Ray’s Writing Checklist

If you’ve decided to sit down and get some writing done, you want to free your mind of possible future distractions. With this list, it might help you do that.

1) A drink, cold or otherwise. Saves you walking later.
2) A snack of your choice when you get the munchies. Same as above.
3) Go to the bathroom before you start. Better out than in.
4) Music to listen to, a queue of at least 2 hours. Even if you don’t write that long, you might skip tracks.
5) Headphone, to listen to above music. No distractions.
6) Enough light so you can see screen & keyboard.

That’s it. Now get writing!

2022 Awards Eligible Work

The following works are eligible for the Nebula, Hugo & BSFA Awards in the short story category.
NOTE: REPRINTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE OUTSIDE THEIR PUBLICATION YEAR.

Stranding Room Only. Abyss & Apex Issue 81: 1st Quarter 2022. 1st Jan ’22.

[This is an ongoing thread, updates will appear as stories are released.]

So This Was 2021

2020=356 subs.
317 rejections.
16 acceptances.
18 pubs.
9 ISFDB credits.
54 stories written, 88,033 words.

2021=458 subs.
406 rejections.
22 acceptances.
25 pubs.
11 ISFDB credits.
75 stories written, 85,117 words.

75 stories and 1 poem (206 words).
flash 1k or lower-31 titles, 16,690 words
Over 1k-34 titles, 58,040 words
Stories sold of various lengths-11 titles, 10,181 words
85,117 words written this year. (Not including reviews or non-fiction publications.)

21 stories published. 4 non-fiction pieces published.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

Letters From The Phased Photonic Travel Company sold to Utopia Science Fiction, Jan 14th 2021.
Rescue Me sold to Hireath Publishing, Jan 31st 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It sold to The Angry Noodle, Feb 23rd 2021. (1st non-fiction sale!)
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green sold to The Lorelei Signal, Mar 7th 2021.
Overground sold to COLP, Apr 5th 2021.
The Message sold to Stupefying Stories, Apr 28th 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams sold to Stupefying Stories, May 23rd 2021.
For Sale; Used Time Machine. No Refunds! sold to Stupefying Stories, Jun 1st 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme sold to Flash In A Flash, Jun 20th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently sold to Sanitarium Magazine, Jul 2nd 2021.
Too Hot To Handle sold to Stupefying Stories, Jul 12th 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low sold to Silver Blade, Jul 15th 2021.
A Life Of Mystery sold to 34 Orchard, Jul 18th 2021.
Party Of Five sold to The Lorelei Signal, Jul 26th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb sold to Stupefying Stories, Jul 26th 2021.
The Office Girl sold to Executive Dread, Aug 22nd 2021.
Photo Sympathy sold to US/THEM, Sep 3rd 2021.
1 SALE TBA, AWAITING PERMISSION, Oct 6th 2021.
Call Back, Any Time! sold to Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 27th Oct 2021.
Diversion To Fahla Bha’la sold to Dark Recesses Press, 3rd Nov 2021.
Hot Dust was accepted by Starry Eyed Press for their Space Treks Anthology, 6th Nov 2021.
To Have, And To Hold sold to Starward Shadows Quarterly, 25th Nov 2021.
Where They Fear To Tread sold to Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, 6th Dec 2021.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 46 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

Lost Souls was released at Daily Science Fiction, Jan 27th 2021.
Grandmothers Shoes was released at Bards And Sages Quarterly, April issue, Mar 30th 2021.
Overground was released in COLP:Underground, May 23rd 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams was released at Stupefying Stories, May 28th 2021.
The Message was released at Stupefying Stories, Jun 4th 2021.
For Sale: Used Time Machine. No Refunds! was released at Stupefying Stories, Jun 7th 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme was released at Flash In A Flash newsletter, Jun 25th 2021.
Letters From the Phased Photonic Travel Company was released at Utopia Science Fiction, Vol 2, Issue 6, Jun 30th 2021.
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green was released at The Lorelei Signal, Jul 4th, 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low was released at Silver Blade Magazine, Issue 50 – Summer 2021 Jul 15th 2021.
Too Hot To Handle was released at Stupefying Stories, Jul 29th 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It was released at The Angry Noodle, Jul 30th 2021. [Nonfiction]
Officer Down, Permanently was released at Sanitarium Issue #4, Aug 13th 2021.
Rescue Me was released in Shelter Of Daylight, Sept 24th 2021.
Party Of Five was released at The Lorelei Signal, Oct 4th 2021.
Photo Sympathy was released in US/THEM, Oct 30th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb was released at Stupefying Stories, Nov 6th 2021.
All Clued Out was released in 34 Orchard, Issue 4, Autumn 2021, Nov 10th 2021.
The Office Girl was released in Executive Dread: Tales of Office Horror, Nov 11th 2021.
36 Hours In The Space Force was released in Tales From The Space Force, Nov 13th 2021.
Diversion To Fahla Bha’la was released at Dark Recesses Press, Dec 5th 2021.

