BFS Horizons

We welcome short fiction submissions in any Fantasy or Horror genre or sub-genre, of 500 – 5000 words.

Please include in your submission document your current short bio, genre of the story, and estimated word count, as well as in the form fields below. This helps us keep track of your submission. Please use the story summary field to indicate if you are offering a story for reprint and where else it has been published.

Please submit one story at a time and wait for response before submitting a new work. We aim to respond to all submissions within six weeks of receipt, although occasionally it may take a little longer. If you have not heard from us within eight weeks, please feel free to query the email address below with the email subject QUERY: [submission title][Your name]

Please read the house style section further down the page.

Email queries: bfshorizons@britishfantasysociety.org

Any form will be accepted. To be honest, rhyming poetry in iambic pentameters will be a hard sell. However, it would be good to see sonnets, Villanelles or the odd Rondeau, or any other form you care to tackle. Tip: Before submitting, read your poem out loud. Does it work? Check the metre. Does it scan? Look at your line lengths. Lengthy poems or sagas will be considered, but should follow instead the submission guidelines given above for fiction.

Up to three poems may be submitted at one time. Please wait for response before submitting again, and upon acceptance for publication, please wait 3 months before submitting again.

BFS HORIZONS IS NOT CURRENTLY OPEN TO POETRY SUBMISSIONS. We hope to be open again in January 2025.

Email Poetry Queries: poetry@britishfantasysociety.org

We are looking for artists in all mediums (including photography) prepared to illustrate stories and the front cover. Please email examples of your work to the relevant editor or refer them to your website or online gallery. You don’t have to commit to doing any artwork. We aim to keep a list of interested artists, and approach them when artwork is required.

Please read the submission guidelines for art below the form before submitting.

Art Submission Guidelines

1.    We are looking for creative, engaging images depicting fantasy, Sci-Fi or horror scenes. These can be character art, concept art, or illustrations depicting specific scenes. If you are not sure your work fits in this category, feel free to submit and our submissions team will get back to you.
2.    We encourage submissions from people from all walks of life, from anywhere in the world. We are particularly keen to see work from artists who are either new and who may not have had art published before, or from individuals in underrepresented groups, as well as from established artists, whose submissions are always welcome.
3.    We request that you refrain from sending images depicting full frontal nudity of any gender, images that can be classified as pornography, images that may be considered overly distressing, or excessively graphic violence and gore (unless this is heavily stylised). We have a zero tolerance policy for images that may be considered hate speech or images that target groups based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disabilities, or other protected characteristics.
4.    We would love to see work in both colour and black and white. All interior art will be printed only in black and white.
5.    Unfortunately, we do not accept AI submissions for art, by submitting work to us you are confirming that it was not produced with the use of AI. Any payment given or contract for use may be declared invalid if AI has been found to be used creating part or all of the image.
6.    We allow reprints of art as long as this does not conflict with pre-existing agreements with other publishers, and the previous publishing date was more than 6 months ago

Technical specifications:

7.    Files for print will need to be a minimum of 450dpi, but for initial submissions we do not need files to be this size. Maximum upload limits apply. However a file at this higher resolution must be available if work is accepted for print.
8.    Cover art: We would prefer art in a CYMK colour profile for printing to ensure colours remain vibrant. Art sizing – COMING SOON.
9.    Internal illustrations: unfortunately, at this time we can only accept black and white images. These can be of any size.

Email Art enquiries: art@britishfantasysociety.org