Comet Press - Anthology Call

Comet Press has posted a submission call for "Stiff Things".  This will be an erotic horror anthology.  They're looking for "erotic stories that push the boundaries of sex and horror" up to 9000 words.  Payment will be 3cents a word and if their Kickstarter fund is successful the payment will be 6cents a word.  The deadline is March 1, 2016 (or until filled).  You can find the details here.

Lessons for Writers: The Beatles Edition

"Lessons for Writers:  The Beatles Edition" by Walter Jon Williams is an excellent essay about how to improve your writing skills.  Here he shows how the Beatles came to be such a success because they kept changing and growing into their music skills.

via SF Signal

Crooked Holster - Anthology Call

Just received an email from the editors of UK based Crooked Holster.  They're open for submissions to their second crime anthology.  For this one the theme is "Ritual" (details on the home page).  They're looking for flash to 500 words, shorts to 2500 words, and poetry.  While they would prefer original work they will look at reprints.  The deadline is November 8 with publication in December.  Payment is a copy of the anthology.  You can find the guidelines here.

The Black Orchid Novella Contest 2016 - Open for Submissions

Just an early reminder that The Black Orchid Novella Contest sponsored by The Wolfe Pack and the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine is open for submissions.  The deadline is May 31 2016.  They are looking for novellas of 15,000 to 20,000 words that conform to the tradition of the Nero Wolfe series.  The winner receives a contract and publication in AHMM.  You can find the details here.

Manslaughter Review - New Crime Market

We have a new crime zine posting a call for submissions called "Manslaughter Review".  This will be a biannual publication edited by Matt P. Ryan and Trenton Burns.  They're looking for crime stories up to 5000 words with a deadline of November 30, 2015 for the first issue.  This is a non-paying market.  Submissions are online through Green Submissions.  You can find all the details here.

Zimbell House Publishing - Anthology Call

I don't usually post non-paying markets with the exceptions of the crime/mystery genre and the Western genre.  Zimbell House Publishing has posted six anthology calls, with the only payment being a print copy of the anthology.  Of interest here is the anthology "Where Cowboys Roam".  They're looking for short stories and novellas up to 25,500 words in any type of Western story.  The deadline is February 15, 2016.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.  Submissions are through Submittable.

All Due Respect Magazine - Closed

All Due Respect Publishing has closed the doors of its quarterly magazine.  You can read the reasons behind this sad news here.  While the magazine is being shut down they will still be publishing novels, novellas, and short story collections,

EMP Publishing - Anthology Call

EMP Publishing has an anthology call posted for "The Prison Compendium".  They're looking for prison stories of 1500 to 6000 words in any genre.  The deadline is September 30, 2016.  Payment is 1cent a word for both original and reprint stories.  You can find the details here.

They're also open for stories for the July 2016 issue of their magazine Creepy Campfire Quarterly.  Payment is $25 for the magazine shorts.

Thanks to Michael Bracken for sending along the link!

PMMP - Call for Flash Fiction

Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing is open for flash fiction up to 1000 words for their newsletter.  They increased the payment to $25.  PMMP is a publisher of Horror and Dark Fiction  Submissions and guidelines are at Submittable.

They also have an anthology call still open until October 31 titled "Lost Signals".  Payment is 1cent a word.

To Fee or Not to Fee?

This morning I read an article over at Electric Lit by Lincoln Michael titled "Is it Time for Literary Magazines to Rethink the Slush?".  The article starts out discussing the subject of fees then talks about dealing with the slush piles.  He has some interesting ideas.  There were also links to other sites discussing this topic. 

And while he was talking about a $3 reading fee for a paying market, tonight I ran across an anthology market that charges a $35 fee and offers no payment.  Yesterday I found a market that charged between $25 and $45 depending on which category you were submitting to (poetry. short stories, and non-fiction) and also no payment.  Back a few months ago I found an anthology where they dropped the $10 fee because they received no submissions.  Better to have too much slush then nothing at all? 

It's bad enough these markets don't want to pay writers for their work but now they believe we should feel good about supporting their markets by paying all their costs in exchange to being published.  Vanity publishing in a new guise? 

Lillicat Publisher - Anthology Call

Lillicat Publishers has opened submissions for an anthology titled "Visions IV:  Deep Space".  They are looking for short stories of 3000 to 8000 words.  "The theme is whatever could occur in the deep regions of space between stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.  Physical contact and proximity to other stars/planets is off-limits, although communications of kinds are allowed."  There is an online submission form on the site and formatting guidelines that you can find at the submission link at the top of the page.  The deadline is December 15 and payment is $25.  You can find the call here.

