Submission deadline October 1, 2026

Unbelievable Beasts: An Anthology of Monstrously Tall Tales is calling all fearless storytellers, myth-makers, and imaginative mischief-makers to unleash the creatures lurking at the edges of their imaginations.

We are seeking short stories of 3,000–7,500 words featuring monsters, beasts, cryptids, and strange beings drawn from mythology, folklore, legend, contemporary storytelling—or entirely of your own invention. Whether your creature crawls from an ancient ruin, hides beneath a city street, haunts the deepest ocean, or has never before been named, we want stories that are bold, fantastical, surprising, and gloriously unbelievable.

Reimagine a familiar legend. Introduce us to an overlooked monster. Invent a species no one has dared to dream of before. Make us laugh, shudder, gasp, or question what might be waiting just beyond the firelight.

Our goal is to fill this collection with the widest possible variety of creatures, cultures, tones, and storytelling styles, so originality is strongly encouraged. The stranger the beast, the taller the tale, and the wilder the imagination, the better.

Sharpen your claws, spread your wings, and let your imagination off its leash.

May the wildest writers win!

Some guidelines on how to send your submission:

• Your submission is in 12pt, Times New Roman font.
• The formatting of your submission is single spaced, with no spaces in between paragraphs, unless otherwise necessary.
• There is only one space after a terminal punctuation mark (period, question mark, etc.).
• The title of your submission and the name you wish to be published under are clearly stated at the top of your Google Doc.
• Each piece to be submitted is in its own Google Doc and is sent in with its own form.

Lastly, you are more than welcome to submit previously published work, so long as its publication rights are not restricted. 

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to reach out to theredpenguincollection@gmail.com.

 Click here to submit!