Clarkesworld uses an online submissions system that has been designed to streamline our process and improve communication with authors. Stories that try to include all of the aboveĭo not email or mail submissions. Stories originally intended for someone’s upcoming theme anthology or issue (everyone is sending those out, wait a while) Stories where the protagonist is either widely despised or widely admired simply because he or she is just so smart and/or strange “funny” stories that depend on, or even include, puns Stories about your RPG character’s adventures Stories about the stuff we all read in Scientific American three months ago (a body, an alien craft, Excalibur, ANYTHING). Stories about young kids playing in some field and discovering ANYTHING. Stories where FTL travel or time travel is as easy as is it on television shows or movies Stories in which the words “thou” or “thine” appear (insert any political party or religion here) take over the world and either save or ruin it Stories where the Republicans, or Democrats, or Libertarians, or . . .
Stories in which a milquetoast civilian government is depicted as the sole obstacle to either catching some depraved criminal or to an uncomplicated military victory Stories where the climax is dependent on the spilling of intestines Stories about rapists, murderers, child abusers, or cannibals Sexy vampires, wanton werewolves, wicked witches, or demonic children Zombies or zombie-wannabes (seriously, I’m not kidding) Though no particular setting, theme, or plot is anathema to us, the following are likely hard sells: Fantasy can be folkloric, contemporary, surreal, etc. Science fiction need not be “hard” SF, but rigor is appreciated. Stories should be equally effective, but not necessarily the same, in text and audio formats. Very long paragraphs or typographical trickery may work against you. There is no distinction between “style” and “substance” or “story” and “writing.”Ĭonvenient for on-screen reading. Simultaneous submissions (having a story under consideration at another market while it is under submission here) are not permitted. All rights are restricted to English language unless specifically stated otherwise. If you are unfamiliar with the term “First Rights,” an explanation can be found here. We claim first world electronic rights (text and audio), first print rights, and non-exclusive anthology rights for our annual Clarkesworld anthology. Translations are welcome and encouraged, even if the work has been previously published in another language.) No horror, but dark SF/F is permitted.Įnglish (We accept stories from all over the world. (International authors may request wire transfers.)