June Submission Calls: 18 Journals Seeking Creative Writing

Could you be the writer they’re searching for?

Hello June — the start of summer, and vacation for many Northern Hemisphere folks. Less scheduled days and more free time is the perfect opportunity to kickstart those intentions of submitting to literary journals and creating some submission goals — or making time to write that killer story for a submission you’ve had your eye on. Meanwhile, my Southern Hemisphere compadres and I have cosy nights in to warm up with writing and get into some serious submitting.

June is also Pride month in many countries, so you’ll find plenty of LGTBQIA-friendly calls, including a “best of” anthology.

In this month’s submission opportunities, I noticed a predominance of calls for darker musings and horror in all its creepy mutations, and an abundance of anthology calls. The impacts of AI is also a recurring theme. Short stories seem to be in high demand — perhaps a sign of our time-poor culture, but great news for fiction writers.

For June 2023, you’ll find calls on themes including Dracula, shadows on the water, Pentacles, the power of names, belonging, nature, “learning to be human” and more.

Ready, Steady, Submit!

Every journal does things a little differently, so read the submission guidelines carefully. All listed opportunities are paying markets. Seven will consider reprints. I’ve noted these instances within each listing — otherwise calls are for new or unpublished work.

I’ve curated this list to ensure all calls are:

• NOT US-centric: Submissions accepted from writers all over the world
• Fee-free for submissions

STT stands for submission turnaround time, which I’ve included if known.

As some of you mentioned you’ll be using vacation time to start submitting, I’ll be posting extra submission call lists through June and July. So stay tuned!

