Submission Guidelines
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Unless otherwise stated, all submissions should be sent to submissions@wickedtaxidermypress.com
Please fill the subject line as follows:
“SUBMISSION CALL – Author Name – Story Title”
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Address the email to WTP for a general submission, or a specific editor if you choose (some calls will be run by different individuals).
Length
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Drabble = EXACTLY 100 words.
Excludes title and author. Hyphenated words count as 1. Scene break markers and em-dashes are also excluded.
No more than 5 drabbles per Pen Name per submission project.
These may be submitted at the same time if connected to one another, but all must stand alone as they are likely to be separated from one another in a given anthology.
Flash = 500 -1000 words.
Excludes title and author. Hyphenated words count as 1. Scene break markers and em-dashes are also excluded.
No more than 3 Flashes per Pen Name per submission project. These may be submitted at the same time if connected to one another (a beginning, middle, and end story) but must stand alone to some degree as they are likely to be separated from one another in a given anthology.
Short = 3000 - 9,999 words
Excludes title and author. Hyphenated words count as 1. Scene break markers and em-dashes are also excluded.
No more than 1 Short per Pen Name per submission project, unless otherwise specified.
Compensation
Drabble = Digital Contributor copy
Flash = Digital Contributor copy
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Invitation to become a member
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Eligible to submit to members only anthologies
Short = Digital Contributor copy
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10 USD via PayPal
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Invitation to become a member
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Eligible to submit to members only anthologies
What does #OwnVoices mean?
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This simply means that you and your main character share similar struggles. Both you and your main character belong to the same marginalized group, whether it be a case of gender, disability, or race (think women, LGBTQA, trans, native American).
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If a submission call lists a preference for #OwnVoices, that means we will lean toward these stories, but it will not be required unless otherwise stated in the call. All are perfectly welcome to submit!
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Is every submission accepted?
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Not even close. Our goal is to showcase up-and-coming authors in the best possible light, serving to provide a professional addition to their list of publications. These works should serve to advertise an author’s talent and style, and with included bios and links to their greater body of work, aid in funneling new readers to the author’s shelves. It will also benefit authors growing their audience by giving the readers on their mailing lists a little bite to hold them over until the author’s next book is released.
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Because we want every author featured in a given volume to feel proud enough of the publication to share it with their current and future readers, only works truly suited to the theme of the volume and of the utmost quality will be accepted. If the work isn’t ready for publication, or if it just doesn’t fit the high standard we have set, it will likely be rejected.
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Rejections not based on story quality and publication readiness, but rather based on simply not fitting the targeted theme, may be invited to place their story in a more suitable volume.
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What if I get rejected?
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Not every story will be accepted, and while quality is certainly the main factor, many things may contribute to a rejection. Rejection letters will try to express why a story could not be included in a specific volume and may possibly invite you to revise and resubmit.
Additionally, WTP is run by enthusiastic publishing professionals and writing professors, so rejected manuscripts may contain feedback on how to improve your craft. If you work with this feedback and feel you have overcome our objections to a piece, please feel free to resubmit it. Otherwise, please keep the feedback in mind for your next submission, which we are eager to read!
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