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