A paying market for every story! These look like some exciting competitions and anthologies to submit to. I particularly like the look of the romantic ghost stories. And remember, the only poor story is the one that isn’t written!
Timeworn Lit
Open 1 – 31 January
No fee
We accept historical, historical speculative and historical fantasy short stories up to 5,000 words. Published in print, ebook and online formats. Payment of $25 + PRINT contributor copy.
https://www.timewornlit.com/submit
Gallery Curious Anthology
Open 1 – 31 January
This market is “at play in the curious and often dark corners of retropunk fiction. That means steampunk, dieselpunk, dreadpunk, bronzepunk, others that haven’t even been invented yet punk … but not atompunk. “
Short stories less than 7500 words
https://gallerycurious.com/fiction/
Once Upon a Hallowed Eve Anthology
Open until 1 February
An anthology of romantic ghost stories
7k – 15k words
World Weaver Press: Multispecies Cities
Open 1 January – 1 February
For this anthology, they are “looking for stories that acknowledge humans as part of a larger ecosystem, for characters who strive for balance with (rather than dominance over) the creatures surrounding them, for settings that depict an optimistic balance of nature and technology. “
500 – 5,000 words
https://www.worldweaverpress.com/submit-anthologies.html
NFFD Microfiction
Open until 15 February
Submissions are open for this year’s National Flash Fiction Day anthology! The theme this year is FAMILY and we are looking for stories from 1 to 500 words.
One free entry
Fiction Factory Competition
Open until 29 February
Short stories less than 3,000 words
All genres and themes
Parsec Ink: Triangulation – Extinction Anthology
Open until 29 February 2020
Speculative fiction on the theme, ‘what does extinction mean to you?’
Clockwork, Curses, and Coal: Steampunk and Gaslamp Fairy Tales
Open until 31 March 2020
Steampunk’s core is a re-imagined 1800s using steam-powered technology so it is all about gears, goggles and gaslamps. And corsets and courtship and exploration (often in the form of colonialism). I want the bustles, parasols, high tea and airships, of course, but I also welcome stories which confront the darker, problematic side of Victorian sensibilities and attitudes. Plus fairy tales.
Original fairy tales are welcome, as are retellings. If you choose to retell a familiar favourite, make sure your story offers something new and interesting. I’d rather see stories that reflect the long history of fairy tales as social commentary than those which simply tell the same story with a different setting.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Remembered
Open until 30 April 2020
This anthology will contain short stories that pay tribute in some way to Jules Verne’s novel. Set your story in any time or place; use characters from Verne’s novel or make up your own. You need not write in Verne’s style. The mood of your story need not be dark, as other Pole to Pole Publishing anthologies have been. Aim to capture, in your own way, the sense of wonder and adventure for which Jules Verne is famous. The connection between your story and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea must be obvious and significant, and your story must not disparage either the novel or its author.
All of the above are paying markets.
Also check out my list of (mostly free) writing resources for all stops on the publishing path.
Or you might like upcoming Short story competitions for writers from all over the world in 2020
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