Guidelines

We are currently closed to new submissions.

Guidelines: What is Fifty-Two Stitches?

First of all, this publication is one year of weekly "horror bits"-flash fiction stories with a dark theme. Each Monday morning, we will post a new story. In the late summer/fall of 2010, all collected stories shall be published in trade paperback format.

We are interested in chills, crawling flesh, psychological, creature, or supernatural horror and dark fantasy. We are not interested in a 500 word description of disembowelment or detailed descriptions of torture and/or rape. (in other words, if your story relies on blood and guts, try somebody else) Remember, this is flash fiction: make every word count and hold off on the adjectives/adverbs.

A hint? This isn't the market for crime fiction or fiction from the first person POV of a killer/psycho.

Word Count: up to 750 (approximately, i.e., 780 is okay-825 is not)

Format: .rtf-rich text format; no other formats accepted

Payment: $3.00 via Paypal upon publication on the web; discount on print copies for the anthology (authors may also choose to make a donation to Duotrope's Digest or Ralan.com, or donate back to the project)

Rights: first serial rights & reprint rights for the anthology

Multiple submissions: not right now...give us one thing to look at at a time, please. We will only accept one piece from each writer this year, so send your best.

Simultaneous submissions: okay, but let us know

Reprints: no thanks

Cover letter: not necessary (in fact, they can be tedious)

Response time: ASAP (form rejections will most likely be sent...with a few notes when possible)

Reading period: CURRENTLY CLOSED

Any questions? Okay, start writing.

Send your best bits to 52.stitches(at)gmail.com (replace (at) with the @ of course)

Thanks, Aaron Polson, editor.