These are themed calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some call themes are: fairy tales; harbinger; vacations; Little Red Flags – Stories of Cults, Cons, and Control; creature features; tumbleweed; secrets of the snow globe; vampires; and Achilles. Some deadlines are approaching quickly.
THEMED SUBMISSION CALLS
Orange & Bee
This is an Australian Substack-based magazine, and they accept work related to fairy tales. They have detailed guidelines, including, “We are seeking original works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction that engage in a significant way with the long history of fairy tales. We are interested in works that stretch, expand, test, subvert, and challenge the fairy-tale tradition.” All their submission periods are listed on their website.
Deadline: 14 August 2024 (midnight AEST)
Length: Up to 1,000 words for flash fiction, up to 4,000 words for short fiction/non-fiction, up to 50 lines for poetry
Pay: $80 for flash fiction, $0.08/word for short fiction/non-fiction, $50 for poetry
Details here.
Apparition Lit: Harbinger
This is a quarterly speculative fiction and poetry magazine. They will be reading submissions on the Harbinger theme during the second half of August. As part of their equity initiative, they have a one-week extra reading period for writers who self-identify as BIPOC in their cover letters; they will also accept simultaneous submissions from writers who identify as Disabled, BIPOC, or LGBTQIA+ (see guidelines). Sadly, this will be the last issue of Apparition Lit – see the announcement for magazine closure here.
Reading period: 15-31 August 2024 for general submissions; will extend by a week for BIPOC writers (see guidelines)
Length: 1,000-5,000 words for fiction, up to 5 poems
Pay: $0.05/word for stories, $50/poem
Details here.
(Apparition Lit also has a themed flash fiction challenge, open on the first fortnight of every month – see guidelines.)
khōréō
You can submit to this magazine only if you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms (see guidelines). They’re open for fiction (including flash fiction) submissions, as well as fiction translation pitches and submissions (see their submission portal). They accept “fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it — as long as there’s a speculative element. We’re especially interested in writing and art that explores migration. Examples include themes of immigration, diaspora, and anti-colonialism, as well as more metaphorical interpretations of the term.”
Deadline: 15 August 2024
Length: Up to 5,000 words for original fiction, up to 3,500 words for translations
Pay: $0.10/word
Details here and here.
The Bad Day Book Anthologies
They publish nonfiction prose and poetry anthologies on various topics. “The Bad Day Book is exactly what it sounds like. A book for bad days. No matter how you look at it, some days are just bad days. Often times you are able to look back on those days and laugh about what happened. The Bad Day Book is here to help you take a step back and realize one day you may laugh about what is happening. Or, it might even help you realize that compared to others, maybe it isn’t really as bad of a day as you thought.” They have various topics they are accepting submissions for, and a few of the deadlines are in August: Teachers (deadline 15 August), College Life (deadline 30 August), and Special Needs & Disabilities (deadline 30 August 2024). There are other topics listed too with no deadlines, including (but not limited to) Vacations; Love Stories; and At Work. Submission is via a form.
Deadline: See above
Length: Up to 1,200 words
Pay: $40-75
Details here and here.
Cast of Wonders: Young Author Showcase
This is a young adult speculative fiction online magazine and podcast, from the Escape Artists suite of magazines. They have extensive guidelines about what they consider to be YA, please read them carefully. They also welcome submissions from writers under 18 years of age. They also accept translations and reprints. They’ve opened a submission window for young authors only, those less than 20 years of age as on 31 August 2024 – see details of their schedule here and read about the special Young Author Showcase call here.
Deadline: 31 August 2024 (young authors only)
Length: Up to 6,000 words (query for longer – see guidelines)
Pay: $0.08/word for originals
Details here and here.
