These are 20 themed submission calls in the 14 markets listed here for writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Some of the themes are classics remixed, fierce, mystery, urban nature and the environmental challenges of cities, classic fairy tales populated with gay Bears, AfroMyth, the magic of dogs (and cats), Christmas, me-time, Anne of Green Gables, and witches, warriors and wyverns.
All but one of these calls are paid, from token to pro rates. Some of the publishers have not announced deadlines, and are open until filled.
At the end the list there is also a list of 4 contests for writers – all of them have themed calls, give cash prizes, and none charge an entry fee.
Claw
& Blossom: Fierce
They want
fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. For the September Equinox issue, the
theme is ‘Fierce’. All work must also contain elements of the natural world.
For poetry, they are partial to free verse, and not so keen on the more
traditional forms. Prose can be one piece or linked micros, and genre work is a
tough sell.
Deadline: 8
September 2019
Length: Prose up to 1,000 words; one poem
Pay: $25
Details here.
Fantastic
Books: Horror for the Throne – One-Sitting Reads
They want horror reprints for this anthology, on any
theme. However, they do not want bathroom horror.
Deadline: 15 September 2019
Length: 500-2,000 words
Pay: $20
Details here.
Reckoning: Urban nature and the environmental
challenges of cities
They want fiction, creative nonfiction,
and poetry on environmental justice, and welcome writing that is personal. They
are currently reading work on urban nature and the environmental challenges of
cities. See submission requirements by the editors of fiction
and creative nonfiction, and poetry.
They specially want work from Indigenous writers, writers of color, queer and
transgender writers, and anyone who has suffered the consequences of society’s
systemic disconnect with and mistreatment of the natural world.
Deadline:
Autumn equinox (23 September 2019)
Length: Up to 45,000 words
Pay: $0.06/word
Details here.
AfroMyth
2: A Fantasy Collection
They want
adult stories (no erotica, though some romance is acceptable). They want
stories about magic, gods, mysticism, and mythical creatures; old fairy tales
with an Afrocentric twist. The main character should be of indigenous African
descent. Their guidelines also say, “You aren’t restricted in your chosen
setting, but priority will be given to stories featuring human characters who
live in this world, or some version of it.”
Deadline: 30 September 2019
Length: 1,000-7,500 words
Pay: 1.5 cents/word
Details here.
Eastern Iowa Review: All Things Anne
Their tagline is “a journal of good spaces”. They are reading fiction, creative
nonfiction, and poetry on Anne of Green Gables (the books, not the film), and
are also accepting artwork. Their guidelines say, “Fiction
must be about some aspect of Anne Shirley, Green Gables, or the many related
characters of the 8 book series. … Your timeline can be original or current
or even futuristic, and even a pre-Anne timeline would be interesting. New
settings are welcome but please have enough Anne (and/or friends) in them to
satisfy the Anne lover. Anne on Mars? Why not? Gilbert and Moody Spurgeon or
Roy Gardner in a land battle against the dinosaurs? That would be fun! Tell us
a little backstory about Miss Stacey, or…”. For creative nonfiction, they want
work about Lucy Maud Montgomery or Prince Edward Island or anything related to
the actual history of the series. They also accept poetry and artwork on the
theme. There is no monetary payment, though one piece may be chosen for an award.
Deadline: 30 September 2019
Length: Unlimited
Pay: One piece may be chosen for an Editor’s Choice Award of $25
Details here.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Eight
themes
They want inspirational, true stories and poems about ordinary people having extraordinary
experiences. The anecdotes should be told in the first person, and have a
beginning, middle, and end. They have several upcoming themes:
– Laughter Is the Best Medicine (changed from: I Can’t Stop Laughing!):Their guidelines say, “We are looking for
stories about something that happened to you in your life – in your
relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or
friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out
loud.” Some suggested topics are: obsessions, annoying habits, embarrassing
moments, and family foibles. The deadline is 30 September 2019 (extended).
– The Golden
Years or Second Wind: They want
humorous or serious stories of life after 60. Some of the suggested topics are:
time for a new career, trying new things, bucket lists and adventure, the
wisdom of age, new passions, and raising grandchildren… or still raising grown
children! The deadline for this is 30 September 2019 (extended).