LESSONS LEARNED:-

(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until officially announced then replace with official info.
Add releases as soon as info is received to Shape Of Things To Come. This means I don’t forget over the month.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

Stranding Room will be released at Abyss & Apex, January 1st, 2022.
Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, January 31st, 2022. (DTBC).
Secret Project TBA, Spring 2022. (DTBC)
Where They Fear To Tread will be released in Jersey Pine Ink’s Trees Anthology, Summer 2022. (DTBC)
Call Back, Any Time! will be released in Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 2022. (DTBC)
1 SALE TBA, PUBLISHING, Feb 2023. (DTBC)

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got 4 stories being held. I’m hoping a few manifest into sales.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote 6 new stories & 1 poem this month, a total of 6416 words.
I did handwrite one story on December 31st, but as it hasn’t been typed up, it can’t be counted or classed as finished, but it exists.

Hot Dust didn’t come to fruition. Starry Eyed Press weren’t interested in having me take part in the edit process which I simply couldn’t allow so they cancelled the sale offer. If a market won’t allow you to be part of the edit process, say no to them, no matter how much money they are offering. Nothing is worth that.

In terms of purely getting stuff done, this has been my best year ever. Joined Codex, got permabanned. Joined SFWA. Still with them.

I’m not setting any New Years Resolutions for 2022 BUT… I would like to finish 26 stories I’ve never completed for whatever reason. They can be outlines, stuff I already started and ran out of steam on, but that’s the target. And it’s my only target.

So This Was November 2021

I’ve made 447 new submissions. 387 rejections. 20 acceptances. 4 stories being held and 1 still awaiting permission to announce.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

Letters From The Phased Photonic Travel Company sold to Utopia Science Fiction, Jan 14th 2021.
Rescue Me sold to Hireath Publishing, Jan 31st, 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It sold to The Angry Noodle, Feb 23rd 2021. (1st non-fiction sale!)
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green sold to The Lorelei Signal, Mar 7th 2021.
Overground sold to COLP, Apr 5th 2021.
The Message sold to Stupefying Stories, Apr 28th 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams sold to Stupefying Stories, May 23rd 2021.
For Sale; Used Time Machine. No Refunds! sold to Stupefying Stories, Jun 1st 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme sold to Flash In A Flash, Jun 20th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently sold to Sanitarium Magazine, Jul 2nd 2021.
Too Hot To Handle sold to Stupefying Stories. Jul 12th 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low sold to Silver Blade, Jul 15th 2021.
A Life Of Mystery sold to 34 Orchard, Jul 18th 2021.
Party Of Five sold to The Lorelei Signal, Jul 26th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb sold to Stupefying Stories, Jul 26th 2021.
The Office Girl sold to Executive Dread, Aug 22nd 2021.
Photo Sympathy sold to US/THEM, Sep 3rd 2021.
1 SALE TBA, AWAITING PERMISSION, Oct 6th 2021.
Call Back, Any Time! sold to Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 27th Oct 2021.
Diversion To Fahla Bha’la sold to Dark Recesses Press, 3rd Nov, 2021.
Hot Dust was accepted by Starry Eyed Press for their Space Treks Anthology, 6th Nov 2021.
To Have, And To Hold sold to Starward Shadows Quarterly, 25th Nov 2021.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 58 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

Lost Souls was released at Daily Science Fiction, Jan 27th 2021.
Grandmothers Shoes was released at Bards And Sages Quarterly, April issue, Mar 30th 2021.
Overground was released in COLP:Underground, May 23rd 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams was released at Stupefying Stories, May 28th, 2021.
The Message was released at Stupefying Stories, June 4th, 2021.
For Sale: Used Time Machine. No Refunds! was released at Stupefying Stories, June 7th, 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme was released at Flash In A Flash newsletter,June 25th, 2021.
Letters From the Phased Photonic Travel Company was released at Utopia Science Fiction, Vol 2, Issue 6, June 30th, 2021.
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green was released at The Lorelei Signal, July 4th, 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low was released at Silver Blade Magazine, Issue 50 – Summer 2021, July 15th, 2021.
Too Hot To Handle was released at Stupefying Stories, Jul 29th 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It was released at The Angry Noodle, July 30th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently was released at Sanitarium Issue #4, August 13th, 2021.
Rescue Me was released in Shelter Of Daylight, September 24th, 2021.
Party Of Five was released at The Lorelei Signal, October 4th 2021.
Photo Sympathy was released in US/THEM, October 30th 2021.
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb was released at Stupefying Stories, November 6th 2021.
All Clued Out was released in 34 Orchard, Issue 4, Autumn 2021, November 10th 2021.
The Office Girl was released in Executive Dread: Tales of Office Horror, November 11th 2021.
36 Hours In The Space Force was released in Tales From The Space Force, 13th November 2021.

LESSONS LEARNED:-

(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until officially announced then replace with official info.
Add releases as soon as info is received to Shape Of Things To Come. This means I don’t forget over the month.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.
I chose to remove the Stories On Hold section as I didn’t want any markets to feel pressure to buy stuff.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

Diversion To Fahla Bha’la will be released at Dark Recesses Press, December 5th, 2021.
Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, 20th December 2021. (DTBC).
To Have, And To Hold will be released at Starward Shadows Quarterly, December 2021. (DTBC)
Stranding Room will be released at Abyss & Apex, January 1st, 2022.
Call Back, Any Time! will be released in Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 2022. (DTBC)
Secret project TBA, Spring 2022. (DTBC)
1 SALE TBA, PUBLISHING, Feb 2023. (DTBC)

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got 4 stories being held. I’m hoping a few manifest into sales.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote 1 new story this month, a total of 1700 words.
Nanowrimo fell apart fairly quickly, I lost all motivation to write.