Haven Speculative
This speculative fiction magazine will open a submission window for all writers (7-13 August) and another for underrepresented writers only (14-31 August 2024). Their general guidelines say, “We like stories that are subtle in their telling and stick with us long after we’ve finished, and we’re more likely to buy stories that balance a sense of wonder with a bold plot and emotional depth. For our two issues focused on the climate crisis, we’re particularly interested in publishing stories from people displaced by or threatened by the climate emergency. For our other four issues, we’re open to a wide variety of stories across the SFF and weird spectra.” They publish two climate emergency focused issues each year: the Wet issue in September, and the Dry issue in March. They accept fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Their submission form will be active during the reading period.
Reading periods: See above
Length: Up to 6,000 words for fiction, up to 1,000 words for nonfiction, up to 5 poems
Pay: $0.08/word for prose, $20 per poem
Details here.
Collective Madness – Schisms of the Soul
This is a project of Collective Tales Publishing. “We are publishing a dark fantasy anthology of short stories in the theme of “schisms of the soul.” Examples of this could include: Going insane, complicated ethical dilemmas, dimensional rifts, puppet masters, transformations (people becoming monsters or animals), hive minds, etc.”
Deadline: 13 August 2024
Length: 1,000-3,000 words
Pay: $15
Details here and here.
Dark Waters Volume 2
This is an anthology from the Dark Waters podcast. For the second volume of their anthology, they want stories on “whatever “dark waters” means to you – stories of trepidation, the unknown, the dangerous, the creepy, the suspenseful.” They prefer crime/horror/noir genres. And, “All stories are welcome but we are not particularly interested in high fantasy/cosmic horror/romance without crime, horror, or noir serving as a main element”.
Deadline: 15 August 2024
Length: Up to 7,000 words
Pay: “up to $25, depending on length & option for contributor copy”
Details here.
Dark Matter Magazine: Little Red Flags – Stories of Cults, Cons, and Control
This is a thriller, suspense, and psychological horror fiction anthology. They have detailed guidelines, including, “The warning signs were there: those little red flags. But in the beginning, it all looked rose-colored. You thought you were getting community, belonging, and purpose. Maybe a lucrative new career. Maybe even salvation. Instead, you got control, fanaticism, greed, manipulation, and terror. Bring us your fiction stories of fanaticism, fundamentalism, extremism, and control. We want to read about cons people pull off that make our jaws drop.The horrors hiding just beyond the edges of our better judgment. … We’re not interested in stories that revolve around ideologies or theologies.Instead, we’re seeking stories that focus on the ways charismatic predators and extreme ideas lure vulnerable, well-meaning truth-seekers and turn ordinary people into monsters.” Please see the detailed guidelines (including hard sells) and comp titles. They also accept translations.
Deadline: 16 August 2024
Length: 1,000-4,000 words
Pay: $0.05/word
Details here.
Saros Speculative Fiction: Science Fiction Issue
Saros is a new magazine, and a sister publication of Fusion Fragment. Each issue will have a different prompt/guidelines, and a different guest editor. For their first issue, they want science fiction stories only. “Original science fiction or SF-tinged literary stories … We are happy to see science fiction from all subgenres, though we do appreciate a touch of the bizarre. Our preference is for personal stories that are weird, dark, thoughtful, mythic, or wondrous. Blended genres and bleak stories are welcome and encouraged! We love well-realized settings, strong narrative voices, and a focus on character.” And, “Stories that feature time travel, high action, zombies, child narrators, or narration by inanimate objects will be harder to place.”
Reading period: 5th – 18th August 2024
Length: 2,000-15,000 words
Pay: CAD40
Details here.
Truborn Press: Punk Goes Horror
This is a fiction anthology. “This is going to be a horror-centric anthology. Punk (and Rock in general) can evoke skulls, ghosts, death, human monsters, love, loss, and rage all amongst burning wastelands galore, and we think that the right stories for this collection will find fun ways to reflect that aesthetic. Please understand that the term “Punk Rock” is being used loosely …. We’re excited to see stories from all across the rock spectrum. Pop Rock is fine. Metal is fine. Emo, Hardcore, Glam Rock, Stadium Rock, have fun. … We will only be selecting one story per band.” And, “The songs you choose should serve as inspiration only. One or two uses of direct lyrics are fine, but please use them sparingly.” (Also see the list of bands that invited authors have already chosen – do not send stories around those bands.)
