Podfic and Fanfiction

Challenge seven! of the whole year!! what the hell!!! cannot believe we're in this deep...just yesterday I swear I was announcing 2026 events would be running......

Prompt: when we meet again

How it works:

Minimum 1k fic/writing OR 1 piece of art (which could be any of the following: drawing, podfic, poetry, graphic or fanmix) based on the prompt

Post completed works during the month anytime before midnight August 31st according to your time zone.

If posting to AO3 please tag works as 'femslash big bang monthly challenge' and add it to the AO3 collection (linked below). This makes it much easier to find works and confirm they're appropriate for the collection.

The round up post will be posted about a week later on September 7th

All Fandoms AND original works allowed, just so long as the main ship is femslash - see FAQ below or send an ask if you need anything clarified :)

Important links:

FAQ

Schedule

Prompt List (updated when prompts drop)

AO3 Collection 

Welcome to Sapphic September 2026!

These prompts are open to any fandom and any medium as long as the works center sapphic, WLW/NBLW, F/F+, or femslash ship(s). There are no other rules — you can use all, some, or only one of the prompts; do one or more a day or spread them out; begin late or post them after September; or mix ‘n’ match prompts; it’s up to you!

Make sure to tag your work(s) with #sapphicsept2026 or #Sapphic September 2026 so that others can find your contributions and to spread the word!

Not only will we get two episodes during Fanfic Month (Episode 2 and Episode 3 during Friendship Week and Theory Week respectively) somebody is going to write the 100th Fanfic in the Deep Space Discounts tag

I can't wait to write and read along with this wonderful community 💙🤎

I know what Immy's store number is! Or I just know the surface level code in it but I know things!

Tor, cream of the crop. 25 cents a word. Stories can be read for free (YES). Slowish response time at ~3 months. Prefer under 12k, absolute maximum is 17.5k. Don’t bother if it’s not highly professional quality. SFWA qualifying.

Crossed Genres. 6 cents a word. Different theme each month (this month’s is “failure”). Submissions must combine either sci-fi or fantasy with the theme. Response time 1 month. 1k-6k, no exceptions. SFWA qualifying.

Long Hidden, anthology from CG. 6 cents a word. 2k-8k, no exceptions. Must take place before 1935. Protagonist(s) must be under 18 and marginalized in their time and place. Must be sci-fi/fantasy/horror. Deadline 30 April. Response by 1 October.

Queers Destroy Science Fiction. Sci-fi only right now, author must identify as queer (gay, lesbian, bi, ace, pan, trans, genderfluid, etc, just not cishet). 7.5k max. Deadline 15 February. Responses by 1 March. You can submit one flash fiction and one short story at the same time. (My network blocks the Lightspeed site for some reason, so I can’t get all the submission details. >_>) Probably SFWA qualifying?

Women in Practical Armor. 6 cents a word. 2k-5k. Must be about 1) a female warrior who 2) is already empowered and 3) wears sensible armour. Deadline 1 April. Response within three months.

Fiction Vortex. $10 per story, with $20 and $30 for editor’s and readers’ choice stories (hoping to improve). Speculative fiction only. Imaginative but non-florid stories. 7.5k maximum, preference for 5k and under. (I kind of want to support them on general principle.)

Urban Fantasy Magazine. 6 cents a word. 8k max, under 4k preferred. Must be urban fantasy (aka, the modern world, doesn’t need to be a literal city). 

Nightmare. 6 cents a word. 1.5-7.5k, preference for under 5k. Horror and dark fantasy. Response time up to two weeks. SFWA and HWA qualifying.

Apex Magazine. 6 cents a word. 7.5k max, no exceptions. Dark sci-fi/fantasy/horror. SFWA qualifying.

Asimov’s Science Fiction. 8-10 cents a word. 20k max, 1k minimum. Sci-fi; borderline fantasy is ok, but not S&S. Prefer character focused. Response time 5 weeks; query at 3 months. SFWA qualifying, ofc.

Buzzy Mag. 10 cents a word. 10k max. Should be acceptable for anyone 15+. Response time 6-8 weeks. SFWA qualifying.

Strange Horizons. 8 cents a word. Speculative fiction. 10k max, prefers under 5k. Response time 40 days. Particularly interested in diverse perspectives, nuanced approahces to political issues, and hypertexts. SFWA qualifying. 

Fantasy and Science Fiction. 7-12 cents a word. Speculative fiction, preference for character focus, would like more science-fiction or humour. 25k maximum. Prefers Courier. Response time 15 days.

Scigentasy. 3 cents a word. .5-5k. Science-fiction and fantasy, progressive/feminist emphasis. Fantastic Stories of the Imagination. 15 cents a word. 3k maximum. Any sci-fi/fantasy, they like a literary bent. (psst, steinbecks!) They also like to see both traditional and experimental approaches. Response time two weeks. 

Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 6 cents a word. 10k maximum. Fantasy in secondary worlds only (it can be Earth, but drastically different—alternate history or whatever). Character focus, prefer styles that are lush yet clear, limited first or third person narration. Response time usually 2-4 weeks, can be 5-7 weeks. SFWA qualifying.

Clarkesworld. 10 cents a word up to 4000, 7 afterwards. 1-8k, preferred is 4k. Science-fiction and fantasy. Needs to be well-written and convenient to read on-screen. Appreciates rigour. No talking cats. Response time 2 days. SFWA qualifying.

Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show. 6 cents a word. Any length. Science-fiction and fantasy (along with fantastic horror). Good world-building and characterization. Clear straightforward prose. Response time three months. Yes, OSC is editor-in-chief. SFWA qualifying.

“You may even sail the dark seas in ships and lie beside nymphs in alien woods. You are your father’s son. Forever my boy. Forever our Ulysses.“ - Dark Age

Hello and welcome to the seventh round of the Chromatic Characters Podfic Anthology, a collection of short podfics that center characters of color in different fandoms, which will be released as an anthology and as a collection of individual files. Our optional theme this year is creation. Submissions are due Sept 12th and the anthology will be released on Sept 30th.

This anthology, like it’s predecessor, the Awesome Ladies Podfic Anthology, is a great place for new podficcers to get their start! It’s a low-pressure project, where you can be one of many voices in a collection. You can submit up to 5 podfics of stories of no more than 1500 words that center characters of color. You can find additional details at the link at the top!

In addition, we are looking for people who can assist with technical beta (checking works for volume, format consistency, metadata inconsistencies, etc.) who can commit to at least 2 hours of beta listening in September after submissions are in. We are also looking for volunteers of color who would be willing to lend their time and expertise as contextual content betas (formerly known as cultural sensitivity betas) to assist with vetting content warnings and that entries reflect the mission of the anthology. Please contact mods via the contact info at the info post if you’re willing to be a beta!