We are now accepting short fiction and poetry for our 27th issue on the theme of ‘mystery’. Send in your writing before 9am GMT on Monday 2 December 2019.

UPDATED 2 DECEMBER 2019: SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

It’s that time again Popshot people! We are now accepting submissions for the next magazine on a theme of…

“Mystery”.

We have just finished putting together the Chance issue (thank you to all who submitted, the magazine will hit newsstands at the end of next week), allowing us to open the doors for new submissions.

Our next theme is ‘mystery’ and we are interested in writing that sets up or solves a conundrum or points to the enigmatic in something ordinary or beautiful.

Writers might want to look beyond the confines of genre, where mystery is central to crime novels and “whodunnits”.  Although we love the satisfaction of having a problem or murder neatly solved, we also want to see writing that is surprising, literary and pushes the boundaries of our expectations when it comes to mystery, perhaps delving into the absurd as well as the more tangible unravellings that happen with any good yarn. 

Successful submissions must display excellent writing, creative flair and originality. We are looking for a mixture of humour, social commentary, honesty and thrilling storytelling. We welcome all genres and writing styles so long as they follow our guidelines for submission (for more on which, click here).

Submissions for the Spring issue are open until 9am GMT on Monday, 2 December.

The Mystery issue will be published in February 2020.

Guidelines for submission:

• Poems: 12 to 40 lines
• Short stories: 1,000 to 3,000 words
• Flash fiction: 100 to 1,000 words

Three entries maximum. Entries over the word count will not be considered.

To discover more about Popshot, pick up a copy from WHSmiths or another reputable newsagent. You can subscribe to either hard copy or digital editions. Four issues are published per year showcasing the best emerging fiction writers.

To see your writing published and illustrated, head to our submit page for the full guidelines. Include the issue and form of your work in the subject line (i.e. Mystery – Poetry). We are open to original contributions from anyone, anywhere in the world.

At Popshot towers we have just wrapped up the Fantasy issue, which will be on sale from 8 August.

Drop us a line at hello@popshotpopshot.com

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Illustration by Seb Westcott

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