wRiter's Guidelines

Submission Period: March 1-31, 2008

Please note, as stated above, that the 2008 submission period is in March rather than our usual February. 

• Open to all subgenres/themes within fantasy, sf, horror and mystery (including humor) with the following caveats/exceptions:
• Nothing sexist, racist, or above a "PG" rating.
• No cannibalism. (Let's add no evisceration, "skinning," or severed body parts.)
• No "dead babies." (That includes child molesting/maiming/murdering. Preference in horror runs toward the supernatural. And the less gore, the better.)
• No previously published submissions.
• No simultaneous submissions.
• Fiction:
• Length up to 500 words (word processor count). 
• Strong narrative preferred (i.e. less description, more story).
• Send one story per submission period. (It's okay to send one poem and one story, as long as each are sent in a separate e-mail.)
• E-mail fiction submissions to: subs2008@ravenelectrick.com.
• In the subject line, type "Fiction Sub" with your last name, e.g. "Fiction Sub: Asimov."
• Send the story in an attached .rtf or .txt file.
• Text should be single-spaced, with double-spacing between paragraphs. Use black text only.
• Story must be RECEIVED at the above e-mail address from March 1-31, 2008 for consideration.
• Poetry:
• Fantasy, science fiction, horror and mystery themes only!
• Length up to 20 lines.
• All forms acceptable.
• Send one poem per submission period. (It's okay to send one poem and one story, as long as each are sent in a separate e-mail.)
• E-mail poetry submissions to: subs2008@ravenelectrick.com.
• In the subject line, type "Poetry Sub" with your last name, e.g. "Poetry Sub: Poe."
• Copy and paste poem into the body of your e-mail. Use black text only.
• Poem must be RECEIVED at the above e-mail address from March 1-31, 2008 for consideration.
• TERMS: BY SUBMITTING YOUR WORK TO RAVEN ELECTRICK, YOU AGREE THAT:
• THE SUBMITTED STORY OR POEM IS AN ORIGINAL WORK.
• YOU ARE THE AUTHOR OF THE SUBMITTED ORIGINAL WORK ("THE WORK").
• YOU OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO THE WORK.
• NO OTHER PUBLISHER HOLDS EXCLUSIVE LICENSE TO THE WORK AT THE TIME OF SUBMISSION TO RAVEN ELECTRICK.
• Payment:
• Payment for fiction will be three cents per word (rounded to the nearest 100 words), $5 minimum and $15 maximum. Payment for poetry will be a flat rate of $5. All payments will be made electronically via Paypal, paid in US funds on publication. 
• Raven Electrick buys first electronic rights with exclusive use of the work for a period of 120 days after publication. At the author's request, we will remove the work from the website after 120 days.
• Publication: Accepted work will be published as early as August 2008 and as late as July 2009.
• Response time: This year, I will not begin responding to submissions until after the submission period has closed. Thus, the earliest response date will be April 1. I'll tried to respond to all submissions by June 1, 2008. Feel free to query if you haven't received an answer by June 1. However, you should get an immediate auto-response indicating that Raven has received your sub. (If you send both a story and a poem, and want an auto-response for each, you should send them one hour apart, due to server security measures.) If you don't get an auto-response, which is your receipt, send a query. Query address: comments@ravenelectrick.com. You can also check my blog, where I'll be posting updates on my progress through the slush pile.
• Hope to see your subs in March!