The theme for the Fall Contest is “jukebox.” <div><br></div><div>We encourage you to pick a song or sound that is meaningful to you, and allow it to inspire a piece. This song or sound could be associated with a vivid memory that you share with us. Or the piece could borrow stylistic choices from the song. Or you could flip through moments in time like songs on a jukebox. All that to say, feel free to interpret the theme in any creative way you’d like.</div>

Fall Contest

An international youth literary magazine showcasing the poetry and prose of writers ages 12-22.

Marmalade Lit was founded in 2025 by two writers looking to read works from global youth voices they wouldn’t traditionally be exposed to. Marmalade Lit’s goal is to amplify your ideas, creativity, and output. 

Marmalade is made from extracting the juice and peel from a fruit, condensing it into its core qualities of zest and sugar, and preserving its flavor palette. 

Likewise, we invite you to share your creative work that best represents you for its archival. Of course marmalade is also a spread, so as writers, we couldn’t resist seeing it as a metaphor for spreading your voice as well.

With that in mind, please submit your work! We look forward to seeing what you find beneath the peel.

Marmalade Lit

DCC accepts pitches and drafted pieces from disabled creators anywhere in the world that are either opinion or personal essay and:<br><div><br></div><div>a) illustrate how a system of oppression is disabling, such as racism, ableism, colonialism, capitalism, transphobia, etc; </div><div><br></div><div>b) explore the intersections of social movements and identity; or </div><div><br></div><div>c) explain how an unexpected issue is a disability issue.

Disability Culture Currents (DCC) accepts written submissions from 600 to 1,000 words, and topical comics/graphic storytelling with a combination of writing and illustration.</div>

DCC accepts pitches and drafted pieces from disabled creators anywhere in the world that are either opinion or personal essay.

Disability Culture

DCL is a nonprofit disability media and narrative lab, by and for disabled folks. We exist to dismantle ableism and celebrate disabled community and culture.

We are a nonprofit disability media and narrative lab building communications infrastructure by and for the disability community. We amplify and support disabled leaders to achieve big wins and shift narratives around disability and ableism.

Disability Culture Lab 

We are looking for short fiction (short stories and flash fiction) for our 2027 Spring edition. Ideally pieces that are in either YA or adult age groups covering literary fiction, slice-of-life, coming-of-age, magical realism, speculative, supernatural, horror, humor, experimental or hybrid fiction, blended genres. We want writers to tackle difficult topics, uncanny and uncomfortable subjects, the creepy, and the taboo.<div><br></div><div>We are currently not looking to accept hard fantasy, hard sci-fi, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, erotica. We understand that some of these elements may be blended with the main themes above, which would be absolutely fine.</div><div><br></div><div>We do not accept children’s literature or middle grade literature.</div>

Flash Fiction for Spring 2027

Oratoria is a London-based literary magazine that publishes fiction, book reviews, interviews, poetry, art, illustration, and photography. Their podcast The Deep List focuses on indie authors, small presses and indie publishers.

Oratoria Magazine

Short Stories for Spring 2027

Artifice is a biannual print journal that aims, by context and content, to showcase work aware of its own artifice. Please see our wish list for examples of the kind of work we're looking for.
We accept simultaneous submissions. We do not accept work that has previously been published elsewhere. We welcome international submissions and work in translation.
Subscribers, former Artifice contributors, and anyone who needs a fee waiver may submit for free here. Submissions are also accepted by mail:
Artifice
Attn: Editors
190 Bowery, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10012
Thank you for sharing your work with us. We look forward to reading it!

Poetry

A print journal that aims, by context and content, to showcase work aware of its own artifice.

Artifice is a biannual print journal that aims, by context and content, to showcase work aware of its own artifice.

Artifice

The Broken City is currently accepting submissions for its winter 2026 edition: "Down the rabbit hole", an exploration of dreams and dreaming.<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We're looking for nightmares, daydreams, hallucinations and absurd tales that are from, or relate to, the realm of dreams.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Send your poetry, fiction, essays, illustrations and photography to thebrokencitymag@yahoo.com.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Down the rabbit hole

The Broken City, ISSN 1916-3304, is published semi-annually out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Rights to individual works published in The Broken City remain the property of the author and cannot be reproduced without their consent. All other materials © 2007-2024. All rights reserved. All wrongs reversed.

