CHOICES: AN ANTHOLOGY OF REPRODUCTIVE HORROR
Choices: An Anthology of Reproductive Horror aims to create a space for people of marginalized genders to explore these horrors through fiction. We hope this exploration will provide catharsis for both the writers and the readers.
SUBMISSION WINDOW:
October 1st -- November 30th, 2024
WORDCOUNT:
Up to 6k
PAYMENT: Payment for accepted submissions will be 8 cents CAD/word.
WHAT THEY'RE SEEKING:
We are looking for stories of up to 6000 words about the horrors that occur when reproductive choices are threatened or taken away, written by people of marginalized genders.
Some examples of reproductive horror stories we’d love to see are:
A botched back-alley abortion
A horrific birth at the end of a forced pregnancy
A story about someone being trapped in an abusive relationship or environment through pregnancy
A person being forced to incubate an inhuman creature
A person who has been denied the right to choose hunting the people who took that right away
Note that these are just examples. You can use them as prompts or submit stories that already match one of these frameworks, but there’s no need to limit yourself to stories based on these ideas. Any story where the horror is created by a lack of reproductive choice, or a threat to someone’s reproductive choices, is welcome.
All types of horror are welcome as long as they tie back to this theme. We love both fast-paced stories with lots of action and slow stories of creeping psychological dread.
PLEASE DON'T SEND:
Representations of bigotry, sexual assault, and sexual coercion are part of an anthology like this. Depictions of self-harm and suicide may also be included. However, we will not accept stories where any of these things are portrayed in a positive light or where it feels like these events are being included for the spectacle rather than because they’re essential to the story you’re trying to tell/the message you want to send.
Remember, horror is a powerful medium for catharsis and these stories should reflect that. We don’t want to see the troubling state of reproductive autonomy glorified, rather these stories should help people process their experiences.
Projects “written” by AI are not welcome.
WHO CAN SUBMIT:
Writers of marginalized genders, including:
Cis women
Trans women
Trans men
Nonbinary people
Two-Spirit people
We also strongly encourage disabled, 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, racialized, and working class/poor writers to submit.
REPRINTS?
No
MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS?
No
SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS?
Simultaneous submissions are allowed, as long as you tell us if your story has been accepted elsewhere.
EXTRA INFORMATION:
Note that 50% of stories included in this anthology must be written by Canadian authors. If you’re Canadian and meet the criteria listed above, we are especially interested in hearing from you! If you’re not Canadian, you’re still welcome to submit – we will be accepting stories from all over the world alongside Canadian content.
FORMATTING GUIDELINES:
Word Document
Readable Font (Like Times New Roman)
Font size of 12 or higher
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Please submit your story by 11:59PM EST on November 30th via this form if you have a Google account (https://forms.gle/jBta9w4BbaVPdf9i7) and this form if you don’t have a Google account (https://forms.gle/DkDwF6qsyzBjijmd8).
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