a brief (150 words or less) summary or explanation of the piece
Works must not have been previously available in public. That means that if you've posted a piece somewhere like on a blog or another website and it's not under a friendslock or a filter, we have to consider it already published.
Can I come to you with an idea first?
Absolutely. If you've got the skeleton of a story, for example, or plans for a photoessay you want to submit, please don't be shy about it. I'll be more than happy to provide ideas or feedback and work with you to hone your project before the submission deadline. Email always finds me, so approach away!
How many times can I submit in one call period?
I don't want to set an arbitrary limit. I would, however, strongly encourage you to only send the best work you have that's relevant to the issue's theme. I'm more likely to pay attention to one outstanding piece than eight or nine that are rushed.
How long will I have to wait to know whether it's gotten in or not?
I'll know which pieces I'll want to include in the next issue very shortly after the submissions deadline. That said, please do not send query emails to check on the status of your submissions. I will send an email to each and every person who volunteers their work with my decision after the deadline.
Okay, time for the fine print. What's up with the legal rights to my work?
The copyright to your intellectual property is unaffected by any involvement with Unlined; it remains yours until you sell it. We only need three things: one-time publishing rights, permission to archive the piece indefinitely, and, should your work be published elsewhere, a byline acknowledging prior publication at Unlined. By submitting your contribution, you acknowledge and agree to these terms, which are really pretty painless as far as these things go.
I notice you've got a blog. I've got ideas I'd like to talk about. How do I become a contributor?
We are always on the lookout for regular (or even irregular) contributors on a less formal level than the issue format. Unlined is meant to be a place to talk about unexpected fantasy, and blogs are an excellent means of carrying out that conversation. Shoot me an email to talk about what you'd like to cover, preferably with a sample entry. If you'd just like to follow along, you can friend the RSS feed on LiveJournal at unlinedstories.
Why is it called unlined?
From a very young age, people have always been giving me blank notebooks as gifts. The ones without lines are my favorite: you can get crazier with them.
There's something else I need to ask you. How can I get in touch?
I am a slave to my Gmail notifier; you can direct questions, comments, suggestions, recommendations, trivia, and offers to design the website you might be harboring to unlined.org@gmail.com, and I will respond as soon as I can.
