the Crispy Demon

What Can I Submit?

Both fiction and nonfiction pieces are accepted. As long as what you have in mind fits the theme, it’ll probably be a-ok. 

Off the top of our head, we’re thinking of:

Essays of your personal experiences

Short stories 

Poetry 

Mock advice columns

Alternative covers

Fictional advertisements

Comics 

Recipes

We welcome you to think outside the box and share whatever inspires you about being otherhearted!

How to Participate

Send us an email at nova-dergs(@)proton.me with:

A name you would like the piece attributed to 

Title of your submission

Any content warnings that you feel are necessary for the piece

Any social media handle or personal website you'd like linked in the contributor section

A logo or icon for the contributor section

**If you would like to stay anonymous let us know

Members of systems are welcome to submit individually or collectively. Please let us know your preference when it comes to attribution.

Once the deadline has passed, these submissions will be put into the zine and it will be posted on itch.io as a free PDF. 

Submissions are due by November 15, 2026.

Submission Guidelines

Each individual may submit up to 3 works to be featured in From Within Our Hearts. Comics and multi-image works count as one piece. Individuals within a system may each submit up to 3 works. All work must be your own! Anyone caught plagiarizing or submitting AI-generated work will be barred from entering any future zines from us.

Written submissions and multi-part art entries should not exceed 10 pages. Please keep in mind the zine’s pages will be 8.5 x 11 and entries will be scaled accordingly to fit that size. We request all art submissions to be sent in either .jpg or .png file formats. 

For stories that use multiple different fonts, we will do our best to preserve the general "feel" of your piece but cannot guarantee we will be able to use the exact fonts or sizes due to restrictions in what fonts we have access to, readability and overarching zine style.

Submissions Must Fit the Thematic Criteria of:

Being otherhearted / hearttype appreciation

That’s it! Go wild.

No portfolio or prior zine experience is needed to be included.

FAQ

Q: Where will the zine be hosted? What will it cost?

A: The zine will be hosted digitally on our itch.io and will be free to download. 

Q: Is there a cap on total submissions to be included?

A: There is none, as long as the file doesn’t start getting too big for our computer we’ll do our best! If there are an unprecedented amount of submissions, we may have to delay the release. In the event that happens, we would communicate that through updates on our tumblr.

Q: Can I update my submission after it’s been submitted?

A: Yes you may, as long as it’s done before the submission deadline.

Q: Can I rescind my submission?

A: Yes you may, as long as it’s done before the submission deadline. This is because once we begin work on the zine, having to remove content mid-way through would throw off the formatting of everything else after. Please take this into account before submitting. 

Q: Will this zine allow +18 entries?

A: No, nothing 18+ will be accepted.

Q: Can I submit already completed/published works?

A: Absolutely! It’s ok to submit past work that has been posted to your social media or website. Our only stipulation is that it cannot have been previously featured in another zine. This helps us keep each of our zines unique and distinct from others.

Q: What is your timeline for the project?

A: Our submission deadline is November 15, 2026. Our goal is to have the zine live by the end of the year. If something unforeseen happens and we are unable to make that deadline, we will post an update about it on our tumblr.

Q: I have another question!

A: Feel free to reach out to us at our email nova-dergs(@)proton.me with any other questions you have about the zine.

Previous Community Zines:

Modern Draconity

My Gender is [NOT] Human

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Each individual may contribute up to 3 accepted submissions to be published in Inky Paws; individuals within systems may each submit 3 pieces, that is to say 3 pieces per systemmate/headmate/preferred term.

Comics and similar multi-part pieces count as one submission altogether: if you submit a single story that has been divided into two sub-stories for dramatic emphasis, or if you submit 10 pages of a single-story comic, or if you submit a written piece of fiction and an accompanying image that you drew or otherwise created to go along with it, that would still only count as one piece.

Submissions must fit the thematic criteria of:

Being explicitly about or based on nonhumans, otherkin, therianthropes, fictionkin, alterhumans, or similar groups, or;

Having strong themes or describing experiences strongly reminiscent of or related to nonhumans, otherkin, therianthropes, fictionkin, alterhumans, or similar such as (but not limited to):

Characters experiencing nonhumanity or alterhumanity as being a part of themselves/their identity,

Characters experiencing anything similar to a shift (including physical shifting),

Characters struggling with (emotionally, socially, or otherwise) being both human and nonhuman or alterhuman in some way,

Characters having a past-life as something nonhuman or alterhuman that strongly still impacts their current life, or

Characters desiring to be nonhuman or have nonhuman attributes.

TL;DR - Your submissions have to relate to or be about alterhumans or nonhumans in some way, shape, or form.

Written submissions must not exceed 7500 words, and must also use a reader-friendly font with a text size of or exceeding 16 pt.