Deadline: 25 August 2024
Length: 2,000-4,000 words
Pay: $0.05/word
Details here.
(Submissions are also open for the Close My Eyes Forever: Crime Fiction Inspired by Heavy Metal Hits anthology; pay is $25 and the preferred story length is 3,000-5,000 words; “LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC characters and authors very, very strongly encouraged.” Deadline 31 August 2024; details here.)
Hellbound Books’ Anthology of Creature Features
They have various open calls for anthologies, and most of them are closing for submissions in August. One of the themes is Creature Features – “So many of God’s creatures have been used to gruesome, horrifying effect over the decades – rats, spiders, giant centipedes (HBB’s very own ‘Pede!), crabs, rabbits, frogs, slugs, worms, myriad members of the insect class, and so many, many more…
Our challenge is for you to create something wholly unique using creatures that have been featured before, those who have not received a mention thus far (killer koalas, anyone?), or some hideous, creature of your won design – which ever way you choose, make it blood-curdling, terrifying, and as scary as Hell!”
Deadline: 30 August 2024
Length: 4,000-10,000 words
Pay: $5
Details here.
Black Hare Press: Tumbleweed Anthology
Black Hare Press has various projects open for submissions now, including the Tumbleweed fiction anthology. “In the desolate landscapes of Utah (or, in fact, any real or fictional place you choose), a bizarre phenomenon unfolds as thousands of tumbleweeds amass, engulfing residential yards, barricading buildings, and rendering roads impassable. But these tumbleweeds are not mere botanical oddities; they harbour an ominous secret.
We invite speculative fiction and horror writers to explore the sinister depths of this phenomenon.
What if tumbleweed isn’t just tumbleweed? Where does it originate? What dark forces propel its relentless advance? What horrors does it bring with it? Does it herald the onset of an apocalyptic upheaval, a world consumed by its sinister presence?”
Deadline: 31 August 2024
Length: 2,000-10,000 words
Pay: $20-25
Details here (click on ‘Short Stories’)
Alien Dimensions: 100,000 Years of Galactic Peace
Their website says, “Issue #27 returns to Alien Dimensions’ general overall theme of far future PG-rated space fiction with science. However, what I’m looking for to vaguely link all the stories, if at all possible, is something that results in 100,000 years of utopian galactic peace amongst 300 million alien races. So, your story contains a catalyst, evolutionary advance, or invention that leads to this peace, or the story simply takes place during this long period of peace. Definitely no fighting stories! Think Utopia. Think solutions, not wars. Discoveries not conflicts. Take a cosmic perspective, with a touch of the multidimensional multiverse.” Sadly, this will be the last issue of Alien Dimensions (for now) – the magazine might be back in 2027.
Deadline: 31 August 2024
Length: 5,000-7,000 words
Pay: $20
Details here.
West Avenue Publishing: Secrets of the Snow Globe
This is a fiction anthology. Stories “must be set at Christmas and a snow globe must feature. Accepted genres are fantasy and horror, as well as all sub genres of the two.”
Deadline: 31 August 2024
Length: 4,000-10,000 words
Pay: £10
Details here.
Reverent: An Anthology of Divinity
This is a fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry anthology on the Divinity theme. “This theme is open to interpretation and isn’t limited to only angels (though angel themed submissions are welcome). Where do you see divinity in everyday life? Or what is the divinity that we, as mortals, will never reach? Does divinity exist in every one of us? How beautiful can divinity be, or how horrible?” There is a detailed wishlist of the kinds of work the editor wants, please read it carefully. Also, please note, “This anthology will have an open call for pitches. During the month of August, writers can submit a pitch (150 words max) alongside a recent writing sample or a writing sample from the pitched work (400 words max) – even if your piece is complete, you will still need to pitch.”
