The next update of Aswiebe's Market List will be after 10/15/2022. If you don’t want to miss an update, subscribe to the Aswiebe’s Market List newsletter: https://aswiebe.com/marketlist/subscribe-to-market-list/
Ah, the joy of research! It’s amazing how much research writers use to build purely imaginary science fiction and fantasy worlds. And I love it. There are the tiny little bits of research that make pleasant diversions (hey, what’s the etymology of spick-and-span anyway?) and the big chunks of research that are a necessary part of realistic world- and alien-building (carapaces and mandibles and cuttlefish, oh my!). As long as you don’t get lost down a research rabbit hole, and words still get written, research can be great refreshment for the imagination. And sometimes, indulging in “research” and random facts can inspire your writing.
Here are some excellent research-based sources of inspiration:
- Dan Koboldt’s “Science in Science Fiction, Fact in Fantasy” articles are written by experts in a wide variety of topics: http://dankoboldt.com/science-in-scifi/
- Eleanor Konik’s newsletter, Eleanor’s Iceberg, covers all kinds of interesting and weird things that she learns in the course of her writing, and you can learn about them too! https://newsletter.eleanorkonik.com/
- FightWrite goes into the nitty-gritty of combat and debunks some common misunderstandings: https://www.fightwrite.net/blog/
- Scientific American’s pop science newsletter: https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/newsletter-sign-up/
(Do you have a writing question? Send it to me, either by replying to this email or by using the contact form on my website, and it may get answered in the next newsletter.)
What I’ve been up to lately, writing-wise:
The current chapter in my WiP (work-in-progress) seems to be all vibes, no driving plot action. It’s Chapter 6, so that’s far enough in that it should be okay, right? Right??
Things Shiny or Useful
Archive of all shiny or useful links: https://aswiebe.com/marketlist/shiny-or-useful-writing-links/
Apex Mag wants (unpaid) slush readers: https://apex-magazine.com/blog/apex-magazine-flash-fiction-contest-slush-reader-needed/
Tade Thompson on synopses: https://twitter.com/TadeThompson/status/1570133449155186688
SFWA Safety Resources: http://www.sfwa.org/safety/
Close to You: Writing in Third Person Close: https://careerauthors.com/third-person-close-pov/
Writing Tricks and Brain Hacks: https://twitter.com/rapscallison/status/1562442998717509635
Upcoming Virtual Conventions/Workshops
(Any registration fees are noted.)
Can*Con (CAD$45), Oct 14-16, 2022: https://can-con.org/2022-registration-and-price-list/
World Fantasy Convention ($125), Nov 3-6, 2022: https://www.wfc2022.org/
The Nebula Conference ($150) is over for 2022, but purchasing a membership now still gets access to recorded panels and year-round special events: https://membership.sfwa.org/event-4563942
Featured Market
Phantom wine 2022 Ghost Story Writing Contest wants ghost stories, only 250 entries accepted, winner takes $5,000.
TELL US A GHOST STORY THAT’S NEVER BEEN TOLD
Phantom Wine
Basics: ghost stories, up to 2,500 words, pays $5,000 to the winner, no reprints, due 10/31/22 or until full. Guidelines: https://phantomwine.com/ghoststories/
Market List Updates
To see all the details about these new listings and what they're looking for, as well as hundreds of other listings, go to Aswiebe's Market List and download the latest version of the spreadsheet. Note: going forward, limited demographic market listings will be italicized.
