a clear relationship with a specific aspect of the source text. They want fiction, essays and poems relating to Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 book The Wind in the Willows.
Deadline: 24 July 2018
Length: Up to 5,000 words, or up to five flash pieces of 1,000 words each; poetry up to three pages
Pay: $0.01/word for prose, $10 for poetry
Details here.
Room Magazine: Magic
This Canadian feminist literary magazine accepts submissions by women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people. They are accepting fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry on the theme of Magic. Any sub-genre as well as a blend of genres is welcome.
Deadline: 31 July 2018
Length: Up to 3,500 words for prose, up to 5 poems
Pay: CAD50-150
Details here.
Smash Medical Paternalism
They want essays, short stories, poetry, and visual art on the topic of paternalism, i.e. abuses or violations of rights that are said to happen for one’s own good, for this anthology. Submissions should convey some aspect of what it is like to experience paternalism and/or the impact of paternalism. They are specifically looking for work from members of paternalized groups, including people of size, of color, LGBTQ people, deaf people, autistic people and youth. Examples of paternalism may include institutionalization, discrimination or denial of medical service based on weight/size, denial of pain management and corrective rape. Submissions should in some way promote each person’s right to make their own decisions about their bodies and minds, as well as celebrate diverging from culturally constructed notions of normality and health.
Deadline: 1 September 2018
Length: 500-5,000 words
Pay: Unspecified
Details here.
Opossum: Music
They want stories, essays, non-fiction and poems that relate to music in subtle, oblique and surprising ways.
Deadline: Unspecified
Length: Up to 12,000 words for fiction and non-fiction; up to 1,800 words for flash fiction and non-fiction
Pay: Minimum $100 for fiction and non-fiction, or $12/page; $75/poem, negotiated rate for a set of poems; $75-150 for flash fiction and non-fiction
Details here and here.
Gray’s Sporting Journal: Yarns
This journal of hunting and fishing has a column called Yarns, which are campfire tales, where writers can submit features that are fact or fiction. The magazine mainly publishes articles on fishing and hunting, expedition articles (travel pieces with hunting and fishing), and some poetry.
Deadline: Rolling
Length: 750-1,500 words; see guidelines for other features/columns
Pay: $600 for yarns, $600-1,250 for features, $850-1,000 for expedition pieces
Details here.
FurPlanet Anthology: Exploring New Places
They ask for anthropomorphic stories about furries going someplace new – these can be anything, from a comedy about someone going on a packaged vacation to an exotic resort where everything goes wrong, or a romance where they find Mr. or Ms. Right, to a horror story about an expedition to explore a new planet. The rating is G or PG for this anthology, and it will be published in time for the AnthroCon in July. Authors should query with the editor first. Also see guidelines to their other anthology with a later deadline: The Rabbit Dies First, in which, you guessed it, a rabbit has to die first.
Deadline: 31 May 2018
Length: 4,000-20,000 words (will accept shorter, willing to discuss longer)
Pay: ½ cent/word
Details here (scroll down).