For stories that use multiple different fonts, such as pieces meant to imitate newspapers and similar, every effort will be made to preserve the general "feel" of your piece but fonts may not be transferred over 1:1 due to potential conflicts with font copyright, readability, and overarching zine style.

Multi-part image submissions must not exceed 10 pages in length, and must also use a reader-friendly font with a text size of or exceeding 16 pt if they include text. Images larger than 8.5 x 11in. will be scaled down to an appropriate size; please take that into account when creating and submitting your images. It is also recommended that images be vertical or square in their orientation.

Written submissions should be submitted as a .docx file. Images and mixed media pieces should be submitted as either .jpg or .png files.

All submitted pieces should be your own work. Individuals caught plagiarizing or using AI within their submissions will be barred from participating in Inky Paws, including in any potential future volumes.

SUBMISSION FAQ:

Q: Where will this zine be hosted? A: The zine will be hosted for free download on Itch.io, where issues 1, 2, and 3 of the zine are already hosted.

Q: What is the cap on submissions? A: At this time, we are not looking to accept more than roughly 25 submissions at most, in order to keep numbers and expectations manageable.

Q: Can I update my application after submitting? A: Yes, so long as the updates are submitted before the submission deadline!

Q: What is your policy on content moderation and content warnings? A: If you feel your piece needs content warnings, please include them in the submission, as we are hoping to include relevant content warnings and maturity ratings alongside all pieces. We are at this time accepting pieces of all tones and ratings.

With that said, It should be noted that any items submitted with soapboxing intent and anti-nonhuman, anti-alterhuman, anti-fictionkin, or similar leans are largely not welcome, as this is a zine geared towards all aforementioned groups and then some.

Q: Can I submit an in-progress draft or sketch? Can I claim a spot in the zine before sending in my submission? A: We are not currently accepting WIP pieces for submission at this time, though feel free to send us your WIP if you have questions related to its future submission. We also cannot reserve or guarantee a spot in the zine pre-submission, regardless of any existing drafts or WIPs.

Q: Can I submit a piece of fanfiction? A: While we've now accepted pieces of fanfiction in the past, we tend to prefer to leave them out for legal reasons. If you submit a piece of obvious fanfiction, please know that it may be significantly more likely to be rejected from the zine and that, if the piece is accepted, the piece may be removed without warning from the zine later on if DMCA or legal issues arise. We strongly advise that individuals who wish to write something inspired by fiction make it non-obvious to the outside reader where the inspiration is being taken from.

Q: Can I submit something I've created in the past? A: You can submit something you've created in the past, but please try to avoid submitting anything that you've published previously and is currently publicly accessible. For example, if the story you want to submit has already been featured in a different anthology, please don't submit it to Inky Paws! We want to encourage people to create new pieces, or to put the spotlight on pieces that haven't previously had the opportunity to be published.

Q: What is the projected timeline for this project? A: Submissions will close by November 30th of 2026. The publish date of the zine depends on submission amount and size of submissions; in an ideal world, we hope to have the zine published by December, before year's end.

Q: Can I rescind my submission? A: As long as you request to rescind your submission before the submission deadline, yes. After the deadline passes and the formatting and work towards publishing begins, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to remove your work from the zine due to time constraints and potential formatting issues. Please take this into account before submitting.

Q: Will there be any physical copies of this zine? A: Due to cost restraints and a lack of printing experience on the part of the zine organizers, we have no physical copies of this zine planned for print. You are, however, welcome to download and print copies of the zine for personal use.

1) So firstly I think it is important to mention that the confusion between it being a specified mental illness, delusion or neither, *CAN* and frequently *IS* used to disregard *all* alter- and nonhuman experiences. Delusions are not limited to perceptions of "physical reality". Some consider it delusional to have a belief in past lives, to believe in the multiverse, and to be atypically human or nonhuman at all. For example spiritual psychosis is a frequently discussed phenomenon. And that anti-theists exist to begin with.

Thus it is unfair to apply this idea of "reality" to only *one* out of many groups. Also considering *all* beliefs can be misused, it does not make an identity false./ndir

2) A mental illness, by definition *must* be clinically significant and disturb an individuals cognition, emotional regulation or behaviour. They are often distressing and impairing (as in a disability)

Source World Health Organisation (WHO), "Mental disorders", last changed 30th September 2025 : https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders

Many physical therians, holotheres and other alterhumans are not inherently hindered by their experiences. Rather, at least in my case, most of my distress surrounding my nonhumanity (physical and not) comes from external individuals not acknowledging it and it not being understood. Especially since many "unconventional" outlets and expressions of nonhumanity is done by physical nonhumans.

3) "Even" if a physical therian or holotheres experience *is* caused by delusion or tied to a mental illness such as clinical zoanthropy, that does not make it invalid nor less real. Therianthropy and species identity can on any level be caused by these factors. For example; an individual whose therianthropy arose from being autistic and "not fitting in".

