Are you a Black woman writer with a passion for storytelling and music? We are excited to announce an open call for submissions for short stories and essays inspired by music.

From Saturday mornings hiding under pillows as the sound of Anita Baker creeps under the door…to block parties and BBQs…let’s use music as our creative inspiration!

In so many ways, music is a heartbeat of Black culture, the soundtrack to our lives, tied to memories of laughter, love, struggle, and triumph for generations. It’s more than just sound; it shapes our experiences, tells our stories, and connects us to our roots. 

Music has always been a source of inspiration, healing, and joy. It’s a force that transcends boundaries and speaks to our souls. Whether it’s the soothing melodies of a lullaby, the powerful harmonies of a gospel choir, or the beats that make us dance, music is intertwined with our personal narratives.

This open call invites you to explore and celebrate this connection by sharing your unique stories and essays that use music as a prompt.

What We’re Looking For:

• The Prompt: We’re looking for original, previously unpublished short stories and essays that use music as a prompt. Your piece can be inspired by anything from a lyric from your favorite song to a song title, or even a personal memory. 
• Creativity:  Be creative, not prescriptive, with the prompt and let your creativity shine through
• Engagement: Writing that draws readers in and makes them feel the rhythm of your words

General Guidelines

• Word count: Minimum 1,200. Max: 7,000
• Compensation: $0.07 per word for Short Stories and $150 for Personal essays. Rate and word count based upon the final, edited piece. We pay upon acceptance, not publication
• Submissions should be submitted in proper manuscript format with your name, email address, and the story’s total word count on the first page. Click here for an example of proper short story manuscript format

We accept only previously unpublished work. Responses will be provided by October 31, 2024.

Are you a Black woman writer with a passion for speculative fiction and horror? We want to hear from you!

We’re looking for previously unpublished, character-driven narratives that transport readers to worlds beyond their wildest imagination. Need context? Need context? Check out our speculative section and previous speculative issues HERE.

Speculative fiction is a broad genre encompassing elements that transcend the boundaries of our everyday reality. Whether it’s the eerie unknown, futuristic or dystopian landscapes, supernatural phenomena, or fantastical realms, these stories have the power to captivate and provoke thought.

From spine-chilling horror to visionary sci-fi and everything in between, we want to explore speculative fiction from your perspective.

• Word count: 2,000-7,000
• All submissions will be considered for publication on a rolling basis on midnightandidigo.com or in our Speculative fiction special issue (online and/or print).
• We offer $0.07 per word for Short Stories accepted for publication in our annual Speculative issue and on midnightandindigo.com. Rates and word count based upon the final, edited piece. We pay upon acceptance, not publication
• Submissions should be submitted in proper short story manuscript format with your name, email address, and the story’s total word count on the first page. Click here for an example of proper short story manuscript format.
• We accept only previously unpublished work. Responses will be provided in 3-4 months.

Are you a Black woman writer passionate about crafting beautifully written, character-driven short stories?

midnight & indigo is excited to announce an open call for submissions for personal essays. We’re looking for previously unpublished short stories that capture the essence of the human experience. Literary fiction delves deep into the human condition, exploring themes of identity, relationships, and the intricate nuances of everyday life. These stories should resonate emotionally, offering readers a window into the world’s complexities and the richness of personal experiences.

Subject matter and plots can run the gamut, but we want emotion, grit, soul, and writing that forges an immediate connection with the reader. We want to celebrate the artistry and depth of Black literary fiction through your work.

Need context? Check out our short story section and previous issues.

General Guidelines

• Word count: Minimum: 1,500. Max: 7,000
• We pay for all accepted pieces. Our rate is $0.07 per word for Short Stories. Rates and word count based upon the final, edited piece. We pay upon acceptance, not publication
• Submissions should be submitted in proper short story manuscript format with your name, email address, and the story’s total word count on the first page. For our purposes, you do not need to include a mailing address or phone number. Click here for an example of proper short story manuscript format.
• All submissions will be considered for publication in our upcoming print anthology (~February 2025) 
• If you are submitting a Speculative/Horror piece, please DO NOT use this form. Click HERE for details.

We accept only previously unpublished work. Responses will be provided by December 30, 2024.

Are you a Black woman writer with a story to tell that’s bursting with emotion, grit, and soul? We want to hear from you!

midnight & indigo is excited to announce an open call for submissions for personal essays. We’re looking for previously unpublished, personal, and evocative first-person essays that forge an immediate connection with readers.

Personal essays offer a window into the soul, capturing the raw, unfiltered essence of individual experiences. They provide a powerful platform for Black women to share their truths, challenges, triumphs, and everything in between. We want to celebrate and showcase writing that resonates on a deep level.

Need context? Check out our previously published essays.

General Guidelines

• Essays must meet our minimum 1,200 word count requirement.
• We pay for all accepted pieces. Our rate is $100-150 for Essays accepted for publication. Rate based upon the final, edited piece. We pay upon acceptance, not publication
• Submissions should be submitted in proper manuscript format with your name, email address, and the story’s total word count on the first page. For our purposes, you do not need to include a mailing address or phone number. Click here for an example of proper manuscript format.

We accept only previously unpublished work. Responses will be provided by December 30, 2024.

Thank you for your interest in teaching at midnight & indigo!

Are you a writer, editor, teacher, or aspiring contributor with a knack for instruction and storytelling? If that's you, we'd love to hear from you. We launched our online class platform in January 2022, focused on offering writing, craft, genre-based, and workshopping classes to writers of all experience levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). You may view upcoming offerings here.

Our instructors have a wide range of teaching, writing, and experience levels — we encourage you to fill out this form even if you are new to or are looking for teaching experience. We recommend reviewing our published works at midnightandindigo.com for a sense of our content and the writer population we serve.

We are interested in course proposals based on:

• Short story writing
• Novel writing
• Craft (Character development, plot, dialogue, scene, etc.)
• Genre-based courses (Speculative, Romance, 
• Speculative 
• Essay Writing
• Editing
• Book Analysis and discussion (works by Black and POC writers only)
• Workshopping
• Also open to your ideas!

All classes will be held via Zoom.

We are currently accepting applications for courses starting between now and May 2024.

This is a paid opportunity; the per-hour pay scale will be discussed with chosen applicants upon receipt of the query; and based upon curriculum and time commitment. This is a contract, not a salaried position.

Please fill out the below form to get started. If you seem like a good fit for our program, we’ll follow up to request additional information within 4-6 weeks. If selected, you will be asked to submit formal course proposal, and participate in a truncated mock class as a component of the interview process.

General Guidelines

• Classes must focus on craft, with intentionality around helping writers to become more confident, skilled, and effective in their prose
• Classes should include a combination of lecture/instruction, writing exercises, and in-class discussions
• Our class offerings will include 1-day, 2-day, 2-week, 3-week, and 4-week seminars
• Individual class sessions will run for a minimum of 90 minutes to a maximum of 3 hours each
• The application will remain open until positions are filled

Have questions? Please message us via your Submittable account or email us at classes@midnightandindigo.com