SFWA Short Story Market List 2021

I first compiled this data last year here:- https://raymondwriteswrongs.wordpress.com/2020/11/20/sfwa-short-story-market-list/ and wanted to do it again to see how different the list was this year.

Here are the markets, I’ve tried to put them into alphabetical order. Several markets were referred to in different ways, hopefully all these are unique entries.
___________________________

Allegory
Anathema Magazine
Apex Magazine
Apparition Lit
Arizona State University Center for Science and the Imagination
Asimov’s
Augur Magazine
Baffling Magazine
Black Static
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Bourbon Penn
Clarkesworld
Constelación
Cossmass Infinities
Curious Blue Press
Daily Science Fiction
Dark Magazine
Dark Matter Magazine
Departure Mirror
Diabolical Plots
Escape Pod
Fantasy & Science Fiction
Fantasy Magazine
Fireside Fiction
Fiyah
Fusion Fragment
Grist
Infinite Worlds
Kaleidotrope
khōréō magazine
Laksa Media Groups
Lamplight Magazine
Lightspeed
Mermaids Monthly
Metaphorosis
Mysterion
Nightmare Magazine
Nature
On Spec Magazine
Orion’s Belt
Podcastle
Pseudopod
Selene Quarterly Magazine
Shoreline of Infinity
Speculatively Queer
Strange Horizons
Tenebrous Press
The Dark
The Deadlands
The Dread Machine
The Nature of Cities
The New Yorker
Tor.com
Transit Lounge Publishing
Translunar Travelers Lounge
Trepidatio Publishing
Uncanny
Underland Arcana
Utopia Science Fiction
WordFire Press
Zooscape

When To Say No…

Initially this was written and I was going to ask Stupefying Stories to run it on their blogspot, but I didn’t want to put Bruce or his publication in a difficult or awkward position while I railed against another publisher, so I’m posting it here on my own blog in it’s original form.

If the publisher recognises themselves and wishes to have their say, please, do get in touch to present your opinions. I’ve tried to be as fair and balanced about the experience as possible. Even after over 6 years of submitting stories, I was still unsure what to do. To other writers, please, be careful what you sign.

I’ve no personal axe to grind against the publisher or their anthology. I wouldn’t have submitted there if I did. I just want writers and the publication themselves to know what is and isn’t acceptable in a contract between author and publisher.

I also reached out to people through SFWA and they gave me advice, which I thank them for.

This is presented to other writers, as a cautionary tale. Not every acceptance becomes a sales or publication.
_________________________________________

Normally, you’d be reading a movie review or my opinions as a grumpy old guy on stuff. This week is different. I wanted to talk about the experience of writing. Not putting words down or creating stories, the actual interaction with publishers.

Bruce, you can breathe easy, this isn’t about you. Stupefying Stories has always been good to me and I’m not just saying that to toe the company line, I mean it. I’ve been treated well, paid on time, all my interactions have been on a professional basis and I’m proud to be part of the Stupefying family, even if it is in the role of Grumpy Old Guy.

What I wanted to talk about are submissions, acceptances and when not to take an offer.

Recently I received my 21st acceptance of 2021. That’s quite an achievement, not just for me but for anyone.

HOWEVER…

All was not as good as it looked on the surface. I had been sent a contract and was asked to read, sign and return it.

I’ll explain which bit of the contract got me nervous, under the section titles CHANGES.

By signing the contract the AUTHOR authorizes the PUBLISHER to edit the complete WORK and publish the edited version without further agreement of the AUTHOR.

Basically, that says we can edit your work and you don’t get to take part in the editing process or see it until it’s published. In their defence, they sent me a sample edit, the first page of my several page story. The above conditions are not normal or industry standard.

I’ve been selling work for over 6 years now, I’ve made over 50 sales. No-one else has ever expected this level of control before, not even the pro markets. Not even when I was a newbie, making my first few sales. In general, markets have treated me well during the journey to publication.

The editing process is give and take, regardless of the publishing date. I’ve been able to work with people who had extremely short timelines, often weeks, and was still able to get edits back in time for them to not only make their publication date but frequently publish before they had hoped to.

I’ve had acceptances which never went anywhere, generally those were markets who simply didn’t get enough stories to publish an anthology. That has happened to me a few times. This case is different though.

I’m not going to name and shame the market here, I’ve already said who this was on my social media accounts, I’m not about to use this as an opportunity to damage them. By all appearances, this was their first attempt to compile an anthology, and they mistakenly or misguidely thought this clause was a good idea. I just want people to know, this type of request in a contract should set off your alarm bells too.

This is when you email back, explain your issues with said contract, and politely ask to work with them on the editing process. These folks chose to decline that offer and immediately terminated the contract, citing “rejection of conditions“.

Effectively, I said no, and they pulled the rug from under me hoping to retain control of the situation.

I don’t want you to think I missed out here. Sure, it was a paying gig, and publication. The pay was a royalty split, I don’t overly care for those but I knew it was in advance and was willing to take the chance there. Generally, I like to know exactly what I’ll be getting paid before I submit a story.

This was a learning experience, not just for me, but I chose to share it so other writers know not just to sign a contract and hope. Read contracts carefully, if you hear alarms, heed them and ask the publisher questions. Any professional publication will welcome your enquiry. Most will generally want to work with you. In this case, because they seem new and relatively inexperienced, they chose not to.

