Bogotá, Colombia, July 15th, 2019 — Atmostfear Entertainment opens an invitation to all writers, and publishers to submit entries to the 1st Annual AExpo International Competition for alternative cultural arts.
For published and aspiring writers alike — enter our free annual short story competition and be in with a chance of winning a place on one of AExpo’s writing awards, as well as seeing your story published. All literary works encompassing the themes of gothic fiction, horror, and the surreal are eligible for this event, and if selected, you will participate in one of the most unforgettable, unique, writer-friendly, independent events of the genre.
AExpo aims to explore the complex and evolving connections between the gothic genre and culture, from literary books present in our daily lives to science fiction, this pioneering a new cultural approach that will navigate the frontiers between the sciences and the arts, exploring the interconnections between these diverse spheres of study.
Guidelines
- Emerging writers, and self-published writers with story collections and novels with a small circulation are welcome to submit.
- Writers with novels published with a circulation of fewer than 5,000 copies can also submit.
- The manuscript should be a work greater than 10,000 words in length.
- Novels may be manuscripts, self-published, indie published or traditionally published.
- The manuscript must be original work, written entirely by the entrant and it must be written in English.
- Translations allowed, providing the story has not been published in another language.
- All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation; manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission.
- International submissions allowed.
- If requesting an editorial letter, please indicate on your cover letter if the submissions is fiction or creative non-fiction.
- We accept novel excerpts if the submission stands alone as a complete short story.
- Any story with identifying material will be disqualified.
- All stories are considered for publication.
Rules
- Entrants must be at least eighteen years or older.
- Only one story per author will be considered in any one year.
- Simultaneous and multiple submissions are not allowed.
- Do not include any contact information on the manuscript itself, as entries are judged blindly.
- You may include contact information on a cover page, should you choose to include one (cover pages are not required).
- Published works before July 15th, 2019, will be disqualified.
Eligibility
Works completed or released between July 15th, 2019 and June 30th, 2020 are eligible for entry.
Criteria
Each work submitted will be judged on the following criteria:
- Is the story compelling?
- The professionalism of editing and formatting.
- Characterisation.
- Intriguing opening.
- Continuity of storyline.
- Uniqueness of story.
- Writing craft.
- World construct.
- Constructive ending.
- Premise.
Curation
A jury of publishing and writing peers within each genre chooses the finalists through a blind judging process. Almost all finalists will usually land a publishing contract within the next year, mostly through contacts made at AExpo.
Finalist manuscripts will be sent to a committee of editors and publicists, and they will select the Top 3 Finalists. The Top 3 Award Winners will be announced at the annual AExpo Conference.
FAQ
How do I apply?
There is no application form. To apply, please send three original published copies of the work for consideration to the Atmostfear Entertainment office including a letter from the publisher.
- If the work is published in a book or journal, we would like to receive at least one copy of the book/journal and five photocopies; but mainly where several stories are submitted from one anthology, we would like if possible to receive three copies of the book/journal itself.
- If published in a magazine or journal we will accept one original copy plus three photocopies, but would prefer three original copies.
- If the work is published online, we would like to receive three printed copies.
When should I apply?
The deadline for the AExpo awards closes on June 30th, 2020.
Can I submit unpublished or self-published work?
Yes and no. Unpublished work are not eligible for AExpo. However, self-published work is as long as provided as a hard copy.
What if my story is published online?
We are happy to take submissions from internet magazines, but must insist that we receive thress hard copies of these, as of other submissions. Also, it is crucial that internet entries be carefully edited: judges do not view favourably entries containing typos and other errors.
Do you accept e-books or digital versions of entries?
No. Please print and send us three hard copies.
What if my story is not in English?
Works translated into English from other languages are not excluded, provided they have been published in translation, and should such a work win, a proportion of the award would be awarded to the translator.
Does my story have to be fictional?
Yes and no. Both fictional and non-fictional works are eligible. Works not eligible for entry include stories for children, factual writing, plays, biography, works shorter than 10,000 words and unpublished work.
How long should my story be?
Indicative length is between 10,000 and 30,000 words, and only short stories are eligible.
Can I submit more than one story?
No. The judges will consider only one work per writer in any given year. If different publishers enter stories from the same writer, we will consult the author direct to decide which story to submit that year.
When is the deadline to apply?
The deadline for the next award is June 30th, 2020 and the award is given in October 1st, 2020. Works received after June 30th, 2020 will be put forward to the next year’s AExpo. In general, it is unwise to delay the submission of entries until shortly before the deadline: postal and delivery hiccups can easily result in material arriving too late.
Where do I send my work?
You can send your work to:
Atmostfear Entertainment S.A.S.
Cra. 69f #2-52
Bogotá, Distrito Capital
110831 Bogotá
Colombia
Permissions
The publisher agrees that by submitting an entry to AExpo that, if the story is shortlisted, permission to reproduce the story in the annual AExpo anthology is given with the consent of the author.
Please note that works which do not conform to the criteria will not be considered for the award.
Works not eligible for entry include stories for children, factual writing, plays, biography, works shorter than 10,000 words and unpublished work.
If you are not sure whether your work is eligible, please contact us for advice.
Failure to adhere to the guidelines above may result in disqualification from the competition.
For over eight years, Atmostfear Entertainment has been a showcase for the greatest and brightest photographers, musicians, authors, and illustrators from a diverse range of counter-cultural spectrums from around the globe: it serves as an invaluable resource for alternative cultural scholars, readers, publishers, and researchers worldwide.
Atmostfear Entertainment is an open access countercultural medium consisting of periodic, unconventional curated articles based on diverse arts, cultures, events, and reviews.
Founded in 2010, it asserts that the variety of its educational, historical, artistic, and theoretical materials constitute the most fertile conceptual framework to connect academics with subcultural lifestyles as a social phenomenon, with an eye to their overhaul, yet not favouring any tendency, tradition, or variant.
For over eight years, Atmostfear Entertainment has been a showcase for the greatest and brightest photographers, musicians, authors, and illustrators from a diverse range of counter-cultural spectrums from around the globe: it serves as an invaluable resource for alternative cultural scholars, readers, publishers, and researchers worldwide.
