SUBMISSIONS

READING PERIOD: JUNE 15th - 30th 2026

Replies will be sent after the reading period closes; you should hear back by the end of July. Please wait to query about your submission until end of July if you have not yet heard back by then. Submissions sent outside of the window will not be read.

FORMAT: Please include your story as an attachment (.rtf, .doc, or .docx only); do not paste the story in the body of the email. No PDFs.

(Don't stress the format of the story itself. I prefer a legible font, but as long as I can read it we're good.You do not need to include your mailing address or legal name (if different than your pen name), or your phone number. I'm not going to call or text you.)

SIM SUBS & MULTI SUBS: Simultaneous submissions are fine! Just let me know if the story is picked up elsewhere as soon as possible. 

Authors may submit a total of two (2) stories (though I will only accept one per author); please send each submission in a separate email.

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN TO ALL WRITERS (18 or older). I would especially love to see work from newer and/or unpublished writers! (However, I cannot accept stories from persons under 18 years of age. Sorry.)

No "generative AI" written or assisted work will be considered.

Spellcheckers are fine. Basically, if you prompted an LLM for some/all of the story, it will be considered "gen AI" derived and I do not wish to see it. Use your best judgement and your own inherent creativity!

Please don't self-reject!

LENGTH:

500 words - 3,000 words

Stories must be original and written in English. 

No reprints will be considered (including Patreon, your blog, audio-only venues, and limited print runs).

Translations from other languages into English for the first time are cool! Please make sure the translator and original author are both included in the submission email, and that the rights for translation into English are available. (The payment fee is the same for original English works, and will only be sent do one person—whether translator and original author wish to split the fee is up to those parties.)

I'm flexible on the upper end of the short story word count, but the longer the work over the 3k threshold, the harder the sell. Payment remains the same.

Genres: horror, science fiction, fantasy, noir, weird—I have a preference for speculative but will read anything as long as it's about found media!

I'm looking to buy approximately 5 flash fiction length pieces, and around 10 short story length pieces. [NOTE: this is the minimum number of stories; if we reach stretch goals, I can afford to buy more stories!]

PAYMENT:

500 -1,200 paid at a flat rate of $50USD per story.*

1,201 - 3,000 words paid at a flat rate of $150USD per story.*

Payment will be sent upon acceptance and the return of a counter-signed contract. I can utilize PayPal or Venmo (or paper check if you are in the U.S.), and I will cover any transaction fees.

*NOTE: If we hit specific stretch goals, this rate may increase! This is the minimum for accepted stories. This anthology does not offer royalties.

RIGHTS:

I'm seeking exclusive first world-wide English language print rights for three months upon publication (in order to publish the anthology digitally and in print); non-exclusive print and electronic rights to keep the story in the anthology after that, while the book is in print (ebook and paperback/hardcover); all other rights belong solely to the author.

Author always retains full copyright of their own story. Each author will be credited in the byline and listed as the copyright holder of their own story in the anthology's backmatter and copyright page.

You can view a sample contract here.

The publication date for the anthology is planned for October 2026 (for BackerKit supporters; in December 2026 the anthology will be available in retail). 

Authors will receive (1) ebook copy and (1) paperback copy (plus postcards and stickers!) when [RECORDED] is published.**

**Authors will also have the option to purchase a copy of the hardback edition at cost (which means, the amount it costs to print a copy) and it will be bundled and sent with the complimentary paperback copy. Shipping of author copies is covered by the publisher (though VAT, courier fees, and other taxes or fees for international orders may not be covered ahead of time).

HOW TO SUBMIT

Email stories as attachments to:

recordedanthology [AT] gmail [DOT] com

(Remember to replace the words with symbols!)

Attachment formats accepted: .rtf, .doc, .docx; you can submit in plaintext or Markdown if you like, just ensure you indicate any formatting appropriately. PDFs will not be accepted or opened.

FYI: you will not get an automated reply; please do not query about your submission unless you have not heard back by the end of July. (The goal is to announce the TOC in the first week of August.)

Cover letters should be simple at to the point—please don't summarize your story. You can address them to "Dear Merc" or "Dear editor" or skip the greeting entirely. It's all good. (Don't address me as "ms/miss/mz," however.)

