Shanty Tales 

​Due for publication in the summer of  2026, "Shanty Tales" is a collection of short stories inspired by sea shanties and traditional sea songs. The title of your story should be the title of the shanty you choose.  If you need to, you can add a subtitle.

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There are several ways to approach this project:

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• Take the story behind the shanty and write it as prose, expanding it into a short story

• Write a story about one of the characters mentioned in the shanty

• Write a story set at sea, ion which your chosen shanty plays an important role

• Write a story about a Shantyman (the crew member responsible for leading shanties)

• Anything else you can think of as long as it's inspired by a sea song!

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IMPORTANT NOTE RE COPYRIGHT - If your story is about a modern shanty  - that is, something that is still subject to copyright - you must not quite lyrics.  If you use a "traditional" shanty - one that has no copyright - you may quite the lyrics.  If in doubt, please ask us. 

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There is no cost for you to submit a story and there is no cost if we choose it for publication.  As an author you will be able to buy as many copies as you like at half-price, enabling you to resell and make a profit. ​

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About Your Story

 

• These stories can be any genre - it could be a war story, a romance, or about a sea monster - your choice.

• The characters should be inspired by whichever song you choose

• You can either set your story back in history, or make it contemporary 

• This book is intended for adult readers

• Each story should be 3000 - 6000 words

• You remain the copyright owner of your story and you are free to publish it elsewhere. More details ​

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Formatting

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• We will provide a Microsoft Word template for you to use, along with style and formatting guidelines. 

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Project Rules

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• No submissions from under 18s for this particular project.

• Your story must be all your own work.

• Your story must not contain anything that is legally questionable or libellous.

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How the book will be sold

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• The book will be sold primarily on Amazon.  

• You will have the option to buy as many copies as you like at half price if you choose, which you can resell or give away.

• We ask authors to spread the word among friends and family - after all, they'll want to read your story!

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Deadline and Publication Date 

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• Submission deadline: 15th July

• Publication date: July / August 2026

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Money

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• We will never ask you to pay to contribute to our books

• We do not pay royalties but you can make money from your story by buying as many copies as you like at a discounted rate and reselling although there is no obligation to do so. 

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