Deadline: 31 August 2024 (for pitches – see guidelines)
Length: 1,000 – 6,000 words for short stories, up to 40 lines for poems, up to 2,000 words non-fiction
Pay: $50
Details here.
Snake Bite Books: Creature Feature Classics #2
This is a fiction anthology about vampires. “We’re looking for a variety of stories so feel free to go in any direction your brain might wander – the more whacky, the better. We want a mixture of sub-genres so stories that think outside of the box will have a stronger chance of success. The less classic, haunted middle-age castle stories the better – if you feel strongly about yours do send it, but we want our inbox to be packed with variety. Horror with humour is warmly invited too.”
Deadline: 1 September 2024
Length: 3,000-8,000 words
Pay: £20
Details here.
The Other Stories Podcast
This is a horror/sci-fi/thriller fiction podcast from Hawk & Cleaver. They accept themed fiction submissions of up to 2,000 words. Some upcoming themes are: Shakespeare, deadline 1 September; Bleeding Hearts, deadline 1 November; and Found Footage, deadline 1 December 2024.
Deadlines: See above
Length: Up to 2,000 words
Pay: £15
Details here, here, and here.
Speculation Publications: Evergreen – Tale of Winter Shadows
This is a fiction and poetry anthology. “As cold and silence envelopes the earth, and all things lie dormant, we all move inward and lean toward hibernation, shadow work and self-reflection. From all over the world, within the darker days live many celebrations of good triumphing over evil, light’s victory over darkness and of seeds planted deep, waiting to slowly reach for the sun and burst into life. What we want: Your unique, fictional stories of the dark and stillness and what light brings out of the shadows. Stories of transformation. Stories of cold forests, elves and magickal places. Stories of witch magick, the occult and ghosts. We want modern retellings of Yaldā, Soyal, Roman Saturnalia or the Dongzhi Festival. Stories of the winter solstice, Bodhi Day, Diwali, Hanukkah, Omisoka, and Kwanzaa. Look into your ancestral roots and tell us about the long dark nights and short, but bright, days of light your ancestors endured, and tell us how they made it through.” They also say, “We Are Buried in Christmas Horror and Need More Stories from other Winter Solstice Based Holidays and more Fantasy and Mysticism.” They also may close significantly earlier than the deadline if they have enough stories.
Deadline: 6 September 2024, or until filled
Length: 2,000-7,000 words for stories, up to 4 pages for poetry
Pay: $20 for fiction, $10 for poems, $5 for reprints
Details here.
Eye to the Telescope: Outlaws
This is a speculative poetry magazine. For the Outlaws theme, they say, “Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, Belle Star, Wyatt Earp, Bonnie and Clyde … Robin Hood, Aladdin, Zorro, Jean Valjean, the Joker, Villanelle … Malcolm Reynolds, Zoe Washburne, Peter Quill, Gamora, Han Solo, Sam and Dean Winchester … outlaws have a perennial hold on our imaginations, equal parts romanticized and demonized, revered and reviled, admired and loathed, depending on whose side you’re on. Outlaws are anti-heroes. They destabilize existing systems of power, erasing the illusion of control in societies. They bring with them and leave in their wake disorder, chaos, violence, destruction, loss, and death. But on the other hand, they also point to possibilities—of throwing off the shackles of propriety and authority; of living life on their own terms and according to their own ethical codes, standards, and values; of the possibilities that exist beyond established socio-political and cultural structures. I’m looking for your take on outlaws, defined broadly—give me your space cat renegades, your dryad anti-government environmental activists, your fed up monsters ready to throw down against the powers that be, your alien mercenaries, your dynamic lover-robbers, your charming assassins, your child-thieves: make them loud, make them stealthy, make them in-your-face, make them subtle, make them violent, make them pacifist, make them winners or losers, lovable or loatheable—whatever you do, just make sure it’s in verse form, memorable, vivid, and speculative.” They also accept translations.Deadline: 15 September 2024
Length: Up to 3 poems
Pay: $0.04/word (up to $25)
Details here.