In the subject line, please use this format: 

SUBMISSION: (Story Title), Author Name

...with the actual title of your story and your name, of course. (Exclude the parentheses, unless they are actually part of your title.)

In the body of your email, list the story title, its length, and include your name and email address. Please make sure you include a valid email address I can contact you at.

You are welcome to include a short bio if you want, but it's not required. If you are an unpublished author, feel free to note that too! (Credits are fine if you wanna list them, but they will not influence the decision in any way.) I appreciate the inclusion of your pronouns but it is not required. Please do not submit headshots or other images; we will not be including any author pics or avatars in the anthology. 

WHAT DO I WANT? 👀

I wanna see weird formats and interesting takes on "found media" — not really looking for standard prose (i.e. a traditional narrative told in first, second, or third person without any kind of additional "found" artifacts) or epistolary-only style works (i.e. a single letter or diary entry) at this time.

While I am strongly biased towards horror, any genre is fair game.

Here's some things I DO want (followed by some I don't)...

YES, GIMME!

• Weirdness! I love weird and unhinged ideas. 
• Creepy! Hell yeah. Go for it. 
• Unusual formats? Absolutely. Do note that it needs to be able to work in print (ebook too), but I can absolutely work with you on strange formatting if it serves the story!
• Subjects I dig (but are by no means necessary):
• - cursed books/movies/art
• - weird animals (including deer)
• - unsettling underwater settings
• - "lost" TV episodes (just make up the show it's from)
• - glitchy or haunted video games
• - creepy music/sounds.
• I also absolutely dig campiness, so don't be shy in leaning into that if it suits your story!

NOPE

• No excessive gore/violence for the sake of it. We're not doing extreme horror here.
• No rape/sexual assault on screen. Preferably not at all.
• No erotica or explicit sexual material. This isn't the market for it.
• No stories that focus on exploitation of minors in any form.
• No child abuse or graphic violence towards children.
• No fanfiction (i.e. works derived from copyrighted properties or IP).
• No actual video, audio, or other media content. I will not open any attachments with embedded media.
• No "AI" or LLM generated stories. (You can certainly write about those things, but the words on the page should be yours.)

IT DEPENDS...

• IF your story contains harm/violence against animals, please include a content note at the start of your document.
• Real-world bigotry exists but if it features in your story (racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, etc.) please denote that in your document or cover letter. It's not an automatic "no", but I'd rather be forewarned—each story will be listed with content notes as applicable in the final anthology.
• If your idea really, really works as interactive (like hyperlinked or CYOA type "go to page X" type formatting), you're welcome to query me about it. Remember that there will be a print (paperback) version, so no actual hyperlinks will work. But if you have something that otherwise fits, I'm willing to consider it! Email me at the submissions address and use the subject line OTHER FORMAT QUERY. (You're also welcome to just send it as a submission with a note, if you like.)

TO SUM UP:

Stories from 500 words to 3,000 words in length; must be in "found media" format; all genres welcomed and horror is preferred; submissions are open June 15-30th, 2026 ONLY; responses will be sent in July 2026; payment via PayPal or Vimeo (or check if in U.S.); all stories must be original and in English; no reprints. (Translations into English are okay!)

No generative AI written or assisted work will be considered.

We operate on the honor system; you are agreeing to send me work that you, a person, wrote. I will NOT run any submitted material through an "AI detector." I respect your privacy and your intellectual property. You are giving me (and my slush readers) permission to read your work as submitted, and solely for the purposes of consideration for the [RECORDED] anthology. Once all submissions have been responded to, any rejected works will be deleted.

Submissions to [RECORDED] do not guarantee an acceptance in any capacity. 

All final decisions will be made by the end of July 2026. All responses will be sent by the first week of August. All decisions are final.

Due to the high volume of expected submissions, I will not be providing personalized rejections or feedback. Please don't take a form rejection as a judgment of your work—the fact you wrote and submitted a story in the first place makes you awesome. Well done! I really do hope you'll find a home for your story, even if it's not in [RECORDED].