Submission Guidelines For

By Her Sword – a sapphic romantasy anthology

 

What we want: Sword Sapphics! Bring us your warriors, mercenaries, guards and captains. We’re looking for Sapphic* fantasy tales that explore love with a bladed edge. If it’s Sapphic fantasy that has a woman with a sword, we want to see it!

 

All levels of fantasy are fine, low (magical realism) to high (epic fantasy).

 

Happily Ever After or Happy For Now ending required. No cliffhangers, please.

 

Co-authors are welcome.

 

*We define sapphic as an umbrella term that encompasses lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and queer women, and is inclusive of trans women, non-binary people, and cis women. 

 

Heat levels: No erotica, but we are open to all heat levels (from sweet to spicy)

 

What we DON’T want: No triggering subjects such as on-page non-consensual sex, incest, and excessive gore. Subjects like racism, homophobia, transphobia, religion, discrimination of any kind, and anything else otherwise triggering or hurtful must be challenged on-page in a conscientious way. 

 

Submissions Open: April 22, 2024 – December 1st 2024

Publishing: June 2025

 

Title: By Her Sword

 

Type: Anthology of short stories

 

Length: 4k – 20k words

 

Publication: e-book and print

 

Multiple Submissions: No

 

Simultaneous Submissions: Yes (please notify us if accepted elsewhere)

 

Reprints: The story can be a part of the author’s larger world and previously published work, but must be able to be read and comprehended as a stand-alone piece of fiction.

 

Manuscript Format: 12 point Times New Roman, double spaced, .5” indent, no header/footer, American English, and double curly quotes. All manuscripts must be professionally edited (not self-edited) at the author's expense prior to submission. 

 

Please submit your complete, finished manuscript in attached (.doc, or .docx) format to: sapphicanthology@gmail.com. All inquiries can also be directed to that same address.

 

Format your email subject line as: [STORY TITLE]_[LAST NAME]_[WORD COUNT] 

In the email itself, please include a short cover note including word count, a bio, and your preferred name. 

 

Deadline: December 1st, 2024

 

Accepted manuscripts will be announced in February 2025.

 

Expected publication: June 2025

 

Buy in cost for accepted authors: $35

 

Please note: Exclusivity is required during the set. After the set is taken down then you can republish or rework your stories as you see fit. Each author will be expected to promote the set throughout the entire pre-order and launch period.

 

Exclusivity Duration: 90 days from launch.