– You Go,
Girl: They want work about today’s woman, who is is independent, self-confident and feisty but at the same
time, nurturing, loving and caring. They want true stories on how you are
running your life, how you became empowered and achieved independence. Some
suggested topics are: sexual harassment and how you fought back, self-esteem –
understanding that you are terrific and can do anything, being brave enough to
take educated risks, equality in the workplace, in promotions, job
responsibilities and pay, girls and women in sports – at school, college,
professionally, Olympics; and balancing marriage, kids and your own
independence. The deadline is 15 December 2019.
– Stories About
Self-care and Me Time: They want stories
about self-care, which is not just about physical health but includes your
emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. They want stories about how you
neglected your self-care and then how you realized its importance and so you
now engage in it. The deadline is 31 December 2019.
– The Magic of Cats: They want stories about the magic of your cat or the magic
of a cat you know. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both. The
deadline is 15 January 2020.
– The Magic of Dogs: They want work about all the heartwarming, inspirational,
and magical stories you have about a dog and the magic that dog brings to your
life or the life of your family. The deadline is 15 January 2020.
– Stories about
Christmas: They are collecting stories for their Holiday 2020 book and are
looking for stories about the entire December holiday season, including
Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and New Year’s festivities. Stories
should be “Santa safe”. Some suggested topics are: holiday traditions, holiday
humor, memories of the holiday season, and the love of family. The deadline is
30 January 2020.
– Listen to Your Dreams: Their guidelines say, “When we are asleep, we dream. Are dreams a
connection to the unconscious mind? Are they omens of things to come—both good
and bad? Dreams are often the way we tap into our own inner wisdom. … We want
to know about your dreams. What have you learned from your dreams? …Did any
of your dreams come true? Did a dream strengthen your faith or help you change
the direction your life was headed in?” Some suggested topics are: dreams about
finding love, dreams that saved you or a loved one from danger/death, dreams
that changed the direction of your life, dream journaling and how to use your
dreams more effectively, and learning to trust your inner guidance. The
deadline is 28 February 2020.
Deadlines: Various
Length: Up to 1,200 words
Pay: $200
Details here
(book topics) and here
(guidelines).
Black
Beacon Books: The Black Beacon Book of Mystery
They want stories for a mystery anthology. Their
guidelines say, “This
anthology will combine the best new mysteries with classic reprints from
yesteryear, so give us a masterful tale. You’ll need an engaging and memorable
protagonist who can hold his or her own against Sherlock Holmes and Auguste
Dupin. Above all, we want a clever puzzle the reader can try to solve. Throw in
clues and red herrings, make our readers work their “little grey
cells”, as Hercule Poirot puts it. The mystery could be a crime, but it
could also be a historical or archaeological investigation, a treasure hunt,
getting to the bottom of a local legend… it’s up to you, but it must be a
mystery the reader can delve into and try to solve before your protagonist.
Think Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, Jonathan Creek, even Nancy
Drew or Scooby Doo, but be damned clever about it!” They will accept
stories in English and French. They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 30 November 2019
Length: 2,500-7,000 words; novellas up to 25,000 words
Pay: £0.01/word for short stories; £100 for novellas
Details here.
Excalibur 2020: Tales From Beyond Tomorrow Volume 3
This anthology celebrates the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The editors
are looking for speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, or horror).
Their guidelines say, “The work must have a thematic connection to Japan and/or
the Olympics. This could include:
Works set in cities during their Olympic years; for example – Paris 1924, Berlin 1936, the first Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Barcelona 1992, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and so on (We are also willing to accept non-fiction memoirs of Olympic years, depending on the circumstances).
Works of fiction with a theme and setting of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics specifically.
Works
mainly based on aspects of Japanese society and culture with a tangential
connection to the Olympics.” For writers who have an idea for a story connected
to Japan or the Olympics that doesn’t fit any of the points above, the editors
are willing to discuss the story over email. They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 31 December 2019
Length: 2,500-10,000 words
Pay: $100
Details here.
Lackington’s:
Birds
This Canadian speculative fiction magazine wants
stories on the ‘Birds’ theme. Their guidelines say, “Do you
have a story about soaring through the sky, about harbingers or omens, about
feathered folk or folktale fodder?
Birds are possibly the creatures we see most often day to day—we certainly tend
to hear them.
Help us put together an issue that demonstrates their range, colour,
character, and wit, whether they preen themselves on Earth or someplace you’ve
created.” Also, “The “spec” element can be overt
or subtle (so blow us away with realism if it possesses the merest twinge of
strangeness). Fantasy, SF, slipstream, post-apocalyptic, magic realism,
mythopoeia, folktale, grimdark, weird, or any flavour of ‘punk, it’s all good
… meeting our style preference is our foremost demand. We prefer stories with
experimental prose and structures, but second-person POV narratives have become
a hard sell”. They like stories that
experiment with structure, and which incorporate elements from poetic or
dramatic forms. They welcome translations, and certain reprints. They pay for
illustrations.
