Submission Guidelines
STATUS UPDATE: GLITTERSHIP IS CURRENTLY CLOSED for submissions of fiction and poetry.
NOTE: We hope to open again early next year, but are currently very behind.
ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: I have been informed that the new airtable form is not playing well with screen-readers. I will be working to figure out what is wrong with the form, and trying to fix it. If it cannot be fixed, GlitterShip will either move to a new submissions format that is accessible to people who use screen-readers or will return to email-only submissions. If you are unable to access the form, please use the submissions@glittership.com email address to submit your work to GlitterShip.
For submissions queries and really any question you might have for GlitterShip staff / Keffy, you may also use the submissions@glittership.com email address.
ALL SUBMISSIONS SENT PRIOR TO MARCH 1, 2019 HAVE RECEIVED RESPONSES.
Short fiction originals: CLOSED
Pay: 3 cents per word ($30 minimum)
Wordcount: 100 to 7500 words
Rights: Exclusive English language audio and electronic rights for 6 months after publication, non-exclusive right to keep the story in our archive.
NOTE: GlitterShip will consider fiction produced as rewards for Patreon backers, or on locked/non-public mailing lists and accounts as previously unpublished for our purposes.
Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, horror, interstitial, speculative, whatever. It’s an SF/F magazine, but if in doubt, send it.
Stories must contain some queer content. I believe in queer as a large umbrella term and specifically include trans, genderqueer, intersex, two-spirit, pan and ace/aro identities in addition to LGB. If your story includes an identity not listed here that you feel is queer, please don’t self-reject.
Simultaneous and multiple submissions are okay, but please do not send more than 3 stories at a time.
Poetry originals: CLOSED
Pay: $10 per poem
Length: any
Style: any
Poems should be queer & speculative, but please interpret that how you will.
Simultaneous and multiple submissions are okay, please limit your submission to 5 poems at a time. Also, please let me know if you want to record yourself reading your poem.
Short fiction reprints: CLOSED
Pay: 1 cent per word ($10 minimum)
Rights: Non-exclusive English language audio & non-exclusive English electronic reprint rights.
Wordcount: 100 to 7500 words
Simultaneous submissions: Fine! I mean, it’s a reprint…
Multiple submissions: Please send no more than 3 at a time.
Stories will be reprinted in text on the site and read aloud for the podcast.
Also, remember: don’t self-reject.
Podcast readers: CLOSED
Non-native speakers, speakers of world Englishes, and speakers with accents are all welcome to apply as well.
Podcast readers will receive a token payment of between $10-$30 per episode recorded.
Authors and readers do not need to identify as LGBTQ or queer, though LGBTQ authors, authors of color, and authors of other marginalized identities, are specifically encouraged to submit.
GlitterShip is:
June 29, 2015 at 8:26 pm
How long should we wait for a response for submissions?
September 1, 2015 at 4:40 am
Hi Dee!
This is a much harder question than it should be to answer. I wanted to be much faster with responses than I have been. As it is, I am still working through some May submissions, though I intend on getting more on the ball with my submissions in the next few weeks. Hazards of being a one person show!
-Keffy
July 17, 2015 at 9:58 am
Hi! I am interested in submitting my short stories to your magazine. However, you do not explain your method of payment to writers. Do you use PayPal or can an author request a payment in the forum of a cheque?
September 1, 2015 at 4:38 am
Hi Pauline!
I primarily use Paypal to pay authors, but I can mail checks if necessary. I am also open to other online/secure payment methods, though I do not currently have them set up.
-Keffy
October 5, 2015 at 11:16 am
Hey Keffy,
hoping you are finding your way through the possible mountain of subs we swamped you with. Just curious to know which months subs you are now making your way through?
Hope you enjoy them!
October 7, 2015 at 6:31 am
I thought I was somewhere near the end of May, but then I discovered that the stories people had queried on ended up bumped later. So… all times, really. I did not intend to be so slow, but I am bad at time, apparently. 🙁 -K, as of 10-7-15
December 4, 2015 at 1:57 pm
Are there any topics, themes that you definitely do not want to see?
December 11, 2015 at 8:18 am
I’m not interested in the typical queer/transphobic clichés, but other than that send whatever.
I’m not a big fan of superheroes, but I just bought a superhero story. There are any number of SFF tropes and stories that I don’t like, but if it’s really good it can win me over. I’d prefer to keep my options open.
This is especially the case since many of the people submitting to me are from underrepresented backgrounds and are more likely to self-reject. I’d hate to miss out on an awesome story because someone said to themselves, “Well, I’d try this on GlitterShip, but I know Keffy hates werewolves, so why bother!”
I will say that I’ve been getting a lot of stories in which the protagonist’s significant other has died, usually before the story. Which isn’t necessarily bad — I’ve bought several! However, this does make it a little harder to sell stories with that element, just because I’d rather GlitterShip didn’t become The Dead Queers Quarterly.
That said, I allow multiple submissions, so if people send something, and then later have another story that might fit, they do not have to wait for a rejection.
January 28, 2016 at 12:25 pm
Hello, I submitted a story a year or so ago, and it was rejected here but got picked up somewhere else. I was wondering, could I resubmit it as a reprint, or should I assume that whatever you didn’t like about it before will still apply now? (Sorry if this question is rude, I thought I should ask either way.)
Also, if I am able to resubmit it as a reprint, I have another, original, story that I’d like to submit as well. Should I send both in one email or do one email for the reprint and one for the original?
thanks for your time!
November 1, 2016 at 4:36 am
Eris,
If I rejected the story as an original, it’s unlikely that I will want it as a reprint. In general, please send stories in separate emails — I put the reprint and original submissions in different email folders.
-Keffy
June 8, 2016 at 5:43 am
Hello, What is your policy on sexual content in the stories?
November 1, 2016 at 4:33 am
Jen,
No real policy, per se. I don’t mind if there is sexual content, but don’t really publish erotica. If unsure, go ahead and send it in. I’ve published a few stories that had sexual content in them.
-Keffy
October 14, 2016 at 6:00 am
Have you ceased publication? The most recent issue seems to be the May 2016 issue. I see nothing for June, July or August.
November 1, 2016 at 4:25 am
We’re back! I’m sorry about the wait but will spare everyone my excuses.
-Keffy
July 8, 2017 at 4:05 pm
Hi Keffy. Are you guys still accepting submissions?
July 10, 2017 at 4:29 pm
Yep!
November 25, 2017 at 9:58 am
I just wanted to say that it’s really lovely how you continuously encourage writers not to self-reject, and to submit anyway when in doubt! I’ve been going through submission pages lately and most of them make me very anxious and wary of submitting. This one however has got me feeling all warm and fuzzy.
June 21, 2018 at 2:48 pm
Do you take work done outside the U.S.?
July 4, 2018 at 6:40 am
Yes!
August 3, 2018 at 4:52 pm
Hi Keffy,
Do you send a confirmation of receipt after getting a submission, or do you prefer to wait to make contact until you’ve made a decision about the piece?
August 24, 2018 at 10:54 am
At this moment, there is no automated confirmation of receipt. I am planning to clear out my submissions by the end of August, however. I’m also working on getting a better submissions portal that allows for confirmation emails.
August 28, 2018 at 8:47 pm
Hi Keffy,
Do submissions need to be in proper manuscript format? I submitted a story to you (first story I’ve ever submitted) but it was not in this format. If you’d like, I can change it to that format and resend it. Thank you!
September 3, 2018 at 4:55 pm
I prefer stories to be at least similar to standard manuscript format, but don’t worry about it! We’ll still read what you’ve sent in.
-Keffy