Hike some beautiful trailsGo to the beach
Have a picnic in the parkVisit the farmer’s marketSubmit microfiction to open calls
We didn’t make it to the ocean this year {sad trombone}, so the closest I can get is a pretty graphic in Canva. But how about we cross that last one off your list?
Here are a few (and I do mean a few) microfiction markets that are open in August:
Quotidian Bagatelle — Bread & Butter:
Word Count: 50-250
Genre: (see below)
Open: 8/1-31
Rate: $2.50
Sim Subs Allowed / Reprints Allowed (but no pay)
What they want:
Bread & Butter is microanthology of 80 one-page stories related to bread, butter, or the phrase “bread and butter.”
We are open to basically any genre, but are especially keen on the strange, slipstream, speculative, surreal, plus horror, humor, satire, and magical realism.
My take: None yet.
Carmen et Error
Word Count: 400 words max
Genre: any
Open: 8/1-31
Rate: £5
Sim Subs Allowed / No Reprints
What do they want?
The cause of Roman poet Ovid’s exile was “carmen et error”, a poem and a mistake. We want your poems and your mistakes. Fiction that falls between genres. Weird, wild poems. Anything speculative, daring, or just plain odd.
— you can submit up to TWO pieces —
My take: They had me at ‘weird’…
Strange Pilgrims Micro Contest (short window!)
Word Count: 300 words max
Genre: literary
Theme: announced monthly
Open: 8/1-3 only
Rate: $30
What do they want?
For the first three days of every month, we’ll open for a free, themed writing challenge. One winner — who we feel has written the Micro of the Month — will be selected and published on the last Sunday of the month alongside an editor’s note and a contributor’s note. The winner will receive $30.
We want to explore what makes a piece of writing stand out when the room is small. What happens when you strip a story or a fragment or a moment down to 300 words or fewer? What survives? What can’t help but be there?
The rules are simple: the piece must be 300 words or under, it must respond to the month’s theme (however loosely, however strangely), and it must be submitted within the 3-day window. We’ll reply to everyone within 2-3 weeks (before we announce and publish the winner, of course).
We’ll announce each month’s theme when the window opens — or just before — so you’re not planning weeks in advance. We don’t want you to overthink this! Just let the writing flow.
My take: I love a prompt and a deadline! Fair warning, though: they received 312 submissions in the three days they were open for July’s contest! Fewer than some months, but those are still some steep odds — however, you can’t win if you don’t play!
I’ve played twice, with two Rs: my first entry leaned literary, my second leaned weird. I think I might go weird-literary this time…
Unfortunately, with such a short window and my self-imposed restriction of sending newsletters once a week, I will miss the theme announcement more often than not. So set yourself a reminder to check back on the first of every month!
Yes, it’s still a strange, slow time in Microfiction Land, but please check back next week when I update the themed prompt calls.
And a Reminder:
I’m looking for some more reprint microfiction from YOU to feature here! Don’t be shy — if you’ve had a micro published, send me a link to it (either message me here, or email me at klmillwriting@gmail.com). I’ll feature it (and you) and say some really nice things about it, I promise…
What you can look forward to from Micro Markets: themed and unthemed calls, monthly micro contests, micro-lit mags that are always open, micro-focused anthologies... maybe even some craft essays about writing microfiction and a place to feature YOUR published micros.
So dust off some of your tiny treasures, and let’s send them out into the world!