avatarMay More 💜 Tales

Summary

Tantalizing Tales is a fiction publication on Medium seeking intriguing and mysterious stories, offering detailed submission guidelines and support for both new and experienced writers.

Abstract

Tantalizing Tales, established in Jan 2021, is a Medium-based publication that specializes in publishing fiction across various genres, except for transgressive fiction or dark horror. The publication encourages submissions from both new and experienced writers, offering a supportive community and editorial assistance to help craft compelling narratives. Submissions must be original, unpublished fiction pieces, ranging from 751 to 4000 words, with shorter works considered for Micro Monday. The team, led by May More and Posy Churchgate, provides personalized editing and a structured publishing schedule to ensure optimal promotion and visibility for each story. While the publication does not pay contributors directly, it supports writers through Medium's Partner Program and encourages community engagement and mutual support among authors.

Opinions

  • The Tantalizing Tales team values well-crafted, engaging stories with strong characters and plot twists.
  • The publication emphasizes the importance of original content and prefers stories that have not been previously published on Medium.
  • Editors at Tantalizing Tales offer their time and expertise for free, driven by a passion for storytelling and community building.
  • The team encourages a collaborative atmosphere, with writers expected to engage with and support other community members' work.
  • Tantalizing Tales maintains a strict policy against the use of AI-generated content, preferring the authenticity of human-written stories.
  • The publication promotes inclusivity by featuring a variety of genres and encourages writers to explore and mix different fiction genres.
  • Tantalizing Tales is committed to thorough editing and formatting processes to ensure high-quality publications.
  • The team actively promotes stories through social media and newsletters, aiming to increase visibility and engagement for the authors.
  • The publication provides a platform for serialized fiction and supports writers in navigating the layout and image usage for their stories.
  • Tantalizing Tales prioritizes a thoughtful publication schedule, featuring one story per day from Tuesday to Friday, to give each tale the attention it deserves.

Information, Fiction Publication

Tantalizing Tales: Submission Guidelines

Updated 16/10/23: All genres of fiction. New writers welcome

Image Copyright — May More

Tantalizing Tales began in Jan 2021 and loves to publish intriguing fiction and mysterious tales.

Here is a friend link in case you are not a member — although we encourage our writers to join : https://readmedium.com/tantalizing-tales-submission-guidelines-13c662830e34?sk=c366c72854359b3af4d95d7b557cffb4

Please read before sending your draft…

Here are some guidelines and information with regard to our publication.

CONTENTS

The T.Tales Team

May and Posy are passionate about writing, and fond of crafting tales which grab a reader and make them want to keep scrolling until they’ve read every word. We created Tantalizing Tales as a place to showcase classy fiction of a mysterious or thrilling nature. Two writing buddies — Liz Black and Mrs K helped us get off the ground and turn it into a popular publication.

We welcome experienced writers but also encourage new ones to apply as our team of editors will help you put out the best story you can. Furthermore, we do this for free. Medium do not pay us for the admin, editing, promotion or creation of a community. We do it because we are passionate about our stories and want you to feel the same about your own.

Here’s the current team… May More is Curator, Editor, admin & Writer. Posy Churchgate is Chief Editor & Writer. Mrs. K checks all our new writer tales, is ad-hoc Editor & Writer. Marie A. Rebelle is ad-hoc Editor & Writer. Marsha Adams supports all the stories on the publication & Writer.

If you want to write for the publication follow these 5 steps:

  1. You will need to have a Medium profile to be a contributor. If you are not sure how to do that read this simple step by step article.
  2. Follow all the team above, AND the publication.
  3. Click the following links and subscribe to the publication — plus to May More and Posy Churchgate — (and other team members, from above, if you choose.)
  4. Check out the Totally Tantalizing page which features a selection of work that we think matches our brand.
  5. Email us at — [email protected] — with a draft link to a story you want us to consider. We will read your story asap and reply — usually with 48 hours.

Once we have added you as a writer you can then send us your stories at will…

  • When your draft is being edited please make sure you already subscribe to your personal editor. They are giving their time free. Plus, read/clap one of their stories in return.

What We Don’t Want

We are a fiction magazine, so we don’t want nonfiction or poetry.

What We Want — Fiction

Fiction stories between 751 & 4000 words — UNLESS you are submitting to Micro Monday — read instructions here for tales between 100 & 750 words.

Once you have written with us for a while we will also accept fictionalised tales. Those that have a foot in reality, but the writer is using artistic licence to expand the plot.

We like brave writing with twists and turns, strong characters, plus a definite story-line.

  • We only accept unpublished drafts. Medium uses the publication date on your story to determine its visibility, so fresh, new drafts will get more face time than older stories.
  • We are happy to publish a story that has already appeared on your personal blog site too, but it must not appear anywhere else on Medium.
  • Always copy and paste the narrative into medium. Do not import. If you do the original date will come with the story.

