So You Want to Scare the Pants Off Your Readers? The Final Girl Review Wants Your Nightmares!
Hey fellow word-wranglers! Found this deliciously dark little literary magazine that’s hungry for our most disturbing creations. If you’ve got stories that go bump in the night stuffed in your drafts folder, listen up—The Final Girl Review might be your new best friend.
Coffee’s brewing, notebook’s open, so let’s chat about where to send those creepy tales you’ve been hiding…
Fiction That Makes Readers Sleep With the Lights On
The Final Girl Review wants your horror stories—the ones that crawl under the skin and refuse to leave. They’re after everything from gothic mansions to psychological torment, supernatural visitors to body horror that makes readers squirm.
What caught my eye:
- Word count: 500-4,000 words (sweet spot for horror, if you ask me)
- They’re cool with dark fantasy elements as long as horror is the main dish
- No previously published work (yes, your blog counts)
- Only one submission at a time (so pick your best nightmare)
The formatting is standard stuff—12pt Times New Roman, double-spaced, name and email at the top. Nothing scary about that part!
Poetry That Howls From the Page
Got verse that ventures into the shadows? They’re looking for poems that explore fear, grief, and all things that go bump in the night.
The poetry scoop:
- Send up to 3 poems (maximum 100 lines each)
- All styles welcome—from structured gothic stanzas to screaming free verse
- Submit as a single document with each poem starting on a new page
I love how they put it: “Your nightmares deserve rhythm. Your monsters deserve a voice.” Isn’t that just the perfect invitation to let our darker thoughts dance?
Art That Bleeds Into Shadow
For you multi-talented folks who paint or photograph your horrors, they’re accepting visual art submissions too!
The artsy details:
- Illustrations, digital paintings, photography, collage, mixed media
- Submit up to 5 pieces (JPEG, PNG, or PDF at 300 dpi)
- Maximum 10MB per image
Essays, Reviews & True Scary Stories
This is what grabbed me—they want nonfiction too! Got thoughts on horror theory? A review of that obscure scary movie nobody talks about? Or maybe a true story about that time you swear something followed you home?
They’re looking for:
- Creative nonfiction (1,000-3,500 words)
- Reviews (800-1,500 words)
- Academic essays (1,500-4,000 words)
The Fine Print (That’s Actually Not So Bad)
Here’s the real talk: The Final Girl Review is currently a labor of love, which means they can’t pay contributors yet. But hey, we’ve all been there—sometimes getting your work out there is worth it, especially in a carefully curated space.
They typically respond within 4-6 weeks, and it’s currently a one-person operation (run with “love and a touch of madness”—their words, not mine, but I’m stealing that phrase).
Next Steps: Sending Your Spooky Stuff
Ready to submit? Here’s how:
- Pick your best piece that fits their guidelines
- Format according to their specs
- Email to thefinalgirlreview@gmail.com with the appropriate subject line:
- Fiction: “Fiction Submission – [Your Story Title]”
- Poetry: “Poetry Submission – [Your Name]”
- Art: “Art Submission – [Your Name]”
- Nonfiction: “Nonfiction Submission – [Title]” (or “Review” or “Essay”)
That’s it! Pretty straightforward, right?
Visit the website The Final Girl Review
Go Forth and Terrify
If you submit something, drop me a comment and let me know how it goes! And if you’re looking for more places to send your work, check out our submission opportunities board for fresh calls every week.
Now stop reading this and go make someone afraid to turn off their lights tonight!