Announcing "Take A Breath" | An open call for Horror short stories
Announcing "Take A Breath" | An open call for Horror short stories
Submit to get published in our second print anthology!
Storyletter XPress Publishing is opening its official 2025 submission window for our upcoming anthology, “Take a Breath: A Collection of Claustrophobic Horror.”
We will purchase notable works capturing this theme from talented, independent authors and publish the collection as a book in hardcover, paperback, and digital eBook.
In our previous iteration, 24 authors (mostly from Substack) came together to contribute to “Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel.” The published hardcover book—along with other goodies—was shipped to annual paid subscribers and contributing authors in our XPress Book Box. The ebook is delivered in our Welcome email for both monthly and annual members.
The XPress Book Box will be available to a maximum of 100 annual subscribers due to supplies, time, and shipping reasons. Secure your spot today!
This year, we’re delving into the deepest and darkest locations with a focus on stories that evoke a sense of confinement, lack of breath/oxygen, and the desperate need for escape. “Take a Breath” will have you turning the pages faster and faster, not only from the desire to discover how each story ends but because you’ll be holding your breath. We hope this theme will summon the terrific horror writing community on Substack and beyond.
We’re accepting submissions until the end of 2024 (December 31). Must be subscribed (free or paid) to be eligible. SXP is eager to work with writers of all levels, and we can’t wait to read your incredible stories!
Paid subscribers will help fund this book. Any costs not covered by subscriptions will be funded by Winston directly. He’d love to pay authors a higher rate than his current $.01 cents per word. If we reach 50 paid subs, he’ll be able to double payouts! With your support, indies can get the compensation they deserve.
Continue reading for more details, or submit below.
Publishing Overview
We will accept short fiction heavily featuring the theme as presented above. Once accepted, your work will be published as long as it meets the guidelines. We pay .01 cents per word for short fiction up to 10,000 words (or $100) and a flat rate of $10 for works under 1000 words. No poetry at this time. Payment is received upon or near publication. No royalties will be paid.
Payment is conducted via PayPal, Venmo, Wise, or Zelle in USD.
At the time of submission, writers must sign the SXP Contract, allowing us to share your work online, market it, and use it in the upcoming anthology (digitally and physically). All rights to the story remain with the author, and we do not own the rights to your work (other than what is in the contract). However, we request a 6-month exclusivity period from the book’s publication date.
XPress memberships keep the payment model for indie writers possible. Upgraded readers gain access to paid-only posts, Original Fiction, private Discord, and digital copies of all of our books as they become available. Writers can access the year-round submission portal and receive interview priority status, among other benefits.
What We’re Looking For
As a family-friendly publisher, we only consider submissions that follow our clean content guidelines. This includes no excessive profanity, overtly sexual content, or graphic violence for the sake of violence. Submissions containing such content will not be considered unless the writer agrees to a clean revision process. For references, please check out what we’ve previously published on Substack or read the FAQ section below for exact guidelines.
Submissions should be aimed at ages 13+. (Think PG-13 film rating)
Fiction must be completed before submission.
Volume Two - Theme and Specifics
The theme for the 2025 anthology is claustrophobic horror.
Here are some examples of what we’re looking for:
Deep Ocean Mishaps- Stories of characters trapped at the bottom of the ocean, facing dwindling oxygen supplies or mechanical failures.
Buried Alive - Tales of individuals waking up to find themselves buried in coffins or trapped in underground caverns.
Space - Astronauts on missions gone wrong.
Elevators - Characters stuck in elevators or small spaces with psychological or supernatural elements.
Cave-ins - Explorers who get lost or stuck in deep cave systems.
Psychological Confinement - Stories where the confinement might not be physical but mental.
Medical Horror - Patients experiencing locked-in syndrome or under anesthesia awareness where they feel everything but can't move or breathe on their own.
Sleep Paralysis - People stuck in a waking nightmare where they cannot move.
Abandoned Facilities - Individuals exploring or trapped in abandoned places like asylums, bunkers, or mines, where the air is stale and escape routes are unclear or blocked.
Supernatural or Ghost Stories - Spirits or entities that trap people in time loops, haunted rooms, or force them to relive terrifying moments.
Escape Rooms Turned Deadly - What starts as a game becomes a real-life horror when participants realize they're actually trapped.
Sci-Fi Dystopias - Societies where air is a commodity and stories focus on those who cannot afford to "buy breath" or are confined to polluted zones.
