Skip to Content

Story Unlikely

See other projects related to this listing.

We list other projects with similar titles. Please ensure you report any submissions under the correct listing.

About

Whatever happened to the art of storytelling? It's become a lost relic, along with our identities. But here, we're revitalizing this once great craft. Don't worry, you're in good hands. After all, if laughter is medicine, then Story Unlikely is therapy for broken souls.

Important: You must subscribe to their mailing list to submit. Length limits for their paying members and nonmembers differ. Also, their members have a longer submission window. Please see their complete submission guidelines for details.
The editors may not respond to all submissions. After waiting 90 days, assume your submission will not be accepted.
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Published 12 x per year

Collapse section Fiction Open

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 29 September 2025* (approx. 103 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres including...
General Open to all/most Subgenres.
Action-Adventure Open to all/most Subgenres.
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres.
Horror Open to all/most Subgenres.
Mystery/Crime Open to all/most Subgenres.
Romance Open to all/most Subgenres.
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres.
Suspense/Thriller Open to all/most Subgenres.
Western Open to all/most Subgenres.

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 7,500 words.
Novelette: 7,500 - 12,500 words.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

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: USD $0.08/word for originals, up to a max. of $500; $0.02/word for reprints.

Submissions:

Methods: Email. Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 29 September 2025* (approx. 103 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 12,500 words.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Memoir.

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: USD $0.08/word for originals, up to a max. of $500; $0.02/word for reprints.

Submissions:

Methods: Email. Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions 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.

Story Unlikely 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.

This project ranks among the Most Unresponsive Fiction Publishers in our database.
Accuracy:
We have received 116 reports from 95 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported:
5 min | 106.2 mean avg | 95.0 median | 478 max days (119.1 std dev)
Responses
17.24 %
Acceptances:
0.00 % 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.
Rejections:
17.24 % (45.1 avg. days per rejection) | 20.0 % personal, 55.0 % form, 25.0 % unspecified | 0.9 % rewrite requests
Non-Responses
82.75 %
Lost/Returned:
1.72 % (92.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as lost or returned)
Never Responded:
59.48 % (145.9 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)
Withdrawals:
21.55 % (48.7 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending
18 responses are pending (8 min | 75.7 mean avg | 86.0 median | 131 max days waiting | 246.1 std dev) from 16 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 90 days. (66.4 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 90 days.)
The editors may not respond to all submissions. After waiting the time indicated above, assume your submission will not be accepted.
Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 05 Jun 2025.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 06 May 2025.

Work submitted here was also submitted to...

This section is available to subscribers only." Sign up and start your free trial today!

Members accepted here also had work accepted by...

This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today!

Your Submissions

This section is available to subscribers only. Join today!

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.

Dates

Last Updated: 01 Mar 2025
Last Audited: 29 Jan 2025
Date Added: 01 Sep 2021

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.