Guidelines
What We Publish
- Original short fiction only
- Maximum 6,000 words
- One story per submission
- No fan fiction
- No poetry
- No novellas or novels
All submissions must align with our editorial standards. Gratuitous sexual content, exploitative violence, or material intended primarily to shock rather than serve the story will not be considered.
Format & Submission Requirements
- Submit as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx)
- Begin with a blank first page
- Do not include your name or identifying information in the manuscript
- All submissions are evaluated blind
Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be returned unread.
Publication Policy
- Previously published work is not eligible
- Simultaneous submissions are permitted; notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere
- Do not submit the same work through multiple platforms
AI Policy
Responsible use of AI as a drafting or brainstorming tool is permitted. The story itself must be human-built, human-directed, and human-authored. Submissions generated primarily by AI will not be considered.
Response Time
Current response time is 2–4 weeks.
Rights
Upon acceptance, we request exclusive publication rights from the date of acceptance through the end of the publication year of submission.
We retain the right to archive accepted works in digital back issues.
All other rights remain with the author.
Compensation
Ink & Consequences is currently a free publication and does not provide monetary compensation.
Accepted authors receive publication in the issue release and inclusion in the annual contributor directory.
How to Submit
Submit through our direct portal below. If you have already submitted via Duotrope, please do not resubmit here.
Submissions open July 1 and close December 31, or earlier if editorial capacity is reached.