Deadline: Open now (will announce on Twitter a week or two before they close)
Length: 1,500-5,000 words
Pay: $0.01/word
Details here.
Lethe Press: Burly Tales
They want short stories and novellettes that
adapt classic fairy tales, but populated with gay Bears – “Strapping heroes are
fine as long as they are stout.” All the stories should have a measure of
whimsy and/or wonder, and be romantic with a happily ever after or
happy-for-now ending. Also, “Erotic content is not a necessity but our burly
men should be sex-positive about their lives.” Writers are advised to check the
site before sending their stories to avoid doubling up of fairy tale ideas.
They also accept reprints. Submissions opened in August, and the closing date
has not been specified. Also scroll down the page to see their guidelines for a
reprint anthology featuring gay erotica with at least one chubby protagonist.
Deadline: Open now
Length: 5,000-15,000 words
Pay: $0.05/word
Details here.
Unfit Magazine: Stories that bend
the rules of science
They publish fiction: Quantum Fiction,
Cyberpunk, Alternative Histories and Steampunk.
They want stories with metaphors and emotional ambiance and imaginative
descriptive writing. Currently, they’re looking for stories that bend the rules
of science. They also accept nonfiction, and reprints.
Writers will need a URL to submit stories (see guidelines).
Deadline: Open now
Length: 500-3,000 words
Pay: $0.03/word for fiction; $0.01/word for nonfiction
Details here.
Unreal
Magazine: Stories that bend the rules of magic
They
publish fiction: fantasy, magic realism, and experimental fiction. They also
accept nonfiction, and reprints. Currently, they are looking for stories that
bend the rules of magic. Writers will need a URL to submit stories (see
guidelines).
Deadline: Open now
Length: 500-5,000 words
Pay: $0.03/word; $0.01/word for nonfiction
Details here.
TANSTAAFL Press: Of Witches,
Warriors, and Wyverns
For
this anthology, they want fantasy fiction on the theme, ‘Of Witches, Warriors,
and Wyverns’. See guidelines for the detailed list of tropes they do not want
(including urban fantasy, and werewolves and vampires). Their target is to have
this work available by GenCon 2020. They will read submissions until they have
their target word count for the anthology, currently at about 70,000
words.
Deadline: Open now
Length: Up to 8,000 words; stories above 5,000 words have to be exceptional to
be considered
Pay: 2.5c/word; 3c/word for writers who’ve been published before by this press
Details here.
THEMED CONTESTS
The
Horne Prize: Australian Life
This prize is for an essay that addresses some part of the
theme ‘Australian Life’. Essays should be 2,500 to 3,000 words. Writers need
not be published or professional writers, or Australians to enter – they seek insights from all writers who have been engaged with or
affected by Australian culture. The essay could be a
profile, a reported feature on a particular issue, or a series of vignettes.
There are a few kinds of writing they are not looking for, including essays
that look on the past without that reflecting on the present or the future,
lyric or memoir essays that are purely expositional, or
essays about David Horne (see guidelines). The winner must get to Melbourne in
December for the prize ceremony; domestic travel and hotel expenses will be met
if necessary.
Value: AUD15,000
Deadline: 16 September 2019
Details here
and here.
The
Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing: Love Letters
They want love letters for
this contest. Their guidelines say, “Entries
should be in the form of a love letter and entrants are free to write about
whatever they wish as long as the theme of love and the form of a letter are
adhered to. Each entry can contain more than one letter, provided that the
maximum word count is 1500.” The contest is open to anyone aged 16 years or
older.
Value: £100, £50, two prizes of £25 each
Deadline: 21 September 2019
Details here.
The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition
They want a 600-word piece on ‘The
best writing tip I’ve ever received’. The contest is open to writers all over
the world.
Value:
AUD200/£100
Deadline: 30 September 2019
Details here.
The Academy for Teachers: Stories Out of School
They want stories, of 6-749 words, about teachers and schools. The story’s protagonist or narrator must be a K-12 teacher. Sentimentality is discouraged and education jargon is forbidden. The stories will be published online by Electric Literature. The contest is open to all adults.
Value: $1,000, $500
Deadline: 1 October 2019
Details here and here.