Flame Tree Publishing Anthologies
Flame Tree is open for two anthologies in their Myths, Gods, and Immortals series; Morgana le Fay, and Achilles. Please see the links for details on each theme. They also accept reprints for both anthologies, which will be published in hardcover.
Deadline for both anthologies: 22 September 2024
Length: 3,000-4,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word for originals
Details here (Morgana le Fay) and here (Achilles).
(Flame Tree is also open for another anthology, This Way Lies Madness, “dark stories featuring monstrous manifestations of trauma and guilt, paranoia and persecution, anxiety, addiction, and crippling terror.” Original stories only, no reprints. Pay is $0.08/word for stories of 2,000-4,000 words and the deadline is 13 October 2024.)
THEMED CONTESTS
(There are also some unthemed contests open this month, including:
— Lunch Ticket’s Diana Woods Award in Creative Nonfiction for a creative nonfiction piece of up to 5,000 words, prize $250, details here, and Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts for translators and authors of multilingual texts, prize $200, details here; deadline for both awards is 31 August 2024.
— Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen Scholarship: This is for professionals (and collectives) in various disciplines, including literature and art. The scholarship is €1,500 per month (less certain costs), residency at Schöppingen, Germany; and up to €3,000 for collectives; deadline 31 August 2024; details here and here.
— Amazon’s Kindle Storyteller Award: This is an international award for those who publish their work through Amazon’s KDP program in English in any genre. Entrants must make the book available for sale in both digital and print versions through KDP between 1st May 2024 and 31st August 2024. The book must be at least 24 pages long, and can have a maximum of 2 co-authors. Readers play a significant role in winner selection; see Terms & Conditions, which also lists ineligible countries/nationalities, and FAQ. The prize is £20,000; deadline 31 August 2024; details here.)
Unicorn Mech Suit Short Story Contest
Their website says, “Unicorn Mech Suit is now having our first short story contest. The winner will be published right here on UMS, and the top ten entries will receive personalized feedback. Authors will retain all rights. All entries should be between 500-1500 words and be broadly considered either science fiction or fantasy. (Horror will also be considered if it has speculative elements.)”
Value: $400
Deadline: 8 August 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
Pen & Quill: Longing & Dreamscapes
Pen & Quill is a magazine for and by young writers. They are open for a summer contest, and only writers between ages 12 and 21 years can enter. The theme is ‘Longing & Dreamscapes’. ““Longing and Dreamscapes” calls for works that intertwine the boundaries of fiction and reality. We invite you to explore the borders of past and present, old and new, desire and disgust. In the Northeast of the U.S., the summer heat can be so strong it makes everything feel like a dream. We invite you, too, to soak in your sweat and share with us the whispers of your dreams and the longings of your heart.” The categories are poetry, fiction, and other (which do not fit poetry or fiction, like nonfiction, experimental work, scripts). Submit works of up to 3,000 words. Submission is via a form.
Value: $200, $100, $50; $20 for a middle school standout
Deadline: 18 August 20234
Open for: Writers ages 12-21
Details here.
Fondation Jan Michalski Residencies for Writers
These are residencies at the foot of the Jura mountains in Montricher, Switzerland. It is open to all types of writers engaged in literary creation. While they give priority to writers and translators, they are also open to any other discipline as long as writing is at the heart of the project. “A percentage of the residencies are dedicated to nature writing, a form of fiction or creative non-fiction that raises awareness of nature, prepares for a sustainable future, and helps to better understand socio-environmental interconnections and the impact of human actions on nature.” There are no age or nationality restrictions. Writers working on a project with a collaborator can apply in pairs. Applications can be in English or French. Excerpts from your writing, both current and previous, can be in any language, not necessarily English or French.
Value: Round-trip travel, CHF400 per week
Deadline: 26 August 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.