Body Horror - Tales where the horror comes from within, perhaps a condition or creature affecting one's ability to breathe, like an alien organism or a psychological condition manifesting physically.
Other - The above list isn’t exhaustive. It’s meant to inspire ideas, so you’re free to create any scenario that fits the theme.
Once the stories have been selected, we will close the submission window and proceed with editing and revising. The book is expected to be published by June 2025.
This is the perfect opportunity if you’re seeking print publication and want to get paid for your work. We honor independent authors by producing high-quality books worthy of bookstores and bookshelves. Thank you for considering SXP as your potential publisher. We look forward to reading your stories!
Guidelines and FAQs
How do I submit my story?
Please read the complete submission guidelines and the frequently asked questions before submitting your story. You can begin the process once you’ve read the guidelines and believe your story fits the anthology well. You must also be a free or paid subscriber to Storyletter XPress Publishing.
Why do writers join as paying subscribers?
Joining as an XPress member is helpful for both Storyletter XPress Publishing and you as a reader/writer. It benefits us (the publisher) because it lets us know you’re serious about your work and want to support independent writers. It also pays for overhead costs such as editorial time, marketing, writer payouts, artwork commissions, website fees, etc.
Money from paying members is returned to the community one way or another.
What do you mean by family-friendly?
We have somewhat strict content guidelines. We understand that some stories require specific content to accomplish the story’s purposes, but Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not currently publish those stories.
For guidelines, see below:
Swearing: Light swearing is acceptable. This applies to swearing in English and other natural languages, but not swear words in fantasy or alien tongues.
Violence: While we enjoy action, violence should not be glorified. Deaths may occur, but there should be minimal blood and gore. Physical torture is unacceptable. If descriptions of death are unavoidable, please consider taking an artistic approach.
Sexual content: No sex scenes. Absolutely no rape. No descriptions of nudity. Innuendo and crude humor may be tolerated depending on the subject matter.
Controversial topics: Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish stories that delve into controversial political or religious issues, such as gun control, abortion, or real-life political parties/candidates. This doesn’t mean you can’t use allegory or metaphor, but it should be nuanced and subtly implied.
Additional rules may apply to your story not listed here.
If you are uncertain about your content, you can email storyletter@protonmail.com with a description or example of the content. Do not send pitches, as they will not be considered.
Can I submit previously published or self-published manuscripts?
Yes. All previous e-book publications must be discontinued from sale on any digital retailer. Previous print publications must be out of print and removed from on-demand printing. The author must have all the rights. Please include information about the previous publication and sales of the story/series in our submission form. Our submission guidelines still apply to previously published titles. Do not send print-ready PDFs. If accepted, we will edit, design, and publish previously published titles through our normal publishing process.
Should I submit my book to you? It’s about…
Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC ONLY reviews submissions sent through our form and the accompanying synopsis and manuscript delivery instructions. We do not review emailed queries, sample chapters, or partial manuscripts. We are happy to answer questions about our submission process or preferred genres over email. Still, we will not review author bios, outlines, queries, pitches, or other submission materials that have not been sent through our form.
Do you accept translations of books in other languages?
As long as the author or translator can work with our editors in English, we are happy to consider translated titles. To be considered, the manuscript must read naturally to native speakers or be able to read naturally with minor editing. The author’s and character’s voices must still be strong despite being translated. We will put all manuscripts through our normal editing processes, even if they are already published in another language. This includes any necessary plot edits.
Do you accept submissions from authors outside the United States?
We accept submissions from anywhere worldwide but only publish stories in English.
Will you translate my book into English?
Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not currently translate stories. We only accept stories that have already been translated into English.
When should I submit?
Submissions are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC reserves the right to close submissions at any time.
Can I include artwork in my submission?
No, submissions should be text only. At this time, Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC is not accepting picture book submissions or color illustrations. Do not include cover art.
Do you make exceptions to your word count requirements?
Submissions below 50 or over 10,000 words will not be eligible.
Can I submit multiple titles for your consideration?
Yes, but try to limit your submissions to the stories that best fit the theme to give our editors time to review each submission.
Need Help?
Have questions not answered here? Email your question to storyletter@protonmail.com.
Submission queries sent through email will not be considered. Do not send outlines, summaries, or query letters.
For more info, head on over to the About page.
Sounds like a great idea, I’ll save this and try to contribute
Ooh, love it! Can't wait to read this next crop of stories!