Submission is a marathon, it’s not a sprint. Your story will find another home. Maybe not next week, or even 6 months from now, but it’ll find the right market one day, and they’ll work with you.

Don’t ever be afraid to say no to a contract. If if doesn’t look right, don’t sign.
If you’re new and unsure, fairly experienced and unsure, or just plain not sure, reach out to me @RayDaleyWriter on Twitter.

The Grumpy Old Guy reviews will now return to your normal programming. Once I’ve worked out what normal means…

So This Was October 2021

I’ve made 420 new submissions. 358 rejections. 17 acceptances, and 2 more still awaiting permission to announce.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

Letters From The Phased Photonic Travel Company sold to Utopia Science Fiction, Jan 14th 2021.
Rescue Me sold to Hireath Publishing, Jan 31st, 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It sold to The Angry Noodle, Feb 23rd 2021. (1st non-fiction sale!)
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green sold to The Lorelei Signal, Mar 7th 2021.
Overground sold to COLP, Apr 5th 2021.
The Message sold to Stupefying Stories, Apr 28th 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams sold to Stupefying Stories, May 23rd 2021.
For Sale; Used Time Machine. No Refunds! sold to Stupefying Stories, Jun 1st 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme sold to Flash In A Flash, Jun 20th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently sold to Sanitarium Magazine, Jul 2nd 2021.
Too Hot To Handle sold to Stupefying Stories. Jul 12th 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low sold to Silver Blade, Jul 15th 2021.
A Life Of Mystery sold to 34 Orchard, Jul 18th 2021.
Party Of Five sold to The Lorelei Signal, Jul 26th 2021.
1 SALE TBA, AWAITING PERMISSION. Jul 26th 2021.
The Office Girl sold to Executive Dread, Aug 22nd 2021.
Photo Sympathy sold to US/THEM, Sep 3rd 2021.
1 SALE TBA, AWAITING PERMISSION, Oct 6th 2021.
Call Back, Any Time! sold to Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, 27th Oct 2021.

CAVEAT:-Be aware, I am now adding stubs for titles which have sold, but I’ve not yet received official permission to announce as sold yet. These are just an aide memoire for me, and my increasingly terrible short-term memory.

There are currently 63 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

Lost Souls was released at Daily Science Fiction, Jan 27th 2021.
Grandmothers Shoes was released at Bards And Sages Quarterly, April issue, Mar 30th 2021.
Overground was released in COLP:Underground, May 23rd 2021.
Fixing Broken Dreams was released at Stupefying Stories, May 28th, 2021.
The Message was released at Stupefying Stories, June 4th, 2021.
For Sale: Used Time Machine. No Refunds! was released at Stupefying Stories, June 7th, 2021.
The Witless Protection Scheme was released at Flash In A Flash newsletter,June 25th, 2021.
Letters From the Phased Photonic Travel Company was released at Utopia Science Fiction, Vol 2, Issue 6, June 30th, 2021.
Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green was released at The Lorelei Signal, July 4th, 2021.
Fair King, Fell Low was released at Silver Blade Magazine, Issue 50 – Summer 2021, July 15th, 2021.
Too Hot To Handle was released at Stupefying Stories, Jul 29th 2021.
Philip K. Dick Does It was released at The Angry Noodle, July 30th 2021.
Officer Down, Permanently was released at Sanitarium Issue #4, August 13th, 2021.
Rescue Me was released in Shelter Of Daylight, September 24th, 2021.
Party Of Five was released at The Lorelei Signal, October 4th 2021.
Photo Sympathy was released in US/THEM, October 30th 2021.

LESSONS LEARNED:-

(This is a new segment, I’ll be adding tips for myself for future blogs.)
Add sales as stubs as soon as those are received. Temp entries until officially announced then replace with official info.
Add releases as soon as info is received to Shape Of Things To Come. This means I don’t forget over the month.
Add stubs to Shape Of Things To Come for unannounced sales.
Create entries for the Submission Challenge each day, as they come in or go out.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

Tuck & Roll will be released in Automobilia, (DTBC).
A Life Of Mystery (now renamed All Clued Out) will be released at 34 Orchard, 11th November 2021.
The Office Girl will be released in Executive Dread. (DTBC)
36 Hours In The Space Force will be released in Tales From The Space Force, 15th-19th December 2021. (DTBC)
Stranding Room will be released at Abyss & Apex, Jan 2022. (DTBC)
1 SALE, PUBLISHING (DTBC).
1 SALE, PUBLISHING, Feb 2023. (DTBC)

There’s some other stuff coming, I can’t officially talk about it yet. Just know it IS coming.
When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.
I’ve got some stuff being held, obviously I can’t say what or where. I’m hoping a few manifest into sales.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

I wrote 4 new stories this month, a total of 5085 words. I’ve put the market list out for January’s challenge.
I’m doing NaNoWriMo but rebelling with short stories, nothing crazy, aiming at 15-18 stories & 20-25k.
I am also now doing weekly reviews for Stupefying Stories.
Automobilia doesn’t appear to be officially for sale yet, there is no price or ISBN details or links to where people can buy it.
I’ll hopefully be submitting some stories to various Years Best genre anthologies this month.