| Name | What they want | Pay Per Word USD (originals) | Flat Pay USD (originals) | Website | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artifice & Craft (Zombies Need Brains) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 12/31/22 | All speculative fiction, themed to enchanted artwork | $0.080 | https://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io/publication/artifice-craft/guidelines | |||
| Cossmass Infinities | SF and fantasy | $0.080 | https://www.cossmass.com/submit/ | SUBMISSION PERIODS: BIPOC/GLBTQ+ (2/1 – 2/14, 10/1 – 10/14) and open to all (2/8 – 8/14, 10/8 – 10/14). May close early if receive many submissions. | ||
| Dragonesque (Zombies Need Brains) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 12/31/22 | All speculative fiction, themed to dragons | $0.080 | https://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io/publication/dragonesque/guidelines | |||
| Escape Pod (Podcast) Short Stories | SF | $0.080 | https://escapepod.org/guidelines/short-fiction/ | An Escape Artists publication. Original work up to 6,000 words. Reprints up to 7,500 words. ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIODS: 9/15/22-5/31/23, 9/1/23-5/31/24 | ||
| Fiyah | Speculative fiction. LIMITED DEMOGRAPHIC: authors from the African diaspora | $0.080 | http://www.fiyahlitmag.com/submissions/ | ONE-TIME SUBMISSIONS SCHEDULE: 9/1/22-12/31/22 unthemed, 2/1/23-3/3/23 carnival, 6/1/23-7/31/23 belonging | ||
| Game On! (Zombies Need Brains) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 12/31/22 | All speculative fiction, themed to games (not sports) | $0.080 | https://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io/publication/game-on/guidelines | |||
| If There's Anyone Left | Speculative fiction. Limited demographic: marginalized authors | $0.080 | https://www.iftheresanyoneleft.com/submission-guidelines | ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIOD: Spring 2023 | ||
| Never Wake (Crystal Lake Publications) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 10/17/22-12/04/22 | Horror themed to dreams and hallucinations | $0.080 | https://www.crystallakepub.com/authorcentral/ | |||
| Nightmare Magazine | Horror/dark fantasy and poetry | $0.080 | https://adamant.moksha.io/publication/nightmare/guidelines | Prefers < 5,000 words. SUBMISSION PERIODS: 2x yearly, usually March and September. Special flash fiction submission periods. Do not submit if rejected by Lightspeed, okay if rejected by Fantasy Magazine. ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIODS: 9/26/22-10/9/22 | Award-nominated | |
| Solar Flare (Zombies Need Brains) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 12/31/22 | All speculative fiction, themed to solarpunk | $0.080 | https://zombiesneedbrains.moksha.io/publication/solar-flare/guidelines | |||
| Solarpunk Magazine | Solarpunk fiction and poetry | $0.080 | https://solarpunkmagazine.com/submissions/ | ONE-TIME 2022 Submission periods:. November 2022 submission period canceled. | ||
| DreamForge Anvil | Positive science fiction and fantasy | $0.070 | https://dreamforgemagazine.com/call-for-submissions/ | ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIOD: 9/22/22 – 10/15/22, esp. wants solarpunk and hopepunk | ||
| Mighty (Renaissance Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 11/14/22 | Fantasy and SF, themed to disabled superheroes. Limited author demographic: both disabled and historically underrepresented | $0.061 | https://pressesrenaissancepress.ca/2022/06/29/call-for-submissions-mighty/ | |||
| Drabblecast PODCAST | SF, fantasy, and horror | $0.060 | https://www.drabblecast.org/submissions/ | Also publishes 100 word and 100 character stories, without pay. ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIOD: until 10/22/22 | ||
| Planet Scumm | SF and weird fiction | $0.060 | https://www.planetscumm.space/submit | RIGHTS: Also takes audio rights. ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIOD: open until 10/2/22 | ||
| Heartlines | SF/fantasy fiction and poetry themed to long-term relationships, incl. Platonic | $0.059 | https://www.heartlines-spec.com/submission-guidelines/ | |||
