Anthology Submission Guidelines

“Psycho Pulp” Anthology Submission Guidelines

Genre: Crime, horror, psychological thriller, western, science fiction, or any sub-genre or blend of these. In short, pulp fiction.

Theme: In this volume we are seeking to invoke the storytelling spirit of Alfred Hitchcock. This may be interpreted however you like but there should be a tie-in to the legendary director’s style, devices, and/or themes.

Editorial Preferences: We do not shy from sex and violence but we do not favor gratuitousness. The story can be accented by, but must not be a delivery device for, gore and/or reveling in human reproductive drives. 

We believe a good pulp fiction tale has a “hook”—a unique value proposition, and something equating to a punchline. It is a tale worth telling in its own right, enhanced by the author’s peculiar flair. The reader, not the writer, is the focus.

We are seeking stories as close to 100 percent AI-generated as possible. We want the typical phrasings and patterns that only a dead machine deriving averages from endless reams of existing texts can produce. Just kidding. Please do it old-school. We’re interested only in your vision and genius as a fellow organism beset by existential dread.

Length: 2,000 to 6,000 words. (Flash fiction stories will be obtained from the Flash Fiction Lab. Go to Vigilante Mag for details.)

Compensation: We pay $20 per short story. Payment will be made via PayPal or Venmo upon finalization of contributor list.

Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026.

To Submit: Send your story as a .DOCX (Word) file to anthology [at] vigilantecrime.com. Put “Volume 2 Submission” in the subject field. Briefly introduce your story and please provide a bio as you would like it to appear in the “Contributors” section. Feel free to include anything else that might be relevant. Please only submit one story at a time. 

Legal: By submitting and should your story be accepted you attest that you have full rights to the story. You grant us exclusive electronic and print rights for one year from the date of publication but otherwise retain full control over and ownership of the story.

To get an idea of the “vibe” and quality we are seeking, check out the first anthology!