January 2022 Submission Challenge Market List

If you’re new to my challenge, welcome. Otherwise, welcome back.

So what’s this all about?

3 times each year, I make a list of paying markets for short form genre fiction which covers science fiction, fantasy, horror and literary fiction.
I challenge you, as well as myself, to submit to as many of these markets as you can over the course of January 2022.
For me, the challenge is to sub to all of them. For you, it’s to sub to as many as you feel you can, or wish to see your work at.

There’s a decent mixture, pro markets, semi-pro, paying and token, but all these markets do pay something. We’ve had success before, most people who’ve previously taken part in past years have made sales, I myself made my 1st standalone pro sale from the event to Daily Science Fiction.

All you need are the stories, proofed and ready to be sent out. Of course, you need to read the guidelines for whichever markets you choose to submit your work to and format them accordingly.

So what’s this all for?

The event is about getting skills vital to becoming a better author. Learning the submission process, handling rejection, using feedback & flexibility being able to sub to a new market with almost no notice. These are all good skills which will serve you well as a jobbing writer in the submission trenches. I’m in the exact same position as you, trying to sell my work, competing with my peers, getting rejections and making a sale here and there. The only different between you and me, I’m the one creating these lists every few months, and you’re getting all that hard work done for you.

If you want to use these markets, please do. I encourage any short fic writers to take part, the most common thing I hear on Twitter is “Where can I find places to sell my work?” What I’ve done here is answer that question for you. All I ask is for support, that you acknowledge you used this list and to promote the challenge on social media if you think it’d interest writers you know.

If you also enjoy the process, I’d love to hear you blog about your experience after the fact.

Be aware, availability may change between now and January. The onus is on you to check they are still open. I will update this list between now & then, you can follow me on Twitter @RayDaleyWriter or get in touch with me to join our private Facebook group where we often share extra links not posted here.

So without any further ado, here is the list of markets. Confirmed open & paying by me, on this day 23rd October ’21. EDIT:- Minor changes have been made, some markets moved about. 23rd Nov ’21.
2nd EDIT:- Mythic removed as they have closed forever, Interzone moved. Compelling now confirmed as open/paying. The Overcast were removed, they are also closing forever. I’ve moved Infinite Worlds to that empty spot. 22nd Dec ’21

____________________________________________________

01 Fantasy Magazine (short & long form) https://adamant.moksha.io/publication/fantasy/guidelines OR Clarkesworld http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/submissions/
02 Cosmic Root & Eldritch Shores https://cosmicrootsandeldritchshores.com/submissions/
03 Seize The Press https://twitter.com/SeizePress/status/1471260798303485966 OR Compelling SF Compelling Science Fiction http://compellingsciencefiction.com/guidelines.html
04 Apex Magazine https://apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/
05 Dark Recesses https://darkrecessespress.com/submissions/ OR Micro Madness https://www.cosmichorrormonthly.com/micro-madness/
06 Three-Lobed Burning Eye https://www.3lobedmag.com/submissions.html
07 Electric Spec https://www.electricspec.com/Submissions.html
08 Rockets & Robots/Beware The Bugs/Paradoxical Pets http://www.jamesmaxey.net/word-balloon-book-anthologies.html OR Spring Into SciFi https://www.cloakedpress.com/springscifi/
09 Sci Phi Journal https://www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/submission-guidelines/ OR Daily Science Fiction https://dailysciencefiction.com/submit
10 Asimov’s https://www.asimovs.com/contact-us/writers-guidelines/ OR Apparition Lit https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/
11 Penumbric https://www.penumbric.com/subs.html
12 Infinite Worlds https://www.infiniteworldsmagazine.com/submissions OR Dread Stone Press (Dose Of Dread) 1k flash, horror https://dreadstonepress.com/submissions/#dose-jump
13 Analog https://www.analogsf.com/contact-us/writers-guidelines/ OR Cryptid Carnage https://horrortree.com/taking-submissions-cryptid-carnage-early-listing/
14 Cosmic Horror Monthly https://www.cosmichorrormonthly.com/submissions/
15 Fractured Literary https://fracturedlit.com/submit/ or Silver Blade https://www.silverblade.net/submissions-2/
16 Welkin Lit https://welkinmag.com/submit/ OR Planet Scumm https://www.planetscumm.space/submit
17 Anotherealm http://anotherealm.com/faq/submit.php
18 Strange Horizons (before 4pm GMT) http://strangehorizons.com/submit/fiction-submission-guidelines/
19 Interzone http://ttapress.com/interzone/guidelines/
20 Flash Fiction Online http://flashfictiononline.com/main/submission-guidelines-flash-fiction/
21 F&SF https://www.sfsite.com/fsf/glines.htm
22 The Other Stories (Metamorphosis theme) https://theotherstories.net/submissions
23 Mythaxis https://mythaxis.co.uk/submissions.html
24 Metaphorosis https://magazine.metaphorosis.com/guidelines/
25 Bards & Sages Quarterly https://www.bardsandsages.com/contact_us/fiction_submission_guidelines OR The Society Of Misfit Toys (same link)
26 Not One Of Us https://not-one-of-us.pub/about/guidelines/
27 The Arcanist https://thearcanist.io/tag/submission-guidelines/ OR CRAFT Lit https://www.craftliterary.com/submit/
28 The Future Fire http://futurefire.net/guidelines/fiction.html
29 Newmyths https://sites.google.com/a/newmyths.com/nmwebsite/submissions/sub-2
30 The Mesozoic Reader https://farthertrees.wordpress.com/mesozoic-reader/ OR The Lorelei Signal https://www.loreleisignal.com/Guidelines.html
31 Escape Pod https://escapepod.org/guidelines/short-fiction/ OR 34 Orchard https://34orchard.com/guidelines/
____________________________________

