Sunspot Lit accepts all types of prose including essays, memoir, travel, teleplays, film and stage scripts. Submissions under the Flash category can be one or two pieces of flash fiction or nonfiction, with the length of the entire submission not to exceed 1,000 words.

Up to three poems are also accepted under this call, with the total submission not to exceed three pages.

Flash graphic novels of 1 to 4 pages are welcome.

Artwork can be one or two images

Note that mix submission formats(for example, provide one poem and one flash piece as a single entry) are not accepted for this open call. 

Send in your work before the quarterly deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Authors & Artists Eligible

Rigel is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Sunspot Lit is looking for the single short story, novel, novella, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that outshines all the rest. Literary or genre works accepted; the only requirement is quality. 

Rigel offers $500 plus publication to the winner, and offers publication to select finalists. No restrictions on theme or category. The length for prose is restricted to a maximum of 5,000 words for short stories, or ten pages for poetry, scripts, and graphic novels. 

Excerpts from longer works are eligible, should start with the beginning of the manuscript, and must include a synopsis. The synopsis counts toward the entry’s total word/page count. An excerpt selected as the winner or as a finalist will be offered publication only for the submitted sample.

Titles do not count toward the limit for any prose piece. Epigraphs are included in the word count for works of prose. Artwork should consist of a single piece. 

Feedback is available for fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels for an additional fee. This is entirely optional and will not impact the judging process. The written comments will consider the work’s strengths, point out critical weaknesses, and make recommendations for any changes that would make the work stronger. The commentary will be provided 4-6 weeks after the contest closes. 

Open: April 1, 2023

Close: May 31, 2023

Entry fee: $10

Prize: $500 cash and publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists. 

Sunspot asks for first rights only; all rights revert to the contributor after publication. Works, along with the creators’ bylines, are published in the next quarterly digital edition an average of two months after contest completion, as well as in the annual print edition. 

Works should be unpublished except on a personal blog or website. Artists offered publication may display their pieces in galleries, festivals or shows throughout the publication contract period.  

Enter as many times as you like, but only one piece per submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your piece if it is published elsewhere before the winner is selected. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit seeks works of fiction or nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, from 7,501 words up to 17,500 words in their Supernova category. 

Graphic novels should be 26 to 40 pages. 

A single poembetween 11 and 15 pages is also accepted. 

Please note that collections are not accepted in this category.

This call is open for only a limited time. Send in your work before the deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit’s poetry editor, Morrow Dowdle, offers feedback for poets.

Dowdle is the author of the chapbook Nature v. Nurture (Artagem Graphic Library). Her poetry has been featured in River and South Review, Poetry South, Dandelion Review, NonBinary Review, Pink Panther Magazine, Panoply, APIARY, The Schuylkill Valley Journal of the Arts, Edison Literary Review, River Poets Quarterly, The Griffin, Philadelphia Stories, and Prism, among other publications. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.  She is an active member of the Living Poetry collective in the North Carolina Triangle area.

Sunspot is happy to offer three different options for feedback based on the length of the poem. Please note that poets can submit only one poem every three months.

Find out more by reviewing the guidelines on Sunspot’s Submittable page.  

Authors & Artists Eligible

Rigel is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Sunspot Lit is looking for the single short story, novel, novella, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that outshines all the rest. Literary or genre works accepted; the only requirement is quality. 

Rigel offers $500 plus publication to the winner, and offers publication to select finalists. No restrictions on theme or category. The length for prose is restricted to a maximum of 5,000 words for short stories, or ten pages for poetry, scripts, and graphic novels. 

Excerpts from longer works are eligible, should start with the beginning of the manuscript, and must include a synopsis. The synopsis counts toward the entry’s total word/page count. An excerpt selected as the winner or as a finalist will be offered publication only for the submitted sample.

Titles do not count toward the limit for any prose piece. Epigraphs are included in the word count for works of prose. Artwork should consist of a single piece. 

Feedback is available for fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels for an additional fee. This is entirely optional and will not impact the judging process. The written comments will consider the work’s strengths, point out critical weaknesses, and make recommendations for any changes that would make the work stronger. The commentary will be provided 4-6 weeks after the contest closes. 

Open: April 1, 2023

Close: May 31, 2023

Entry fee: $10

Prize: $500 cash and publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists. 

Sunspot asks for first rights only; all rights revert to the contributor after publication. Works, along with the creators’ bylines, are published in the next quarterly digital edition an average of two months after contest completion, as well as in the annual print edition. 

Works should be unpublished except on a personal blog or website. Artists offered publication may display their pieces in galleries, festivals or shows throughout the publication contract period.  

Enter as many times as you like, but only one piece per submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your piece if it is published elsewhere before the winner is selected. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit seeks fiction and nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, from 17,501 to 29,000 words in their current open call for novelette length works. 

Graphic novels should run 41 to 85 pages. 

Please note that collections are not accepted in this category.

This call is open for only a limited time. Send in your work before the deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit seeks all types of fiction and nonfiction including essays, memoir, travel, teleplays, film and stage scripts. Single works of fiction or nonfiction should run between 1,001 and 3,500 words.

Graphic novels should run 5 to 10 pages.

Please note that collections are not accepted in this category.

Send in your work before the quarterly deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.

Sunspot Lit seeks fiction and nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, between 3,501 and 7,500 words. 

Graphic novels should run 11 to 25 pages. 

A single poemof 4 to 10 pages is also accepted.

Please note that collections are not accepted in this category.

This call is open for only a limited time. Send in your work before the deadline using Submittable or Duotrope.