Calls for Submissions – April 2017

On the first Wednesday of each month, Literary Mama shares a list of current calls for submissions. Good luck sending your work out into the world!

LITERARY MAMA OPPORTUNITIES

Special Issues

We seek submissions for two special issues from people other than self-defined moms (as well as self-defined moms) on topics intimately related to mothering. We need to receive submissions for the special issues at least three months before the month in which that special issue will be published. These special issues are listed below:

May: Mother’s Day Month

Focuses on writing about mothers from the child’s perspective, or from fathers, partners or other family members about the mothers they love.

June: Father’s Day Month

Features writing about fathers from the child’s perspective; the relationships between fathers and mothers and husbands and wives; husbands as fathers; and writing by self-defined fathers about fathering and mothering (including lesbian or transexual parents who identify as fathers).

Please keep these upcoming special issues in mind when submitting. See our Submissions page for guidelines.

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After Page One

We are currently seeking guest posts for our After Page One series: 300- to 500-word guest posts that motivate, inspire, and encourage other mama writers about getting started, returning to a writing project, integrating writing with motherhood, reading, or having a positive attitude. Send submissions to LMblogcontact (at) literarymama (dot) com in the text of an email, and include the words “After Page One” in the subject line. Visit our submissions page for guidelines.

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Literary Mama seeks photography submissions to pair with the posts on our site. We are looking for photos that offer unique perspectives on motherhood, and we like photos that are artful, versus those that appear staged, and that encourage us to reflect.

If you would like to feature your evocative, creative photography on Literary Mama, you can review complete submission guidelines here and send .jpg images to: LMphotos (at) literarymama (dot) com. We always give photo credits and provide a link back to the photographer’s website.

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CONTESTS

Creative Nonfiction‘s Dangerous Creations: Real-life Frankenstein stories is now open.  We’re looking for true stories that explore humans’ efforts to control and redirect nature, the evolving relationships between humanity and science/technology, and contemporary interpretations of monstrosity. $10,000 and publication for Best Essay and two $2,500 prizes and publication for runners-up.Guidelines available here. 

Deadline: April 17, 2017

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Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One winner in each genre per year will receive $1,000 and publication in the literary journal.  We consider writers “emerging” if they have not published or self-published a book. Guidelines here.

Opens March 1, 2017 at noon EST and closes May 15, 2017 at noon EST 

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The Crab Creek Review Poetry Prize is open for submissions! Prize is $500 for the winning poem, all entries considered for publication. Submit up to 4 poems of any length. $16 entry fee. Diane Seuss is the judge. Enter here.

Deadline: May 15, 2017

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Ruminate Magazine‘s Janet B. McCabe Poetry Prize is open. Prize is $1500 for the 1st place winner and $200 for the 2nd place winner. Submit up to 2 poems of no more than 40 lines each. Enter here.

Deadline: May 15, 2017

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Narrative The Spring Contest is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. They are looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. First Prize is $2,500, Second Prize is $1,000, Third Prize is $500, and up to ten finalists will receive $100 each. All entries will be considered for publication. Click here for more information.

Deadline: July 31, 2017

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ANTHOLOGIES

Hippocampus Magazine is accepting submissions for AIR: A Collection of Radio Inspired Stories. This anthology will pay tribute to decades of the broadcast era up to the digital age. Click here for submission details. 

Deadline: April 15, 2017

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Enoughenough is a project of letters that trans and non-binary survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault write to their body parts. They are collecting submissions for an anthology. Find out more here.

Deadline: April 30, 2017

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Sowing Creek Press is accepting submissions for its anthology with a working title: Natural Wonders: Time in Nature Can Change Your Life. The focus of this anthology will be finding peace about an issue, learning about yourself and others, while in nature. If you’ve had an epiphany while in the wilds, share your eye-opener or conclusion reached while in nature by writing an essay for this anthology. Find out more here.

Deadline: May 15, 2017

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Ivy Cirillo Books is accepting stories for teens and young adults struggling with mental and/or physical illnesses. Find out more here. 

Deadline: May 31, 2017

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APRIL DEADLINES

Sink Hollow the national undergraduate literary journal at Utah State University, is seeking provocative, resonant, polished pieces of undergraduate work to be published in Spring 2017. We accept all original fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art. All students currently enrolled as undergraduates at two- and four-year colleges and universities are invited to submit! Find more here. 

Deadline: April 9, 2017

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Rat’s Ass Review is an online poetry magazine. During the first 100 days of the Trump Administration Rat’s Ass Review is publishing an ongoing collection of political poems under the heading Such an Ugly Time. They are currently reading submissions for their summer issue, and will be doing so until mid-April. Like most venues they want freshness, originality, grace, wisdom. Find more here. 