NOTHING BELOW HERE IS CONFIRMED OPEN. THESE ARE MERELY SUGGESTED ALTERNATE MARKETS WHICH MAY BE OPEN & DO PAY.
____________________________________
The Deadlands https://thedeadlands.com/guidelines/ (Possibly Jan 20th?)
Bourbon Penn https://www.bourbonpenn.com/submissions
The Dark Magazine http://thedarkmagazine.com/submission-guidelines/
Tales from the Moonlit Path http://talesmoonlitpath.com/submissions/
Dread Machine https://www.thedreadmachine.com/submit/
Dream Of Shadows https://www.dreamofshadows.co.uk/submission-guidelines
Amazing Stories https://submission.amazingstoriesmag.com/guidelines/
Giganotosaurus http://giganotosaurus.org/submission-guidelines/
Nature: Futures http://blogs.nature.com/futureconditional/2015/04/19/how-to-write-for-nature-futures/
Mithila Review https://mithilareview.com/submission-guidelines/
Centropic Oracle http://www.centropicoracle.com/mainpages/subguide.php
Chrome Baby http://robindunn.com/chrome-submit.html
The Weird And Whatnot https://www.theweirdandwhatnot.com/submit
Hexagon Magazine https://hexagonmagazine.ca/submit/
Underland Arcana https://www.underlandarcana.com/submissions/
The Colored Lens http://thecoloredlens.com/?page_id=8/
No Sleep Podcast https://www.thenosleeppodcast.com/submissions
James Gunn’s Ad Astra http://www.adastrasf.com/submissions/short-fiction-submission-guidelines/
Flash Frog https://flash-frog.com/submit/
Underland Arcana https://www.underlandarcana.com/submissions/
Wyldblood Magazine https://wyldblood.com/submissions-2/
SmokeLong Quarterly https://www.smokelong.com/guidelines/

NaNoWriMo 2021 Transparency Post

I am doing NaNoWriMo, HOWEVER, I am NOT WRITING A NOVEL, NOR AM I WRITING 50,000 WORDS.
I’m rebelling (again), doing at least 15 short stories & aiming for between 20,000-25,000 words done.

I won’t be writing every day, it doesn’t really matter if I don’t make either the amount of stories or word count as I’ve already written more than 1 story a week for this year before it’s even over. Or this event has started.

The general idea is to get a bit of my Works In Progress/Abandoned Ideas pile down slightly as it’s starting to develop a life of its own.

Things which might happen:-I might only write 6 or so stories just to get me to an even number for the year. I might write nothing at all. I’ve selected 18 ideas, possibly leaving 2 slots open for stuff I come up with in the meantime & would like to write at least a dozen of them.

I’ve selected stuff which is all viable, some are already started (on paper) so would need typing up.

I’m not expecting to write 1667 words per story. It may be more, or less, it depends how the ideas feel as I write them. I have no clue if I’ll hit either target or what I’m doing if either of those things happen. The basic concept is to finish some stories & try to enjoy doing it. There’s no fail scenario, I have zero fucks to give at this point.

Have fun, go mad.

September 2021 Submission Challenge Summary

September 1st – Todays markets were Fantasy Magazine who were open for short & long form (as well as poetry) or On The Premises who had a Monster Theme. I sent Fantasy The Man Who Borrowed My Clock & A Selection Of Fools Grails. Surviving A Lock-in At The Bloodied Pheasant went to On The Premises. 3 solid stories, a strong start to the event.

I also subbed The Recently Declassified History Of South Bend Flight School to Uncanny. They were open, but the info there was very confusing. I looked a few times & was going to list them, so that sub was very much last minute.

I did get 1 rejection today but as it wasn’t challenge related, I’m not going to list it here.

That’s a total of 4 submissions made.
________________________________________________

September 2nd – Todays markets were Cosmic Roots & Eldritch Shores (sent them Departure Date) or The Periodical, Forlorn who had a theme of Moonlighting, and I sent them I Hide Behind Cardboard Cliffs & Polystyrene Rocks.

I also applied for SFWA Associate membership under the hardship scheme. Got a couple of non-challenge related rejections. Sent out my novel to 2 places.

That’s a total of 6 submissions made.
________________________________________________

September 3rd – Todays markets were Flash Fiction Online or Micro Madness. The Hard Hundred went to FFO as that was a 100 themed call, Today Will Never End to Micro Madness.

Made a late stage sub and sent Muse to Felis Futura anthology.

Was accepted as an Associate Member at SFWA. Also sold a story. 17th sale this yr.

That’s a total of 9 submissions made.
________________________________________________

September 4th – Todays markets were Hexagon Magazine or Dark Moon Books. Sent Mission 334; Mannequin World to Hexagon, A Pale Imitation went to Horror Library Anthology (Dark Moon).