On the Premises: Expertise
They want a story based on a prompt on their website. “For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which one or more characters with significant expertise in some area matter to the story. The expert(s) DO NOT have to be the story’s main character(s), though it’s fine if they are–the judges won’t care either way. We’re also open to the idea that your story’s character(s) with expertise might be either wrong, or frauds, or idiots. (Or they’re legitimate experts!) However, the idea of expertise, and at least one person who has it (or doesn’t?) has to matter to the story.” They do not want children’s fiction, exploitative sex, over-the-top grossout horror, or stories that are obvious parodies of existing fictional worlds/characters created by other authors.
Value: $250, $200, $150, $75
Deadline: 30 August 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here (general guidelines) and here (theme details)
The Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing
This year, they say, “We invite you to write “Letters to My Love”. Whether it’s a heartfelt letter to a significant other, an expression of unspoken feelings, or a unique voice”, and the entry should be in the form of a story or letter (poetry will not be accepted). They have detailed guidelines, including, the entry isn’t limited to just romance or love and any genre can be covered as long as it is not unnecessarily violent or gruesome and the subject of the competition is included. They want works of up to 1,500 words. The competition is open to anyone over 16 years of age.
Value: £100
Deadline: 31 August 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Preservation Foundation Contest: Biographical non-fiction
This is an international contest for unpublished writers (those who have never published extensively in any form and have never earned over $250.00 by their writing skills in any single year – see guidelines). Their upcoming deadline is for the biographical non-fictioncategory: “A biographical entry must be a true story of an individual(s) known to the author personally–not a fictional or historical character. Autobiography, of course, must be a true story about the author’s life, the whole or an episode. Biographical stories, especially those from older people, or about them by children and grandchildren, are especially appropriate for our mission–to “preserve the extraordinary stories of ‘ordinary’ people.” ”
Entries should be 1,000-5,000 words. They want all entries, regardless of whether or not they win, to be on their website as long as the Foundation exists (see guidelines). Also see contests in other genres, which will open for submissions later.
Value: $200, $100
Deadline: 31 August 2024
Open for: Unpublished writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
Gulf Coast: The Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing
This prize is for critical art writing, of up to 1,500 words. Their guidelines say, “The Prize invites submissions of expository writing, scholarly essays, and exhibition reviews that have been written–or published–within the last year.”
Value: $3,000; two prizes of $1,000 each
Deadline: 31 August 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here. (Gulf Coast has other opportunities too, which have entry fees.)
The Lincoln Forum: Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest
This essay contest is for full-time undergraduates at an American college or university in Spring 2024. The topic for this year’s essay is: “In this current presidential election year, which some have described as the most important in history, what arguments can be made that the 1864 Lincoln-McClellan race was indeed the most crucial of American history”. Entries must be 1,500- 5,000 words.
Value: $1,000, $500, $250
Deadline: 31 August 2024
Open for: Students in a US college or university
Details here.
American-Scandinavian Foundation Translation Awards
The American-Scandinavian Foundation annually awards translation prizes for outstanding translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose written by a Scandinavian author born after 1900. The Leif and Inger Sjöberg Award is for those whose translations from a Nordic language have not been previously published. There is also the Nadia Christensen Prize, the Wigeland Prize (this is for the best translation by a Norwegian), and the Inger and Jens Bruun Translation Prize, which recognizes the best Danish translation. The application includes 25-50 pages of prose or 15-25 pages of poetry.
Value: $2,500 (Nadia Christensen Prize); $2,000 (Leif and Inger Sjöberg Award); $2,000 (Wigeland Prize), $2,000 (The Inger and Jens Bruun Translation Prize)
Deadline: 1 September 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here.
The Academy for Teachers – Stories Out of School Flash Fiction Contest
They want honest, unsentimental stories, of 6-499 words, about teachers and schools. The contest is open to all writers, whether or not they are a teacher. The story’s protagonist or narrator must be a K-12 teacher. Sentimentality is discouraged and education jargon is forbidden.
Value: $1,000, and publication in A Public Space
Deadline: 1 September 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
