Closed to submissions from the end of January 2008

Whispers is not genre specific, but seeks to present fiction that is ‘dark and atmospheric’, though this need not preclude humour. Stories about anything can be submitted, but those about the edges of human behaviour and human experience do seem best fitted to the site.

If you’re in doubt about what we mean by this, please take time to look around the site and experience the type of fiction we showcase. In fact, do that anyway.

As a general rule, we’re not afraid to use controversial material, though fiction that is sexist, racist, homophobic etc, or involves child abuse, is unlikely to find a home. Stories that deal with this type of subject matter, even if they challenge the accepted orthodoxy, are fine, but if you’re seeking to promote or glorify behaviour that demeans people, then best you go set up your own website and tell us where it is so we can avoid it.

Whispers consists of a print-zine, which has been published quarterly since Summer 2003, and the website you are currently viewing.

Different Guidelines apply for print and web

Website

Stories and poetry of no more than 2000 words in length please.

Reprints will be considered, but on submission specify when and where your work previously appeared.

Payment is exposure only.

Stories accepted for the website will be posted in Wicked Stories for approximately two months and after that archived in the Story Store, from which they can be removed at our discretion or upon request from the author.

Print-zine

Stories and poetry considered up to 4000 words in length.

All work must be previously unpublished.

The content of the print-zine is not decided until shortly before it is due to be printed (i.e. for the Autumn issue, end of July), but authors will be advised that their work has been retained for further consideration and contacted when a final selection has been made.

Payment is in copies and exposure.

NB: Work that is under 2000 words in length and previously unpublished will be automatically considered for both the website and print-zine unless the author instructs us otherwise. To clarify what we mean by unpublished, if a story has been critiqued in a writers’ workshop or a password protected area of an online writers’ forum then we regard it as unpublished, but if the story has appeared in any public forum, be it online or in print, as far as we are concerned, regardless of how few people have actually read the story, then it’s been previously published and this is something you need to tell us when you first submit.

General Points

Submissions should be e-mailed to Whispers@ookami.co.uk

In subject header line of your e-mail show ‘SUB:’ and then the title of your story/poem. If the work is only being submitted to one market you can specify by showing either ‘WEB SUB:’ or ‘PRINT SUB:’, otherwise your work will automatically be considered for both. Please remember, all stories over 2000 words should only be submitted to the print-zine and reprints are only considered for the website.

Send submissions with no indents, double-spaced, with a line between paragraphs and as a Word attachment in all cases. This is to minimise formatting problems and ensure a consistent feel to the site.

Always show word count at the start of your story.

Multiple submissions are welcome, but simultaneous submissions are not (we have a good response time and don’t wish to hang about for six months waiting on somebody else to make up their mind).

Response times vary, depending on work load, personal commitments etc. Generally you should hear from us within a fortnight, and should only remind if this doesn’t occur.

In the past we’ve given feedback on work that’s been rejected, but recently the volume of submissions has increased and this is no longer practical, so as a general rule you will only receive a standard rejection note.

Please don't withdraw material once it's been allocated to an artist, as stuff like that makes us cranky.

Looking forward to seeing your stories and poems.

Chapbook submisssions should follow the guidelines here.