A COUP OF OWLS PRESS
OTHER WORLDS
Submissions 1st October - 15th November 2023
Kickstarter coming October 2023
As a follow-up to Other & Different, which explored what it is to be othered, Other Worlds will be an exploration of places, situations, communities, etc, that are other. This can be actual other worlds in a science or speculative fiction genre or a community, or a situation in the historical or modern world that feels or is made to feel alien. Encompassing a variety of styles and genres, Other Worlds will feature stories focused on the theme of being part of those othered communities - however writers wish to interpret that.
Please note: any stories, for example sci-fi or spec-fic, featuring other worlds or planets in a physical or literal sense, will still need to have a connection to the theme of othered communities.
This anthology will include only adult (18+) creators from marginalised and/or underrepresented communities or backgrounds.
China Town in the heart of a galactic empire? A town that will be forever changed by war? Strange settlers in a stranger place? What makes this community other? What makes their world so alien?
Tell us what makes this world so “other”.
Depending on the length and fit of selected stories, we are anticipating that this anthology will include between 13 and 20 short stories.
Submissions Open: 1st October - 15th November 2023
Publication: July 2024. Please query us if you’ve not had a response to your submission by February 2024
Word Count: 1000 minimum, 4000 word maximum - hard limits
Rating: up to and including R/18+
NO Reprints, NO Simultaneous Submissions, NO multiple submissions
Compensation:
£25 per accepted story
E-book of Other Worlds
Who should submit - Please ONLY SUBMIT IF:
you are aged 18 or over
you belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community.
These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, neurodiverse and people with disabilities.
Please see full submission guidelines below
OTHER WORLDS
PRINT ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
For submission guidelines to our quarterly online anthology please go here.
Format: Please submit your work in a readable manuscript format, such as the Shunn format. Upload your file as either a doc or docx, with the file name [story title] by [author name]. Before submitting please check out our Style Guide.
Content Restrictions:
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The work must be original. If retelling an existing story please ensure this is wholly your own work and that the source material is out of copyright (for example, fairy tales, The Great Gatsby, etc)
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We welcome scrubbed fanfiction, however it must work as an original piece and not infringe on copyright (see our FAQs)
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Complete works only, no excerpts or serials
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We only accept stories aimed at an adult readership. By this we mean that we do not accept children's stories or YA, not that the work must be explicit in nature
Rating: We accept all ratings, including and up to R/18+. However, we do not publish plotless erotica. Strong sexual content is acceptable as long as it fits within the story and is not gratuitous.
We do accept strong violence and dark themes, depending on the context within the story. These will be considered on a case by case basis. Please feel free to query us before submitting.
Restrictions on bigotry and hate speech:
We do not accept bigotry in any form. Please do not send us stories that are, or glorify, discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability.
We may consider stories that feature these things but do not glorify them. For example, we may accept a story that features a character experiencing racism or homophobia, depending on the context within the story and its resolution. This will be considered on a case by case basis, please feel free to query us before submitting.
Simultaneous submissions: No simultaneous submissions. Please do not submit to us something that is currently under consideration elsewhere. Please do not submit the same piece you have sent us anywhere else while we are considering it.
Multiple submissions: For our print anthologies we do not accept multiple submissions.
Reprints: We do not accept reprints.
Exclusivity: Payments will be made subject to a signed contract which states that A Coup of Owls Press is purchasing first world publishing rights with six months exclusivity. If reprinted after those six months, authors should note in future publications where the story was first published. Author maintains copyright to their work.
How to submit your story:
Please submit via the below button, emailed submissions will be deleted.