First, make sure you want to submit to the Worm
What is this?
The Inflated Graveworm is a quarterly zine of "dark" literature. It has limited print distribution centered in Lakewood, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland). The zine is available free in select stores in Lakewood, and issues can also be purchased through a subscription or downloaded as an epub file through our patreon page. Current print/distribution run is 200 copies.
What does it pay?
A nominal fee and 2 print copies of "your" issue:- $10 per poem
- $20 non-fiction (1500 words or less)
- $20 flash fiction (2000 words or less)
- $40 short fiction (4500 words max)
- $40 cover art (b/w 5.5" x 8.5")
What rights do you acquire?
First North American Serial Rights (FNASR) and Non-Exclusive Electronic Archival Rights (NEEAR).The FNASR mean that we have the exclusive right to publish the work first in print in North America, so you must decline any other publication offers for print in North America if your work is accepted, until after we have published it.
The NEEAR mean that you grant us the right to reproduce the work as part of The Inflated Graveworm in epub format, and that the epub will be archived online indefinitely by Graveworm Press, even if the work is republished elsewhere in any format. Some publishers will not reprint work that is available elsewhere in electronic format, which is why that might matter to you.
After publication, all rights revert back to you, which means that you are free to republish the work elsewhere without notifying or compensating Graveworm Press. In such situations, it is a common courtesy to say where and when the work was first published, but it is not required.
What's your circulation?
Issues are currently limited to 200 copies in print and are also distributed digitally in the epub format for our paid patreons. Issues are not reproduced online as part of the content of a web site.Who makes the decision?
The Inflated Graveworm is currently a one-man operation, so David Powers will be reviewing all submissions. David has a degree in Creative Writing from Ohio University and has published several stories (as David Christopher) in print magazines, such as Lost Worlds, Gaslight Tales, The MacGuffin, and Enigmatic Tales. He also co-authored As Alive, So Dead and Beyond Delicious by "ghostbuster" Mary Ann Winkowski, whose real life was fictionalized for the American TV show Ghost Whisperer.Do you accept simultaneous submissions?
Yes, but if your work is accepted by us, it must be removed from consideration for other publications. Similarly, if your work is accepted by another publication, you must remove it from consideration by us.Do you accept reprints?
No... Unless your work has only appeared in printed, self-published collections of your own work, or is only available electronically behind a paywall. We will never reprint anything that is publicly available online. Realistically, we prefer not to publish reprints by contemporary authors.What about AI?
Do not submit AI-generated or AI-assisted work. It will be rejected no matter how good it is. And yes, there are plenty of tools to help us check human origin. If your work is rejected for concerns of AI-generation and you know it to be 100% human, take that as feedback that you need to develop a more original voice or vision that doesn't seem like AI.Do I need a cover letter?
No. In fact, please don't include one at all. Honestly, we don't care who you are, what awards you've won, or where you've been published before. We care about content. If we like it, we'll publish it, regardless of who or how awesome you are. But do make sure your contact info is on your submission (and be sure to include an email address).How long will it take to hear back?
Honestly, as soon as possible... but it could be up to 2 months. It depends how big our backlog is. We review submissions on a first-in/first-out basis. If the backlog gets too big, we may temporarily close to new submissions so we can clear it out.How can I get sample copies?
You can check our distribution points, if you live near Cleveland, Ohio. Or, if you join our Patreon at just the $1 level, you will have access to all issues from 2023 and up as epub files.Submit to the Worm
When in doubt, send it anyway. The worst thing that can happen is we don't want to use it.How do I submit?
Submissions are accepted electronically by uploading the appropriate file to our Dropbox. Details are in the specific guidelines below.- Name (this will be your byline, or to whom we attribute the work)
- Email (check your spam folder for messages from Graveworm Press)
Click the corresponding button to save your submission to our Dropbox.
Fiction guidelines
We want dark fiction. "Dark" is ghost stories and tales of unexpected or supernatural things. Think less blood and gore, more mood and atmosphere. If the point of your story is people dying, we probably won't like it. But if your story is about how people deal with being dead, that could interest us. We're fans of HP Lovecraft and The Twilight Zone, if that helps.Compensation (paid upon publication):
- short fiction (over 2000 words, up to 4500 words max): $40 flat fee per story
- flash fiction (less than 2000 words): $20 flat fee per story
Accepted file formats: RTF (rich text format). Include your byline and the title of the work in the file name.
☛ Include your byline and email on the first page of your submission.
Art guidelines
At this time, we are only interested in cover art. The zine cover size is 5.5" x 8.5".Black-and-white artwork ONLY. No AI art. If we suspect AI was used, we won't accept it. We want art made by humans. Artwork has to be "dark" and it also has to be captivating enough to make someone pick up the zine. Think less blood and gore, more mood and atmosphere.
Compensation: $40 flat fee per cover (paid upon publication)
Accepted file formats: JPG or PDF. Include your byline and the title of the work in the file name.
☛ Include your byline and email as a clearly legible watermark in a corner of the image (if we accept your image we will request a new file that meets our print specs).
Non-fiction guidelines
Non-fiction can be reviews of books, music, art, internet channels, or other indie media that will appeal to a "dark fiction" audience. We will also publish essays on "dark" topics, such as firsthand ghost-hunting experiences, occult research, or the results of cryptid tracking. We do not accept interviews at this time because we cannot authenticate facts and quotes.Word count is 1500 words or less, but reviews should not exceed 500 words. Reviews should be positive, but that doesn't mean you can't provide constructive criticism. Keep in mind that we not only have to like your writing, we also have to want to promote the thing you're reviewing.
Compensation: $20 flat fee per article (paid upon publication)
Accepted file formats: RTF (rich text format). Include your byline and the title of the work in the file name.
☛ Include your byline and email on the first page of your submission.
Poetry guidelines
Poetry should be emotional and pensive, not socio-political. Our favorite poets are Wayne Dodd, Ellen Bass, Rilke, and Baudelaire. Submit up to 3 poems at once, but no more. If you submit more than 3 poems, we will only consider the first 3 poems. Please upload all poems submitted in a single file.Compensation: $10 flat fee per poem (paid upon publication)
Accepted file formats: RTF (rich text format). Include your byline and the title of the work in the file name.
☛ Include your byline and email on the first page of your submission.