The Icarus Writing Collective

Submission Guidelines — The Icarus Writing Collective

Just over one week until submissions open for our fifth issue! 🌱☀️

www.icaruswritingcollective.com/submission-g...

The text WHAT ELEGANT STARS on a background of swirling void and glittering stars, amidst two neon-lit inlaid columns. Spaceships with fiery tails behind them in the distance. (An excerpt from the cover illustrated by Lyss Menold). Plus the Neon Hemlock logo.

We'll be reading stories for ✨ What Elegant Stars: Queer Tales of Impossible Style ✨ from January 15th to April 15th.

Give us stories of satellites and sewists, terminals and tailors, dandies and dying stars.

<6k words. 8¢/word. simsub ☑️. multiple submissions 🚫.

www.neonhemlock.com/submissions

With a background from William Morris' Marigolds textile in tan and muted purple, there stands a purple box with text that announces that submissions for this writing magazine will be opening soon. "The Icarus Writing Collective, a myth magazine" reads acrozs at the top, "Issue 05: Blossom" in the center above a graphic of tan sakura and buttercup flowers. Below that, "Submissions open February 1. www.icaruswritingcollective.com to learn more."

Get ready to bloom! On February 1st, The Icarus Writing Collective will open to prose and art submissions for our FIFTH Issue: Blossom 🌼

Fae and flowers will be at the heart of this spring issue. 🪻

Visit www.icaruswritingcollective.com/submission-g... to learn more.

#litmag #literarymagazine

Oh to be the halfway point, a gecko wearings jeans.

Coming soon.

🌷🦋🌼🌱🌸🧚‍♂️🌻

"Instead [pop culture adaptations] are just another stage, another layer being added on top of older ones. By interacting with these modern works, we bring our own ideas to them—and then we too, whoever we may be, become part of mythology."
- Joshua Frydman, 'The Japanese Myths'

fifth wheel press blog Submission Manager Submit to fifth wheel press blog. Powered by Duosuma: Duotrope's Submission Manager.

just fyi: blog submissions are open! they are unthemed!

duotrope.com/duosuma/subm...

A gradient background starting at pale yellow to a deeper gold, with light blue paper scraps in the corners. It looks like waves onto the shore. The headline reads, "The Pushcart Prize. Nominations from The Icarus Writing Collective's Issue 04: Currents." In blue text, the nominations are: "To have, to hold. by Julian. My Trust Must Be by Natalie Zutter. Buckwheat Flower of the Ocean by Vy Lieu. A Song of Silence for the Mother of Grendel by G. J. Brillante. To the Sea and Stars by Rian Moneypenny. The Somewhere Blues by Richard M. Ankers." Below the text sits The Icarus Writing Collective logo, a pair of wings in front of a yellow sun.

With our latest issue having set sail, it's time for the big announcement. Introducing our nominations for the upcoming Pushcart Prize. ⭐️

If you haven't read these stories, and more, in Issue 04: Currents yet... What are you waiting for? Dive in. 🌊

www.icaruswritingcollective.com/currents

Beginnings for HAD Simone de Beauvoir once said beginnings are sheer acts of choice. Eliot believed the end and the beginning are all entangled. Anything that falls in-between is collateral. There must be a reason new beginnings are rarely gentle and often messy. Send me anything that explores why that might be the case. Think in terms of a fresh start, a clean slate, the beginning of a long journey, a reset, whether it be literal, metaphorical, or spiritual. Submissions open Wednesday, 1/14, 10 AM (MT) / 12 PM (ET) / 6 PM (CET). Submissions will be capped at 150, so be quick. The nitty-gritty: 750 words for prose (or 2 micro pieces of equal combined length) 1-2 poems & hybrid pieces (each no longer than 2 pages) All submissions will receive a response within 24 hours. Thanks all for participating. 💀 💀 💀 — Sarp

SUBMISSION CALL COMING!

Wednesday, 1/14, 10 AM (MT) / 12 PM (ET) / 6 PM (CET)
Subs will be capped at 150, so be quick.

The nitty-gritty:
750 words for prose (or 2 micro pieces of equal combined length)
1-2 poems & hybrid pieces (each no longer than 2 pages)

guest ed: @sarpsozdinler.bsky.social

Thank you, friends! 💛 As fans of the podcast ourselves, super appreciate the shout-out!

