Submission Guidelines

“Bat Durstons” are welcome here. Unfortunately, because we’re lowly cowards, we aren’t considering publishing fan-fiction at this time, so unless you’ve received express written permission from the original rights-holders, please don’t submit it here.

Our publishing schedule is weekly. We publish at least one item (story, cartoon, recording, etc.) each week.

What we are looking for: Genre, Topics, and Themes

Space Westerns

First and foremost, we’re looking for Space Westerns: works with themes from the Western genre set in Outer-space, or having some element of extra-terrestrial travel. This is the majority of the fiction that we publish. Our preference is to publish works that contain, in part, some form of off-earth travel.

For our purposes we consider the following to be examples of works with strong Space Western themes (inter-planetary fiction containing Western genre themes): Flash Gordon (comic, movie serial, and 1978 animated serial), Buck Rogers, Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica (both series), Firefly, Serenity, Mike Resnick’s Santiago, Ande Norton’s Beastmaster series, Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles, The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers, Bravestarr, Silverhawks, Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Coyote Ragtime Show, and Trigun.

Science Fiction Westerns

Science Fiction themes with Western elements (setting, characters, etc.).

Steam Punk

We’d like to see Steam Punk (after all, the era is right) with some Western elements (themes, setting, characters, etc.). Space travel is a plus, but not strictly necessary.

Weird West

We’re using the term Weird Western here to denote Western/Fantasy/Horror genre blending. We are least likely to publish a Weird Western unless it also includes Space Western elements.

Feminist & Minority Themes

We’ve all seen the white man in a white hat riding his white horse into the sunset. The Western genre is replete with white male driven stories. The Space Western sub-genre isn’t much different. Send us stories with strong women, weak women, but most of all stories with real women. Send us stories from a non-WASP point-of-view: fiction about Chinese, Native American, Mexican/Spanish, African/African-American and/or even the “New Immigrants” — (German, Irish/Gaelic, Italian, Russian) peoples influences on the Western themes.

Rights & Rates

We’d like to reserve First Internet Publication Rights for three months.

With your accepted submission you will receive an expanded biography—100x100 image and a 200 word bio that may include links back to your website, pending editorial approval.

Stories & Articles

We are looking for stories and articles of no more than 7,500 words in length. Current rates for unsolicited manuscripts are ½¢/word to a maximum of $25, paid upon publication. Reprints will be considered. Serials welcome, but single stand-alone stories are preferred.

Reviews

500-750 words reviews of books, graphic novels, art exhibitions, music, movies, DVDs, games, websites, and software. Reviews by actual creators of given works are welcome. Reviews are unpaid. If you have a product you’d like to see featured, we’d be happy to review it for inclusion. Send product samples to: N.E. Lilly — P.O. Box 93 — Parker Ford, PA 19457

Poetry

Poetry submitted to SpaceWesterns.com will be published in themed collections. “Countdown” will be the first theme, but please feel free to submit for other themes as well, as the muse strikes you. Please check here before you submit your work for the current theme to be sure that it is still open for submissions. Current rates are as follows: 10 lines or less: $1; 11 to 50 lines: $2; over 50 lines: 4¢/line.

Artwork & Illustrations

To be considered for an assignment, upload samples of your work (no larger than 1MB, in jpeg or pdf format), or provide a link to your online portfolio. Payment is $10 for interior (article) illustrations, $25 for cover (main page), on publication. We prefer to assign artwork if possible, so please let us know if you are willing to do illustration on-demand.

Illustrated Adventures & Comics

We are seeking web comics to feature on the site. Serials welcome.

  • Single panel comics (300px wide): $5
  • Three panel strips (vertical, 300px wide): $12.50
  • Three page episodes (468px x 606px each page): $25

For serial works your total submission package should include: A brief outline of the overall nature of your comic; A character sheet that shows your major characters (if any) along with their names and a paragraph description of each; 1 sample strip.

Ballads & Radio-plays

We are currently seeking ½-5½ minute recordings. Serials welcome. Quarterly royalties vary depending on advertising revenue for the quarter, how many plays your recording generates, how many donations it receives, and methods of distribution for the recording.

For serial works your total submission package should include: A brief outline of the overall nature of your recording; A character sheet that describes your major characters (if any) along with their names and a paragraph description of each; 1 sample recording.

Moving Pictures

We are currently seeking ½-5½ minute pictures. Live-action and animation considered. Serials welcome. Quarterly royalties vary depending on advertising revenue for the quarter, how many plays your picture generates, how many donations it receives, and methods of distribution for the video. Please don’t submit anything that has already been uploaded to a video sharing service (YouTube, Google Video, etc.).

For serial works your total submission package should include: A brief outline of the overall nature of your video; A character sheet that shows your major characters (if any) along with their names and a paragraph description of each; 1 sample video.

Space Western Limerick Contest

SpaceWesterns.com is officially opening to poetry. To celebrate we’re holding a Space Western Limerick Contest! And to top it off it will be judged by three celebrity judges: Gary Trainer (song-writer), Keith R.A. DeCandido (author), and Jane Espenson (screen-writer).

Visit our contest page for more information.

Resources:

Rules of Submission

  1. Only RTF, JPEG, or PDF documents are accepted.
  2. Enter your email and web addresses correctly. If you don’t, we might not be able to buy your story.

Send all files as attachments to: submissions2018@spacewesterns.com.