Join us for an Indie Flash Fiction Multi-Genre Halloween Anthology

Hi there, fellow fiction writers!

I'm creating a Halloween-themed multi-genre indie author flash fiction anthology to cross-promote ourselves to new readers. You're invited! Please submit stories by Sep 26, 2016 so we can publish by Oct 17, 2016.

The Plan

• To create a cross-promo Halloween-themed indie author flash fiction anthology.
• To introduce new readers to us - fine indie/Steemit authors - so we can sell more books!
• To have some fun working with fellow indie/Steemit authors.
• To publish it no later than Oct 17, 2016.
• To publish it on Amazon and the other book retailers.
• To distribute it to your mailing list free of charge.

The Requirements

• Any author is welcome who has at least one indie fiction title published, an author website and mailing list (no matter the subscriber count).
• Pen names are fine as long as they meet the requirements.
• Please submit up to 3 stories per author name. At least 1 must be never-before-published. The other two must not have been previously printed more than once - printed meaning published in an anthology or periodical.
• Submissions must be complete stories - with a beginning, middle and end - and never excerpts.
• Story length: ideally 1,000 words or less. You can go up to 1,500 if you really need it.
• You must have your story proofread and line-edited prior to submission, by you or someone else. Please don't submit messy drafts, only final work. Although I'm an editor and the editor of this project, this is unpaid volunteer work, so please pitch in (or hire me for a special flat rate of $5 per story - see below).
• Stories are due Sep 26, 2016, which gives you about 5 weeks.
• Any genre except erotica. (Only because we don't want the anthology getting hidden from searches and whatnot.)
• Make it a new-ish story and make it a great story. This introduces not just participating authors but also the greater indie community of authors to new readers. Let's put our best feet forward.
• Submit your stories here: https://goo.gl/forms/AcpXub6JFhLxbgkF2.

Theme

The theme is: monsters.
The title is: Ghouls, Goblins and Zombies (subject to change)
The subtitle is: 50 Short Halloween Monster Stories (subject to change)
The cover is: (pending final title and subtitle decision)

Any genre is acceptable (except erotica). Just involve a monster somehow and (optionally but ideally) work some Halloweeny element in, somehow. Lighthearted monster stories, romance, alien monsters, it all works.

The Schedule

Stories Due: Sep 26, 2016
Final Proofing: Oct 3, 2016 (I'll send you a draft of the anthology and ask you to proof your story and one other.)
Publish: Oct 17, 2016

Please Help Me With

• getting the word out to other indie/Steemit authors so they can submit stories, too.

To hire me to line edit and proofread your story/ies for the special flat rate of $5 each, email [email protected] with the subject line: "Edit my flash fiction story for $5 please." This is entirely optional and not in the least required. It will get you a great editing job but not any kind of preference in the anthology.

If you'd like an editor credit, email me. I'll need you to proofread 20 stories for me and to bring in at least 10 new stories, including your own.

If You Need Help

If you need help with setting up a website or mailing list, email [email protected] and let me know what you need help with precisely. If there is a demand, I will schedule a video hangout and walk a group through the steps to create a website and mailing list.

Rights

Here's the license I'm asking you to agree to. It's plainly visible at the end of the submission form:

I affirm that I am the owner of the content provided herein and am granting a royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable license to use the content as part of the anthology "Indie Halloween Anthology 2016," (title subject to change) edited by George Donnelly. Once the anthology is published, I promise to promote it to the best of my ability through my author website, mailing list and social media account(s). (If you don't agree, please don't submit the form.)

Money

Any income generated will go towards promoting this anthology and/or to future seasonal anthologies I'm organizing for Christmas, Valentine's Day, May the 4th and July 4th (independence day). I might add a 6th seasonal or themed annual anthology as well (I'm open to your ideas but 6 is my annual max atm). There is no profit share on this project but as we build up more anthologies in the series, it might be feasible do profit shares on future editions. (The main problem is the nightmare accounting on trying to pay 40 or 50 authors.)

(I might do a Steemit-only anthology too, if there is interest.)

I bought 5 cover credits from GoOnWrite.com so this cover cost me $30. If you feel so inclined, I'm accepting donations to defray the cost in SMD. This is entirely optional and buys you nothing but an extra helping of my goodwill and appreciation.

If using Google Docs

If you're using Google Docs, please share the story with [email protected] or just grant access upon request to that address. Ditto if you're using Dropbox and only want to share the file with a specific account/address.

I look forward to reading your stories! This will be my 4th anthology and I already have a couple dozen authors involved, so it's definitely happening.