Conbook Guidelines

Conbook Submissions status is: OPEN

Final Deadline: December 13th, 2025

Conbook Submissions

Submission Email: Send all entries to conbook@furtherconfusion.org
Theme: Submissions that reflect the 2025 themes of “Office Workplace” or similar concepts are highly encouraged.

Any submissions to the Further Confusion Conbook must be received to our inbox no later than the deadline above.

Extensions will be on a case-by-case basis at the con’s discretion; contact us at conbook@furtherconfusion.org ASAP if you think you may need more time!

We welcome illustrations, short fiction, articles, poems, and advertisements!
Submissions should align with the mission of Further Confusion by featuring therianthropic or anthropomorphic characters as primary themes.
Content that reflects the current year’s theme is especially encouraged.
Additionally, we welcome works that highlight San Jose, furry conventions, or our community as a whole.
Content Guidelines: Submissions must be appropriate for a teen audience, which means avoiding explicit depictions of sex or violence and minimizing rough language.
Art Specifications: Artwork can be in black and white, grayscale, or CMYK color. Please ensure all artwork adheres to print standards.
Space Limitations: Due to limited page space, not every submission can be published. If your file is larger than 10MB, please email conbook@furtherconfusion.org to arrange a transfer before submitting.

Text Submissions: Should be no more than five pages (approx. 5,000 characters per page).
Illustrations and Advertisements: Follow the sizes below. Note that we may adjust final sizing to fit page margins.

Size	Safety Area	Trim Size	Bleed Size	Ad Rate^☆
Full Page	7.5" wide x 10" tall	8.5" wide x 11" tall	8.75" wide x 11.25" tall	$100
Half Page	7.5" wide x 4.875" tall	Not applicable	Not applicable	$50
Quarter Page	3.625" wide x 4.875" tall	Not applicable	Not applicable	$25

^☆ For paid advertisements only.

Size: The overall space the advertisement occupies on a page.
Safety Area: The inner area where all critical information should be placed to prevent it from being cut off. This includes essential text and elements like artist signatures.
Trim Size: The final dimensions of the page.
Bleed Size: The extended area of artwork that reaches the edge of the page, ensuring no unwanted borders. If artwork lacks a bleed, adjustments may be made (often with a white background) to meet this requirement.
Ad Rate: The cost of placing an advertisement in the conbook, unless another arrangement is agreed upon with Further Confusion.

File Naming: Ensure that all submitted files have clear, descriptive names to help us easily identify your work.
Preferred File Types: For optimal print quality, we recommend submitting files in PDF, PNG, JPG, or **AI/EPS ** (vector format). If you’re working in Photoshop, please export your files in one of these formats.
Image Specifications: Images should be 300 dpi and in CMYK color mode (not RGB) for accurate color reproduction. Be sure to flatten any layers before submission to avoid potential formatting issues.
Text Submissions: For story submissions, we accept:
- Word (.doc/.docx) or RTF files.
- All text submissions will be formatted using the conbook’s standard template to ensure consistency across entries.
- Advertisements may use custom layouts, but all other text entries will be uniformly styled.
- Poetry Layout: If your poetry requires specific formatting, such as precise spacing or line breaks, we will do our best to honor these layout details.

Advertisements combining text and images in full-fledged graphic design should be submitted as PDF files, provided they have been checked thoroughly for font or color problems.