Writers - Submissions and Guidlines

We do not publish in the conventional sense, although some mechanics stay the same.

• Content AND presentation belong to the author, although some basic formatting rules need to apply .


• We offer to pay for your work on a per issue basis, but do not include full and free editing services. Minor edits may be made (e.g. typos, slipping tense) but you, the author, will always be consulted after any changes for approval before publishing.


• A full critique of your work may be requested at a nominal fee, but we suggest you look at our RESOURCE LINKS first.


• We are a platform for authors to promote themselves. We do not actively promote our authors further than publishing their works and providing a bio and communications page on our website.


• Our distribution method is not through booksellers or conventional means, but it is not unique in South Africa. We sell copies to vendors who then sell them onto the public. This promotes a regular much-needed secondary income to these vendors. Because of this important role Fiction Bitz performs, we can unfortunately not guarantee regular distribution at every venue.


• We will consider works previously published with the intention of stimulating interest in the author, especially if the work is a novel available for purchase. At the end of the run of episodes published in Fiction Bitz, we’ll let readers know where they can obtain the rest of the story. The same goes for self-published works and works published on the web. The only thing we ask of our authors is that they do not launch or publish the same work elsewhere over the same time period it’s scheduled to go to print in Fiction Bitz. Also, we ask our authors to confirm, in writing, that copyright for the work submitted belongs to them and has not been sold to another party.

If you are a new writer, we strongly recommend you read through our WRITING TIPS before submitting your work.

GENRE & CONTENT
We accept submissions of any genre, however anything with graphic violence, explicit sex or excessive foul language will not be considered. Please note that as Fiction Bitz will be available to a large audience, we need to be careful what we print (See also our WRITING TIPS).

We take our readers seriously so as often as possible, we will give them what they want. We suggest you keep up to date with our SURVEY RESULTS and read comments posted on the website to see what they want to read. If you have written something that does not fit into the most popular choices, it may mean the chances of your work being published is reduced. However, do submit anyway as we also believe in providing variety.

LENGTH
We will accept submissions of completed works only, except in the case of a novel. Minimum word count is 1000 words (short story/flash fiction) and a maximum of 12 episodes/18000 words (novelette).

Each issue holds four stories on four pages so the word count is restricted to 1000-1500 words per episode. When submitting your work, please specify total word count as well as mark the end/beginning of each episode clearly.

If you are submitting the beginning of a novel, please ensure the first 12 episodes are complete before you send it in. A serialised novel generally holds one scene per episode and ends with a cliff hanger to encourage readers to come back for the next episode. This is preferred but not a strict rule.

FEATURES
This is probably the area we differ from ‘traditional’ publishers the most – at Fiction Bitz we encourage our writers to own their work. We could be seen as halfway between self-publishing and doing it the old-fashioned way.

Your work still gets approved or rejected by an editor and the publisher still makes money from it, but you’ll need to put in a little extra spit and polish after all the final editing has been done: complete the presentation. Don’t panic! It’s only two very simple things you’ll need: a font and a title header.

The font you select has a visual impact on the reader, especially as your story will be presented next to three other works. You want your work to stand out to attract readers to read your story first.

Submissions should be in the font you choose your story to be presented in and the font file attached to your email (unless of course it’s one of the standards: Arial, Times New Roman, Trebuchet or Verdana). We reserve the right to replace your font if needs be, but you will be consulted on this before going to print – reasons may include readability or space requirements.

You will also need a title header for your story. This is almost like a front cover of a book but there is no need to go overboard; just consider something eye-catching for your title to, once again, attract readers to your story first.

There are many fancy and free fonts available on the internet (try www.1001fonts.com to start) or maybe add a background picture – bear in mind that it will be printed in greyscale. Each printed page is divided into three columns so normally your header will be just less than a third of an A4 page width. Let us know if you would prefer it to spread over the columns, although the bigger the header, less words of actual story can fit on the page. View our PREVIOUS ISSUES for some ideas. We may help you tweak it or offer advice, but the work – and presentation – will remain yours.

(Note: please do not divide your work into three columns when submitting! The formatting can often go out and can end up taking longer to fix.)

Any fonts or graphics files used in your header must also be attached to your submission. Graphics’ acceptable file formats are standard: .jpeg or .gif and must be in CMYK. If you absolutely have to use another format, please consult with us first.

We can offer basic graphic services at a nominal fee, but we suggest if you can’t do it yourself, find a friend or family member to help. If you’re really stuck though, we’ll jump in.

FORMAT
MSWord (.doc or .docx) or OpenOffice (.odt) files are acceptable. Make sure your spacing from edge of the page and between lines and paragraphs are clear and neat. Remember to attach any font and graphics files needed for your story.

COVERING LETTER
Keep it as simple as possible. A brief introduction of who you are, what you write and if you’ve been published before. Then give the specs of your submission: genre, length and the target market for your work. Lastly, include a brief synopsis of your story – try stick to 200 words or less.

Attach your story to your covering letter up to four episodes. If we are interested in printing it, we will request more.

COPYRIGHT
Once we agree to publish your work, you’ll be asked to agree to a few simple terms, including stating that the work you’ve submitted is your own. Also in the agreement, we concur that we do not purchase the copyright to your work, only the right to print.

In other parts of the world, authors can register for copyright on their works for a fee. According to South African law, all you need to do is put the (c) symbol, the year and your name on your work when you send it anywhere to cover yourself. If you are unsure, call a copyright lawyer and they should be willing to give you information on copyrighting over the phone for free. (Struggling to find a copyright lawyer? Google is your friend! ;))

A trademark is another animal entirely and if you so wish, you could apply for a trademark, for instance you could trademark a character or your book’s title, but this is a costly endeavor.

RESPONSE TIME
We will try keep our response time to within a 7-14 days (other than any automated response). If you haven’t heard from us within this time, we would welcome a follow up call/email.