DS Submission Guidelines
Stay tuned for submissions for the print issue of Volume 1!
Demeter’s Spicebox is a paying market that offers a flat rate of USD$10 per accepted story. Two stories will be accepted per submission period. We are looking for works of up to 6000 words. Prose only, no poetry. Please send your submissions and all related queries to to demeterspice@gmail.com.
Call for Submissions: Print Issue
We invite brave writers who are willing to join this storytelling experiment and dialogue between tales. We would also like to encourage writers from diverse backgrounds to submit; Demeter’s Spicebox is and always will remain a diversity-friendly venue. Our goal is to highlight voices that are strong, unique and brave. We pay attention to the strength of the story and to the strength of your voice as a writer.
The Submissions Guidelines for the final/fourth set of tales for Volume One (the Print Issue) is coming soon!
IMPORTANT: Please Read The General Guidelines in addition to the Issue-specific guidelines!
Demeter’s Spicebox Submissions General Guidelines
1. Our goal is the exploration of lesser-known fairytale types set within regions of the world which have not gained enough exposure in both literature and the arts.
2. While this endeavour is aimed at exploring lesser-known fairytale types as well as folk traditions from lesser-represented regions of the world, we require our writers to be ethical in their revisions of fairytale types and in regards to positioning their narratives within what may be cultures that are different to their own.
3. Demeter’s Spicebox does not encourage or condone “literary tourism” and must be made to feel that the story rings with authenticity, that common kernel of humanity which suffuses the best fairytales. Know your folktales and be respectful of the areas you are writing about.
a. We strongly disapprove of certain forms of cultural appropriation, although we encourage diversity, hybridity and ambiguity in the texts that we solicit.
b. For example, do not give us stories in which your subject is exoticised, or any race, culture or minority is demonised in order to cast your protagonist in a more favourable light. Just to make it clear, this publication frowns on misogyny, ableism and homophobia. If you are incapable of writing a story without these elements, DS is probably not the publication for you!
4. We would also like to remain genre-ambiguous, but we lean rather strongly towards literary writings with fantastic and mythic elements or magic realism within these retellings. Certain genres such as horror or science fiction may therefore be a hard sell for this particular project unless you’re brave enough to write a story that convinces us otherwise.
5. Demeter’s Spicebox is a diversity-friendly and inclusive market. We therefore encourage writers from around the globe, whether established or struggling, to send us stories.