Call for Submissions: Festive Short Stories & Flash Fiction for a Bold Winter Anthology!

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Are you a writer with a winter-themed story waiting to shine? The Broken Spine is seeking submissions for its 2025 Festive Short Story Anthology. This hardcover collection will celebrate winter in all its complexities, inviting diverse voices and perspectives into a global literary conversation.

Whether you write short stories, flash fiction, or microfiction, this is your chance to be featured in a prestigious publication available worldwide.


Submission Guidelines

Word Count

We accept works between 500 and 2,500 words, with a 10% variation allowed (450 to 2,750 words).

Accepted Genres and Themes

Genres:

  • Literary fiction
  • Flash fiction
  • Modern gothic
  • Ghost stories
  • Speculative fiction

Themes:
We’re looking for stories featuring winter festivals, holidays, and global celebrations. While the season is the focal point, submissions do not need to centre on Christmas. Instead, we want work that explores the emotional, cultural, or even mythic dimensions of winter, or simply use this as a setting.


What We’re Looking For

Stories That Push Boundaries

We value originality and narratives that defy the expected. Whether you’re playing with structure, voice, or theme, we want stories that feel new and necessary.

Emotional Resonance

We’re drawn to writing that lingers—stories that provoke, unsettle, or move the reader. Think of narratives with bite, those that unearth universal truths or create unforgettable imagery.

Creative Risk-Takers

Are you experimenting with new forms or perspectives? Writers who challenge traditional formats are encouraged to submit.

Literary Style

Your work should aspire to the emotional resonance and narrative artistry of writers such as James Joyce, Shirley Jackson, Raymond Carver, Ramsey Campbell, Alice Munro, Roald Dahl, and Stephen King.Innovative storytelling that incorporates unexpected turns and layered themes will stand out.


What to Avoid

  • Clichéd and Sentimental Work
    Avoid stories that lean too heavily on tropes or feel overly idyllic. We want depth, not sugarcoated simplicity.
  • Explicit or Inappropriate Content
    While we appreciate boldness, submissions should not be overtly explicit, degrading, or offensive.
  • Derivative Writing
    Originality is key. Avoid imitations or predictable plots that lack fresh insight.

Submission Fee

We encourage donations of a minimum of £3 via Ko-Fi in order to ensure we cover costs of production. The Broken Spine is depends on sales and donations to continue putting out the work it does. 100% of the money you donate goes into the continuation of the press. Donate here.


Formatting and Submission Requirements

Manuscript Preparation

  • Use 10-point Times New Roman font.
  • Spacing: 1.5-spaced.
  • Page Size: A5.
  • Submissions must be previously unpublished.

File Format

  • Send your work in .doc or .pdf format.

Author Bio

Include a short biography (up to 50 words) that highlights your writing experience, background, or anything relevant to your submission.


Publication Details

Selected works will be featured in a high-quality hardcover anthology, distributed internationally. Authors will receive discounted author copies, and financial support is available upon request for those with financial constraints.


Why Submit?

This anthology is a platform for writers to reach a global audience while contributing to a meaningful collection of stories that reflect the beauty and complexity of winter. Emerging and established writers alike are encouraged to submit their work.

Submission Deadline

We will be reading submissions between March 1 and April 30. Seize the opportunity to have your voice heard and your story remembered in a timeless, hardback, festive, short-story collection. Submit your winter-inspired fiction today!

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