Fiction Submissions
Ends on
******** SUBMISSIONS OPEN 3/8/23-3/11/23 FOR AWP ATTENDEES
We look for fiction with a literary focus and prioritize characterization and psychological depth. No genre pieces considered.
We want stories that make the reader think and feel, work that humbles us with its joy, humor, embarrassment, anger, hope, grief, or all of the above, and gravitate toward writing that has something important to teach us--something that readers really need to know, but might not have understood this was a need until the last word of the work.
Manuscripts are read between April 1 and August 1 & August 15 to December 15.
NOTE: Submissions which do not meet the following guidelines will not be considered:
- All submissions must be previously unpublished and are limited to one entry per submission period.
- While we have no hard limit regarding story length, most pieces we accept are typically less than 5,000 words.
- Work must be submitted as a Microsoft Word file and include a clear title of the work
- Submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter and a biography of no more than 150 words. Work submitted without a biography will not be considered.
- In your cover letter, please mention your social media handles (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter). If you have a website dedicated to your writing, please include the link in your cover letter as well.
Submit Only Once Per Reading Period.
While we offer free submissions the first week of each month (April to December), general submissions are typically $3 (to cover administrative costs).
You may also choose to receive a quick decision about your work for $10, and may also receive a quick decision about your work along with personalized feedback from the editors for $25 (1.5-2 pages). The response time for both expedited and personalized options is approximately 2 weeks.
Please take a moment to follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter.
You'll also find us on Threads and Bluesky.