Flash Fiction Chronicles - Open for Non-fiction Craft of Writing Articles

Flash Fiction Chronicles is open for non-fiction articles of 200 to 1200 words about the craft of writing.  They are especially interested in flash fiction articles.  This is a non-paying market.  You can find the details here.  They have also posted a list of topics that they're interested in.  Submissions are through Submittable.

Dead Gun Press - Anthology Calls

Dead Gun Press has posted calls for two anthologies.  The deadline for both is February 20, 2016 and they're both non-paying.  The first is called "Hardboiled Dames and Sin" - for this one they're looking for shorts of 1200 to 5000 words featuring a woman as the main character in hardboiled crime stories.  The second is called "Hangmen and Bullets" - for this one they're looking for Western noir stories of 1200 to 5000 words set in the old West.  They don't want weird westerns here, just straight up Western stories.  You can find the details here.

The University of Iowa - Free Online Writing Course

The University of Iowa is hosting a free online writing course titled "How Writers Write Fiction 2015".  The course begins this Thursday, September 24, and runs through to November 24.  The course is free but for $50 you can receive a certificate of completion from the University.  You can find all the details here. 

The Masters Review - Fall Fiction Contest - Fees

The Masters Review site has posted the rules for their Fall Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers.  There is a $20 fee to enter.  The deadline is October 31 for short stories up to 7000 words in any genre.  The judges are Ann and Jeff Vandermeer.  First prize is $2000, second $200, and third $100.  You can find the details here.

Thanks to Brian Lindenmuth for the link!

That Lit Site - Anthology Call

That Lit Site has posted an anthology call for "Walk Hand in Hand Into Extinction:  Stories Inspired by True Detective".  They're looking for stories of 2000 to 3000 words inspired by the themes of either season of the TV show True Detectives.  The deadline is October 1 and payment is $25.  You can find the details here.

Angie's Desk - Anthology Calls

Angie has posted her anthology calls list for September.  Thank you, Angie!!

Sirens Call Publications - Anthology Call

Sirens Call Publications has posted an anthology call for "What Dwells Below".  They're looking for horror stories of 4000 to 8000 words about "what lurks below in the city sewers".  No zombies, homeless humans, or orphaned children - they want tales of true horror, not the horror of the human condition.  The deadline is January 1, 2016 and payment is $25.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.

Book Smugglers Publishing - Call for Novellas

Book Smugglers Publishing has posted a call for speculative fiction novellas for publication in 2017.  The stories will be published in both electronic and print form.  Stories should be between 17,500 and 40,000 words in length.  The deadline is May 30, 2016.  Those accepted will receive a signing bonus plus royalties.  You can find the details here.

Spider Road Press - Anthology Call

Spider Road Press has reopened submissions for their anthology "Approaching Footsteps:  Four Novellas by Women".  They're looking for literary stories of 9000 to 13,000 words that conform to the genres of suspense, mystery, and thriller.  The deadline is November 1 and payment is $150.  The guidelines are on their Submittable page.

Dark House Books - Anthology Call

Dark House Books will be opening submissions on October 1 for a new anthology called "Dark Coffee".  They're looking for Noir crime/mystery stories of 2500 to 6000 words.  They will also look at reprints.  The deadline is December 31 and payment will be a royalty split.  You can find the call here.

UPDATE:  I contacted the publisher and he said that he's aware of the problem (virus) and they've been working on it.  If it can't be corrected they will probably change servers.  I'll try to keep you updated as I find out more.

World Weaver Press - Anthology Call

On Tuesday, September 15, World Weaver Press will open submissions for "Last Outpost" the next anthology in their Far Orbit series.  For this one they're looking for military adventure stories under 10,000 words in the science fiction genre.  The deadline is December 15 and payment is 1cent a word.  You can find the details here, just scroll down the page.

Mystery Weekly - New Market

There's a new mystery market that's just opened for submissions called Mystery Weekly.  They're looking for mystery stories of 1000 to 10,000 words with the preferred length of 3000 words.  They will be publishing one story a week and payment is 1/2cent a word.  There is an online submission form at the site.  You can check out the details here.  This market has been mentioned several times on the SMFS site.

All Due Respect - New Issue

Issue #7 of All Due Respect is now available for your Kindles.  Check it out here.

Hat tip to BV Lawson!

Fireside Magazine - Open for Submissions

Fireside Magazine is open for submissions of flash fiction under 1000 words and short stories up to 4000 words.  Any genre is acceptable so long as you tell a great story.  Payment is 12.5cents a word.  You can find the details here.

