How to submit to Flame Tree Publishing?

So You Want to Submit to Flame Tree Publishing? Here’s the Chaos, Calm, and Contractual Fine Print

First things first: how do I know when submission calls open?

Excellent question. Because if you're finding out after the deadline, you’re not submitting - you're doom-scrolling.

Here’s how to stay ahead of the curve:

• Subscribe to the Flame Tree Publishing Newsletter - newsletter subscribers get early access to calls, sometimes days before they go public.

• Follow us on Twitter (sorry) X

• Like our Facebook page and Instagram

• Lurk on our website

• Keep checking the Flame Tree blog

Submission calls usually open with a flourish, a theme, and a tight window. Don’t rely on psychic visions - sign up, follow, stalk kindly.

So… what is Flame Tree Publishing?

Think of it as a beautifully brooding house of genre fiction, perched somewhere between classic literature and speculative weirdness. Based in the UK, Flame Tree is known for:

• Gothic Fantasy anthologies

• Original novels

• A heady mix of classic + contemporary stories

• Mythology, retold

• Themes ranging from folklore and ghosts to AI, witches, and Afrofuturism

• Romantic Fantasy (the latest call for submissions can be found here!)

• Gorgeous, Collectors’ Editions of mythology & folktales

• The World’s Greatest Myths and Legends

We publish a mix of solicited and open-submission work. If you’re submitting, you’re competing with emerging and seasoned writers alike - but the editors are reading everything. No bots. No slush goblins.

What do we want from you?

Your soul.
Kidding. Just your story. But with some structure and some soul.

Submission checklist (don’t wing this):

• Send one story per email

• Email subject line = story title

• File name = exactly the story title(no underscores, emojis, chaos)

• Attach file as .doc, .docx, or .rtf

• Word count sweet spot: 2,000–4,000 words

• Body of email: optional short bio, note if it’s a reprint, and/or if it’s simultaneously submitted

Don’t:

• Send PDFs

• Send five stories in one email

• Attach your life’s story in a Word doc titled "READ_ME_FIRST"

• Forget the theme

Read the theme. Then re-read the theme. Then ask yourself if your story actually fits.

Do we actually pay?

Yes. Real money. The kind you can use for rent, cat food, or another writing course you’ll ignore.

• 8¢/word (USD) for original stories

• 6¢/word (USD) for reprints

• Paid on acceptance, once you sign the contract

• No exclusivity required — you keep your rights

• Simultaneous submissions = fine (just be upfront)

We are an SFWA-qualifying market, so it’s not just good vibes — it’s also professional credit.

How long does it all take?

Publishing is not instant ramen. But it is reliable:

Timeline (approx.)

• Submission window closes: 1–2 months after it opens

• Responses sent out: Within 4 months of the deadline

• If accepted: Contract + payment sent shortly after

• Anthology published: 6–12 months post-submission

• Promo + launch: Happens closer to release

Expect a bit of silence. It doesn’t mean you’ve been ghosted. It just means your story is probably in a folder labeled“maybe”.

What kind of stories actually get in?

The theme shifts each time, but strong stories have a few things in common:

• They match the theme without being obvious

• They have narrative clarity - beginning, middle, end (or some wild variation thereof)

• They avoid cliché: haunted dolls, killer AI, and prophecies are fine if you twist them

• They have a voice - the author knows what they’re doing, even if the main character doesn’t

The best stories often blend genre craft with emotional resonance. Not just spooky for spooky’s sake. Give the editors a reason to remember you - but not because your story arrived in 18pt Comic Sans.

What happens if I’m accepted?

First: you scream. Quietly, into your tea.

Then:

• You get an email with a contract

• You sign, send banking info, and get paid

• The story is edited lightly (or not at all, if it’s clean)

• You receive a gorgeous contributor copy

• You’re listed on all major retail sites

• You’re asked to help with promo — social media, maybe an interview or feature

It’s professional, it’s smooth, and it’s satisfying. Like pressing “send” on an invoice and knowing they’ll actually pay it.

Do we promote the book?

Yes — though it's a joint effort.

What Flame Tree does:

• Blog spotlights

• Social media posts - Facebook Instagram X

• Newsletter features - You can Sign-up here

• Retail listings (Amazon, Waterstones, Bookshop.org etc)

• Event outreach & organisation

• Promotional materials

• Media mailouts

• Giveaways

• Targeted ads

• Podcast features (Listen to our Myth & Fiction Podcast!)

What you can do:

• Post your contributor brag on social

• Share your author copy unboxing

• Use the pretty cover as an excuse to update your bio

• Casually mention it at every writing group and family gathering

Our books have reach - especially in collector and genre communities - and having one on your shelf opens doors, even if just creatively.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Submitting a story that doesn't fit the theme (no matter how good it is)

• Getting too experimental - remember, this isn’t a riddle contest

• Formatting chaos (editors are human. Don’t make them fight your doc.)

• Submitting a first draft because “the deadline snuck up on me”

• Over-apologizing in your email - be polite, be brief, be confident

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Revise?)

• Subscribe to the Flame Tree Publishing Newsletter to find out about calls early

• Follow Facebook, Instagram, X

• Go through our Call for Submissions

• Submit polished, on-theme, properly formatted stories and go through

• Get paid, get published, get a beautiful book to show off

• Repeat

The stories are waiting. The calls are open. The editors are reading.

So go forth. Write something strange, beautiful, horrifying, or just plain unforgettable - and then send it in.

You might just end up in a gold-foiled book with your name printed next to some literary legend.

And hey — that’s not a bad way to start a Thursday.