The Broken City

The Charles Simic Poetry Prize is awarded annually to a single poem of exceptional vision and quality. It is judged by a  poet of note each year.
The 2026 judge is Lily Brown
One winner receives $1000 and publication in the spring issue.
One Editor's Choice receives $200, a piece of memorabilia signed by Charles Simic, and publication in the spring issue.
Five finalists receive $20 payment and publication in the spring issue.
​
The Charles Simic Poetry Prize is open for submissions from September 15 to October 15.
Please submit a single, previously unpublished poem in any style and any length. Absolutely no AI use during any stage of the process.
Submissions are read blind; please do not include any identifying material in your submission file.
Submission cap is 200.
Submission fee is $20.00. Fees are used to pay contributors, web fees, and organization member fees. The editorial staff is unpaid and the journal does not turn a profit.
25 of the 200 submissions are free and first come, first served. We ask that these free submissions be reserved for poets in financial need.

The Charles Simic Poetry Prize

Hole In The Head Review is committed to offering compelling contemporary poetry from both emerging and established artists and writers. We look for poems that reframe the ordinary, make the personal universal, and transcend the singular "I".

Hole in the Head Review was founded as a quarterly journal of art and poetry in 2019 by Bill Schulz. In 2025 Bill passed it to Mike Bove, its current Editor. Now a biannual journal, HITHR continues to feature some of the strongest work by established and emerging poets. 
​
In times of struggle and uncertainty, we turn to words and images to order the chaos, bring light to the darkness. Here you'll find poems that celebrate the collective human voice: our struggles and victories, our enduring spirit. 

​

Hole In The Head Review

Please submit up to three poems of no more than five pages.
General submissions, and poetry in the spirit of interdisciplinary work, are welcome.
We are particularly interested in poems that explore formal structures ranging from the traditional to the experimental, as well as poems that dissolve the boundaries between art and science.
We look forward to reading your poems!

45th Parallel is a literary magazine affiliated with Oregon State’s School of Literature, Writing, and Film that celebrates in-betweenness.

45th Parallel is a literary magazine that features creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, visual art, and comics. The magazine was established in 2015 as a print journal, but has recently moved completely into the digital realm. We publish a new issue every summer.

45th Parallel is affiliated with Oregon State University’s School of Writing, Literature, and Film in Corvallis. It’s managed and edited by MFA student volunteers and undergraduate interns. We also publish interviews with visiting authors, and book reviews.

We’re looking for well-crafted work that challenges readers, and is original in its ideas, themes, or form. For more information about submitting, check out our submissions page.

45th Parallel

Please submit a single piece of fiction up to 3,000 words in length, or two pieces of flash fiction under 1,000 words each
Simply put, we are looking for the stories that excite you. All types of fiction are considered. We love pieces that blend genres and engage thoughtfully with other fields of study. We encourage you to submit stories that take risks and embrace experimentation.
We look forward to reading your stories!

Fiction

Please submit one single piece of work up to 3,000 words, or two pieces of flash up to 1000 words each
We are interested in all types of creative nonfiction, from researched essays to memoirs to hybrid explorations. Whether traditional or experimental in form, successful submissions push against the typical bounds of the creative nonfiction genre and expand our understanding of what the essay can accomplish. We love work with crisp language, evocative imagery, and an effective blend of commentary and scene.
We look forward to reading your work!

Creative Nonfiction

Please submit up to 5 pieces of artwork in PDF, JPG, and PNG file types. For publication we will need high resolution images.
We are looking for artwork of all media and styles—if you were compelled to make it, we want to see it. Individual pieces that can stand on their own as well as series, including comics and graphic art, are welcomed. While we are accepting art of all kinds, we highly encourage submissions that represent or illustrate the interdisciplinary theme.
We look forward to seeing your art!

Arts & Comics

This multi-genre prize for a single poem, essay, or story is open to anyone writing in English. The contest awards $250 to the 1st place winner, $100 to the 2nd place winner, and $50 to the 3rd place winner and includes publication in the summer 2027 issue of Birdcoat Quarterly.
All submissions will be read anonymously by our team of editors and first-place, second-place, and third-place pieces will be chosen for the prize and publication. Only previously unpublished work will be considered. You may submit one story or essay of up to 3500 words or up to three (3) poems or flash pieces (under 750 words) per $10 entry fee.
We only accept submissions via Submittable. Please take care that you are submitting under the contest category as regular submissions received during the contest period WILL NOT be entered into the contest. The contest is open for submissions from September 15, 2026 - December 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
Each entry must include: 1) an entry fee of ten dollars ($10) and 2) the submitter's contact info.
Simultaneous submissions will be considered with notification if accepted elsewhere. All rights revert to the author after publication.