June Submission Calls

1. A Velvet Giant DEADLINE: Current submission window closes July 1st ABOUT: An edgy journal describing itself as “genreless”, they love ambiguity, retellings and reimaginings. “Writing that resists binary categories such as fiction/nonfiction or poetry/prose is inherently queer and inherently political.” They’re especially interested in work by genderqueer & LGBTQ+ people, women, people of color, global writers, people living with disability and/or chronic pain/illness, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. FORMS / GENRES: Work that consists of words, recordings, visual art, hybrid forms, found pieces, translations. SUBMIT: Up to 3 pieces via email. 10 pages max. See guidelines PAYMENT: $20 per piece
2. Chestnut Review DEADLINE: June 30 ABOUT: A quarterly journal for “stubborn writers”, they seek “beautiful language, resonant images” and narrative. They also release a yearly anthology. FORMS / GENRES: Poetry, flash / short fiction, CNF, essays, visual media (art /photography) SUBMIT: Via Submittable. Free submissions for up to 3 poems / flash, they charge if you want to send more, or longer prose. Check categories on Submittable for details. Note: fee-free “long prose” submissions for BIPOC authors. Guidelines here. PAYMENT: $120 (USD) STT: 30 days
3. DBS Press (Dracula Beyond Stoker) DEADLINE: June 30 — theme centred around Miss Lucy / Bloofer Lady ABOUT: A new journal, their mission is to present the best new fiction based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula — the characters, locations and themes, “and sometimes Stoker, himself”. They’re open to classic stories, but also encourage alternate takes and pastiche. “Unleash your creative powers of darkness and show us something exciting.” FORMS / GENRES: Fiction (1500–5K words). Poetry may be considered. Original cover art is also sought. SUBMIT: Via email. Guidelines here. PAYMENT: $0.05/word + Complementary author copy
4. Eerie River Publishing DEADLINE: Themed anthologies (4) based on the tarot suites. Current theme “Pentacles” closes June 30th. ABOUT: An independent Canadian publisher of “dark genres” based in Ontario, they seek unique, clever and terrifying stories. Stories should be guided by the theme element — inclusion of tarot cards is optional. No erotica. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction 1500–7K words SUBMIT: via email. Guidelines here PAYMENT: .01c / word (CAD)
5. Extra Teeth DEADLINE: June 14 ABOUT: Established in 2014, this well-paying Scottish journal for “words with bite”, seeks stories that stay with the reader. Notably, the editors offer 1–2 mentoring opportunities from submitters per issue. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction / Essays 800–4K words SUBMIT: via email. Read guidelines here. (NB: Not currently accepting submissions from North America) PAYMENT: £100 + 2x Contributor copies (digital)
6. Fiyah DEADLINE: July 31 for the theme “Belonging” ABOUT: A quarterly speculative fiction magazine for BIPOC writers. For this issue, they’re “looking for stories highlighting why, where, and how Black folks belong across the diaspora and multiverse. Imagine a moment in time or another universe where Black people aren’t forced to question our right to be ourselves.” FORMS / GENRES: Fiction 2–7K words/ Poetry up to 1K words/ Novelettes (15K words) SUBMIT: Via website form. Read guidelines here and here. No simultaneous submissions. PAYMENT: $50/poem. Fiction @ $0.08/word Nonfiction @ $0.10/word
7. Flame Tree Publishing: Anthology Call “Learning to be Human” DEADLINE: July 2nd ABOUT: An established publisher, this anthology call is for folklore, myths and science fiction stories “examining the interplay between automation, humankind, and what it is to be human. Machine learning, AI and large language models tell us that the future is with us now.” FORMS / GENRES: Fiction 2–4K words preferred. Reprints considered. SUBMIT: Via email. Detailed guidelines here. (read thoroughly!) PAYMENT: .08c/word originals / .04c/word reprints STT: 4 months
8. Flame Tree Publishing: Anthology Call “Shadows on the Water” DEADLINE: July 2nd ABOUT: An anthology call for dark fantasy, myth and folklore, focusing on tales from Polynesia, Scotland, and Ancient Greece exploring undersea treasures, siren calls and mermaids, the “liberating spirits of the fountains and waterfalls … iconic stories of creation, ancestor worship and the seductive shadows across the waters of life.” FORMS / GENRES: Fiction 2–4K words preferred. Reprints considered. SUBMIT: Via email. Detailed guidelines here (read thoroughly)! PAYMENT: .08c/word originals / .04c/word reprints STT: 4 months
9. Freeze Frame Fiction DEADLINE: June 30 ABOUT: “Good flash fiction is like a freeze frame”. They’re open to almost any genre, including explicit content. Send them “your science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, drama, literary works, satire, bizarre fiction” or cross-genre work. “The weirder, the better.” They publish issues online initially, then in e-book. FORMS / GENRES: Flash Fiction 1K words or less SUBMIT: via Submittable. Read guidelines & find useful flash fic craft article links here. PAYMENT: $10 / piece
10. Neon DEADLINE: June 15th for the theme “Childhood” ABOUT: One of UK’s longest-running independent literary magazines for slipstream slipstream fiction, poetry, and artwork. Neon publishes “creative work that is fantastic or surreal, and which crosses the boundaries between science-fiction, horror and literary fiction.” Issues are usually themed. Provides expedited responses & editorial feedback if you purchase an issue (even for donation). FORMS / GENRES: Poetry / flash fiction / short stories with a preference for darker moods. Accepts reprints. SUBMIT: Via email — up to 6 poems, 5,000 words of prose. PAYMENT: Minimum £10 per piece (see chart in sub guidelines for details)
