SUBMISSIONS

Dark Yonder publishes three times a year: in April, August, and December. We are currently accepting stories for our August 2025 issue. If you submitted a story for the April 2025 issue and did not yet heard back from us, that means your story is under consideration for the August issue. Authors will hear back about whether or not their story has been accepted for the August issue by July 15, 2025.

General Guidelines

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

First and foremost, we’re looking for great stories and unique voices in the neo noir genre. That means a plot. It means a beginning and an end. It means that unusual writing styles are welcome. Bonus points for surprising the reader. It might mean going out on a limb with what you see as your truth. Most of all, we are looking for stories about the real world around us, one that is grounded in our world, past or present, and one that is relevant to the issues we grapple with today. We believe the most powerful stories examine the darkness we live with each and every day. In short, we are looking for stories that illuminate reality, not stories that try to escape it.

DO NOT SUBMIT IF....

If your story is classified as science fiction, horror, fantasy, or any other subgenre set in another world, it will not be accepted nor will we read it or acknowledge it. We just don't have the time to read stories that are not in our genre, no matter how good they may be.

If you’re a writer, check out our submission guidelines below for more information on being part of Dark Yonder.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

There are no setting requirements, but all stories submitted must be categorized as neo-noir. See our description of neo noir above. But keep in mind that we’re not looking for your grandfather’s noir fiction. We’re looking for new, unique voices and interpretations of dark literary fiction. Everyone is well versed in the fiction that America is raised on; we’re looking for fiction that takes us… yonder.
Our sweet spot is 3,000 to 5,000 words, with a 5,000 word max. No flash or fan fiction, please.
Simultaneous submissions are fine, although we will need to be notified if your story is accepted elsewhere as we require exclusivity.
We do not accept reprint submissions.
Because we publish three times a year, there are no submission deadlines. When your story comes in, it will be considered for the upcoming issues. Sometimes, if we have an excess of good stories, we may hold it for consideration for the issue after that. You will usually be notified within three months if your story is accepted for publication.
You will be notified of our decision about your submitted story whether or not you are accepted for publication. Because of the demands of the production period, authors whose work is not accepted may not hear back from us until four to five months after the submission period have passed.
For the subject line of your submission: please start with the title of your story, followed by a dash and your full name.
If your submission is selected for publication, you will be asked to provide a 200 word or less author bio and online profile with your story. You may include information on where readers can purchase your other work in this bio.
Authors will receive $50 for each story chosen for publication in Dark Yonder.
Authors also receive one ad free as part of their compensation. You may use this ad to publicize an upcoming book or other project, or use it to highlight your existing catalog of work.
Authors accepted for publication will also receive one copy of the issue they appear in. Authors living in the U.S. will have a print copy mailed to them. Authors with an international shipping address will have an eBook version emailed to them.
Dark Yonder will own all rights to your story for a period of one year following publication. After that, rights will revert back to you as the author.
Please submit your story to darkyondersubmissions@gmail.com. As noted above, for the subject line of your submission: please start with the title of your story, followed by a dash and your full name.
Dark Yonder also offers opportunities for publishers to advertise their books. If you are interested in purchasing an ad in an upcoming issue of Dark Yonder, contact darkyondersubmissions@gmail.com.