One Story - Open for Submissions

One Story has opened their reading period and is looking for literary fiction of 3000 to 8000 words.  Payment is $500 plus 25 copies.  Submissions are at their online site with a link included in their guidelines.  The reading period ends May 31, 2016.  You find the details here.

Lamplight Magazine - Open for Submissions

Lamplight Magazine is open for submissions to their Winter issue.  They are looking for literary dark fiction.  Flash should be under 1000 words and pays $50 and shorts should be 2000 to 7000 words and pays $150.  They are also open to reprints.  The deadline for this issue is October 15 and submissions are through Submittable.  You can find the details here.

Just For Fun

I love good flash fiction and the New Yorker has posted "Eight Science Fiction Stories" for your reading  pleasure.

SQ Magazine - No Fee Contest

SQ Mag has posted their Story Quest Contest guidelines for 2015 with the theme of "Unlikely Partnerships".  You have the choice of creating partnerships between charters or world within the story or of smashing together genres.  The deadline is October 31 and submissions are through Submittable.  Five or six stories will be shortlisted and each will receive $15 and publication in SQ.  The top three stories will receive $100 for first prize, $50 for second place, and $25 third place.  You can check out the details here. 

A Flash Challenge From Brian Lindenmuth

Over at the Do Some Damage blog Brian Lindenmuth posted a flash challenge for a Book Title Story.  He wants you to write a story in 1000 words or less using as many book titles as possible while still writing a story that actually makes sense.  Post the story to your blog and drop a link on his post so he knows where to read your story.  There will be prizes.  You can check out the details here.

UPDATE:  Brian extended the deadline to September 28, so those of you thinking of joining in, there's still time.

From Michael Bracken

Over the weekend the lovely Michael Bracken emailed me a link to a new mystery magazine called Sleuth Magazine that is looking for people to spread the word and maybe purchase the first issue ($2.99 on their site).  They're based in Canada and will open for submissions if their first issue does well.  You can check them out here.  You'll also find an interview with the editors here.

Michael also sent me a link to a new blog by Aeryn Rudel called Rejectomancy where Mr Rudel talks about the dreaded rejections that every writer faces.  He's posted some very interesting essays and interviews on his site.

Hard Case Crime - Open for Novel Queries

Hard Case Crime is open to novel queries.  Novels should be 50,000 to 60,000 words.  They don't require chapters just your query/pitch.  You can find the contact information here.  This information came through the SMFS group with a link to this article.

Laska Media Group - Charity Anthology Call

The Canadian based Laska Media Group has posted an anthology call for "Where the Stars Rise".  They're looking for speculative fiction stories under 7000 words that celebrate Asian diversity.  This is for a YA/Adult audience.  The reading period opens December 1 and runs through May 31, 2016.  Payment is 6cents a word advance.  A $500 donation plus proceeds from the anthology will go to the Canadian charity Kids Help Phone.  You can find the details here. 

Writing and Illustrating for Children - A Market Source

Writing and Illustrating for Children is the blog of Kathleen Temean.  On the blog you'll find all sorts of information and markets in the field of children's writing.  You can check it out here.

The Book Smugglers - Open for Submissions

The Book Smugglers have opened submissions for speculative fiction stories of 1500 to 17,500 words that are based on the theme of Superhero.  The deadline is December 31, 2015 for publication in Summer of 2016.  Payment is 6cents a word with a cap of $500.  You can find all the details here.

Thoughts on Short Fiction Reviews

Clarkesworld editor Neil Clarke has some interesting thoughts on short fiction reviews.  Read "The Sad Truth About Short Fiction Reviews" here.

SFWA - New Model Magazine Contract

The Science Fiction Writers of America have posted a new model magazine contract on their site.  The model is designed to help clarify rights for both publishers and writers.  You can check out the post here, the sample contract is a pdf link.

The Big Click - New Issue

And the new issue of The Big Click is also available today.  Check it out here.

ThugLit - New Issue

A new issue of ThugLit hit Amazon today.  Check it out here.  And a very happy tenth anniversary to a great crime magazine!!

Cohesion Press - Anthology Call

Australian publisher Cohesion Press opened submissions today for the latest in their SNAFU anthology series.  This one is SNAFU:  Unnatural Selection.  They're looking for military-bio-horror stories of 2000 to 10,000 words (think along the lines of Lake Placid or Anaconda with a military slant).  The deadline is November 30 and payment is AUD 4cents a word.  You can find the details here.