| Dark Recesses Magazine | Horror and dark fiction | $0.050 | http://darkrecessespress.com/submissions/ | |||
| Grendel Press ONGOING ANTHOLOGIES | Dark fantasy and horror, themed and unthemed | $0.050 | https://grendelpress.com/anthology-submissions/ | |||
| Solarpunk Creatures (World Weaver Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 10/1/22-10/31/22 | Themed to solarpunk featuring non-human characters | $0.030 | https://www.worldweaverpress.com/submit-anthologies.html | |||
| Translunar Travelers Lounge | Fun SF and fantasy | $0.030 | https://translunartravelerslounge.com/submissions/ | SUBMISSION PERIODS: 3/15-3/21 (POC), 3/22-4/15 (all), 9/15-9/21 (POC), 9/22-10/15 (all) | ||
| Under the Stairs | Horror | $0.030 | https://www.underthestairsmag.com/submissions | ONE-TIME THEME DUE 10/31/22: Homebound Horror | ||
| Wild Hunt Magazine | Weird and surreal, themed issues | $0.027 | https://wildhuntmag.com/submissions | Wordcount may vary by issue. Note: offers paid critique feature. ONE-TIME THEME DUE 10/2/22: Moon. | ||
| Dragon Gems (Water Dragon Publishing) | Fantasy or science fiction | $0.020 | https://waterdragonpublishing.com/submissions/dragon-gems/ | |||
| Alchemy Press Book of the Unknown, The (Alchemy Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 11/1/22-12/14/22 | Weird fiction with a hint of horror | $0.013 | https://alchemypress.wordpress.com/2022/07/30/the-unknown/ | |||
| Cafe Irreal Magazine | Fabulist fiction | $0.010 | http://cafeirreal.alicewhittenburg.com/ | |||
| Fable (Aurelia Leo) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 11/30/22 | Horror, mystery, thriller, especially with supernatural elements | $0.010 | https://pridebookcafe.com/fable-an-anthology-of-horror-suspense-the-supernatural/?v=7516fd43adaa | |||
| Fable (Pride Book Cafe) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 11/30/22 | Horror and mystery, especially supernatural | $0.010 | https://pridebookcafe.com/fable-an-anthology-of-horror-suspense-the-supernatural/?v=7516fd43adaa | |||
| Pride Quarterly (Aurelio Leo/Pride Book Cafe) | All speculative fiction, from flash fiction to novella and poetry by limited demographic: QTBIPOC creators | $0.010 | https://pridebookcafe.com/pride-quarterly/?v=7516fd43adaa | |||
| Sand, Salt, Blood (Sliced Up Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 10/16/22 OR UNTIL FULL | Horror fiction and poetry, themed to the sea | $0.010 | https://sliceduppress.com/submissions/ | |||
| Back Forty (JayHenge Publishing) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY - DUE UNTIL FULL | Speculative fiction themed to frontiers | $0.005 | http://www.jayhenge.com/callforstories.html | |||
| Vampiricon, The (Mind’s Eye Publications) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 9/1/22-10/31/22 | All genres, fiction and poetry, themed to vampires | $0.005 | https://mindseyepublications.submittable.com/submit | |||
| Phantom Wine Ghost Story Contest (Bogle Vineyards) ONE-TIME CONTEST – DUE 10/31/22 | Ghost stories | $5,000.00 | https://phantomwine.com/ghoststories/ | Capped at 250 entries | ||
| Escape Pod (Podcast) Novelette Reprints | SF reprints only | $100.00 | https://escapeartists.moksha.io/publication/escape-pod/27/submit | An Escape Artists publication. ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIOD: 9/15/22-5/31/23 | ||
| Haunting Hooks: Scary Story Opener Writing Contest (Dictionary.com) ONE-TIME CONTEST – DUE 10/7/22 | SF themed to scary SF story opening (beginning only) | $100.00 | https://www.dictionary.com/e/scary-story-opener-writing-contest/ | |||
| word west revue | Western-themed fiction and poetry, including weird western | $100.00 | https://www.wordwestrevue.co/submit | SUBMISSION PERIODS: 9/15-11/15, 3/15-6/15 | ||
| Bikes in Space Series ANNUAL ANTHOLOGY - DUE 1/15 | All feminist speculative fiction, themed to bikes plus annual theme | $50.00 | https://microcosmpublishing.com/blog/tag/call-for-submissions/ | ONE-TIME 1/15/23 THEME: gardens | ||
| Halloween Contest (Tales from the Moonlit Path) ANNUAL CONTEST – DUE 10/13/22 | Horror and dark speculative fiction, themed to prompt | $50.00 | https://talesmoonlitpath.com/halloween-challenge-2022/ | |||
