Apparition Lit is a quarterly speculative fiction magazine that features original short stories, poetry, and artwork.
Speculative fiction is weird, almost unclassifiable. It’s fantasy, sci-fi, horror, mixed with literary. Send us your strange, misshapen stories with enough emotional heft to break a heart, with prose that’s as clear and delicious as broth. We love proactive characters and settings that feel lived in and real enough to touch. Stories with style, stories with emotion, stories with character. We want it all.
Please see our submission guidelines for formatting, word count, and cover letter requirements. In general, we ask you to:
- Format the work using the Shunn manuscript (but we don't need your physical address or phone #)
- Please only use Times New Roman or Arial font in your document.
- Name the file using the work title and your last name.
- In your cover letter, please add content warnings for sexual assualt, animal abuse, or graphic violence.
If you want to better determine if your writing fits with our style, you can purchase past issues or check out our stories page.
Thank you for your interest! We are currently closed to short stories (between 1k-5k words) and poetry submissions.
Please see all our guidelines on our website: https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/
The following submission types are temporarily
closed:
Flash Fiction 2024 (Monthly Contest)
We want succinct speculative stories. Flex your writing muscles and send us flash fiction of 1k words or less. Stories must be speculative. We do not publish non-fiction flash.
Each month Apparition Lit holds a flash fiction contest. We’ll be looking for previously unpublished stories that are inspired by the monthly prompt. Flash fiction should be a complete story, not an excerpt of a larger work. If you aren’t sure how to write a flash piece, check out the write-up at Writer’s Digest.
This year, flash is a celebration of all the recipes and meals that shape your worlds, your communities, and your lives. We want rich, unique flavors, vivid stories, and adventurous tastes.
January: Hand Pies and Buns, inspired by the likes of Bao, Empanadas, Hot Pockets, Arepas…
February: Drinks, Teas, Coffees, inspired by the likes of, well, coffee, tea, ceremonial teas, chocolate-atole….
March: Creative Crusts, inspired by pies, pasties, pot pies and shepherds pies…
April: The Many Roles of Rice, inspired by…the many roles of rice!!
May: Mother Earth, inspired by foods that can come to our tables just as they are gifted to us from the great Mother herself, like matcha, fried plantain, Chapulines, milk and honey, syrup…
June: Family Binding Feasts, inspired by what is traditionally seen as “wedding season” in North America, and the ever changing face of commitment and union
July: Icy treats, inspired by bingsoo, helado/paletas, mangonada, halo-halo, Hawaiian shaved ice…
August: Deep Fried Dough, inspired by beignets, cronuts, and the almighty donut…
September: Noodles, Noodles, Noodles…inspired by the many shapes noodles take around the world, including Ramen, Spaghetti, Pad Thai…
October: Bread of the Dead, inspired by Oprah who once said “I love bread. I…love…bread…” and also Pan de Muerto, soda bread, sourdough, rosca de reyes and all the many types of breads lovingly crafted in celebration and mourning
November: Stews, Soups and Curries, inspired by the many hearty and flavorful flavors that can bring heat, and flavor, to our meals
December: Fast or Feast, meant to be a culmination of the celebration of the many, many holidays around the world that feature either feasting or fasting…Boxing day, Epiphany; Christmas; Passover, Yom Kippur, Purim, Ramadan to name just a few…
Currently Closed to Submissions
Opens to Submissions
on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 5:00 AM (UTC)
Closes to Submissions
on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 4:59 AM (UTC)
