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Special instructions for March 2012 reading period:

During the March 2012 submissions period, Big Pulp is looking for stories and poems for two upcoming themed issues. We're still looking for science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, romance and adventure stories, but each submission also should include the theme of the issue as an integral part of the work.

Theme 1: Gorilla My Dreams

Theme 2: Queer-y Letters

Fly your freak flag with pride in Clones, Faeries and Monsters In The Closet, Big Pulp's anthology of queer genre fiction.

Most of the fiction and poetry we select for this anthology are likely to have LGBT characters. However, at Big Pulp, 'queer' encompasses much more than the latest LGBTQ alphabet soup amalgam. Queer can communicate sexual preferences, but also political beliefs and personal mores, and often all three at once. Anyone going against the grain of what society tells her to be, to think, or to believe is pretty queer in our book. Gay is cocktails. Queer is a Molotov cocktail.

What we want

If you're a regular reader, you're familiar with our brand of offbeat, literary, thought-provoking and darkly humorous fiction. We want that - science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror and romance stories and poems - but with a queer twist. In some cases, the character's sexuality might be integral to the plot, but in others, it might be merely incidental. Don't mistake a political rant or plea for tolerance with fiction. A great story could communicate those ideas, but a lot of bad ones rely on cliches to make their point.

Also, no porn. Sexual content is fine (and welcome!) but we're not looking for graphic erotica. We'll know it when we read it.

All other guidelines below are valid.
If you haven't submitted previously, please read them!

* * * * * * *

Big Pulp is an online journal featuring genre fiction and artwork of all kinds. We are actively seeking submissions of prose, poetry, photography, artwork, and comics for our pages.

We define “pulp fiction” very broadly – it’s lively, challenging, thought-provoking, thrilling, and fun, regardless of how many or how few genre elements are packed in. We don’t subscribe to the theory that genre fiction is disposable; in our opinion, a great deal of literary fiction could easily fall under one of our general categories.

Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry

Big Pulp requests print and electronic rights. Our print edition is published quarterly on or about the fifteenth of March, June, September and December of each year. Work also appears online and is archived on our website.

To purchase a copy of the print edition, visit our store for links to retail and online outlets that carry Big Pulp.

Payment
Fiction - 1¢ per word up to 2500 words (minimum $5.00; maximum $25.00)
Poetry - $5 per poem, regardless of length

Payment is made upon publication, typically on the Sunday prior to the publication date. We pay electronically via Paypal only. We are not able to send cash or checks in the mail.

Upon request, we will make online donations to other sites in lieu of payment. You can also consider donating your payment back to Big Pulp to help defray our editorial costs. Our goal is to pay our writers, so this gesture is by no means required, although it is greatly appreciated.

Length
Fiction and non-fiction - 2500 words
Poetry - up to 3 poems

Fiction and non-fiction longer than 2500 words will be considered, but no additional payment above $25 is possible at this time. Please do not submit fiction longer than 10,000 words.

Reprints
We request first North American serial rights. Reprints will be considered, but please inform us that the work has been printed previously. You must have the rights to your work. Our general rule is that we prefer not publish work that is available online or archived elsewhere. We will consider work that has appeared in print, provided the work is not generally available (ie: not in a collection currently available for sale).

Simultaneous submissions are okay. Please submit only one fiction or non-fiction piece or up to three poems during any submission period, regardless of length. Please do not submit additional stories or poems until you hear from us regarding your previous submissions.

Format
Written submissions must be sent electronically in MS Word or RTF as an attachment to your e-mail. Please format your document as you would if you were sending a hard copy (ie: double-spaced, indented, one paragraph break, etc.). Times New Roman is our preferred font. DO NOT embed your submissions in the body of your e-mail. These will be rejected without being read.

E-mail your submissions to Bill Olver @ submissions@bigpulp.com. In your subject line, enter your name and the title of your story or poem.

WHAT WE LIKE

Following are some of our ideas about genre entertainment. These aren’t rules, but we hope they will provide food for thought regarding your work. Most importantly - think creatively, do your best work, and have fun!

Fantasy
Fantasy did not begin in the Middle Ages nor end with the Renaissance. People create magic every day, unaccompanied by thunder claps or sparkles. You do it with every story you write. Conversely, mundane events occur in the lives of even the most fantastical creatures. Surprise us!

Mystery
Most mysteries involve a crime or a threat of crime, but it’s not necessary. “Is that bastard cheating on me?” is also a mystery, provided someone is actively trying to find the answer. In a broad sense, an element of curiosity or the unknown would be pervasive in a Big Pulp mystery. Ghost stories without specific horror or fantasy elements are a good fit for this section, provided there's a secret or a mystery to the tale.

Adventure
Adventure comes in many forms - as physical challenges or mental puzzles - and in many venues - on mountain trails or the theater of war.Your protagonist could be an undercover CIA agent, a grunt in Iraq, a balloonist flying around the world, a doctor treating refugees, or an artist racing to get a contest submission to a gallery before a deadline. Strive for suspense, high stakes, and a spirit of achievement.

Horror
Vampires are horrific, but so is Rwanda. We love a good zombie tale, but we’re just as scared of people who believe everything they see on TV. Scare us with monsters, human inhumanity, or a devastating psychological truth.

Science Fiction
We love hard science and space operas equally. Alternative histories and speculative future fiction would also be welcome here. Physics is fascinating, but remember that politics and sociology alsoare sciences. The family unit has evolved more in the past thirty years than the automobile or the handgun. Charm us with dinosaurs or talking apes.

Romance
Not all romances are requited, nor are they guaranteed happy endings. Heartache is a part of romance, as is vengeance. People fall in love or become obsessed with lots of things, not just other people.