11. Neon Hemlock Press: Anthology Call DEADLINE: December 31 (2023) — “We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2023” ABOUT: Described as “the apex of queer speculative fiction publishing” by Publisher’s Weekly, Neon Hemlock’s cool occult-themed website is a stylish salon for queer literati. This “best of” anthology seeks reprints of stories that “deal either implicitly or explicitly with queerness.” They also have a chapbook call closing June 30th & other projects. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction up to 17,500 words, published in 2022. N.B: Publications and journal editors may nominate author’s stories for this anthology. They define previously published as including “self-published stories, and those published on your blog or Patreon.” SUBMIT: Via Google Doc form (hard to see on website—link is here). PAYMENT: $0.01/word
12. New Myths DEADLINE: June 15th ABOUT: This quarterly e-zine likes a balance of “science fiction and fantasy, dark and light, serious and humorous, hard and soft science fiction.” Pay rates have doubled in 2023. FORMS / GENRES: Flash / Fiction up to 10K words, Poetry, Book Reviews, Nonfiction, Visual media (art /photography) SUBMIT: Via email (hard to find on-site). Go to Submission Guidelines, then the drop-down menu titled “How to Contact Us”. (You’re welcome.) PAYMENT: $0.03/word; minimum payment $50 per submission
13. Propagule DEADLINE: June 15 — Issue 3 ABOUT: A convergence of the arts, focused on fiction, music, visual works, theory, and more, Propagule seek “intrepid” stories: the strange, surreal, atypical, the unexpected. They prefer experimentation to traditional genre work. Send them pieces that don’t fit elsewhere, that incites “feelings we do not have names for”. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction 500–10K words, Nonfiction (essays, album reviews), Artwork SUBMIT: One story / essay per submission via Submittable. See Guidelines. Accepted work may be featured on a reading app. PAYMENT: $5/ 1000 words (maximum $20 payment)
14. Sinister Smile Press: Horror Anthology Call — ““If I Die Before I Wake” DEADLINE: June 30 — Theme: Death & Destruction ABOUT: This horror genre press is seeking stories for Volume 9 in an anthology series exploring death and destruction. They’re open to any level of horror, including “extreme”. Send them your tales to terrify. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction 4-10K words SUBMIT: Via Submittable, one story per submission. See Guidelines. PAYMENT: $30-$50 (USD) + Contributor Copy
15. Sylvia DEADLINE: 19–30 June for next reading period. ABOUT: Sylvia is looking for nature-inspired work, specifically on sylvan themes. Send them “your forest poems, tales of fairies, and moments in nature.” Welcomes LGTBQIA and other underrepresented writers. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction, Essays, & CNF up to 1500 words / Poetry 40 lines or less SUBMIT: Via email. Send up to 5 poems / 2 prose pieces. Multiple category submissions ok. See guidelines. PAYMENT: Poetry @ £1.75 / line. Prose @ £.25 per word. (good rates!) STT: 6 months
16. Tenebrous Press DEADLINE: June 20 for themed issue: “Thank you for joining the Algorithm” ABOUT: A journal for new weird horror, they seek stories on: machine-generation dangers, encroaching machine rule, algorithm overload, the chaotic crash point between the human mind and machine limitations, anticapitalism, advertising overload, self-destruction, the violence and humanity of creation. Genres sought include: Dark SF, Tech-Horror, Post-Apoc, Eco, Cosmic, Slipstream, Dark Lit. Considers reprints. Welcomes submissions from emerging writers, LGTBQIA, and other marginalized groups. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction up to 3.5K words / Poetry / Weird Forms / Comics & Art SUBMIT: Via Google Form. Multiple submissions ok. See guidelines. PAYMENT: Pay scale varies. Semi-Pro rates. STT: 1–2 months
17. Thema DEADLINE: July 1st 2023 ABOUT: Quarterly themed print issues. Current theme is “the Magic of Light & Shadow”. Accepts postal submissions (within US). In fact, that’s their preference! Email if outside the U.S. Accepts reprints. FORMS / GENRES: Poetry / flash (under 1K words) / short stories / artwork / essays SUBMIT: Send up to 3 poems. See guidelines. PAYMENT: $25 short story / $10 poems. See guidelines for specifics.
18. Worldsmyths DEADLINE: June 30 on the theme “Written in the Wind” ABOUT: Worldsmyths seeks fantasy short stories exploring the power of names. “What’s in a name? Is it a simple collection of symbols and sounds, or something more? A name is one of the first things we are given in this world, and is the first thing we give to others. But names hold power. They can define and divide, unite and reimagine. A name can truly change your fate.” FORMS / GENRES: Fiction 2–5K words. Reprints considered. SUBMIT: Via webform. See guidelines. PAYMENT: $20(USD) per story

Good luck, & I’d LOVE to hear if you get an acceptance! My mid-month tips & strategies post is up soon. Subscribe to my stories to catch the best of the lit journal lowdown.

Melissa Coffey is an Australian poet, writer and editor. Her fiction and poetry are published in various anthologies (The Mammoth Book series, Stringybark Stories) and literary journals (The Ekphrastic Review, Last Girls Club, The Aurora Journal, Writing in a Woman’s Voice, Not Very Quiet). She has work forthcoming in an Improbable Press anthology in 2024.

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