Submissions
We believe in the power of the story to build connections. Send us your stories
Submissions
Submissions:
Submissions are generally open without a theme. We aim to publish every quarter
We'll have themed issues occasionally. These calls will have clear deadlines
We only accept submissions through our Duotrope page - use the button below to reach it
We don’t look at your name or your cover letter until after we’ve accepted it
Don’t put your name on the document - we only want to know who you are after we’ve accepted a piece
What we like
If what we were looking for was an animal it would be a bottom-feeder ugly bastard fish, with feathers on its fins and a coxcomb - riding a penny farthing
It's definitely not bland: it’s kind of scary, kind of funny, slightly lyrical and a bit weird - though even then we may not accept it because our tastes are fickle dandelion seeds that float on the breeze (and/or it may not fit the overall feel of the next edition)
It’s definitely a story encapsulating a moment after which nothing can ever be the same again (for the protagonist, the reader, the world. You decide)
There are no genre requirements, and nothing that is specifically off limits though Jack is a feminist and won’t take kindly to misogyny or gratuitous violence or anything that smacks of intolerance of any kind (seems a shame to have to mention it, but we are where we are)
What to expect from us
We review submissions on a rolling basis
We acknowledge receipt by return
We read every story with care and respect
Every submission will get a response
For our general submissions you should receive a decision within three weeks
For themed submissions with a closing date, we will send out decisions no more than two weeks after the closing date
We will offer a little feedback if we feel we have something constructive to offer
The basics
Send us fiction between 50 - 1,000 words We want stand-alone pieces, not sections of a longer work
We aren’t going to decline your story based on spelling, punctuation or grammar - we look only at content in the selection process
We may suggest edits - this will be a collaborative process based on mutual agreement. If we can’t agree (never happened yet) then either you or I can withdraw the piece
Preference for Times New Roman, double spaced, 12 font
If you've selected a different font or spacing as an artistic choice let us know -but be aware our website doesn’t easily support non-standard forms
No thanks to
Previously published stuff
Poetry (love poetry but this is a prose lit mag)
No AI-generated work - we only want human-made voices please!
No hate speech
No extracts from longer work - unless the extract works as a stand-alone story
What we'd like from you
Simultaneous Submissions are fine - we want you to get your words out in the world - just withdraw via email if it's accepted elsewhere. Let us know where and when and we'll cheerlead
Only get in touch about a submission if you haven't heard either way after 30 days.
Wait to hear from us (either way) before submitting again
Please give us a content warning at top of story for anything triggering. It won't rule your work out but we might choose to read it tomorrow if we're having a bad day