[Image ID; A divider of autumn leaves and dots, varying from maple to oak leaves in a light yellowish orange and a brownish red, End ID.]

Now onto why someone may experience identity as they do, Firstly I'd like to say that just as with emotional, psychological and spiritual therianthropy can physical have literally countless causes and explanations, these are merely a few I've seen frequently.

Another important disclaimer is that physical therianthropy, and alterhuman (identify as/with) terms can generally be divided into two subcategories; metaphorical and literal. Many individuals experience both, some one, some are fluid etc. As you (reader) will see are some explanations used for both group. And I cannot stretch this enough: This isn't an exhaustive list, and many individuals do not label how or why their identity is. They simply *are*.

Here are some metaphorical/figurative explanations:

1 - An individual perceives or wishes for their body to be perceived as that of their internal identity. 2 - An individual considers their body to be an extension of an internal facet of their identity, for example their soul or mind. Think "I am x psychologically/spiritually and this body is mine, thus this body is also that of x". This fits under the label concothere(source) 3 - An individual feels as if their true body is hidden by some sort of veil, for example that they have their "true" physical form on the astral realm or that their spirit has the shape of their 'type. The terminology "vessel" is common among this experience.

⚠️ Can also be literal, slightly different examples given 4 - An individual experiences a disconnect from one's externally perceived body, and feels that due to something their body is thus not "really theirs". 5 - An individual has or believes to have the genes of an altertype, but that they are not expressed. See methylated(link)

⚠️ Can also be literal

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Here are some "literal" explanations:

1 - An individual believing or feeling they have been experimented on somehow. Whether originally being theriform and then made to look human, or being human but somehow made nonhuman in any way.

2 - An individual feels as if their true body is hidden by some sort of veil, for example that there is a spell overlaying one's body. The terminology "vessel" is common amongst this experience.

⚠️ Can also be metaphorical/figurative, slightly different examples given

3 - An individual experiencing bodily shifts, whether it is a tangible change or something that otherwise affects how one's body is perceived and or experienced. For the former group; physical shifts, whether internal or external. Also may vary in amount of change. For the latter, experiences like sensory shifts can be experienced through a physical lens. For example having bettered senses of smell due to being, in any way, physically canine.

4 - An individual having certain physical experiences that one associates with or thinks to be caused by an altertype. Personal example; I am extremely uncomfortable standing upright (on my hind legs) and easily gets dizzy when standing. I have looked into this time and time again but doctors have found nothing wrong, leading me to associate it with my werewolfhood and being a sanguine vampire.

5 - An individual having physical characteristics considered "abnormal" by humanity but reflects that of an altertype. This is also covered undered deviae(link)

6 - Similar to point 4, An individual having behaviours that materialize in a way that affects one's body, pointing towards physical alterhumanity. For example; experiencing heat cycles, reacting from lack of hibernation or reaction to stimuli/emotions.

7 - An individual being transspecies and going through physical or medical transition. Which alters the appearence to be more nonhuman, hence why someone would "literally" identify as having a body that is in some way and to some extent nonhuman.

8 - An individual having the genes of an altertype, but that they are not expressed. See methylated(link)

⚠️ Can also be literal, slightly different examples given

[Image ID; A divider of autumn leaves and dots, varying from maple to oak leaves in a light yellowish orange and a brownish red, End ID.]

Finally, here is some explained by me, as a transspecies, biomorpher holotheric werewolf.

I know I have always been nonhuman, on all levels, hence being a holothere. My mind works differently, my beliefs don't align with that expected of "normal" humans, and specifically my body does not work in a way that is typical. It is not typical by human standards, but makes sense as a werewolf and cat. As a child I awaited for my first shift into a wolf, and while I do not consider myself a wolfblood anymore, it is still important to me as an anteatype.

I experience sensations, itching under my skin, stretching, fur growing. It is by those means literal, and it is werewolfic in nature. My body yearns to fully physically shift. My senses are sensitive, always, but sometimes more so. I'm extremely sensitive to smell which causes physical reactions.

My body craves raw meat, it craves drinking blood. And without it, I feel lightheaded, and more unstable. I am generally wobbly on my hind legs, I long for living as quadrupedally as I can.

Additionally I wish to physically transition at least to some extent, to feel more comfortable in how I am perceived, and to express myself. All my 'kinity is physical to some extent, whether I identify it physically or not. Simply because I am a creature who likes to express myself outwardly, and through my body.

[Image ID; A divider of autumn leaves and dots, varying from maple to oak leaves in a light yellowish orange and a brownish red, End ID.]

Ending note; I hope this helped someone, or was at least an interesting read. I apologize if my language was a bit off at any time, or if I sounded to strongly worded as it was not my intention. It is getting late for me (11:15 pm as of posting), but I wanted to get this out. Any revisions will be mentioned here. I may post the information part of this as a separate post as well. If you have anything to add feel free to reblog this, I love hearing more :3