GUIDELINES

Status: OPEN to submissions at this time.

What We Want:

Fiction: Your best! We consider original, unpublished stories within the confines of dark fantasy and horror—mystery, suspense, supernatural, morbid humor, fantasy, etc. But the stories must have a clear horror element. We're looking for short stories up to 5,000 words (firm). We are also interested in tightly woven flash fiction (no vague pieces or stories that say nothing).

Non-fiction: We're interested in journalism, well-researched and emotionally compelling non-fiction about real horrors—disease, poverty, addiction, etc.—but also the standards, such as interviews and editorials on relative subjects.

Poetry: We're interested in dark poetry on a limited basis.

Artwork: We solicit artwork directly. But please e-mail us with samples if you're interested (link to website or on-line samples/portfolio preferred—no large attachments!). Artwork must be appropriate. If you paint flowers and wildlife, we're probably not right for you—unless the flowers have teeth and are eating the wildlife.

Send questions to: art@shocktotem.com

What We Do Not Want:

We're not interested in hard science fiction, epic fantasy (swords and sorcery), splatterporn (blood and guts and little more), or clichéd plots. Clichéd themes are okay. We don't mind stories about zombies or serial killers or vampires, but please make the overall piece unique. If the plot has been worked to death we will likely not consider it, no matter how well it is written. No fan fiction.

What We Do Not Want But Will Consider:

Reprints. Unpublished work will always get first consideration. Any submitted reprint must not have been published within the last 12 months, and the author must retain all applicable rights. All previous publication information (for the submitted story only) must be disclosed.

Format: All submissions must be sent via e-mail in .doc/.rtf format as file attachments. Please use 12pt. Times New Roman, double-spaced lines. Use italics. Do not underline. Do not double-space after a period. And we ask that your Subject Title be in this format: SUBMISSION: Title (Word Count). Example: SUBMISSION: Pay Attention! (3,000 words).

Please include your full name, contact info, and word count in the document and e-mail. We will not accept submissions from BilboSmeagol666.

No Simultaneous/Multiple submissions. Do not send a second submission until we've accepted or rejected the first. Include published credits, if applicable.

Average Response Time: 2 months.**

Payment Rates: We pay 5 cents per word, with a $250 cap.** Payment will be made within 30 days after publication. Authors accepted for publication will also receive one free copy of that issue upon request.

Rights: We claim First North American Serial Rights and First Electronic World Rights (not to include Internet use) for a period of one year. After which all rights revert to the author.

Send submissions to: submissions@shocktotem.com
Send general questions to: general@shocktotem.com

** Subject to change.