| Tales from the Moonlit Path ANNUAL CONTEST – DUE 10/13 | Horror, themed to quote | $50.00 | https://talesmoonlitpath.com/halloween-challenge-2022/ | |||
| Mycelia | Eerie, weird literary fiction and poetry | $44.47 | https://www.hederafelix.com/submissions/ | |||
| Empire of Beasts (Lost Boys Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 12/1/22 | SF and fantasy themed to a new society of an anthropomorphized creature | $40.00 | https://www.lostboyspress.com/empire-of-beasts | |||
| Rituals & Grimoires (Quill and Crow) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 10/1/22 | Horror and dark fantasy themed to dark wizards | $40.00 | https://www.quillandcrowpublishinghouse.com/rituals-and-grimoires | |||
| Women and the Sea (Tyche Books) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 9/30/22 | All genres, themed to women and the sea | $38.36 | https://www.rhondaparrish.com/home/open-calls-for-submission/ | |||
| Dead of Winter (Toasted Cheese Literary Journal) CONTEST – ANNUAL, due 10/1-12/21 | Horror set in autumn or winter, themed | $25.00 | http://tclj.toasted-cheese.com/dead-of-winter/ | Annual theme is posted Oct 1st. Word count range varies by year. | ||
| Eidetic | Horror | $25.00 | https://www.spibb.net/eidetic | Flash fiction under 1,000 words, short stories 2,000-10,000 words. | ||
| Alien Dimensions | SF themed to aliens in space | $20.00 | http://aliendimensions.com/submission-guidelines/ | |||
| Theatre Phantasmagoria, The (Night Terror Novels) | Horror flash fiction, themed monthly | $13.33 | https://nightterrornovels.wordpress.com/2021/12/02/announcement-ongoing-flash-fiction-now-open-for-submissions/ | |||
| A-Z of Horror (Red Cape Publishing) ONGOING ANTHOLOGY SERIES | Horror, themes change every 2 months. | $11.52 | https://redcapepublishing.com/submissions/ | ONE-TIME 2022 THEMES: 9/1/22-10/31/22, quantum; 11/1/22-12/31/22, revenge. RIGHTS: Must not be available elsewhere. | ||
| Full Moon Chronicles (Howling Wolf Press) | Speculative fiction, flash fiction, and poetry | $10.00 | https://www.howlingwolfpress.com/submissions/ | ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIOD: 9/1/22-10/31/22 | ||
| Incubate (Speculation Publications) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 10/14/22 | Feminist horror themed to rage | $10.00 | https://www.speculationpub.com/submissions | |||
| Tales from the Moonlit Path | Horror and dark speculative fiction | $10.00 | https://talesmoonlitpath.com/submissions/ | |||
| Yay! They’re Here! (Dead Fish Books) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 12/31/22 | SF themed to first contact with aliens | $5.00 | https://deadfishbooks.com/submissions.html | |||
| Hoot | All genres, flash fiction and poetry | $0.00 | http://www.hootreview.com/submissions/ | |||
| Neon Hemlock Novellas | Science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, and weird, especially queer stories | https://www.neonhemlock.com/submissions | 2022 SUBMISSION PERIODS: October 11-24, 2022 all authors. | |||
| Mysterium Tremendum (Silent Motorist Media) – DEAD MARKET | Weird fiction/horror, themed to the sacred or numinous | $50.00 | ||||
| Boneyard Soup – DEAD MARKET | Horror and dark fantasy | $0.050 | ||||
| Page & Spine – DEAD MARKET | All genres, incl. SF/spec fic/H | $0.010 | ||||
| Wondrous Real Magazine, The – DEAD MARKET | Fabulism | $10.00 | ||||
| Legendary Tales – DEAD MARKET | All speculative fiction | $0.010 | ||||
| Nightmares and Phantasms PODCAST – DEAD MARKET | Horror | $5.00 | ||||
| Constraint 280 (microverses) – DEAD MARKET | Speculative micro-fiction | $2.80 | https://microverses.net/submissions | Wordcount estimated. 280 character maximum. | ||
| Mantid Magazine – DEAD MARKET | Speculative fiction | $75.00 | ||||
| Lackington's – DEAD MARKET | Speculative fiction, themed | $0.008 | https://lackingtons.com/submissions/ | |||
| Liquid Imagination – DEAD MARKET | Spec-fic and literary. Also has a special flash fiction section. | $8.00 |
Keep writing, keep submitting, and good luck!
Abra Staffin-Wiebe, Keeper of Lists
Aswiebe’s Market List
Abra Staffin-Wiebe’s Author Website
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Squeak, squeak!