Losing Twitter all that time ago has affected our magazine's influence and reach. But, we grew and are still growing.

This is us saying, we're still here! Still mythical, still classical, still very queer.

If you're craving retellings, The Icarus Writing Collective will sate that hunger.

New @, same magazine you know and love! 💛

Sounds intriguing! Richard M. Ankers often crafts deep emotional experiences in sci-fi. “The Somewhere Blues” must be a gem! Have you explored themes of identity in sci-fi? 🪐📚 #SciFiReads

I feel like I should advertise my writing more, but honestly, this project I got to be part of has so many other really cool stories that I'm just going to recommend them instead :p

#Writesky

Blue ocean background with a stream of bubbles in the background. To the left of center, white text reads: “He looks down at his hands, pale and tinged blue, the color of a drowned corpse, with webbing linking his fingers together. He despises his hands, just like he despises her.” The quote is from the flash fiction story “Stolen Skin” by Solstice Lamarre.

Blue ocean background with a stream of bubbles in the background. A dark square with white text covers the center that reads: “Solstice Lamarre (they/them) is a French, non-binary aroace writer. They write queer, neurodivergent stories in various genres, but always come back to themes of monstrosity, found family, and all sorts of queer love. Their work has previously appeared in Unthinkable: A Queer Gothic Anthology. When they’re not writing, they work as an English teacher for French teens, read an unholy number of books, play video games they never finish, and cuddle with their cat.”

Our FINAL (😭) teaser for Issue 04 is here! If you love this snippet from Solstice Lammarre's (@sollylamarre.bsky.social) flash fiction piece, "Stolen Skin," you can read the full thing now at the link in our bio!

Black and white image of a woman sitting on some rocks by the water. Over the woman is a brown square with white text that reads: “You are just a son. Your mother’s greatest creation. While I am her thieving damnation.” The quote is from the story “Where am I” by Leonie Jacobs.

Black and white image of a woman sitting on some rocks by the water. Over the woman is a brown square with white text that reads: “Leonie Jacobs (she/her) is a 23-year old writer from the East of Germany. When she is not at university or at work she likes to dabble in different literary genres. Her writing has appeared in iamb as well as Troublemaker Firestarter.”

We hope you've been enjoying all of these teasers and the stories in Currents! Today we're highlighting Leonie Jacobs' flash fiction piece, "Where am I?" Read it now at the link in our bio! 🌊

It comes with a bit of a heavy heart, as our initial launch and debut was only made possible due to the outpouring support and excitement on Twitter, thanks to an incredible community of writers and artists. While we may all be scattered to different corners to the internet now, it's never goodbye.

While we may have been holding on to it for dear life, with the most recent update to X's Terms of Service, we will be deleting and deactivating our account on that platform. We do not support any AI usage and will remain firm in support our contributor's works.

Find us here, IG, and TikTok!

Deep blue underwater image of deep long seaweed plants with faint sunlight in the right corner, the image has white text over it. The text says, “She did not die in battle, and she could not die naturally. Jurata died as peacefully as a god has ever died.” The quote is from the story “Queen Jurata and the Amber Palace” by Robin Zubek.

Deep blue underwater image of deep long seaweed plants with faint sunlight in the right corner, the image has white text over it. The text says, “Robin (they/them) is a UK-based Polish writer who seeks to put the experience of second generation immigrants into words. Their stories explore loss, longing, and the feeling of never quite being home. When they aren't writing, Robin reads, paints, and goes on long walks to collect wildflowers.”

Today’s teaser is from Robin Zubek’s flash fiction piece, “Queen Jurata and the Amber Palace”. Start some new year reading with some of our pieces such as this one in Issue 04: Currents, on our website now! 🌊

Greyscale background image of a lightning storm over the ocean with a woman swimming in it. A grey-blue rhombus is in the center with white text. The text reads: “Clever girls, House-defying girls. Girls who, for their troubles, for their sacrifice, were then cruelly abandoned by those same heroes.” The quote is from the story “What the Sea Goddess Said” by Taylor Catalana.

