House Blackwood seeks short stories and audio scripts set in the 1890s-1940s – in the style of classic weird / horror radio shows such as Weird Circle, Inner Sanctum, Quiet Please, The Whistler, &c.
Submission guidelines:
- Be aware that weird fiction does not mean “stories that are weird.” Weird fiction is a specific literary genre – and only submissions within this genre will be considered.
- Listen to early 20th-century radio dramas. Get a feel for the format, tone and style. Period-accurate dialogue and idiom are welcomed – but we live and breathe this era, and will recoil at false notes.
- Since most of our streaming platforms ban explicit content, please do not submit work containing graphic violence or sexual scenes. If in doubt, consider whether your story could be broadcast on 1930s radio.
- Read your story or script aloud, and consider how it will sound to an audience of podcast listeners. Work written expressly for radio stands the strongest chance of acceptance.
Compensation:
We are paying $50 for weird fiction of approx. 3,500 words, $50 for macabre radio scripts of approx. 30 pages (three character parts max per script), and $25 for shorter weird tales (1,000 to 1,500 words) – which will appear on “Chamber of Fright” episodes.
How to Submit:
Only Word docs following Shunn manuscript format, and scripts following standard screenplay format, will be considered. Please submit to house3lackwood at gmail dot com. Include the phrase “HTOW Submission” in your subject line.
