Tales of the Unanticipated welcomes submissions from writers, poets, and artists. Please read the following contributors' guidelines before submitting.

For questions and queries contact: .

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We can accept most file formats (Word, Open Office, Word Perfect, etc.), but if you are not sure, sen d your submission as an RTF file. For our international contributors, A4 is OK. Size, in this case, doesn't matter. If you do not have a computer document for your submission, please email us at the above email address to let us know you have mailed us your manuscript.

The editor, whose day-job partly involves reading huge amounts of information off a screen, will not read your submissions off the screen, and TOTU cannot carry the expense of printing all the submissions we receive. If you want your prose submission considered, you need to send a printed manuscript copy along with the electronic one.

Please note that Eric and the TOTU staff put a lot of time and care into helping promising writers hone their craft. Writers of originality and vision often need help presenting their material so that their desired effect gets across to readers. That's what editors are supposed to be for. To be helpful, we think it's necessary to be honest. If you see personal editorial feedback as enemy action, please don't waste our time: we have a magthology to put out. If you like getting feedback, we look forward to reading your stuff.

FICTION: Reading submissions postmarked October 1-31, 2007, for #30, a general, non-theme issue. Pays 1 1/2 - 2 cents a word for science fiction, fantasy, horror, hybrids thereof, and unclassifiable stories. We prefer stories with personality, and originality of vision, to the factory-made brand. We will consider stories of any length up to 10,000 words; no serials.

NONFICTION: TOTU pays 1 1/2 - 2¢ a word for essays for the general reader on speculative fiction writers and themes, or speculative science articles, to 6,000 words. We are currently backlogged on interviews. No plot summaries masquerading as book reviews. Query Eric M. Heideman at the above address with an SASE SASE or send an email query to with idea before submitting.

RIGHTS: TOTU acquires First North American Serial Rights. We occasionally settle for One-Time Reprint Rights on previously published material, but if your piece was previously published, or is scheduled to be published elsewhere, you need to say that in your cover letter. No surprises, please. Once your piece has appeared in TOTU, you are free to resell it to other markets. But when it's republished please include a statement to this effect: "(Story title) originally appeared in Tales of the Unanticipated (issue number & year)."

Once your piece has appeared in TOTU, you are free to resell it to other markets. But when it's republished please include a statement to this effect: "(Story title) originally appeared in Tales of the Unanticipated (issue number & year).

SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Because of our rare reading windows, we are willing to consider simultaneous submissions, but again, no surprises; you need to mention up front in your cover letter where else your submission is sitting, and you need to let us know promptly when/if it is accepted or rejected by the other market. (After several staff members have each devoted hours of consideration to a piece, it doesn't make us happy campers to learn that, in the meantime, unbeknownst to us, you've sold the piece elsewhere.)

MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: Because of the short reading window, we're willing to consider up to three stories at a time; but please include a separate SASE for each story. Failure to include separate SASEs may result in prompt rejection of a story or essay that might otherwise have received serious consideration.

E-SUBS: TOTU now asks for both paper and electronic copies of prose submissions. Electronic submissions without accompanying paper copies remain unacceptable. Please carefully read through "prose submissions" above for details. For poetry submissions, see below.

PAYMENT: 1 1/2 - 2¢ a word for fiction and non-fiction. See above for what kinds of fiction and non-fiction we'll consider.

Rebecca Marjesdatter
2011 3rd Ave. S. #22
Minneapolis, MN 55404

In the case of poetry—and only poetry—it is acceptable to submit either by email or by mail. Email submissions are preferred. If you send your submission by mail, please include a SASE.