SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Temporarily CLOSED to submissions.

(Will reopen to submissions in November 2008 with new guidelines and higher pay rate -- minimum $25.00 per story.)

Mouth Full of Bullets is now a quarterly mystery magazine that offers the best original fiction and poetry from writers of all levels. In addition to the new print magazine, we will continue to offer the free online version. It will feature the best reprinted stories and poems we receive, as well as professional book reviews, author interviews, informative columns, and more.

I am always looking for ways to increase pay for those who contribute to Mouth Full of Bullets. This new print venture is another step in that direction, and a furtherance of my commitment to see money flow to the writer. I am also committed to gaining the maximum amount of exposure for MFOB contributors. Thus, I will file all original stories and poems in the "Archive" section of the website after the three-month exclusivity period has lapsed for the print magazine. In this way, our contributors will reap the benefits of the unbridled exposure the Internet offers, as well as the exposure from our print readership.

Fiction we seek:

· Mystery/suspense of all types (police procedural, private eye, amateur sleuth, cozies, hardboiled, etc.). Basically, if it involves a crime and it's within our guidelines, we'd love to consider it.

· We want stories that feature believable characters who speak naturally, realistic situations that bleed conflict, and surprise endings that stay with us long after we reach the final period.

· We welcome new and established authors.

Poetry we seek:

· Anything crime-related.

Nonfiction we seek:

· We are open to articles and columns related to mystery writing, seeking representation, editing, writing in general, or anything else that grabs our attention. Query with your ideas.

We publish four times per year:

· Spring (March)

· Summer (June)

· Autumn (September)

· Winter (December)

· We do not read in January, April, July, and October, so please don’t submit during these months. Since we are a tiny crew, we will need this time to get caught up.

How to submit:

· We accept submissions via e-mail only.

· Send as .rtf or .doc attachment.

· Include brief cover letter in body of e-mail

· We do not accept simultaneous submissions.

· Please submit one story at a time, unless we request more.

· We accept reprints, as long as you own rights (list when and where originally published).

· E-mail submissions/queries to editor@mouthfullofbullets.com

Subject line must be one of the following, as it applies to your submission:

· Original short stories: "Short submission: [your title]"

· Original flash stories: "Flash submission: [your title]"

· Reprints: "Reprint submission: [your title]"

· All poems (note in body of e-mail if it is a reprint): "Poem submission: [your title]"

· Articles or columns: "Query: [article or column]"

To request a review:

· Contact Kevin R. Tipple at: kevin_tipple@att.net

To request an interview:

· Contact BJ Bourg at: editor@mouthfullofbullets.com

Manuscript format:

· Margins: 1" all around

· Font: Times New Roman, 12-pt

· Center title in all caps at top of first page, skip line, insert byline, skip line, and begin story.

· Use single line spacing.

· Skip line between paragraphs instead of indenting.

· Single-space after periods.

· Use two hyphens instead of the em-dash.

· Use italics to indicate flashbacks and thoughts.

· Use three centered asterisks to indicate scene breaks.

· Please don’t rely solely on spell-check. Proof your work very carefully and send us only your best, as multiple errors may be cause for rejection.

· We reserve the right to edit for grammatical errors and such. However, we will not rewrite stories we receive. If we discover major problems with a story we wish to accept, we will contact the author with our suggestions and get approval before making any changes. If a story is good but lacking in some areas, we may request a rewrite. This is not a guarantee that we will publish the story, just a request to consider it in a different form.

Length:

· Flash fiction: 500 to 1,000 words

· Short stories: 1,001 to 3,000 words

· Reprints: 500 to 3,000 words

· We are open to longer or shorter works, but please query first.

Payment:

· Pays on publication for first North American serial rights, ninety-day exclusivity (for original pieces), archival rights, and the right to include selected stories in a "Best of..." print magazine. Once the ninety-day exclusivity period has lapsed, you are free to submit your work elsewhere and all rights revert back to you.

· Original Short Stories: $10.00 to $20.00 (US, via check)

· Original Flash Fiction: $3.00 to $10.00 (US, via check)

· Original Poems: $2.00 to $5.00 (US, via check)

· Reprints: no monetary payment at this time--can only offer exposure and writing credit.

· Articles and columns: no monetary payment.

· Because of budgetary constraints, we are currently limited to publishing five original shorts, five original flash pieces, and five original poems per issue.

What we won't print:

· Graphic sex, gratuitous violence or vulgarity.

· If you have something that is questionable, feel free to query us.

· Anything that seeks to promote hate or discrimination.

What to include in the cover letter:

· Name

· Byline (exactly as you want it to appear)

· Mailing address

· E-mail address

· Word count

· A brief description of story

· BIO (up to 150 words)

· A note certifying you are the creator of the work, you own the rights, and it has never appeared in any other venue in any form (unless it is a reprint submission).

· Please let us know if it would be your first published story.

· Attach an author photo to be included on story page (optional)

Response time:

· You will receive a decision within four to eight weeks, possibly longer if we get bombarded with submissions.

· Acceptance and rejection notifications will be made via e-mail.

· May not have time to comment on rejected manuscripts.

· Once you receive a decision on your story, feel free to submit another.

· We reserve the right to reject any story for any reason.

Disclaimer:

· Authors are responsible for the content of their stories and Mouth Full of Bullets, its editors, creators, or affiliates, accept no liability whatsoever for misuse of any kind.

Thank you very much for considering Mouth Full of Bullets. We will do our best to ensure that your experience is a pleasant and positive one. If we reject your story, please understand it simply means it’s not the right story for us at this time. It doesn’t mean your story isn’t good. By all means, continue submitting that story until it finds a home.

Check guidelines each time you submit a new story, as they may change at any time.

This page was last updated on 03/02/08.