Greyscale background image of a lightning storm over the ocean with a woman swimming in it. A grey-blue square is in the center with white text that reads: “Taylor Catalana (she/her) is a museum professional who received her graduate degree in art and theology from Kings College London. Her forthcoming debut novel will be published in Fall 2026. She currently lives with her dog in Brooklyn, New York.”

We’re back with another short fiction teaser, this time from Taylor Catalana’s story “What the Sea Goddess Said.” You can read it NOW in Issue 04: Currents at icaruswritingcollective.com

Deep blue underwater image with faint sunlighting. There is a faded overlay photo of someone swimming underwater towards light, both have white text over it. The text says, “I open my eyes wider than golf balls and take in every photon of diffuse light. True, they fill mostly with blue, but it comes in many shades, and I'm familiar with them all.” The quote is from the story, “The Somewhere Blues” by Richard M. Ankers.

Deep blue underwater image with faint sunlighting with white text over it. The text says, “Richard M. Ankers (he/him) is the English author of The Eternals Series, Britannia Unleashed and co-author of The Poetry of Pronouns Books 1 & 2. Richard has featured in Daily Science Fiction, Love Letters To Poe, Starspun Lit, and feels privileged to have appeared in many more. Richard lives to write.”

Today’s teaser is from Richard M. Ankers’s flash fiction piece, “The Somewhere Blues”. Start some new year reading with some of our pieces such as this one in Issue 04: Currents, on our website now! 💙🌊📖

Deep blue underwater image with faint sunlighting. There is a faded overlay photo of someone swimming underwater towards light, both have white text over it. The text says, “I open my eyes wider than golf balls and take in every photon of diffuse light. True, they fill mostly with blue, but it comes in many shades, and I'm familiar with them all.” The quote is from the story, “The Somewhere Blues” by Richard M. Ankers.

Deep blue underwater image with faint sunlighting with white text over it. The text says, “Richard M. Ankers (he/him) is the English author of The Eternals Series, Britannia Unleashed and co-author of The Poetry of Pronouns Books 1 & 2. Richard has featured in Daily Science Fiction, Love Letters To Poe, Starspun Lit, and feels privileged to have appeared in many more. Richard lives to write.”

Today’s teaser is from Richard M. Ankers’s flash fiction piece, “The Somewhere Blues”. Start some new year reading with some of our pieces such as this one in Issue 04: Currents, on our website now! 💙📖🌊

Wave currents transparently faded over an underwater volcano. A faded overlay of a woman in water, all of it has white text over it. The text says, “Her ethereal form attracted greed, jealousy, and ire that could fill the depths of Tartarus and then some. The poets conveniently left that part out.” It is a quote from the story, “Red River” by Zenia deHaven.

Wave currents transparently faded over an underwater volcano with white text over it. The text says, “Zenia deHaven (they/them) is an author of short stories and essays. Their work has been published in Fruitslice, As Alive Magazine, SIEVA Magazine, and NoVA Prism. When they're not writing, they enjoy video games, group exercise classes, and petting their dogs.”

Happy New Year!! 🎆🎉🍾Today’s teaser is from Zenia deHaven’s short fiction piece, “Red River”. Remember to ring in the New Year with our most recent issue, Issue 04: Currents, on our website now!💙

Underwater image of two people swimming towards each other, one swimming down and the other swimming up, there is white text over it. The text says, “Once he hit the water, he would be safe. He could swim. And this man was here to help him.” It is a quote from the story, “The Lights of a Hunting Party” by Sirius.

Underwater image of two people swimming towards each other, one swimming down and the other swimming up, there is white text over it. The text says, “Sirius is the author of The Dread South series, the Draonir Saga, and The Gentleman Demon series. When they are not writing, they are doting on their beloved dogs and spreading false prophecies.”

Today’s teaser is from Sirius’s short fiction piece, “The Lights of a Hunting Party”. Please enjoy it! Ring in the new year with some new reading such as all the pieces in Issue 04: Currents, on our website now! 📖💙🌊

Dark ocean under the night sky, faded overlay of a woman flicking her hair from underwater, white text over it. The text says, “Humans thought themselves eternal. They bottled stars, dug holes through their own planet’s ribs, stitched their world with wires so taut it snapped in an instant.” The quote is from the story “Eternity is Terribly Dull Without Company” by sumedha.

