Tales: Theme: The Archives The Writer's Workout Free Tip Jar Option

Deadline: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 11:59 PM UTC (in 9 days).

The 2026 theme is THE ARCHIVES.

Theresa's advice: History relates to the story's present. It can teach us a lot about who we are and why we do the things we do, the way we do them. Those who ignore it are doomed to repeat it but also remember: history is written by the victors.

Accepted submissions for this anthology will be published in Tales from the Archives. This anthology is edited by Theresa Green.
Theresa is looking for well-developed concepts, inviting storytelling, clear description, and an occasional laugh to break the tension. Genre is yours to play with. Submissions will be reviewed and authors contacted on a rolling basis during the call.

About the editor: Theresa is a co-founder of The Writer's Workout, a crime fiction writer, and a freelance editor and book coach at Premier Literary Services. Her work is published in various literary magazines and anthologies under a pseudonym. www.premierliterary.com

Fiction up to 7,500 words
Poetry up to 50 lines

NEW GUIDELINES for 2026: No identifying info inside your file.
Include your piece title at the top of your doc
TNR or Arial, 10/12, single spaced
Indent paragraphs
Empty margins on all sides
Empty line for scene breaks

Name your file with piece title and call name (Tales)

Submissions including fanfiction, religious, political, or erotic content will be rejected without feedback.
Please do not submit AI-generated content.

Tales is an annual themed anthology open to any writer, anywhere in the world.
Tales accepts fiction short stories and poetry. Please do not send creative nonfiction, essays, or art.

www.writersworkout.net/tales

Categories: Fiction/Poetry
Translations: Permitted.
File types: .doc, .docx, .odt
Number of Pieces:
1 piece per fiction submission.
Up to 2 pieces per poetry submission.
Separate Files: Each piece must be submitted in a separate file.

Anonymous submissions are not required.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Reprints are allowed. (If your submission was previously published, please let us know by including the previous publisher at the bottom of your Title Information section.)
Multiple entries are allowed.
AI-assisted works are not allowed.

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