WANTED: Space opera stories about alien ruins

Every ruin tells a story.

Across the vast expanse of space and time lie the remnants of civilizations that reached for the stars—and vanished. Silent cities carved into asteroids. Derelict megastructures drifting between galaxies. Temples buried beneath the red sands of dead worlds.

We're seeking bold tales of humanity's encounters with these cosmic ruins.

Your stories might follow determined archaeologists as they reconstruct the fall of galaxy-spanning empires, or track seasoned salvage crews discovering terrible truths in abandoned space stations.

Think Indiana Jones meets Arthur C. Clarke. We want stories that capture the thrill of discovery while grappling with the humbling reality of our place in the cosmos.

What we're looking for:

• Strong character-driven narratives about those who dare to uncover the truth
• Stories that capture the wonder, terror, and mystery of discovering alien ruins
• Rich atmospheric details that bring ancient sites to life
• Original interpretations of why advanced civilizations vanish
• Tales that connect the deep past to humanity's future

Story requirements:

• Minimum length: 2,000 words
• Maximum length: 12,000 words
• Genre: Space Opera / Science Fiction
• Theme:Must feature the exploration or discovery of alien ruins as a central element
• Completeness:Stories should be complete narratives, not excerpts
• Quality:Must be entertaining, original, previously unpublished work

What to avoid:

• Fantasy elements (unless clearly framed within a science fiction context)
• Stories set on Earth
• Purple prose
• Excessive gore
• Explicit sex

Submission Deadline

October 15th, 2025

Campaign Launch Window

Q1 2026

Payment

Guaranteed minimum: $35 per author. As a contributing author, your payment would be calculated as a percentage of the profit from the Kickstarter campaign. I estimate this to be $35-250 per author, the higher end of which would be on par with pro rates for major fiction magazines. Payment would be split between contributing authors according to wordcount.

Rights

You agree to grant me (M.G. Herron at MG Publishing LLC) exclusive worldwide e-book, audiobook and print rights for 1 year from publication. You also agree to grant non-exclusive rights to sell your story as part of this anthology for 7 years. Your work will not be re-used in any other format without your permission. After the year-long exclusivity period is over, you may republish or license the story in non-exclusive channels (no KU).

How to submit

Send your story to matt@mgherron.com with the subject line, “RUINS SUBMISSION - [Story Title]”

Questions? Email me at matt@mgherron.com

Join us in exploring the greatest mysteries our galaxy has to offer.

The answers await in Ruins.