Genres and Topics

Any genre welcome except transgressive fiction or dark horror. Redemption Magazine is the home for dark tales that in most places would need a content warning.

But we do welcome a twisted tale, and other genres such as: Science fiction; Mystery; Historical fiction; Thriller; Realistic fiction; Romance; Erotica (but not porn); Fantasy; Fan fiction; Comedy.

Or a mix of genres.

Some tags we like you to use

  1. Supernatural;
  2. Science Fiction;
  3. Historical Fiction;
  4. Erotic Romance;
  5. Twisted Tale

We cannot publish a piece that portrays prejudice in any form. Sex acts should show consent, although this can be assumed if the characters are in a relationship. If in doubt, send us the draft and we can advise.

Serials

A short — up to 5/6 episodes — series that has been approved will be given a weekly or fortnightly slot.

For longer serials, we recommend you get in touch with Serial Stories owned by one of our editors, Marie A. Rebelle

Although we are happy to host your ad hoc series — which do not necessarily follow on in plot — they may just include the same characters and can each be read as a stand-alone story, such as this one.

Editing

Before sending in your draft, edit and revise it thoroughly. A top tip for editing is to read the narrative out-loud.

However, because we want to make sure every published story is the best it can be on Tantalizing Tales, we will read through the draft and offer editing notes.

These suggestions are not meant to change the style or voice of your work. But rather to pick up typos, repetition or grammatical errors that you have missed. We aim to make sure your story flows better, so that once a reader starts, they will be compelled to stay on the page until the very end.

Layout of your Tantalizing Tale

If you are a new writer we are happy to help you achieve the correct layout for your story. But once you have been writing with us for a while, please read the article below — about layout and images — so that you can send us your story in the best possible format.

Schedule

Rather than simply publishing the stories immediately they are submitted, we want to make every tale matter. This means:

  • Tuesday through to Friday, we feature and publish only one story and promote it on Twitter.
  • On Saturday and Sundays, time permitting, we will share and promote two stories.
  • On Mondays, we feature two or three pieces of micro-fiction.

This all means that when you send us a story you may need to wait for a publication date. We will leave you a private note telling you when this will be. I schedule stories on a Wednesday and on the weekend, so please be patient.

Promotion

At Tantalizing Tales we are known for the amount of support we give to our writers. The editors do this by proofing every story and by reading, highlighting and clapping for your tale within 24 hours of publication… but also by promotion.

  • Your story will be shared on Twitter at least twice during its week of publication.
  • A weekly digest is sent out to over 180 subscribers. This contains a link to every story published during the previous week, plus a selection of Cocktail Club stories are included too.
  • If you have written for the prompt, are a new writer or are among our top stories you will be promoted in our monthly newsletter.
  • Two or three times a month we promote a featured writer. Tweeting and showcasing their work.

Payment

We would rather our writers be paid for their work. Medium works this out by engagement and views. You need to join their Partner Program for this to happen. Have a read of this if you have not joined yet. However, if you don’t want to create a Stripe account and provide personal details to Medium, we are still happy to publish your stories if they work for the publication.

Community Support

As a way of giving back to the publication, please…

  • Take time to read some of the editor’s tales.
  • We have a community initiative that we would like our writers to support. Each writer should read and clap for the stories published two days prior to their own.

Make sure to highlight when you are reading, This way you will help those in the Partner Program to earn income from their work.

Any questions then please ask in the comments or email us…

Sister Publications

The Tantalizing Team are also involved in other publications. If you like the way we work, you may enjoy writing for them too.

Check them out here at the Cocktail Club

A note about using Artificial Intelligence

  • AI Images: If you want to use an AI created image then please make sure it is labelled as such. Check out this story to see how that is done.
  • AI Writing: On Tantalizing Tales, we say NO to AI generated stories. And will check your tale for AI content.
Submission Guidelines
Tantalizing Tales
Fiction
Microfiction
Flash Fiction
Recommended from ReadMedium
avatar🦋 Marie A. Rebelle
Silent Night, Deadly Night

A holiday nightmare unfolds as his girlfriend’s twisted devotion to Christmas traps him in a life-or-death struggle

8 min read
avatarMay More
The Blooming Hours

She sees a picture of the past mixed with the horror of the future and shrieks out for the master.

3 min read
avatarH. S. Rad
So Long!

A Short Story

3 min read
avatarMarsha Adams
How to make stock of the year that was

Reducing your Medium year to make it palatable

4 min read
avatarLucas Grochot
The Call Of His Voice

A story of forbidden love centuries ago

3 min read
avatarAndrew Rupert Crocker
Margaret’s Prophecy

“Love isn’t a safety net, Vera. It’s a tightrope. And Dominic? He’s got a habit of cutting the wire.”

16 min read