Weird Circular #45 October

The October Weird Circular

October 02, 2020

This month's Weird Circular is live with submission ideas, prompts, and more!

Welcome to the Weird Circular

Dear Fellow Weird Writers,

Can we all agree that spooky season is the only thing holding us together? No? Just me? This is my favorite month of the year. One of the reasons I love it is that Halloween is my favorite holiday. But another reason is that there are always lots of events happening in Houston. Even this year, when online events are the norm. 

This fall, I'm teaching several

. As much as I love the fall, I'm always super busy. But I still found time this month to finish up my novel, which is pretty thrilling. I hope you're finding some light among the darkness too, friends. 

Your corporeal host,

Holly 

Submission Calls

Upcoming Submission Windows: 

  • Apex Magazine Annual Holiday Flash Fiction Contest, deadline 11/15, opens 10/1: Theme: Holiday horror flash fiction (up to 250 words). Guest judge Mike Allen.

  • Fantasy Magazine, deadline 10/7: Fantasy fiction (1.5-7.5k), Flash Fiction (up to 1.5k), Poetry (up to 6 poems). Pays .08/word.  

  • Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award, opens 10/1: Short stories about near-future science (up to 8k words). Pays .08/word.

  • Weird Horror Magazine, opens 10/1: (New venue) Pulpy dark-fiction stories (500-5k words). Pays .01/word. 

  • Curiosities Podcast, deadline 10/14, opens 10/7: Fairytale themed fiction (up to 7.5k). Pays .04/word. 

  • Wizards in Space, deadline 10/15: Theme: Foraging. Short stories (up to 5k words) Poetry (up to 4 poems).  Pay varies by word count. 

  • Lonely Cryptid Media Anthology, deadline 10/31: Theme: Resistance. Fiction (up to 15k), Poetry (up to 300 lines). (Note: open to marginalized voices thru 10/31, all others 11/1-12/31.) Pays $25. 

Need more submission ideas? Check the

newest markets,

, Duotrope's

,

, or Literary Mama's

.

YOU SHOULD BE WRITING

Prompt #1:

 Horror fiction is full of tropes--bad guys with disfigured faces, women running through the woods, spooky creatures. Pick a trope and write down 10 things about it. For example, clowns: 

- Wear face paint, smile when they are sad on the inside, work at carnivals, scare children, are often older men, were in the woods inexplicably for that one year, remind me of the IT movie, etc. Then look at the list and choose 5 things to include in your story. 

Bonus Round:

Pick 5 other things to flip the trope on--do something unexpected. 

Prompt #2

: Write something using these words: Ghost, child, cursed, dirty, uncover, graveyard, rocky, rip

Bonus Round:

Add these words into your piece: Light, flying, daisy, brisk, fluffy, mature, easy, giggle

Prompt #3:

Come up with a new horror-themed word. Here's mine: Slithergirl. Then make that word the title of your piece. 

Bonus Round:

 If you're not sure how to make up a new word, try combining two words you already know. Here's a

to try.

Editing tip of the month: Try reading aloud a favorite author before writing. It can be helpful to get inspired by a good writer's voice. But always find what works for you.

Inspiration from the Ether

News From Your Corporeal Host

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