Submission Guidelines
The Wily Writers site publishes two short stories per month in both audio and text formats. We host a celebrity editor for each of them, and they choose the stories along with the producer (Angel Leigh McCoy).
We publish only short fiction that falls under the genre umbrella of speculative fiction: horror, fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal romance / mystery / adventure. We have specific themes that we’re asking you to follow. See below:
Themes are trickling in. More coming soon!
Submission Schedule
Themed Issues
Anyone can submit to these issues.
edited by Ripley Patton, author of GHOST HAND |
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edited by Jennifer Brozek |
Submission Requirements
Submissions need to follow the guidelines listed below.
- IMPORTANT:
- Name your file so that it makes sense. An impressive filename for a fiction submission is: (lastname)-(word from title).RTF
[like this: mccoy-darkness.rtf]
- Name your file so that it makes sense. An impressive filename for a fiction submission is: (lastname)-(word from title).RTF
- Word count: 1000 – 4000 (Firm. Do not query).
- Use standard manuscript formatting. (more info)
- No simultaneous submissions to other publishers.
- Multiple submissions okay, but only one story per theme.
- Story must have a speculative fiction element.
- Gore, sex, and adult language okay, but make sure it improves the story.
- We do not edit, so make sure you use good grammar, have double-checked the punctuation, and have done a spell-check. We prefer Chicago Manual of Style rules, and we will reject it if it’s a mess, even if it’s an amazing story.
- We may request revisions, so if you’re not open to the idea, then let us know in your cover letter. It will save us all some time by communicating that up-front.
- We will accept reprints. Make double sure that the rights have reverted to you. By submitting it to us, you affirm that it has been freed from all other commitments that conflict with the rights you give us.
- We reserve the right to change these guidelines without notice.
Response Time: We will respond within 90 days after the appropriate issue’s deadline.
Pay: Starting with the themes listed above, we pay 5 cents per word. We pay via Paypal or check.
Rights: With this payment, we’re buying the exclusive right to publish an audio version (exclusive for twelve [12] months) and non-exclusive rights to publish a digital text (RTF) version. You will be asked to sign a contract.
Your story will automatically be a candidate for a “Best of Wily Writers” anthology at a later date.
Submit to Wily Writers via our online submission form.
SpecFicNZ Contest
Only members-in-good-standing of SpecFicNZ, an organization of New Zealand writers, can submit to the SpecFicNZ contest. Word count limit: 1000-4000 words. The story must be speculative fiction (horror, fantasy, or sci fi), but there are no other theme restrictions.
We’re looking forward to reading your story!
There’s something comforting about the monsters of category horror. Vampires, werewolves, zombies and ghouls - we’ve seen them all so many times that they’re familiar. We know how they act; we know how they work. (Doubt it? Just say the word “sparkle” to a serious fan of vampire fiction and see how they react. Odds are good you’ll get an enraged “Vampires aren’t LIKE that!”) They’re shorthand to a certain set of storytelling conventions and rules, and once you see the first bared fang you know exactly what the ground rules are. The world, in short, is defined by its monsters, and by the same token, defines them.
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