Submission guidelines
What you see here is what goes. Be sure to read the specific guidelines for the call your are submitting to, though. Break a rule; we break your nose.
At a glance #
The important stuff that applies to all of our calls.
Timeline #
No one loves Gantts and Kanbans more than us.
Open now
Satire & toonsSep 28 – ongoingfoofaraw zineOct 1 – Nov 30publishes Jan 1, 2027 – Jun 30, 2027foofaraw zine (poetry)Oct 1 – Nov 30
publishes Jan 1, 2027 – Jun 30, 2027Monstrously Massive MarchOct 4 – Nov 8
publishes Mar 1, 2027 – Mar 31, 2027
Next up
The Annual DrabbleOct 15 – Nov 25The Foofs (Award Nominations)Nov 15 – Jan 15, 2027Quotidian BagatelleDec 15 – Jan 15, 2027A Great Big Fuss (Anthology)Jan 1, 2027 – Mar 31, 2027Later
foofaraw zineApr 1, 2027 – May 30, 2027publishes Jul 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027foofaraw zine (poetry)Apr 1, 2027 – May 30, 2027
publishes Jul 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027NovelettesMay 1, 2027 – ongoing
Projects #
Anything they can do, you can do better
foofaraw zine Open · 57 days leftfiction500–5,000$0.02/word ($50 max)~28 daysFree
Facts
- Length 500–5,000 words
- Pay $0.02/word ($50 max)
- Response ~28 days
- Fee Free
Windows
- Oct 1 – Nov 30publishes Jan 1, 2027 – Jun 30, 2027
- Apr 1, 2027 – May 30, 2027publishes Jul 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027
Past 12 months
- Received 104
- Accepted 2 (7%)
- Avg response 2 days
foofaraw zine (poetry) Open · 57 days leftpoetryany$1/line; $25 max~21 daysFree
Facts
- Length any
- Pay $1/line; $25 max
- Response ~21 days
- Fee Free
- Number of pieces Up to 3
Windows
- Oct 1 – Nov 30publishes Jan 1, 2027 – Jun 30, 2027
- Apr 1, 2027 – May 30, 2027publishes Jul 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027
Past 12 months
- Received 3
- Accepted 0
- Avg response —
Monstrously Massive March Open · 35 days leftfiction1,000–5,000$0.02/word; $50 max~21 daysFree
What we’re looking for
We are looking for weird horror featuring monsters or a big bad. Think Godzilla, The Thing, The Joker, or Jeepers Creepers.
While not a requirement, preference will be given to stories with original, unique, and singular antagonists.
This is a special call for our March issue, which will be a deluxe, double-sized edition that will go to print.
Facts
- Length 1,000–5,000 words
- Pay $0.02/word; $50 max
- Response ~21 days
- Fee Free
Windows
- Oct 4 – Nov 8publishes Mar 1, 2027 – Mar 31, 2027
Past 12 months
- Received 6
- Accepted 0
- Avg response —
Satire & toons Opennonfiction, satire, art500–1,50015~21 daysFree
What we’re looking for
We are looking for topical, satirical pieces and NYer style cartoons.
Facts
- Length 500–1,500 words
- Pay 15
- Response ~21 days
- Fee Free
Windows
- Sep 28 – ongoing
Past 12 months
- Received 7
- Accepted 2 (67%)
- Avg response 0 days
The Annual Drabble Opens Oct 15—exactly 100$25~31 daysFree
Facts
- Length exactly 100 words
- Pay $25
- Response ~31 days
- Fee Free
- Word count Exactly 100 words
- Theme Tell a story relating to an event from 2026. The goal of these drabbles is to paint a picture of the year that was through fictional storytelling.
- Topics It can be related to anything that happened in the world of politics, news, tech, sports, entertainment, culture, etc., but cannot be based on something personal.
- Genre Any genre whether that be humorous, horrific, fantastical, surreal, etc. and it can be satirical, a reimagining, a jumping-off point, etc
- Submission limits Only one entry is allowed at a time, but if you receive a rejection before the submission period is over, you may submit again.
