Welcome to The Pitch, a monthly discussion thread of the best speculative fiction on Substack, introduced by the authors themselves!
Whether you’re a reader searching for new worlds or a writer ready to promote your latest piece, this thread is for you! Here’s how it works:
📝 Are you a writer?
Head to the comments and add:
A link to the speculative fiction that will keep your readers up at night (short story, serial chapter, anthology excerpt, essay, etc.).
A 1–2 sentence pitch to hook new readers.
Bonus: Share the inspiration behind the story, a moodboard, the first line, favorite reader tropes. Be creative!
🔖Are you a reader?
Head to the comments:
Browse the comments to discover fresh speculative fiction directly from the authors.
Like the ones that catch your eye.
Leave a comment on a story you enjoyed—it makes a writer’s day and starts great conversations.
Already have a favorite ghost story to fit the theme of this spooky month (on or off Substack)? Leave a comment to drop a rec of your own!
🖖Support the Community
Want to help these stories reach more readers?
Restack. Restack this thread. Restack the stories you are reading. Let fellow Substackers know what you enjoy.
Share it to Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram, Facebook, share it with your mom, uncle, best friend, grandpa, neighbor who weirdly does yardwork at midnight—anywhere speculative fiction lives, let them hear from you.
Your word of mouth holds so much power. The more you share, the more readers will read, the more connections we build. Let’s keep the signal strong.
Dreaming in Space
What astronauts dream about on the six-month weightless journey to Mars, and why the first nights are the strangest.
(A short sci-fi story essay | J.Barry Between Worlds)
https://jbarrybetweenworlds.substack.com/p/dreaming-in-space
They were tricked and trapped. How do they get out?: https://davidperlmutter.substack.com/p/a-hole-lotta-trouble