About
We can't beat subjectivity, but we can temper it. An excellent story shouldn't be rejected because of vibes, whims, or pure personal taste. I use a rubric to evaluate stories. The rubric aims to highlight craft and skill without letting a story get weighed down by factors beyond a writer's control.
When submission's open, we publish a character prompt. The story, however, is yours. The character must start the story in their prompted state, but how they evolve from there, if they do, is completely up to you.
Our Process
When reading submissions, points are added based on the quality of several aspects of storytelling.
- Prose: style, voice, descriptive clarity
- Plot: coherence, originality, tension, stakes
- Grammar: spelling, mechanics, clarity (only gains 1 point if not poor)
- Concept: creativity, uniqueness
- Structure: pacing, clarity, flow
- Characterization: depth, motivation, believability
- Dialogue: realism, voice consistency
- Setting: atmosphere, immersion, a sense of place
Points are based on the quality of each aspect:
- Poor: 0 pts
- Adequate: 1 pt
- Good: 2 pts
- Excellent: 3 pts
Only stories scoring 13+ points are considered for publication. Ko-fi Supporters get the option to see their rubric if their piece is rejected.
Masthead
Danielle Ellis, editor
I have no personal taste to list here. It's not important. I want to judge your work for its merits. Outside this new venture, I am a graphic and web designer with various publications scattered around.
November 2025
Character Prompt:
Vanessa is a middle-aged woman with yellow eyes and a nervous personality.
Submission Guidelines
– We only accept prose up to 3,000 words in English. This is a hard limit, any stories exceeding this will be automatically rejected.
– We do not accept AI written content.
– Due to financial limitations, we use a form to accept submissions and have a text box for you to type or paste your story. Please make sure to add a break in between paragraphs for readability.
– We do not consider reprints, only unpublished work, please. We do accept simultaneous submissions but ask for immediate withdrawal if your work is accepted elsewhere.
– No multiple submissions, just one per person. If your story is rejected, please wait until the next prompt before submitting again.
– We will not publish work that is offensive or shows hatred, prejudice, or violence directed towards a particular race, religion or any form of religious bashing, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic class, or other social identity or status.
– We are currently unable to offer payment, but hope to within the next few years.
– If accepted, these are the rights we request:
- First Electronic Publishing Rights: the right to be the first to publish the Work online.
- Exclusive Electronic Rights: the right to be the sole publisher of the Work for 30 days after publication.
- Archival Rights: the right to keep the Work on the this website and in our archives indefinitely, unless requested to remove it.
– You can reach us at mail (at) interrobanglit.com.