That’s a total of 11 submissions made.
________________________________________________

September 5th – Todays markets were Underland Arcana who got Pick A Witch or Clarkesworld, I sent them To Have, And To Hold – a very tongue in cheek fantasy piece.

Also signed & returned my contract with Jolly Horror for Executive Dread.

That’s a total of 13 submissions made.
________________________________________________

September 6th – Todays markets were Metaphorosis, I sent them Fairytales, And Lies or PseudoPod, I sent Death In Tunnel Three there. That wasn’t the story I had originally intended to send them, but it didn’t feel enough like horror so I swapped it for a later market. Also got a rejection from Clarkesworld.

That’s a total of 15 submissions made. 1 rejection.
________________________________________________

September 7th – Todays markets were Analog, I sent them The War Machines or ParSec, Simon Says went there. Got a no from Metaphorosis on Fairytales, And Lies. Stupefying were supposed to be open today, sadly they are closed due to family illness.

That’s a total of 17 submissions made. 2 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 8th – Todays markets were Titanic Terastructures, I sent a query there because that’s all they wanted. I also sent the same publisher another query for Grandpa’s Space Diner, so no actual submissions made there. My other market was Flash Point Science Fiction, I sent them Hush, Hush, The Princess Is Sleeping. I got a rejection from Hexagon, but they suggested a new imprint they are doing. I won’t be subbing there as the challenge is paying markets only & that wasn’t. I had thought Barrelhouse were open today but apparently I’m useless and managed to misread the date which is Sept 15th.

That’s a total of 18 submissions made. 3 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 9th – Todays markets were Silver Blade, who I couldn’t sub to as I was published there in July & their rules say no subs within 12 months of a publication with them. The other market today was Compelling, who aren’t listed as open on Submission Grinder so I can’t log a sub there either. My queries to Jayhenge were accepted so I sent Dragon’s Tower to Titanic Terastructures and Call Back, Any Time! to Grandpa’s Space Diner. Also got a non-challenge related rejection.

That’s a total of 20 submissions made. 3 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 10th – Todays markets were Escape Pod, who I didn’t realise were only open this month to stuff themed around Joy. As my writing is normally fairly dark & I generally don’t experince or write about joy, I was stuffed and couldn’t sub there – or so I thought. After a bit of digging I found Empty Chest & sent that to Escape Pod. The alternate market was Dream Of Shadows, I sent them My Trip Across The Border. I also managed to fuck up & sub to a market a day early, sending Mission 334; Mannequin World to Silence in the City tday, instead of tomorrow.

That’s a total of 23 submissions made. 3 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 11th – Todays markets were Shoreline Of Infinity, I sent them Play The Hand Life Deals You. The alternate market was Silence in the City, I subbed there yesterday by mistake.

That’s a total of 24 submissions made. 3 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 12th – Todays markets were F&SF I sent them Sixteen Tons. The alternate market was Dose Of Dread, sent them The Painted Beast At My Mother’s House.

That’s a total of 26 submissions made. 3 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 13th – Todays markets were The Future Fire, I sent them Scenario Twelve. The alternate market was Fireside Fiction, I sent them Lemmy Goes To Mars. I also sent Observation Log; Day Shift to Clarkesworld, Cardboard Cliffs to James Gunn’s & Hyperboy; Trinity to the Gravity Award.

Rejections from Cosmic Roots on Departure Date, Dream of Shadows on My Trip Across The Border, Underland Arcana on Pick A Witch. The Periodical, Forlorn cancelled their call so Cardboard Cliffs was withdrawn, this was NOT a rejection.

That’s a total of 31 submissions made. 6 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 14th – Todays markets were The Arcanist or From the Farther Trees. Both had closed early, so I had to scramble to get links for today. I bumped up Interzone, sent them Fluid State. Also took Underland Arcana up on their offer to sub again & sent them Playing For Time. A few hours later From The Farther Trees seems to be open again, I sent them Something Good To Eat for their Halloween theme.

Got 2 rejections but neither were challenge related.

That’s a total of 34 submissions made. 6 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 15th – Todays markets were Lamplight (couldn’t sub here, it’s currently for people who haven’t made a pro sale yet), Nature:Futures (who I’ve given up trying with, I’ve sent them all my best work which got rejected) or Factor Four, who I’m bumping into tomorrow. Instead I subbed to Barrelhouse (sent them A Pale Imitation) & Nightmare, who I sent The Ghost Of A Chance. I also sent Guarding The Ultimate Weapon to Dreams & Nightmares.

Got 1 non-challenge rejection and another from Interzone on Fluid State. A couple of later day rejections from ParSec on Simon Says & from Uncanny on South Bend Flight School. And an ever later day rejection from Clarkesworld on Observation Log; Day Shift.

That’s a total of 37 submissions made. 10 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 16th – Todays markets were Translunar Travelers Lounge who are currently only open to writers of colour until Sept 21st OR Nightmare Magazine, who I’d used a day early. I used Factor Four (sent them Edgar’s Spaceboot Shop) & Neo-opsis (sent them Junkie).

That’s a total of 39 submissions made. 10 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 17th – Todays markets were Interzone (subbed them Distant Drums) or the Perpetual Motion Machine newsletter, who I sent Father, Are You Sleeping? I also subbed Where They Fear To Tread to Jersey Pines Ink.

1 non-challenge related submission received today also.