Windows
- Oct 15 – Nov 25
Past 12 months
- Received 0
- Accepted 0
- Avg response —
The Foofs (Award Nominations) Opens Nov 15—any$25—Free
Facts
- Length any
- Pay $25
- Response —
- Fee Free
- Rules Stories must have been published in 2026 for the first time
- Authors Can submit two stories in separate categories
- Editors // Publishers Can submit one story in every category
- Wisp 100-word drabble
- Glimmer up to 1,000 words
- Fragment 1,000-2,500 words
- Phantasm 2,500-5,000 words
- Chronicle 5,000-7,500 words
- Magnum 7,500-15,000 words
Windows
- Nov 15 – Jan 15, 2027
Past 12 months
- Received 0
- Accepted 0
- Avg response —
Quotidian Bagatelle Opens Dec 15—250–600$0.02/word $10 max~21 daysFree
Facts
- Length 250–600 words
- Pay $0.02/word $10 max
- Response ~21 days
- Fee Free
- Word count between 250-600 words
- Pay $0.02/word ($10 max)
- Response ~3 weeks
- Reprints no
- Sim subs yes
- Publication In 2027
Windows
- Sep 1 – Oct 3
- Dec 15 – Jan 15, 2027
Past 12 months
- Received 220
- Accepted 27 (16%)
- Avg response 4 days
A Great Big Fuss (Anthology) Opens Jan 1, 2027—500–5,000$0.02/word~45 daysFree
Facts
- Length 500–5,000 words
- Pay $0.02/word
- Response ~45 days
- Fee Free
- Word count up to 5,000 words
- Pay $0.02/word
- Reprints no
- Sim subs yes
- Response time ~6 weeks
Windows
- Jan 1, 2027 – Mar 31, 2027
Past 12 months
- Received 0
- Accepted 0
- Avg response —
Novelettes Opens May 1, 2027—7,500–15,000$100~90 days$2
What we’re looking for
Our novelette call is closed until May 2027 where we will begin looking to fill our 2028 publishing schedule.
Facts
- Length 7,500–15,000 words
- Pay $100
- Response ~90 days
- Fee $2
- Length 7,500–15,000 words
- Genre of the Strange, Speculative, Surreal, or Slipstream variety
- Pay $100
- Response ~12 weeks
- Reprints no
- Sim subs yes
- Waivers We give up to two fee waivers a month for financial hardship. Login to apply.
Windows
- May 1, 2027 – ongoing
Past 12 months
- Received 11
- Accepted 0 (0%)
- Avg response 12 days
Get it. Got it. Good.
General guidelines #
Time to get into the weeds
Money and rights
RightsFirst serialFirst serial rights and non-exclusive, indefinite archival rights.
We request first serial rights and non-exclusive, indefinite archival rights across digital, print, and audio.
Any rights not used by the publisher within twelve months will return to the author.
Authors always own their writing and can take it and do whatever they'd like with it.
We just get to publish it and share it with the world.
Exclusivity3 monthsExclusive for three months after first publication..
When we pay for a story, the story cannot be published elsewhere in any form until three months after it is first published by us.
Exceptions are made for Best Of anthologies or by request with express written permission.
After those three months, we will still have it on our site and in print copies (where applicable), but you are free to publish it yourself or sell it as a reprint at that point.
How you’re paidDigitalPayPal or Wise
Upon signing the contract, we will request an email (or username) so we can send payment via PayPal or Wise.
Wise is preferred for non-US authors, but it is not a requirement.
When you’re paidOur side · 15 daysWithin 15 days of signing the contract.
Once you have signed the contract and provided your preferred payment method, payment will be made within 15 days.
If an issue arises, we will reach out twice. If we are unable to complete the payment and don't hear a response to our outreach within 5 days, we will have to void the contract.
Once a payment is complete via PayPal or Wise, our side of things financially is complete and we are not responsible for a returned payment if we sent it through the proper channel as noted during the agreement signing process.
Who and what is eligible
Minimum age18+Authors must be at least 18 years old.
Due to contracts and legality, we unfortunately do not except submissions from writers who are under 18 years of age.
ReprintsNoNo reprints.
If a story has been published publicly via a blog, another magazine, in print, or any other way that is readily available to the public for free or for purchase is not eligible to be submitted.
LanguageEnglishWe only accept stories in the English language.
Our team is only fluent in English and our readers typically have English as their first language.
We are open to translations, but the stories must be translated by a human with no AI involvement whatsoever.
CountriesGlobalWe are worldwide, baby!
No matter where you call home, your stories can find a home with us.
Staff submissionsNoFoofaraw staff are not eligible to be published in Foofaraw.
Foofaraw editors are not eligible to be published in Foofaraw at all and are not eligible for our annual awards.
Readers are not eligible to submit the regular magazine or annual awards. They can submit to our anthologies, which is editorially separate.
Readers and editors are allowed to submit to Quotidian Bagatelle, which is editorially separate from Foofaraw.
