Writing – Market – Fantastic Stories of the Imagination

Of course, we should all strive to write fantastic fiction that comes from our imagination… Not so easy, sometimes. The print and e-magazine Fantastic Stories of the Imagination is now open for submissions. They pay 15c per word up to a maximum of $500 for original fiction. Reprints are paid for at a flat rate of $25.

The editor, Warren Lapine, is seeking work that spans the complete spectrum of speculative fiction. H’s keen on wordplay and fiction with a literary bent.

No simultaneous submissions. 

No maximum word-count, but if it’s long it better be good…

Send your submission as an RTF attachment by email to storysubmissions@fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com

Note in the subject line whether the story is original or reprint. You can send by post if you prefer.

See the full details at

www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com/submission-guidelines/

And good luck!

Writing – Market – Lamplight

If you write horror, noir or dark fantasy fiction, then this quarterly literary magazine might be worth consideration. Lamplight is published in print and e-book formats. They do not accept stories with the following: vampires, zombies, werewolves, serial killers, hitmen, excessive gore or sex.

At the end of the year all the quarterlies are bound together in an annual collection. Volume 1 collection, for example, is a 450-page paperback!

 

 

They’re asking for non-exclusive, worldwide, serial rights to your work for both electronic and print. As they say, “We want to publish it, we don’t want to own it.”

Payment is a flat fee rather than a by word system. For short stories - $150 per story (2,000-7,000 words). For flash fiction - $50 (1,000 words or less). If your story’s in-between, they say to “send it over and we can talk”.

They will take reprints, provided you have the rights they’re asking for.

Simultaneous submissions are okay; just let them know if it gets accepted elsewhere.

Multiple submissions will not be accepted.

Please wait for 90 days before you query.

Submission time

“As Lamplight is a quarterly, there are some reading dates associated with it. While we take submissions year round, there are cut off dates for the individual issues. The cut off dates for each of the issues are listed below.

Spring – 15 January
Summer – 15 April
Fall – 15 July
Winter – 15 October” – So, you have a few days to hit this deadline!

Where to Submit

Submit on their website. They accept most file types as well. Please use manuscript format for your story (although headers and footers are not needed).

Website:

https://lamplightmagazine.submittable.com/submit

Good luck!

Writing - Market - On Spec

If you like writing speculative fiction, sci-fi or a variant, then this magazine might be worth considering.

 

Their next issue is themed for STEAMPUNK, CYBERPUNK, BIOPUNK. As their website states, these and many other types of ‘punk’ derivatives have become popular sub-genres of speculative fiction. What classifies them as ‘punk’ are a number of literary devices that include:
1) Setting: specific technologies associated with particular ‘ages’, ‘societies’ and/or time frames (both the past or future) – eg. the Victorian Age often defines Steampunk (but not always). Nanotech experiments of the future may define Biopunk, (but again, not always).
2) Tone: a sense of novelty, or being on the cutting edge of that particular technology, within its time frame.
3) Style: language and/or a narrative style specific to that particular technology, reflective of the time, and/or writers of that time.
4) Characterization: wide open. Characters can reflect their time and the concerns of their place in that time, or be transplants from another time and/or genre.

Sub-genres include, but aren’t limited to: Atompunk, Biopunk, Clockpunk, Cyberpunk, Decopunk, Dieselpunk, Dreampunk, Mythpunk, Nanopunk, Steampunk, Stonepunk, and others.

For further definitions, this Wikipedia link on ‘Cyberpunk Derivatives’ may prove helpful.

Their reading period is short – 1 September to 15 October. 

They have a style sheet format to follow, so stick to that. 

Payment is in Canadian dollars, viz:

Fiction (6000 words max.)

·         1000-2999 words: $125 plus 2 contributor’s copies plus a One year subscription
·         3000-4999 words: $175 plus 2 contributor’s copies plus a One year subscription
·         5000-6000 words: $200 plus 2 contributor’s copies plus a One year subscription

They also publish poetry.  Please check out their site for more information:

http://onspecmag.wordpress.com/

Writing market – Crossed Genres

Crossed Genres Magazine features themed issues, so now is the time to get your thinking head on and give them a try.

Stories from 1,000 to 6,000 words.

Submissions must be original SF/fantasy and involve the theme of the month in some way.  The editors would like to see more submissions from and set outside of North America.

Do not send submissions to upcoming themes, they will be rejected without consideration! Only current themes (as below).

They will be reading for the following themed issues.

Destruction (Submissions: August 1-31. Publication: December 2014)

Destruction isn’t just the apocalypse. It’s not only falling buildings and fractured ground. And destruction isn’t always an ending. Sometimes, it’s very personal. Sometimes it’s shared. Sometimes it’s an inevitable change. Destruction is really about transformation – it’s far more complicated than good or bad.

Indoctrinate (Submissions: September 1-30. Publication: January 2015)

Indoctrination tends to occur where there is an imbalance of power. Typically, it presses a value or idea on the disenfranchised and reinforces the already privileged. And when it works as intended, indoctrination doesn’t just push a certain idea – it actively stifles, marginalizes or eliminates conflicting ideas. And yet, actively pushing a doctrine can be used to advance pro-social ideas; literacy, basic human rights, equality. As with most human creations, it all depends on whose hand wields the tool.

Betrayal (Submissions: October 1-31. Publication: February 2015)

There is a tug of war between intention, and perception. One person’s principled decision is another person’s treason. Sometimes the betrayers are remorseful… sometimes they’re unaware anything is wrong. And sometimes those who feel betrayed are too self-interested to realize they’re part of the problem.

Ensemble (Submissions: November 1-30. Publication: March 2015)

The group is greater than the sum of its parts. What can many do that any number of individuals can’t?
 
And, upcoming later,
Silent Communication (Submissions: December 1-31. Publication: April 2015)
Failure (Submissions: January 1-31. Publication: May 2015)
Success (Submissions: February 1-28. Publication: June 2015)
 
You can submit up to two stories per month on the current theme, but no simultaneous or reprints.
 
Payment is 6c per word for first world print and e-book rights, plus non-exclusive anthology and electronic archival rights.
 
Attach your story in doc, docx or rtf format on the submission form.
 
See the full submission details here:
http://crossedgenres.com/submissions/magazine/

And good luck!