Story Submission Guidelines
Daily Science Fiction (DSF) is a market accepting speculative fiction stories from 100 to 10,000 words in length. By this we mean science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, etc. All that fits under the broader science fiction umbrella. We have a special need for flash fiction, stories of 1,000 or fewer words.
We pay 8 cents per word for first worldwide rights and for nonexclusive reprint rights. Additionally, we reserve the right to pay you more money for additional reprinting in themed Daily Science Fiction anthologies.
This sounds simple, but in today's fractured fiction market it is anything but. Here's what we mean by first worldwide rights: Your story will be distributed by email to our (free) subscription list, it will then be available on the website, via RSS, eventually through kindle and iphone/ipad (the "issue" consisting of all stories published during its calendar month), and as archived on the DailyScienceFiction.com website. The nonexclusive reprint rights are anticipated to apply to the omnibus volume of DSF's stories for one year. Themed anthologies are anticipated to consist of 50-100% material originally published on DailyScienceFiction.com, plus additional materials as contracted. For these anthologies, payment will be 5 cents per word.
Helpful Hints from Putative Editors
We love long fiction. We look forward to reading your novelettes, your long short stories and your other novelties. However, if you want to get published in Daily Science Fiction, brevity may better serve your purposes. We need flash fiction, and a lot of it. Among our featured stories, a shorter tale will get an extra nudge on the scale when weighed against a longer one. This is both for financial reasons and because we anticipate that it will match the preferences of a plurality of our readership. Not fair? Perhaps. Consider yourself forewarned.
Of course, we want your stories to ooze originality, but a well-written story is a must. We are dedicated to character-driven fiction, and quite prosaic in our expectation that most stories we publish will in fact have a discernible plot. Wow us, make us care, create a conflict and resolve it. Send us a great story that fits into speculative fiction and we'll be salivating to publish it.
We may purchase dark fantasy, but will not publish pure horror. We don't mind feeling the flush of subtle arousal, but will not publish erotica. Guns a-blazing might make our day, but we don't suspect most military SF will win us over. Humor? It often works for flash fiction, but often one alien's funny bone is located near another species' sac of indifference. We're likely not your best market for longer funny tales. Don't be witless, but don't rely on a pun or a punchline to sell to DSF.
We don't accept multiple or simultaneous submissions, but we promise to be as prompt as possible with our responses. Query if you haven't heard back in three weeks.
