Spring Anthology Submissions
To celebrate our fifth anniversary this year, we’re publishing our second original anthology! Well we have BIG NEWS about our next anthology: we are hosting an open submission period!
We are looking for 10-12 short stories to include in our 2026 June anthology.
We will be accepting submissions for finished short stories from July 1st-31st.
Submission Requirements:
🌸 Theme: Rebirth - focusing on a Spring theme.
🌸 ~6000 words, Any genre
🌸 Must be queer, but can include any representation
🌸 Medium or lower spice level
🌸 Standalone (can be associated with a current work, as long as it can be read without reading the other works)
🌸 Are written in English
🌸 All works and characters must be original to the submission author
We are not accepting submissions that include any of the following:
🌼 Written using any kind of AI
🌼 Unchallenged bigotry of any kind
🌼 Non-original works or characters to the author
To the left is a mockup of our first anthology which was released in December 2024! Our Spring anthology will match in style but with spring imagery!
F.A.Q.
Q: When will authors be contacted if their story is accepted in the anthology?
A: Rainbow Crate will contact the selected authors in Oct 2025.
Q: Will author be paid for their submissions?
A: Authors whose stories are selected for the anthology will receive compensation for story inclusion in the anthology.
Q: How do the rights of the stories work if my story is selected?
A: If your story is selected to be included in the anthology, there will be a temporary exclusive rights period for Rainbow Crate.
The exclusive rights period will run ~6 months after the publication of the anthology.
Once the exclusive rights period ends, authors will regain all rights to their story and can do whatever they'd like with the story.
Q: How do the rights of the stories work if my story is not selected?
A: Rainbow Crate will not hold the rights to any stories that are not selected to be in the anthology.
Q: Can I submit more than one story?
A: Authors can submit more than one story. Each story must be a separate submission entry in the form. We will not accept simultaneous submissions. Submissions will need to be submitted as a word doc and include the following information on a cover page:
🌷Story title
🌷Author name
🌷Complete rep list
🌷Complete content warning list
Q: What if I notice an error in my submitted story?
A: After stories have been selected, there will be time for the author to make small revisions. After author revisions are complete, stories will be sent to our copy editor for the project.
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Buy here!A Queer & Cozy Winter
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Extras of the June box containing the Summer Anthology: It's a Queer, Queer Summer will be available soon!
