On submissions, or What we’re looking for

Jul 3

We look for originality and ingenuity from our authors. We want to be surprised, deepened, and expanded by what we read. We want our writers to take risks, to push the form (or cleave from it entirely), to bring their own, true voice to the table. We want you to see the world through new angles—tell us yours. Write honestly. Write with conviction. Write with clarity. Write from your gut. Write like you mean it. Write with the truest heart you know. Give yourself permission to get experimental, spontaneous, and adventurous. If you surprise yourself with it, it’ll probably surprise us, too. Our journals are places where risk is your ally, and daring your companion. We want to give readers access to a full landscape of creative expression. We encourage you to send work that meets that invitation.

And when you’re thinking about our theme, think about it from all directions—north, south, east, and west. Come at it sideways, upside down, inside out. Give it new life. Make it quirky. Make it humorous. Make us tingle with delight. Give it muscle and heart. We want passion and nerve. There’s nothing like being grabbed by the first line of a piece. Go for it. Give it everything you’ve got. We’re looking for boldness in writing - don’t be afraid to give it to us!

Tips for submission: (HINT, it’s all about reading!)

• Read about our theme for each issue. Only send us work that feels relevant and relatable to this. There is nothing more frustrating than reading pieces where the theme is an afterthought (or not a thought at all!) We try to keep the theme expansive enough to include a variety of interpretations, but specific enough to invite you to be discerning with what you submit. Think hard and ask yourself if what you want to submit truly feels connected to that issue’s theme.

• Read the fine print. We might ask for documents in certain formats, images with certain sizes, bios of certain lengths, naming conventions for your document files and instructions for how to title your emails to us. Please pay attention to these details so your submission will be considered. Go wild in your writing but please keep to the parameters of our submission requests—we have a tiny editorial team and it takes a lot of time to wade through an issue’s submission pile. Make it easier on us by following the instructions. If you have questions, you can always email us. Not following the instructions could mean your piece doesn’t make it into the issue

• Read the payment details. Know that you’ll need to pay for submitting your work. We aim to keep the fees very reasonable, but we know there are circumstances that may make payment in any amount difficult and that it’s also hard to ask for a break. For that reason, we will also have a free submission option to help build community and to make this process more equitable for everyone. If you do have the means, during our open submissions segment we also have a “Pay it forward” option where you can pay for the submission of someone who needs a boost. It’s so much more fun when EVERYONE has an opportunity to share their words.