Submission Guidelines
Submission Procedures
All submissions should follow proper manuscript format (modern edition, preferably). Submissions should be emailed to submissions@thedarkmagazine.com Please attach all submissions in .doc or .docx or rtf format—we will not accept submissions embedded in the body of email. Include your bio in your cover letter.
Guidelines for Fiction
The Dark is an online magazine published monthly. We are seeking fiction 2,000 – 6,000 words.
What we publish:
• Horror
• Dark Fantasy
Don’t be afraid to experiment or to deviate from the ordinary; be different—try us with fiction that may fall out of “regular” categories. However, it is also important to understand that despite the name, The Dark is not a market for graphic, violent horror.
We will not consider multiple submissions. Submit once and wait for a response before sending anything else. There is no wait period after a rejection. We will not consider simultaneous submissions.
Reprints
Please submit your story with the word REPRINT in the header of your submission emails, like so: SUBMISSION: [STORY TITLE] (REPRINT). Only stories from established print markets, including magazines, short story collections, and anthologies, from the past two years, which would cover January 2021 onwards, will be considered.
Payment
We pay 6 cents/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words on acceptance for first world rights; and 1 cent/word for reprint fiction up to 6,000 words on acceptance for nonexclusive reprint rights.
Response Times
Response times will vary depending on volume, but may be as short as a single minute to as long as forty-eight hours. Query after one week (include title and date submitted). Please do not respond to rejection letters, for any reason, otherwise, and please, do not use mail filtering services that require sign-up permissions, or your submission will be deleted unread.
Diversity Statement
The Dark welcomes submissions from all writers, of all nations, nationalities, ethnicities, backgrounds, faiths, genders, orientations, identities, and experiences.
Artwork
Our sincere apologies but we are currently closed to all art submission, as the magazine is fully stocked for the foreseeable future.
