Submissions Guidelines
DreamForge is Closed to Submissions
Our next anticipated reading period starts in Spring 2020 (mid to late March). Please do read our general requirements below. When we call for submissions again, we may have specific requests for the issues we are working on. Thanks, and best of luck to you!
What Are We Looking For (When we are Looking)?
Positive stories demonstrating the triumph of the human spirit and the power of hope and humane values in overcoming the most daunting challenges.
We are interested in all SF and Fantasy genres, but no horror please.
- No to Pollyannish and Utopian simplicity.
- Yes to communities and teams working together to overcome dire challenges.
- Yes to marginalized and under-represented characters as protagonists.
- Yes to science and magic that solve problems, alleviate suffering, and boldly explore new possibilities.
- No to corrupt, dystopian governments or evil corporations.
- Tone down the violence, profanity, and sex. It’s only useful if the story demands it.
Story Length
Shorter is better!
We need works 5,000 words and under. If you submit a story over 5,000 words, it has to be amazing to get very far in the review process.
Overall, we will consider the following word counts:
- Flash Fiction & Poetry: 100 – 1500 words
- Short Stories: 2,000 – 7,500 words
- Novelettes: 7,500 – 10,000 words.
Submission Formatting
Your story must be submitted in Word or RTF format.
Top of the First Page
- Title of Story (centered)
- Your By Line (centered)
- No Address or other Personal Info please.
Formatting:
- Font: Arial, Size 12
- Double spaced
- Indented paragraphs
- Single space after periods.
- No extra line break between paragraphs
- Section breaks, as needed, should be three ### symbols, centered on the page.
- In the document Header, include Last Name/Title/Page #
File Naming:
- When you SAVE your file, name it in the following way: FirstName-LastName-Story-Title
During the submission process, you will have the opportunity to write a cover letter, enter the word count, select genre and story type, etc.
Contracts and Payment
Our contract is based on the model provided by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA). Copyright and story ownership remain with the author. Contract terms are negotiable within reason.
We acquire first serial print rights in North America and first world electronic rights for online publication.
Payment rates vary between $0.04 and $0.08/word, depending on the following:
- Print and Online publication (6-8 cents/word)
- Reprints and Online publication only (4-5 cents/word)
- Word Count
- Merit (We have been known to pay more for stories that made us giddy with excitement to publish them.)
Poems and micro-stories are paid at the rate of $25 to $100.
Payment is on Acceptance
Miscellaneous Notes
- If you are a Forge Master (print) Dreamforge subscriber who subscribed before 3/1/19, be sure to tell us that in your cover letter. Your story will be read by the Editor-in-Chief and you will receive feedback on your story.
- One submission at a time, please, but you are welcome to submit again if your story is returned.
- If we offer suggestions on improving your writing or story structure, we want to see evidence that you tried to follow our advice on your next submission.
- Simultaneous submissions are OK, if you let us know as soon as your story is accepted elsewhere.
- Please allow 6 to 9 weeks for our review and final response. We try to be faster, but we have full-time day jobs and we can get overwhelmed.
- We will consider reprints if you can show that publication rights have reverted to you, the author.
- If you haven’t heard from us on a story you think may have gotten lost in the shuffle, feel free to query us at submissions@DreamForgeMagazine.com.
Curious Why Stories Get Rejected?
You know, you are probably a pretty decent writer. There is a very good chance we are going to like your story, even admire parts of what you have accomplished with it. We know that going in, but still, the odds of us choosing your story for publication are pretty slim. Read our Blog Post below to understand why:
By Outer Space