Editors' Choice Prize (Multigenre) — Poetry

Birdcoat Quarterly is an online literary journal that publishes poetry, creative nonfiction essays, and visual art. Established in 2015, it aims to connect diverse creative communities by showcasing fresh voices and hosting immersive events. The

Birdcoat Quarterly is an online literary journal that publishes poetry, creative nonfiction essays, and visual art. 

Established in 2015, it aims to connect diverse creative communities by showcasing fresh voices and hosting immersive events. 

The journal is known for its commitment to paying contributors, offering $20 per poem and $25 per essay, with plans to increase these rates in the future. 

Submissions are open quarterly, with specific periods for standard submissions and special prizes.

Birdcoat Quarterly

Editors' Choice Prize (Multigenre) - Nonfiction

Editors' Choice Prize (Multigenre) - Fiction

Black Fox is accepting submissions for its fall 2026 writing prize. The theme for this round is “Eclectic Endings.” We are open to loose interpretations of the theme in any genre, as always.
As writers, we’re familiar with endings. We type the words often. Some endings are happy. Some are sad. Some are bittersweet. Some leave us unsettled. We’re looking for work that explores the many ways things can end, and what that means for protagonists, narrators, and speakers in your work. Give us the messy, complicated end to a relationship, or the celebratory end of career, or the bittersweet end of time spent in a particular place. Tell us what remains after the end of a party—or the world. Help us answer the question: What does “the end” mean? In the case of finality, what is the aftermath? And is it ever really the end or simply a new beginning?
Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and we will choose one winner who interprets the theme best. The prize is $325 and print publication in the Winter 2027 issue. All submissions are considered for print publication in the Winter 2027 issue. The contest entry fee is $12, and submissions must be submitted before midnight (EST) on November 30, 2026.
Please make sure your manuscript is double-spaced with 12-point font. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. Author’s name and page number should appear in the top right-hand corner of every page. We also ask that you specify the category/genre of your work in the cover letter.
For poetry, send up to three poems in the same document. For flash fiction, send up to two stories in the same document. General prose submissions should only send one piece per submission. Writers may submit additional work as separate entries. Please see our Submission Guidelines before submitting.
Black Fox is anti generative AI. We accept submissions from human authors only. We do not consider work authored or submitted on its own behalf by AI systems, autonomous agents, bots, or other non-human entities.
We will select a winner by the end of January 2027, and each entrant will receive a response.
Please DO NOT submit work that isn't ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it. ***Writers, please note that entry fees are non-refundable, and payment to the winner is awarded via PayPal. We reserve the right to extend the contest deadline if necessary.***
The Black Fox team looks forward to reading your wonderful submissions!

Black Fox Prize: Eclectic Endings — Poetry

Black Fox publishes both established and new writers. We are a literary magazine with an eclectic taste. We welcome all fiction, but we especially like fiction from under-represented genres and styles.

Here at Black Fox, we believe that literature and art have the power to connect people and inspire change. One of our goals is to create a community of readers, writers, and artists who share this belief, and who are dedicated to exploring the world through creativity and imagination. We hope you’ll join us on this journey! We publish both established and new writers. We welcome all fiction, but we especially like fiction from under-represented genres and styles.

Submission Calls

Today

Today

Fall Contest

Fall Contest

Fall Contest

Disability Culture

Flash Fiction for Spring 2027

Short Stories for Spring 2027

Poetry

Down the rabbit hole

Down the rabbit hole

Down the rabbit hole

The Charles Simic Poetry Prize

Poetry

Fiction

Creative Nonfiction

Arts & Comics

Editors' Choice Prize (Multigenre) — Poetry

Editors' Choice Prize (Multigenre) - Nonfiction

Editors' Choice Prize (Multigenre) - Fiction

Black Fox Prize: Eclectic Endings — Poetry

Black Fox Prize: Eclectic Endings — Nonfiction