Last time I put a call up here, we were looking for noir and got some good stuff. Now the mag has shifted toward a generally dark variety of literary.
Check out the site and if you like what is there. Let's see some stories.
Crickets... Tough crowd.
Interesting concept. Although I found Hubert Selby's work rather uplifting. I mean, isn't Requiem For A Dream a love story when you get down to brass tacks?
I guess my only complaint would be the fiction word limit is rather short at 1000 words, but other than that it looks like something I would definitely pick up.
Is this publication based in Utah?
Try the official whoring thread. That is where folks usually go to pimp stuff. and where other folk go to check it out.
Devon, I just sent something your way.
Working on something for you.
I'm not really trying to whore the magazine. I just figured that since this community has like 6000 members, I'd throw another call for submissions out there. When I started submitting my work, I had a really hard time finding markets that were dark other than horror, so I started Downer.
@rmatthewsimmons- Selby's stuff is diverse. Requiem can be looked at from a few angles. I see it as the pursuit of happiness and not knowing when to throw in the towel.
I consider pieces over 1000 words, people just send them anyway. The thing is that going through 3000 word stories takes 3x the time.
The magazine is only online right now, with plans for a best of vol. 1 anthology around April. But yeah, We are in Utah. November is the last issue of the year before I send in my nominations for the Pushcart Prize.
@Sound- Thanks. I'll be on submissions all day tomorrow.
@Lady Hazmat- Lookin forward to it.
I've got a 250 word flash piece I was working on expanding to 500 max. It's pretty f-n sad. I'll spice it up and submit as well. No expectations. Thanks for this thread.
I don't write a lot of flash, but if I end up with something short enough, you'll be on my list.
@Jonathan - Sounds good.
@SparrowStark - If you've read a bit of what we publish and think you have something that fits, feel free to send it. We are flexible on the word count. Mainly, we try to send personal responses as often as possible and it's easier to pinpoint why a flash piece isn't right for us.
Flash is a rough market.
Been doing this ten years and I've yet to have a short clock in under 1,000.
Flash is like its own animal. It's like telling an idea rather than a story. There is something beautiful and mysterious about it.
I'm open to short stories as well. I consider everything in the mailbox.
What's the max word count you would consider? I'm sitting on a bunch of shorts somewhere in the neighborhood of 2-3k words.
I'll take a look if you think they fit. I'm cool with anything under 5k.
You're looking for dark right now? I have noir, a little dark, not too much. Think Elmore Leonard. May not be what you're looking for right now.
Dark is what we go for. Not dark like cutting up bodies. The last few issues are pretty good examples.
I like noir, but it has to have some substance. I feel like I'm putting my foot in my mouth trying to explain.
Just have to say, best name for a mag ever. I'll send something just because I'd love to be able to say I was published by Downer. That's great.
Good luck with it. I feel your pain, sometimes I feel like it can be difficult to place some of my stories due to them being dark but not especially horrific.
Alright I'm game. Just emailed a piece I worked on about a year ago that should fall in line nicely with your publication. Might be a little long at 3446 words, but I tried Flash to varying degrees of success. Sorry, I haven't reached ADD in epic proportions just yet and don't mind spending an hour on the toilet in the morning reading and putting off work.
