Submission Guidelines
Open Call: Affection
We are open to anthology submissions for our latest collection, Affection, in collaboration with Women of Color Writers’ Group! For submission guidelines, please see the Open Call.
Inked is now closed to general queries
If we liked your pitch or if you're submitting by invitation, please follow the below guidelines.
Inked in Gray’s mission is to uplift creators and issues of the previously-excluded and challenge stereotypes and common misconceptions. Our submission criteria is broad, though we are looking for stories that encompass at least one of the following in regards to theme, character, plot, etc.
- Moral ambiguity
- Controversial or taboo
- Mental Health Issues
- Issues of social change
- Street culture
- #OwnVoices marginalized or previously excluded
Never miss an open call!
Novel Submission Guidelines
Please use the below guidelines for novel submissions. If you are submitting an anthology piece, you will find the guidelines in the anthology open call. If you have any questions on any of our submission guidelines (anthology, novel, etc), please do not hesitate to send us an email and ask!
What do we publish?
Genres: We work within the following genres: sci-fi, horror, fantasy, contemporary fiction, and thriller/adventure. We are not the best fit for romance or literary fiction at this time.
Age Groups: We are looking for Young Adult and Adult
Length: Novels and novella length works. If you would like to submit a short story, please see our themed Anthology Calls for more information. If you are an editor who would like to pitch a collection, please see our post on Collaborations.
We are also not the best fit for Children’s fiction, picture books, or MG.
How to format your query
Your query letter must include the following information
- Your name (if using a pseudonym)
- Website if available
- Author/Professional social media links if available
Word count - Genre, age category, word count
- Links to previously published works, including articles, short stories, etc. if available
- A compelling hook
- How your story relates to our mission
Please paste your query into the body of your email, but for visual accessibility reasons please attach (due to visual & ND accessibility needs):
- A 250 – 500 word synopsis (12 pt font, double spaced),
- The first 3 chapters of your manuscript (12pt font, double spaced)
Highlight any trigger warnings by referencing them in your query.
Submissions that do not attach synopsis and chapters will not be read.
Please be sure to label the subject of your email: SUBMISSION: [Title] -[Word Count] [Age Group] [Genre]
Please email your submission to submissions@inkedingray.com
When can I expect to hear back?
Once you submit your query, it could take 4 – 6 weeks to hear back from us. If we request a full manuscript, it could take us about 8 weeks to read through your materials.
There may be times we are running behind due to the high number of submissions. If it has been the minimum number of weeks, please feel free to inquire as to the status of your manuscript.
Work with Us
Are you an editor who would like to collaborate on an anthology or other creative project?
We are always open to hearing pitches for unique initiatives that fit our mission! These projects are not subject to our typical anthology and novel guidelines. Instead, send us a proposal with all relevant information for our staff to review. If we love your proposal, we’ll schedule a call to go over the details. See our Submission Guidelines page for more on what to include in your proposal.