Submission guidelines
“No matter what you write, you actually can't help retelling a fairy tale somewhere along the way.” ~Catherynne M. Valente
Open Submission Windows for 2024
Submissions are currently OPEN for Issue #2. This window will close at midnight AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on 31 May 2024.
Upcoming submission windows
Submission window for Issue #3: 1 to 14 August (closes midnight AEST on 14 August)
Submission window for Issue #4: 1 to 14 November (closes midnight AEST on 14 November)
What we are looking for
We are especially interested in work from or about diverse perspectives and traditionally under-represented groups, settings, and cultures, written from a non-exoticising and well-researched position.
Please read the FULL guidelines below for the type of submission you are sending us, and our preferences in terms of format and cover letters. Currently, we only accept original, unpublished work. We have a swift turnaround time on submissions (about two weeks), and so ask that you do not submit your work to other markets while it is under consideration for The Orange & Bee.
AI Policy
We do not accept or publish work that has written with, or with the assistance of, writing software such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc. Please include in your cover letter a statement indicating that you have not used AI to create your work—this will set our minds at ease.
Please note that our contract for publication requires you to legally affirm that you (and not a robot/AI) wrote your work.
If we discover that you have submitted work to us that breaches our AI guidelines, we will block your email address, and will not accept future submissions from you.
Fiction & Flash Fiction
The Orange and Bee celebrates all styles and genres when it comes to fairy tales. We are seeking stories that stretch between the shadows, and we are as likely to accept a reimagining of a familiar fairy tale as a unique creation waiting to be added to the rich tradition of the continually evolving literary canon.
The Orange and Bee accepts short stories up to 4,000 words, and flash fiction up to 1,000 words. These are hard limits. No multiple submissions or simultaneous submissions. The Orange and Bee pays eight cents per word for original short stories and a flat rate of $80 for original flash fiction.
Poetry
The Orange and Bee welcomes all styles of poetry including form, free verse, and experimental. There are no limits on length or presentation (barring our technical skills/the formatting capacity of Substack!), however, our sweet spot is 50 lines or fewer. Please only submit one poem per submission window. Payment for original poetry is a flat rate of $50.
Other
We’re excited about the possibility of experimentation, and so also invite submissions of hybrid or experimental works, including but certainly not limited to works that combine life writing and fiction or poetry. Payment will usually be at the same rate as for fiction (eight cents per word).
What we aren’t looking for
There are a few things we’re definitely not going to publish. Here’s a quick summary!
Works written by, or with, AI
Stories written for very young readers (children!)
Stories that include gratuitous (and it’s nearly always gratuitous!) non-consensual sexual activity
Anything that’s racist, sexist, queerphobic, ageist, etc etc. (This doesn’t mean we aren’t interested in works that thoughtfully engage with these issues. What we don’t want is work that participates in unhelpful and outdated stereotypes)
Formatting and cover letter guidelines
All submissions should follow Proper Manuscript Format (Shunn’s). To submit, send your story via email to theorangeandbee@gmail.com. Please attach all submissions in .doc or .docx—we will not accept submissions embedded in the body of your email. If your work requires another file format (for example, if you are working with visual poetry/experimental visual form) please query prior to submitting.
The subject line for your submission should include the type of submission [SHORT FICTION, FLASH FICTION, or POETRY], the title, and the author’s last name (your last name). For example: [SUBMISSION SHORT FICTION: The Tiger’s Bride_Carter]. Your cover letter should include your bio and a short statement about your submission, including the fairy tale/s or fairy-tale traditions, motifs, or practices that influenced your piece. We also require you to make a clear affirmation that your work was not written by a robot/AI.
Diversity stats: As part of our quest to ensure that our publication is diverse and inclusive, we will be tracking the diversity of our submissions, acceptances, and publications: after a year of publication, we will share our stats and reflect on any patterns we identify. This aspect of our publishing venture is inspired by the work of two key organisations: the US-based VIDA count and the Australian Stella Count, but also the similar work of the Canadian Women in Literary Arts (CWILA).
To aid us in this quest, we ask that you include in your cover letter any of our diversity tags that apply to you, and let us know your preferred pronouns. We’re starting simple in terms of the tags we’ve set up so far: we welcome you to suggest additions to our very short list of currently-used tags:
Gender/pronouns tags: #they/them, #she/her, #he/him
#CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse)
#LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Ace, plus!)
#BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of colour)
Payment: We typically pay via PayPal, but we will do our best to accommodate your preferred payment method. Please note, however, that we cannot pay by cheque.
Response time: We will send an autoresponder message in response to every submission we receive. If you haven’t received an automatic response within 24 hours after submitting, please query immediately using QUERY in the subject line. We aim to make final decisions within three weeks of receiving your submission.
Your next submission: Please wait at least 30 calendar days after rejection before resubmitting, and 60 days after a previous publication.