Anthologies seeking submissions - May 2012 edition

I didn't get to post one of these lists last month, and I'm a bit late with it this month. I'm slowly starting to get back on top of things after the A to Z Challenge. I've already written a little piece of sci-fi for this month, but there are a couple of anthologies that caught my attention.

SWORD & SORCERESS 27 - annual trade paperback (Norilana Books); S&S, strong female protag (fic). Pay: 5¢/word adv. against shared royalties. Words: <9k (prefers shorter; send longer early). RT: 1st cut <1 week. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLY. Elisabeth Waters, Editor. Deadline: May 12th.  (I'm sorry to be so late with this one, but if you have a story you can submit within the next few days, this is an awesome anthology series.)


DAUGHTERS OF ICARUS: a brave new world of feminist science fiction - 1-time POD/eAntho (Pink Narcissus Press); feminist sf (fic). Pay: 1¢/word (min $20). Words: no limits. RT: 2-3 weeks. Reprints: yes. E-subs: PREFERS. Josie E. Brown, Editor. Deadline: May 31st.

FUTUREDAZE: An Anthology of YA Science Fiction - 1-time print (Underwords); YA sf (fic/poem). Pay: $200 (poem=$25). Words: <6k. RT: <2 months. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLY. Hannah Strom-Martin & Erin Underwood, Editors. Deadline: November 30th or when filled.

URBAN GREEN MAN - 1-time print (Edge SF & Fantasy); f (fic/poem). Pay: 3½¢/word (poem=$20). Words: <5k. RT: <3 months after DL. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLY. Adria Laycraft & Janice Blaine, Editors. Deadline: November 30th.

You can find several more anthologies seeking submissions at Ralan.com. It's an excellent resource for writers.

A couple of anthologies to think about

One of my goals this year is to write a short story every month. No time like the present to get started. I have a few new ideas for some sci-fi stories, but right now, they're just story hooks. No plots yet. Sometimes it helps when you have a prompt to spark your imagination.

My favorite site for links to anthologies accepting submissions is Ralan.com. I've been using this site for years. It's easy to navigate, reliable, and gives you a lot of choices. Here are a few anthologies that caught my attention:

DARK FAITH 2 - 1-time print (Apex Publications). Horror/dark blended with faith. Pay: 5¢/word. Words: <4k. RT: unknown. Reprints: no. Deadline: January 31. E-subs: ONLY. Maurice Broaddus & Jerry Gordon, Editors

EXTREME PLANETS - 1-time print/Kindle (Chaosium Inc.); sf (fic). Pay: 3¢/word +3 copies. Words: 4k-10k (<20k for pros). RT: after DL. Reprints: pros query only. Deadline: June 30. E-subs: ONLY. David Conyers, David Kernot, & Jeff Harris, Editors

FUNGI - 1-time print/eAntho (Innsmouth Free Press); all SpecFic; key element: fungus (fic). Pay: 1¢/word. Words: <5k. RT: Spring 2012. Reprints: yes. Opens: January 15 (Do not submit before!) Deadline: February 15. E-subs: ONLY. Silvia Moreno-Garcia & Orrin Grey, Editors
 
MORTIS OPERANDI - 1-time POD (The Harrow Press); supernatural crime (fic/art). Pay: $50 +copy. Words: 3k-6k. RT: <3 months. Reprints: no. Deadline: when filled. E-subs: ONLY. Kfir Luzzatto & Druann Pagliassotti, Editors

BUGS! - 1-time print (Pill Hill Press); all genres (fic). Pay: $10. Words: 4k-10k. RT: <3 months. Reprints: no. Deadline: when filled. E-subs: ONLINE FORM ONLY. Gerald Costlow, Editor
 
10 REASONS TO CROSS THE MOAT - 1-time print (Sam's Dot Publishing); sf/f (fic/poem). Pay: fic=$20; poem=$5. Words: fic=2k-9k; poem=<100 lines. RT: reject/holdover=1-2 months; final=after DL. Reprints: no. Deadline: May 1. E-subs: ONLY. Katie Hartlove & Sylvan Bree Baker, Editors

This list is as much for me as it is for you. I like to share, and I realized in my annual desk cleaning, I had too many little pieces of paper with various anthologies written on them that were lost in the jumble. I now have a clean workspace and I'm ready to write. Hm, but which one to start with?

Learning your craft through short stories

I write novels. My dream is to see my book in print on a shelf in a bookstore. I know a lot of you want the same thing. A lot of us only have limited time to write and so we focus on our WIPs.

But if you want to write novels, you need to should write short stories too. Part of being a writer is improving on your craft. Short stories are excellent tools for doing that. They teach so many things including plot, flow, characterization, and how to be concise. For even in novels, each word must matter.

I've never been a big fan of short stories. My ideas are always big. It's hard for me to write something short because I want to keep going. I've learned so much about writing and myself as a writer from forcing myself to write short stories. My writing is ten times, no, a hundred times better now than it was ten years ago. Yes, writing novels has helped. I've went to conventions and writing seminars and participated in writer's groups. They've also helped. Writing short stories has helped the most, though.

Another good thing about having short stories published is that you have writing credits to show an editor, agent or publisher when you're querying. I have ten short stories published and four forthcoming. They do take you more seriously when they see that.

I use Ralan to find anthologies and magazines/ezines that are accepting submissions. It's a fantastic and reliable site. A site every writer should have bookmarked.

Go bookmark it right now and have a great weekend!