Submit to
the archive
What We’re Looking For
- We’re seeking original flash fiction and short stories created for an adult audience and well suited to narrated audio. Our interests include traditional horror and science fiction themes, including supernatural and psychological horror, dark fantasy, eerie folklore, urban legends, unexplained phenomena, strange disappearances, occult mysteries, cosmic unease, and encounters with the impossible. We are also interested in tales of mystery, who-dun-its and seasonal horror themes, particularly Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day.
- We’re especially drawn to atmospheric, character-driven stories that establish a strong sense of place and steadily build suspense. Successful submissions should feature a compelling opening, a clear narrative arc, meaningful stakes, and a memorable conclusion that feels earned.
- We welcome both contemporary and historical settings, as well as unconventional storytelling formats—including recovered recordings, case files, journals, interviews, transmissions, and archival documents—provided the story remains clear and engaging when heard aloud.
- Above all, we want distinctive stories with an individual voice: unsettling rather than merely graphic, imaginative rather than familiar, and capable of leaving listeners with something to think about after the episode ends.
Have a strange story waiting to be heard?
Nova Nightwood’s Obscura Archive is seeking original flash fiction and short stories filled with supernatural horror, dark fantasy, unsettling mysteries, strange disappearances, eerie folklore, and impossible events.
We want atmospheric, character-driven stories written to be heard—stories with a strong opening, escalating tension, and an ending listeners won’t forget.
What We’re Not Looking For
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We do not accept fan fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, scripts, incomplete manuscripts, plagiarized material, or work substantially generated by artificial intelligence. Stories that have already been professionally produced or released in audio form are also ineligible.
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We’re unlikely to accept submissions that rely primarily on graphic violence, sexual violence, cruelty, discriminatory stereotypes, or other provocative material without a clear narrative purpose. We are not looking for stories that use trauma solely for shock value, romanticize abuse, or treat marginalized identities as sources of horror.
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We also discourage predictable retellings of familiar horror concepts unless they offer a genuinely original perspective. Excessive exposition, sprawling mythology, endings that depend entirely on an unexplained twist, and stories driven more by visual spectacle than sound are generally not a strong fit. Dark, disturbing, and challenging material is welcome—but it should serve the characters, themes, and story rather than replace them.
Legal & Terms
By submitting a manuscript to Nightwood Studios, the writer confirms that the information provided is accurate and that the writer has the legal authority to submit the work for consideration.
The writer retains ownership of the submitted manuscript. Submission does not grant Nightwood Studios audio, publication, adaptation, or ownership rights in the work. The writer grants Nightwood Studios a limited, nonexclusive authorization to store, copy, and share the manuscript internally solely for editorial evaluation.
Submission does not create an employment relationship, confidential relationship, partnership, agency relationship, or obligation to compensate, produce, publish, return, or provide feedback on the manuscript. Payment and publication rights arise only if Nightwood Studios accepts the story and both parties enter into a separate written agreement.
Nightwood Studios receives and develops many stories and concepts. The writer acknowledges that independently created or separately submitted material may contain themes, settings, characters, titles, or ideas similar to those appearing in the submission. This acknowledgment does not waive claims arising from actual copyright infringement.
The writer may withdraw the submission before acceptance by contacting contactnovanightwood@gmail.com. Nightwood Studios may retain basic administrative records of the submission in accordance with its Privacy Policy.
Nightwood Studios may reject or remove from consideration any submission that violates these guidelines or contains materially inaccurate information.
While you retain full ownership of your work, by submitting, you grant Nova Nightwood a non-exclusive permission to feature, perform, and promote your story in audio, text, and promotional formats across the Obscura Archive platforms if selected for a broadcast.
Selected stories may undergo minor editorial adjustments for flow and audio timing. We strive to maintain the author's original voice. Response times vary, and we appreciate your patience as we process each transmission from the void.
Length
Flash fiction: 500–1,499 words
Short stories: 1,500–6,000 words
Payment
$35-$50 for accepted flash fiction
$75-$100 for accepted short stories
Selected stories will be adapted into narrated audio and/or visual episodes. Writers receive full credit and retain ownership of their work.
Nightwood Studios requests first English-language audio rights, including six months of exclusivity, along with the continuing right to host and promote the produced episode.
Submissions must be original, must not have been produced in audio form, and may not be plagiarized or substantially generated by artificial intelligence.
Submit one story at a time using the form below. Include your manuscript, exact word count, brief synopsis, content warnings, and author bio.
This page is not formal legal advice and terms are subject to change without notice.
Submit Your Story
Ensure you have thoroughly reviewed our submission guidelines and legal terms before transmitting your signal to the archive.
If your story is selected, you will be contacted by a membor of the Nightwood Studios team and presented with a contract for audio production rights.