AI
AI-generated workFUCK NOFor the love of god, don't submit your AI stories.
We get it, you think it levels the playing field and makes writing more accessible. We don't care. We want stories that are written entirely by humans. Art is about human connection and understanding the perspectives of others. Becoming a good writer takes, time and effort and practice and learning and failing. Your AI story may be the next To Kill a Mockingbird... I don't care. Every single word should be labored over -- ideas are a dime a dozen, it's the execution that truly matters.
Full terms
We reserve the right to remove a story from our website for any reason whatsoever if we feel it no longer aligns with our values.
How we readOur side · SlowlySlowly and carefully
We take the time to read every submission from start to finish. While we do have a couple volunteer readers, every story is seen by an editor and an editor is the first reader for at least 50% of stories.
Submitting etiquette
Simultaneous submissionsOf courseSend em far and wide.
We welcome you to submit your story to multiple places. Please withdraw promptly from our system if it is accepted elsewhere. We will not "expedite" a submission at the request of the author for any reason.
Multiple submissions, per callNoOne submission per call at a time.
We often run more than one call at a time. Every "project" you see below and on the timeline is a separate call. You should only have one active submission in any single call at a time, but you are more than welcome to have a single submission in as many active calls as you'd like.
ResubmissionsNoNever resubmit a story unless it is requested
Don't submit the same story twice; whether in the same window, in different calls, or the same call in a different window.
After we publish youHOORAY!We do our best to promote your story
As a publication we have the site, our store, Instagram, Bluesky, and Mastodon where will do our best to get your story in front of as many people as possible.
What we want #
The do's and don'ts of of foofer in the know
Send us
Not for us
Process #
How your submission will be reviewed
- 1. Received
After submitting, you will be given a tracking code (also sent via email) that you can use to see that status of your submission at anytime. If you sign-up for an account, you'll be able to find all of your submissions in one place.
Our side We will assign it to a reader
- 2. In queue
You'll be able to see your position in the queue at any time -- how many are in front of you, how many are behind you.
Our side We take the stories in order, but given they are divided between editors and readers. We may not go in the exact order as we all read at different speeds and have varying times to dedicate to reading submissions.
- 3. Second round review
If a reader likes a story, it advances to the second round of an editor to take a closer look.
- 4. Held for consideration
We try to avoid sending holds, but as we get later into the process, there are sometimes stories we love, but aren't sure will fit in an open slot with other accepted stories.
- 5. Decision
Once a decision is made, writers will a receive a response via email
4 daysaverage across calls · see stats
After acceptance
- 1. Accepted
Once your story is accepted, you will receive an email asking you to confirm that the story is still available. You are expected to click the link in the email (or the Confirm button in the portal) within seven days of acceptance.
- 2. Confirmed
Once you confirm your story is available, we will send over the publishing agreement for you to sign.
- 3. Agreement signed
Once the agreement is signed, we will send payment over within 15 days.
- 4. Edits sent
We will aim to have edits sent to authors 30 days before the first of the month your story is scheduled to be published. You will have seven days to review the edits and accept/reject them at your discretion.
- 5. Published
Time to celebrate!
Our side We'll enjoy a celebratory drink with or without you
Fees & waivers #
Fees only apply to novelettes and contests.
Where a fee goes
We only charge a fee for novelette submissions (given the extra time they take to read) and contests (given the large cash reward that is given).
Before you send #
Do these things and we won't hate you
FAQ & contact #
Office hours for Fluffy the Foof are in session
Question 1: Can I submit a story and a poem to foofaraw at the same time?
Yes you can! Foofaw zine is the story call and foofaraw zine (poetry) is the poetry call. You can have one active submission in as many open calls as you'd like. Just don't submit a second item to the same call if you haven't heard a response back on the first.
Question 2: Should I submit with my legal name or pen name?
It doesn't matter, whichever you are comfortable with. If accepted, we will request your legal name for the contract and pen name for publication.
Question 3: If I receive a rejection can I submit again?
We ask you please wait at least two weeks after the rejection notice before submitting again to ensure others have a chance to have their submissions read in a timely manner. We don't have mechanics to prevent it currently, but if you abuse that we will implement them and probably auto-reject you.
Question 4: Can I be accepted more than once a year?
Yes, but only once per "season." Foofaraw Zine runs on a two seasons a year schedule. Stories submitted in October/November are part of the season in H1 the following year; stories submitted in April/May are part of the season in H2 of that year.
What changed
- Oct 5, 2026 Init: brand new guidelines page