Mastering the Professional Submission Process

February 21, 2026 @ 9:30AM Pacific Time

presented by Steve Capone Jr.

Whether you are prepping your first short story submission or looking to sharpen your professional edge, the submission circuit can be a bit of a maze, and there's always more even a pro can learn. This session will pull back the curtain on how editors filter submissions and show you how to give your work a competitive edge in a crowded market.

Using Whisper House Press’s current open call for DOOM SCROLL (a social media horror anthology) as a live case study, Steve will provide a look from behind the editor’s desk. Whether you are finishing your first flash fiction piece or are an established author looking to pivot into new markets, this intensive, hands-on workshop will provide the roadmap you need for your next submission.

Steve Capone, Jr. (M.A., M.S.) is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and publisher. In its first two years of operation, Capone's Whisper House Press has released horror anthologies Costs of Living, Dread Mondays, and Year One, earning four spots on the Bram Stoker Award Recommended Reading list for 2025 and nominating six stories for the Pushcart Prize. His own fiction includes a host of anthology shorts and the League of Utah Writers' Gold Quill-winning Max in the Capital of Spies. Steve previously provided editorial assistance on the DVWG's Menagerie and looks forward to the Guild's next project!