That’s a total of 42 submissions made. 10 rejections. I also reached & passed 365 subs to paying markets today, more than 1 a day for a year.
________________________________________________

September 18th – Todays markets were Not One Of Us (Sent them Pick A Witch) or Frozen Wavelets, I sent Remembering Little Betty there.

Received 1 non-challenge rejection, also rejections from Factor Four on Edgar’s Spaceboot Shop & Horror Library Volume 7 On A Pale Imitation. No from Micro Madness on Today Will Never End. Also got a late rejection from F&SF on Sixteen Tons.

That’s a total of 44 submissions made. 14 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 19th – Todays markets were Bards & Sages Quarterly (sent them Total Immersion) or The Society of Misfit Stories, who, after a bit of searching I sent The Ripples Of Time. Also got a rejection from Dreams & Nightmares on Guarding The Ultimate Weapon.

That’s a total of 46 submissions made. 15 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 20th – Todays markets were Electric Spec (sent them One Night Stand) or Dark Moments, I sent them Season Of The Witch, I’d written that to order for them but it’ll fit any spooky/halloween drabble call if they don’t buy it. I also subbed to Starry Eyed Press, sent them Hot Dust.

Also finally got permission announce 2 outstanding sales.

That’s a total of 49 submissions made. 15 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 21st – Todays markets were Strange Horizons who had closed to catch up on their subs backlog or Freeze Frame Fiction. I sent Welcome To The Death Machine Factory Tour there.

That’s a total of 50 submissions made. 15 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 22nd – Todays markets were Brink (who were closed, they’d changed their dates since my last vistit) or Monstroddities. After a massive shake up I eventually sent them A Pale Imitation. I also subbed to CRAFT Literary, sending them Two Little Birds. Received a later day rejection from Interzone on Distant Drums. I don’t mind those, Andy is always quick and curteous, and he doesn’t mind me sending him several stories during a month. I’ll work out what he likes, one day, maybe.

That’s a total of 52 submissions made. 16 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 23rd – Todays markets were The Overcast (sent them The Bounty) or Three-Lobed Burning Eye, who I sent Madam Midnight Fucks Shit Up. A rejection from Neo-opsis on Junkie.

That’s a total of 54 submissions made. 17 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 24th – Todays markets were No Sleep Podcast (I already had work there so chose not to send another, though I may still change my mind before the end of the month about that) or Samjoko Magazine who I sent The Boys From Boot. Fusion Fragment had reopened for 2 days only so I sent them Sixteen Tons. Translunar Travellers Lounge were also open for general subs so I sent them Bodge Job.

That’s a total of 57 submissions made. 17 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 25th – Todays markets were The Common Tongue – I chose not to send them anything, nor will I be using them again as a market for myself in the future as they insist all stories are set within their own universe. I sent On Reflection to Mirror, Mirror, while it wasn’t written specifically for them, I think it fits their theme well.

Got a rejection from Samjoko on The Boys From Boot, and a later day rejection from The Future Fire on Scenario Twelve, also an evening rejection from Flash Fiction Online on The Hard Hundred.

That’s a total of 58 submissions made. 20 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 26th – Todays markets were The Colored Lens or Dark Recesses. I chose to bump both markets down as I was struggling for 2nd markets later in the month. I subbed A Wizarding World to Tiny Tales Podcast & It’s Not Over Until the Echo Sings to Weird Horror Magazine.

Got a rejection from Monstroddities on A Pale Imitation.

That’s a total of 60 submissions made. 21 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 27th – Todays markets were The Fuckening (sent them They Who Dare) or The Quiet Ones, who I didn’t have anything matching their “True Love Never Dies” theme which wasn’t already out to at least a couple of markets. In it’s place I sent Diversion To Fahla Bha’la to Dark Recesses. Received a rejection just before midnight from Freeze Frame Fiction on Welcome To The Death Machine Factory Tour.

That’s a total of 62 submissions made. 22 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 28th – Todays markets were Daily Science Fiction, I sent them Viskar Says Koklyev, or Etherea Magazine – I sent them Observation Log; Day Shift. I also subbed Praise The Lord to On Spec.

That’s a total of 65 submissions made. 22 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 29th – Todays markets were Swords & Sorceries Volume 3 – after a bit of looking I subbed Dragon Bait there or The Dread Machine who I hadn’t been able to confirm as open when I compiled the list. They were open but I chose to bump them to tomorrow if I need an extra market. Instead I chose to sub March Madness At The Murchison Mansion to Minds Eye and Scenario Twelve to Haven Speculative.

Rejections from Dose of Dread on The Painted Beast At My Mother’s House & from Fusion Fragment on Sixteen Tons. Also a couple of late day rejections from Electric Spec on One Night Stand & Three-Lobed Burning Eye on Madam Midnight Fucks Shit Up.

That’s a total of 68 submissions made. 26 rejections.
________________________________________________

September 30th – Todays markets were Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, I sent them Dragon Bait or Clarkesworld, I sent them Border Guards. I also decided to sub to The Dread Machine (sent them Volunteer To Be A Martyr) & The Colored Lens, I sent Observation Log; Day Shift to them.

That’s a total of 74 submissions made. 26 rejections.
________________________________________________
A new record high in terms of subs during the event. It’s now just a matter of waiting as answers come back from markets. I’ll either update this post as I get stuff back, or add info to next months round-up blog, which is sounds like a plan.