Submission Guidelines

The theme/overarching title for 2025 is Shadows and Signals: Speculative Mysteries. Here are some guidelines.

• Use speculative fiction to give an atmosphere to the mystery.
• Draw us in.
• The mystery in these stories should be tied to that speculative world. In other words, the mystery could only work because of the unique setting / concept that makes this speculative.
• Be careful not to have too many characters since this is a short story- Avoid classic mystery tropes, unless you’re working to upend or reframe them.
• We’re not looking for “gotcha” mysteries.
• Cosy and not-cosy mysteries are good.
• At the end of the year we plan to collect the stories into both an ebook and a printed book collection. We're looking for stories up to 4000 words paying $0.10/word, paid within 45 days of publication.
• Frivolous Comma will not consider any AI-written, developed or assisted submission of any kind for publication, now or ever.
• Please allow for 6 weeks before querying.

Quick Update:

• We're seeing a lot of submissions which is great! Keep them coming.
• For some tips on writing speculative mysteries, check out this post.

Other Basics:

• We're NOT accepting reprints for this anthology.
• Follow this manuscript format
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but you HAVE TO let us know if your piece is accepted elsewhere.
• No multiple submissions.
• Payments via Paypal or Venmo
• Submission deadline is January 30th, 2025.

• Explorations of speculative fiction that address some aspect of transition and intersectionality.
• Reflections on writing speculative fiction and your personal identity's influence on your work
• Opinion recent developments in speculative fiction, SF history, associated SF theory and criticism, and SF fandom and culture.
• Propose an original argument, being aware of existing literature in your area (popular or scholarly)
• Cite sources via endnotes and links to sources.
• Reviews/book round-ups through a personal/memoir lens (note: we prefer reviews that focus on positive aspects of books; that is, “who this is for” rather than “who this isn’t for”)
• Look through our other non-fiction posts to get a feel for style and tone.
• 1000-2500 words
• $125 per original article

Don't Send:

• Personal or family history that doesn't have anything to do with storytelling or your foray into writing story telling.
• Rants (political or otherwise).

Frivolous Comma publishes speculative fiction with a particular eye towards stories by underrepresented folx (both culturally and geographically). Alongside each story we publish commissioned artwork.

Our Process:

Frivolous Comma is currently compiling a reference list of artists to illustrate our 2025 stories. We will reach out to you if we would like to commission a piece. At that point you’ll read the piece of speculative fiction and then create artwork inspired by that story. 

Please submit three examples of your work that represent the style of the illustration you would like to create for Frivolous Comma. For a sense of what we like, please take a look at the artwork currently on our website.

Unfortunately we will not be able to respond to all submissions. If you don’t hear from us it does not mean your artwork isn’t excellent. We simply may not have enough spots for all the artists who’ve submitted, or perhaps your style doesn’t fit for this particular collection.

Other guidelines:

• No AI generated or AI assisted work
• Generally not looking for photography or collage
• No gratuitous violence, gore, sexualization
• Don't objectify, stereotype people.

Pay rate: We pay $150 for commissioned art and $75 in the event that we use a piece from an artist's already existing portfolio.

Rights

• The right to display and archive the selected piece with the story.
• For commissioned original work, artists retain all rights to use the work for merchandise, or to post the work elsewhere once the story is live. We ask that the artist wait until the story is live before re-selling the work, and that the piece is credited as originally appearing as an illustration for the story.