Submissions

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN!

I am only purchasing original unpublished fiction stories that have been previously rejected by at least three other markets. These should be stories that you still love dearly and feel have been overlooked. Keep in mind if they were rejected already, there is a good chance I will pass too. Please don’t be offended by this.

In the cover letter please also list the places that rejected the story. We aren’t doing this to get back at them and show them what gems they have passed up, no really, this is cathartic and fun.

What I am looking for:

  • Character-driven fiction
  • Ideally have both a story arc and character arc.
  • Clarity over flowery over descriptive prose. Clarity is king.
  • An ending of some kind. A lot of stories that have potential get rejected because the story just stops
  • The use of profanity and sex is ok if not overused. It should only occur if it is necessary to the story
  • No rape, incest, child molesting, bestiality, or gender/racial slurs no matter how much you feel they are necessary to the story.
  • Funny is good, if done well. Funny is also subjective. Flatulence being used as the punch line is not something I am interested in seeing in a story.
  • Second person POV is a tough sell.
  • Humorous Sci-fi is something I am partial to. I will take this bullet point out if that ends up being all I get though.
  • Fantasy is a hard sell. I have very low interest in fantasy, but any story done well can change my mind.  I don’t like country music, but Save a horse by Big and Rich is an all-out banger.

The AI thing…

  • AI is a tool, not the creator. The line I draw is that I am not against you using AI as a tool to help with your writing, in the same way you might have someone else read your story and offer suggestions. I am also OK with it, or other tools, being used to check for punctuation, spelling and grammar. 

AI is a slippery slope. It wants to write the story for you. Don’t be tempted to take the easy way out.  Do not use any words AI has written – not even the title. This is where the moral line is for this publication.

Logistics:

  • Word Count — 1000 to 5000 words
  • Simultaneous submissions — NO
  • Multiple Submissions — NO
  • Reprints — No (original unpublished fiction previously rejected by at least three other markets)
  • Cover Letter & Bio —I don’t need much of a cover letter, but I require the (at least) three places that have previously rejected the story. Please put the cover letter and short Bio in the body of the email.
  • How to send — Attach stories as an .rtf or paste them inline in an email. All others will be deleted (so I don’t have to deal with viruses & malware issues)
  • Formatting — I am honestly not too picky but either of these are good: Shunn Classic / Shunn Modern but absolutely have your contact info in the attachment. This helps so I don’t have to go digging back through email to connect the story to the person.
  • Contract — First Serial Rights – Basically: By submitting to Breakingintothecraft.com you affirm that the story is your original work and unpublished. If accepted, you grant First Serial Rights, and the non-exclusive right to archive the story on this website. All rights revert to the author upon publication. Breakingintothecraft.com also reserve the right to use brief excerpts for promotional purposes
  • Payment — via check or Paypal (my discretion) in USD $10 per story
  • Submit to — breakingintothecraft@gmail.com