Original Research Submissions
Articles in the research essay category should be within 1,200 to 2,500 words excluding sources. Works must be previously unpublished. Each critical essay must include at least 8 sources excluding the primary thesis material. For example, if a film is the primary material in which a thesis is being discussed, the film must be included in the works cited but will not count towards the 8 sources needed to qualify for this category.
Criteria
Works submitted in the Critical Essay category must express a unique and original exploration of the horror genre with a clear thesis statement that is defined and defended via specific analyses of a film, book, work of art, or other relevant material. Critical Essays should be of a scholarly nature and are required to be supported with verifiable citations. We are interested in pieces that examine the socio-political, economic, heritage, folklore, cultural, environmental, or other academically inclined aspects of horror.
Content
All research essays should be presented in MLA format with in-text citations and a works cited page. We copy edit and content edit all of our articles. Each essay submission will be fact-checked against its sources to the best of the editors’ abilities and resources, including ensuring the context of the source is accounted for. We typically conduct a 2–3 step editing process with every single article on our site which allows writers to make changes before the article goes live. We reserve the right to make editorial suggestions to your drafted article, however, we will work with you to ensure that your voice is maintained. Additionally, What Sleeps Beneath follows an internal style guide for title formatting, actor crediting, etc. All submission pieces must follow this style guide. If your pieces makes significant use of images you will work directly with our Creative Director to determine the best presentation of your work on our site.
Editing Process
Payment & Publication
Published articles in the Critical Essays category will be compensated at $0.05 per word, payable upon publication. Payment is only valid if the article in question meets all required criteria and has been accepted for publication. Submitting to What Sleeps Beneath under any category does not guarantee publication or payment.
Authors who contribute Critical Essays will be given the byline along with a link to whatever project or website they wish to promote along with featuring articles in our social media, newsletter, and regular outlets, and are encouraged to use their credits on WSB in any professional manner they desire.
After Submitting
We’re excited to read your pitch! We’ll reach out to you as soon as possible, regardless of whether or not your pitch has been approved. If it has, you’ll be asked to sign a basic contract to protect all parties involved and we’ll assign you a timeline along with an estimated publication date.
Critical Essay Submissions
Please fill out the form below to submit your piece.