SUBMISSIONS
Submit Your Work
The Chronicles of What?!?!? is open to fiction from writers who want thoughtful readers, useful feedback, and a publishing process built around respect for the author and the story.
No submission fees. Authors retain ownership. One active submission per story.
WHAT WE PUBLISH
Stories don’t have to fit neatly into a box
The Chronicles of What?!?!? publishes fiction across genres and forms. We are interested in stories with a strong voice, compelling ideas, memorable characters, and something worth discovering. Literary, speculative, science fiction, fantasy, horror, humor, experimental, cross-genre, and hard-to-categorize work are all welcome. Individual issue calls may have additional themes or requirements.
OPEN CALLS
Choose the call that fits your story
We may have more than one issue open for submissions at a time. Each issue may have its own theme, focus, or submission window. If you are not sure where your story belongs, you may submit it for General Consideration and allow the editorial team to determine the best fit.
ISSUE 0
The Founding Issue
Issue 0 is our founding proof-of-concept issue. It will test the peer-review model, help us build the first community of authors and reviewers, and become the first published issue of The Chronicles of What?!?!?. Authors and reviewers who participate in Issue 0 will be permanently recognized as Founding Contributors.
GENERAL CONSIDERATION
Not sure which issue is right for your story? Submit without selecting a specific issue and allow the editorial team to consider it for an appropriate open or upcoming issue.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
A few rules to keep the process fair and manageable.
- Submit each story only once.
- Do not submit the same story separately to multiple issue calls.
- Choose the issue that best fits your work, or choose General Consideration.
- You may authorize us to consider your story for another issue if it is not selected for the one you chose.
- Duplicate active submissions of the same story will not be considered.
- You must hold the rights necessary to submit the work.
- Submissions must comply with our community and editorial standards.
One story. One active submission. One editorial record.
YOUR SUBMISSION
What we will ask for
- Story title
- Short description or synopsis
- Keywords
- Story text or manuscript
- Author name
- Pen name/publication name if different
- Contact Information
- Author biography
- Website/social links
- Story image (optional)
- Reader-comment preference
- Rights and submission acknowledgements
You will be able to save a submission as a draft and return to edit it before formally submitting it for review.
AI & AUTHORSHIP
AI can support your writing, but it should not replace the writer.
The Chronicles of What?!?!? recognizes that generative artificial intelligence can be a useful creative and editorial tool. Authors may use AI to support activities such as brainstorming, exploring ideas, receiving feedback, copyediting, proofreading, identifying clarity problems, or working through revisions.
What matters is authorship. The creative work submitted to The Chronicles must fundamentally be the author’s own. Generative AI should not be used to generate the story itself, or substantial portions of the creative prose, and then present that output as the author’s own writing.
Authors remain responsible for every submission, including its originality, accuracy, rights, and ethical use of AI-assisted material.
ORIGINALITY & PLAGARISM
Submit work that is yours to submit.
Submissions must be the author’s original work and must not plagiarize or improperly reproduce the work of others. Authors are responsible for ensuring that quotations, references, adaptations, and other incorporated material are used appropriately and that they hold any rights or permissions necessary for publication.
Submitting AI-generated material does not remove this responsibility. Authors remain responsible for the originality and provenance of everything they submit.
ISSUE PLACEMENT
You choose where to start. We do not move your story without permission.
When you submit, you will choose a specific open issue or General Consideration. If you choose a specific issue, you may also tell us whether we can consider the story for another issue if it is not selected for your first choice.
01 – Submitted for
The issue or General Consideration selected by the author
02 – Considered For
Another issue only when the author has given permission
03 – Published in
The issue in which the story is ultimately accepted and published
Authors retain copyright and ownership.
Submitting work to The Chronicles of What?!?!? does not transfer ownership of your story. If your work is accepted, you will grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish, display, archive, promote, and link to the work as part of The Chronicles.
The story remains yours
Submitted work enters our editorial and peer-review process. Reviewers provide feedback; authors decide how that feedback should shape their work. Peer review is guidance, not writing by committee.
READY TO SUBMIT
Start a submission
The submission system is being prepared now. When it opens, you will be able to create a draft, save your work, return to edit it, choose an open issue or General Consideration, and formally submit when you are ready.
Submission portal coming soon