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The Fiction Desk

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About

422 members set this anthology as a Favorite.

The Fiction Desk publishes a regular series of short story anthologies, featuring new fiction from both established and debut authors. Our collections showcase some of the best new writing from the UK and around the world, and celebrate the sheer pleasure of a well-written short story.
The series also features occasional anthologies of short fiction with a supernatural element, under the New Ghost Stories title.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions. The fee is GBP £5.
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication

United Kingdom

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print PublicationUnknown publication frequency.

Fiction Open Fee-based

We're looking primarily for entertaining literary fiction, but we don't by any means rule out genre fiction: this would mean ruling out some of the most interesting and exciting work being produced in the UK today. Do bear in mind that our anthology series is a mainstream publication, so stories can't rely on readers having any knowledge or strong interest in genre conventions.

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 30 May 2025* (approx. 68 days from now). 2

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:
GenreSubgenres
General General
Horror HorrorOpen to all/most Subgenres.
Science Fiction Science FictionOpen to all/most Subgenres.
Open to all/most Genres Open to all/most Genres
Lengths:
Short Story Short Story1,000 - 7,500 words; Up to 3 pieces.
Novelette Novelette7,500 - 10,000 words; Up to 3 pieces.
Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics, including: Folklore/Mythology (Ghost stories), Other (May vary).

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: GBP £25 per 1,000 words.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

The Fiction Desk Submission Statistics — Free Preview!

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.
AccuracyWe have received 68 reports from 53 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported13 min | 33.3 mean avg | 32.0 median | 236 max days (185.3 std dev)
Responses91.18 %
Acceptances0.00 % No publication has a 0% acceptance rate. This data is based on submission reports sent to Duotrope, and we have not received reports of any acceptances yet.
Rejections91.18 % (30.6 avg. days per rejection) | 6.5 % personal, 75.8 % form, 17.7 % unspecified
Non-Responses8.82 %
Lost/Returned-
Never Responded-
Withdrawals8.82 % (56.8 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending7 responses are pending (3 min | 13.9 mean avg | 14.0 median | 25 max days waiting | 1,035.3 std dev) from 7 different members This only includes pending reports from users who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 28 days. (57.4 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 28 days.)
Do not query on the status of your submission before 60 days have passed.
The most common submission fee paid: GBP £5.00.
Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 22 Mar 2025.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 03 Mar 2025.

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Your Submissions

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The Fiction Desk Flash Fiction Competition CLOSED Charges fees for all submissions
The Fiction Desk Ghost Story Competition CLOSED Charges fees for all submissions
The Fiction Desk Newcomer Short Story Prize ON HIATUS Charges fees for all submissions

Dates

Last Updated: 18 Mar 2025
Last Audited: 17 Mar 2025. (We audit each active listing twice a year. Learn more at link.)
Date Added: 10 Jan 2011

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.