To find out what kind of stories we like, please read our previous editions.
Before submitting in any category, please read the Submission Guidelines below.
There are currently five different submission categories open (click the category to go straight to the information):
2025 Themed Editions Submissions
April (submissions OPEN - deadline 31st January 2025
August - (submissions closed)
December (submissions closed)
We aim to respond within 5 weeks of the submission period closing.
April Edition Submissions
THEME: ILLUSION
Deadline: 31st January 2025
We charge a small submission fee (£5) in order to pay writers and cover our production, design and admin costs. We understand that this will be unaffordable for some people so we have 4 free submissions available in each period. Contact us to get one. No need to provide any explanation or evidence, just ask. They are first come, first served so if you do need one, best to get in touch as soon as the submission period opens.
If you would like to sponsor a submission so we can increase the number of free submissions available, then you can do that here.
WORD COUNTS
Short Stories: up to 3000 words
Flash Fictions: up to 1000 words
Micro Fictions: up to 350 words
Author Payment
For each edition, the writers we publish will share 50% of the submission fees received (after Submittable fees are deducted). All stories selected for an edition will receive the same payment no matter the length of the story.
We will also nominate stories for prizes (Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions, etc.).
Story Sunday Submissions
Submissions are now open on a rolling basis for stories that will be published once a week in our new Story Sunday feature. The first story will go live on Sunday 1st September 2024. No theme.
We will also nominate stories for prizes (Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions, etc.).
Max word count: 1000
Submission fee: £5
Writer compensation: All writers selected will receive a £15 payment on publication of their story.
Short Story Spotlight
Submissions are now open on a rolling basis for longer short stories, which we will publish once a month along with an interview with the author about their craft.
Max word count: 5,000
Submission fee: £8
Writer compensation: £35
There is no theme but please read the stories we have previously published to get a feel for what we like.
Flash Focus
Submissions are open on a rolling basis for flash fiction stories to appear in our twice-monthly Flash Focus feature. All writers selected will also have an interview about the story that will run alongside it.
There is no theme but please read the stories we publish to get a feel for what we like.
Our usual submission guidelines apply (see below).
We will also nominate stories for prizes (Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions, etc.).
Words: Up to 750 (excluding the title)
Submission fee: £7 submission only / £22 with feedback
Author payment: £20
Submission Guidelines
All submissions must be sent through Submittable and we cannot accept email submissions. Anything sent via email will not be read.
Please submit no more than one story per category in each submission period. If you are submitting to more than one category then each submission must be made separately and the submission fee paid each time.
Please use a legible, easy-to-read font of 12pt or 14pt.
All submissions must be previously unpublished (never published in print or online, including a personal blog) and in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format ONLY.
Simultaneous submissions are fine but please withdraw your submission via Submittable if it is accepted elsewhere.
Our submissions are open to all adult writers worldwide. All work must be written in English.
