Horror Story Magazine is currently accepting submissions.
Be sure to check here for updates, special issue themes, and other important information.
A few general thoughts.
- Use standard manuscript formatting and submit your story as a .doc or .docx file. This format is great.
- Remember, if I can’t read it, I won’t read it.
- If we even suspect you’ve used AI, we’ll reject the story and block you from future submissions.
- Make sure your story is proofed and free of most errors.
- Please include a short (50-100 words) bio. You may include a link to your website, Amazon page, etc. if you’d like.
- We love a great story and strong characters. They can be dark or light. The good guys can win or lose in the end. Just make the story great.
- Here are a few things we don’t like:
- Abuse of children in any way. Look, we understand that you might need to put a child in danger in your story, but gratuitous abuse…we just can’t.
- Stay away from “isms.” Racism, sexism, ageism, etc., don’t have a place in our stories.
- Graphic sex. We get that sex is part of life, and yes, you may need some in a story, and we’re no prudes, but we don’t need any throbbing members in our stories.
- You know, people have flaws. Therefore, a perfect character is a bit of a turn off.
Promotion and Advertising
Each magazine issue will receive a promotional effort and advertising budget to help drive sales. Additionally, we’ll weigh in with full social media and email marketing support.
Edition 1’s theme will be … good old-fashioned monster stories: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, ghouls, Frankenstein-style creatures, or newer creatures, including those of your own creation. Give us a monster, and tell us a great story.
- Length: 2,000-10,000 words. A little more or a tad less is OK.
- Accept Poetry: Yes! We accept poetry that does not have to adhere to the minimum listed word limits.
- Payment: Not much out of the gate, but 2 cents per word for this issue.
- Rights: Digital and online publication rights. In addition to the magazine, we may publish your work online on our website or via our newsletter or Patreon. We ask that you not pursue reprints with another publisher for at least six months.
Send your submissions to submissions@horrorstorymagazine.com.