We consider fiction stories between 500 and 7000 words with horror elements.
Submission Details
Publication: Baneberry – A Literary Horror Annual
Submission Deadline: July 8, 2026
Payment: $500 USD / $600 CDN for each story we publish
Word Count: 500 – 7,000 words for short fiction
Poetry: not accepted
Theme: literary fiction
Genre: horror, thriller
Published each fall.
We consider fiction stories between 500 and 7000 words with horror elements. We take a broad view of the horror genre, from the conceptual and ethereal to the visceral and gory. We look for prose style and thematic complexity over commercial formula.
We do not consider poetry, serials, novels, fan fiction, or non-fiction. We accept only one submission per writer per deadline.
We accept simultaneous submissions. Let us know up front and tell us as soon as it’s accepted for publication elsewhere. We do not publish reprints, including anything that has appeared on a website. We buy first-printing world exclusive rights for six months and non-exclusive thereafter. Payment will be made shortly after publication.Please make submissions in traditional manuscript format. This means .docx format in12 point font, double-spaced, with indented paragraphs. Include the title, your name, address, email, phone number and word length on the first page of your story.
Do not submit any material generated by AI.
To submit your story email to submit at baneberrylit (dot) com and use the subject line: SUBMISSION: Story Title by Author’s Name (Word Count). Say hello in the body of the email. We do not open attachments unaccompanied by an email message.
Please do not submit the same story more than once.
Before publication we may work with the author to edit the story for length or readability. The author has final approval.
Please note we do not send out messages upon receipt of stories. Please don’t query us about your story submission. We don’t have the manpower to answer such queries. An editor will email you back as soon as possible with the decision about your story.
If you want to withdraw a story from consideration, please e-mail us at submit at baneberrylit (dot) com and include the word WITHDRAW in the subject line. If you have urgent questions or comments (not a query about the status of your story), please e-mail us at our submissions address and include the word QUERY in the subject line.