Deadline: April 15, 2017

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MAY DEADLINES

Terrain.org is based on and thus welcomes quality submissions from new and experienced authors and artists alike. Our online journal accepts only the finest poetry, essays, fiction, articles, artwork, videos, and other contributions — material that reaches deep into the earth’s fiery core, or humanity’s incalculable core, and brings forth new insights and wisdom. Find out more here.

Deadline: May 30, 2017

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The Matador Review is an online literature and art quarterly based in Chicago, Illinois. We publish poetry, fiction, flash fiction, and creative non-fiction, inviting all unpublished literature written in the English language (and translations that are accompanied by the original text) as well as many forms of visual art. Find out more here.

Deadline: May 31, 2017

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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS

Akashic Books (of Go the F*ck to Sleep fame) seeks submissions for their Terrible Twosdays series. “Are you a parent going through the Terrible Twos? Did you live through them and survive? Terrible Twosdays is a place to commiserate over the unending shenanigans of your Darling Children (as the online parenting communities say).” Stories must not exceed 750 words. E-mail your submission to info@akashicbooks.com. More details here.

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Animal: A Beast of a Literary Magazine seeks essays, stories, and poems that capture the essence and immediacy of the beast. Animal is a subject-specific litmag, however loosely we define “animal.” In some form, we want a literal beast as a central character or motif. Render on the page what is both alien and familiar about an animal, animals, or being “animal.” Our submission guidelines are available here.

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Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies is open to submissions in all disciplines. Assay “publishes the best peer-reviewed critical scholarship of creative nonfiction to provide a space for work that elevates the genre in an academic setting.” For more information on what they are looking for and how to submit, please click here.

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Break the Parenting Mold seeks submissions of syndicated or original posts. This is an online community dedicated to strength in community, lifting up parents of children with special needs and offering support by sharing individual stories. Lists (at least 400 words) or essays (at least 600 words) welcome. Submission guidelines available here.

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Carbon Culture Review is a journal at the intersection of new literature, art, technology and contemporary culture. They are seeking well crafted poetry, short stories, memoir and reviews. We are open to all types of work on any subject matter, but are also actively seeking submissions on technology, culture and art and also fiction related to those themes written by or for or about women and mothers and or family. Submission guidelines are available here. 

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CARBON will begin publishing books from our in early 2018. They are looking for poetry, novels, short fiction, memoir and experimental full length books on any subject, in any genre. Submission guidelines available here.

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Compose: A Journal of Simply Good Writing is reading for its Spring issue. They publish work by both emerging and established writers and accept fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, articles on the craft of writing—both practical and inspirational, interviews with established writers, literary agents, editors, etc., excerpts from traditionally published works, photography and artwork. Detailed submission guidelines can be found here.

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The Cossack Review is open for submissions of creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and works in translation. We seek thoughtful, surprising writing, and have published meaningful work from both well-known and emerging writers since 2012. As always, we especially seek submissions from women, people of color, and new and diverse writers. Submission guidelines available here.

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C&R Press is open for submissions and are accepting compelling literary work about all aspects of life which includes fiction and memoirs about women and families. They are accepting submissions for novels, essay collections, short story collects, memoirs, cross-genre, and experimental manuscripts. Submission information is available here. 

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Edify Fiction seeks submissions for our new online magazine Edify Fiction.  This magazine’s focus is positive/uplifting work.  We accept short stories, flash fiction, poetry, photography, and digital art. Guidelines available here.

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The Establishment “is looking to unearth overlooked stories, produce original reporting, and provide a platform for voices that have been marginalized by the mainstream media. And yes, we want your humor, wit, and good old-fashioned satire, too. We publish originally reported features, interviews, long-form journalism, personal essays, and multimedia of all shapes, sizes, and creeds.” All contributors paid. Details on how to pitch can be found here.

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The Fem, a literary journal that publishes feminist, diverse, and inclusive creative works, is now open to feminist poetry, fiction, and nonfiction submissions. For detailed submission guidelines, please click here.

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FunnyInFiveHundred dares you to fit as many laughs into 500 words as possible. We are seeking funny stories in under 500 words (are you a closet Mark Twain?), and humorous monologues in under 500 words (like a stand-up routine). Submissions are accepted year-round. Visit the submissions page to submit your work.