Dark ocean under the night sky with white text over it. The text says, “sumedha is a queer, brown storyteller and researcher. Her work wanders through cultural memory, mythology, and history, while asking how identity is shaped, fractured, and remembered across time. Her work explores the porous borders between self and the collective as well.”

Good morning! We have another teaser today from sumedha’s flash fiction piece, “Eternity is Terribly Dull Without Company." We hope you enjoy it! Remember you can read this and other amazing pieces in Issue 04: Currents, on our website now! ✨📖🌊

So grateful to all the hard working writers and editors involved with @icaruszine.bsky.social! Proud to have been a part of the magic! ✨

Dark Blue ocean wave image underwater image with a faded overlay of someone’s body floating in water, both have white text over it. The text says, “Another child, another loss. Another testament to my mistakes and all I could not do.” The quote is from the story “The Drowning of Loki” by Ginny McSheehan.

Dark Blue ocean wave image underwater image with white text over it. The text says, “Ginny McSheehan (she/her) is a queer pagan storyteller with a lifelong love for history and folklore. During the summer and fall, she can be found at Nyr Jorvik Viking Village, where she teaches Viking history through inclusive historical reenactment, and tells the stories of the Norse gods and goddesses. She holds an MFA from Emerson’s Popular Fiction and Publishing program and is querying her second novel. Her contact info can be found at solo.to/ginnysquillpen.”

Today, we hope you dive into Ginny McSheehan’s ( @ginnysquillpen.bsky.social ) Flash Fiction piece, “The Drowning of Loki”. You can find other wonderful pieces such as this in Issue 04: Currents, out now and live on our website! 🌊💙📖

A graphic poster showcasing a teaser for Rian Moneypenny's "To the Sea and Stars" depicting a blue crashing wave along a dark coast, and behind the white text, a photo of a man breaking through the water. The text from Rian Moneypenny's story reads, "Buck lived two lives, and one needed to end.

The similar blue and water iconography in the first image, minus the face breaking through the water. The white text reads, "Rian Moneypenny (he/him) works at Fern Montessori School in Taylors, SC, and lives in Campobello, SC. He received his BA from College of Charleston with a concentration in creative writing and is in the process of receiving his MFA from Converse College. His work has been featured in Ode to Dionysus, Livina Press, Persephone Literary Magazine, and Wild Willow Magazine.

Today, we hope you dive into Rian Moneypenny's Short Fiction piece, "To the Sea and Stars" ⭐️ You can find this duplicity story and so many more wonderous, watery works in Issue 04: Currents, out now and live on our website!

Ocean water with rocks on the upper left side with white text over it. The text says, “the ocean breathed against the rocks, and I took my first step towards the door. Toward the shore. Toward whatever waited for me in the dark.” The quote is from the story “The Sea Bride” by Jules Leclerq.

Ocean water with rocks on the upper left side with white text over it. The text says, “Jules Leclerq (he/him) is an amateur writer and visual artist.”

Today's teaser comes to us from Jules Leclerq and his story "The Sea Bride.” Remember to dive into the new year with some new stories such as this one that you can read it NOW in Issue 4 Currents! 📖💙🌊

Image of the shore of a beach with white text overlaid a blue square in the middle. The text reads: “They won’t realize that you understand the price you paid. That you’re exchanging a gilded cage for a wider enclosure—but this one, at least, will be of your choosing, not an accident of your birth.” The quote is from the story Dans Sœur by K. Martin. Behind the quote is a graphic of two whales next to each other.

Image of the shore of a beach with white text overlaid a blue square in the middle. The text reads: “K. Martin (she/her) is a queer disabled writer of colour from Canada with a Bachelor’s degree and gold medal in Faculty of Arts from WLU. She's published poetry in ImageOutWrite Vol. 5, short fiction with Torquere, and erotic fiction in NSP's Erato and Duck Prints Press’s Many Hands anthologies. When not writing, she's on Tumblr as @queerfictionwriter, or talking about writing over on Patreon.com/K'sCorner.”

Today we have a teaser from K. Martin's short story "Dans Sœur!" You can read it in full in Issue 04: Currents, which is out now!!!