Beginning May 11th, SmokeLong will be searching for literary prose that is troubling, that explores our darkest fears. We’re not quite sure we’re ready for this to be honest, but that’s part of the appeal. We do not want to weather gratuitous violence or cruelty, but we do—or at least we think we do—want to feel fright, unease, a racing heart. If you are a writer of stories that do this, this call is for you. Watch our website, Submittable, and our social media channels for lots of reminders.
Our usual guidelines apply.
— Submissions must be 1000 words or fewer, excluding the title.
— No gratuitous violence, cruelty, racism, xenophobia, etc.
— You must be 18 years of age or older.
— Submissions may be in English or in any other language accompanied by an English translation.
— Your submission should be double spaced (but single or 1.5 spacing is not a dealbreaker), 12pt Times New Roman, and dark. Please no light fonts.
— Please remove ALL identifying information from your story document. Your name should appear ONLY in the cover letter.
— Simultaneous submissions are considered, but please keep in mind that we tend to respond quickly.
— Multiple submissions are considered through our Multiple Submissions form for a small fee. Simply indicate that your submissions are for the Dark Fantasy and Psychological Thriller Call.
— Free submissions period ends June 30, 2025, thereafter $4.40 per submission.
— Deadline: August 15, 2025
Payment:
This special call for submissions pays $300 for each accepted story. The story or stories chosen will be published in our December 2025 issue.
The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest (The Mikey) is now an annual competition celebrating and compensating the best micro fiction and nonfiction online.