Submissions
Submissions will reopen May 1st. Please read the guidelines and find the submissions link at the end of this post.
โ What weโre looking for โ
Here at Whim and Wander, our goal is simple: to bring a little more imagination into a world thatโs forgotten how to wonder.
We want narrative that feels alive, pulsing with the magic it contains. We want earnest tales and journeys that overcome the greatest challenges. We want stories that uncover curiosity, sparkling with whimsy.
The Light canโt be known without darkness; often, good narrative has to step through shadows before finding goodness. But, however deep the story delves, we want readers to always leave filled with hope โ with hearts lightened and life sweetened.
We are not limited to a specific genre or style, only a mission. If this sounds like you, please submit your work! Weโd love to read it.
โ More information โ
โ We accept work from all over the globe from writers 18 and up.
โ We (currently) pay $20 apiece โ though we hope to increase this in the future.
โ Submissions are free!
โ Writers may submit via a Google forms link in .pdf, .doc, or .docx format.
โ We currently are looking for flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and short stories (under 5,000 words). These are loose limits, but keep in mind the longer a story is, the harder it has to work to prove itself.
โ We publish three pieces a month; with the current limited amount of submissions, we are unfortunately not able to accept every piece. We promise each one is thoroughly read and carefully considered.
โ Please make only one submission at a time, but returning writers are always welcome back!
โ Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but promptly inform us if your work is accepted elsewhere.
โ Previously published works are not accepted; however, self-published pieces (personal Substack, website, blog, etc.) are very welcome!
โ If your piece is accepted, we may suggest small edits or changes. However, we will only consider work that is finished and ready for publication.
โ You will hear back from us, whether you are accepted or not, within the month.
โ If accepted, we ask for first serial rights. After publishing all rights revert back to the writer.
โ We are not looking for stories driven primarily by shock value, heavy political messaging, or explicit content; our priority is stories that reflect transcendent goodness and the triumph of light over darkness.
โ Work written or edited by AI will not be considered or accepted.
Now the moment that youโve been waiting forโฆ.
Time to submit your stories! We canโt wait to read them!