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Glass Poetry Press is interested in poetry submissions that enact the artistic and creative precision of glass. “We are not bound by any specific aesthetic; our only mission is to publish collections of high quality writing. All styles, forms and schools of poetry are welcome, though easy rhymes and ‘light’ verse are less likely to inspire us. We like poems that show a careful understanding of language, music, passion and creativity.” To submit, click here.

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Gazing Grain Press is an inclusive feminist press, and we are currently seeking submissions of reviews or micro-reviews of new chapbooks (poetry, prose, or hybrid) for publication on our blog. More details can be found here.

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Helen: A Literary Magazine is looking for flash fiction that opens us up in unexpected ways, poems that enrich us, artwork and photography that challenge and dazzle us, and essays that pour us into your world. We pay token to semi-professional. For more information, visit the submissions page.

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HerStories Project is looking for the kind of wring that moves us, amazes us, and makes us wish that we had written it ourselves. As always, we to highlight the best of women’s voices and show the uniqueness and commonalities of women’s experiences, We are continuing with our monthly themes – October’s is fear and November’s is gratitude. Please visit our site for submissions guidelines.

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Ink In Thirds wants your poetry (up to 3 poems, no longer than 30 lines each), prose (300 words max), and photography (sent directly to submissions@inkinthirds.com). Submission details here.

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KERNPUNKT Press is currently reading manuscripts of literary fiction, art & architecture, science fiction, historical fiction, and children’s books. For more information and the link to submit, please click here.

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Lady Literary Magazine seeks fiction, creative nonfiction, essays on writing, and poetry from female writers of all ages. Fiction and creative nonfiction: up to 5,000 words; essays: up to 3,000 words; no word limit for poetry. As a literary magazine, they are seeking complex, multi-layered work. No genre fiction or simultaneous submissions. More information here.

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Mamalode magazine pays for publications. Submissions are ongoing, including topical pieces not related to the theme. You can submit here.

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Maximum Middle Age, a new online pop culture magazine for women of a certain age, is open for submissions in various categories (“Hardcore Feminist,” “The Domestic Arts,” “Back in the Day,” “Beauty Industrial Complex,” “Family Ties,” and Dr. Feelgood”). For more information on each category and submission details, click here.

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Minola accepts poetry, fiction, essays, reviews, and visual art exclusively from those who identify as women. They are “interested in the fearless and unsympathetic, featuring only work that goes where others are uncomfortable or afraid to go, collecting raw yet well-crafted work to create a space that is honest about the otherwise under-represented female experience.” Specific submission guidelines can be found here.

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Mothers Always Write, an online literary magazine for mothers by mother writers, is seeking submissions of poetry (up to 3 poems) and essays (up to 2,000 words) about the parenting experience. Tell us your beautiful story about motherhood. Please see their writer’s guidelines for specific requirements and suggested monthly themes at the site.

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Motherwell is a publication that tells all sides of the parenting story. It is open to submissions of personal essays (up to 1,200 words), opinion pieces (1,200 words), dialogues (1,000 words), and dilemmas (800 words). Original submissions only. Paying market. Co-founders: Randi Olin and Lauren Apfel. For genre-specific submission guidelines, please visit their Submittable page.

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MUTHA Magazine, exploring real-life motherhood from every angle, at every stage, seeks personal essays (~1,500 words), comics / graphic narratives / photo essays, and select interview pitches. MUTHA is a labor-of-love for all involved and does not pay at this time; ongoing open submissions; no reading fees; may take 3-4 weeks to respond to submissions (sometimes faster!). Editor: Meg Lemke c/o muthamagazine@gmail.com. Submission guidelines available here.

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Mystery Weekly, a short story mystery magazine, seeks short mysteries (1,000-10,000 words). Mystery Weekly Magazine presents crime and mystery short stories by some of the world’s best established and emerging mystery writers that run the gamut from cozy to hardboiled fiction. Click here to read guidelines and submit.

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One for One Thousand is a virtual literary journal that pairs photography and prose. Prose: Submit 1,000-word stories or narrative essays inspired by a photo. Photography: Submit photographs that inspire an opening into a potential world. Seeking submissions in both categories; they will include hyperlinks to the photographer’s or writer’s chosen site. They also provide a unique workshop and editing process that involves all of their editors with live commentary. More information on how to submit here.

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Outsider Poetry, a literary review for those who create with mental illness, are self-trained, or create art and poetry that challenges cultural and academic norms, is accepting submissions at all times and is open to poets of all experience levels. Submit work via email to either Olivia Suchs at oliviasuchs@gmail.com or Thomas Vaultonburg at vaultonburg@gmail.com. Editors will respond to submissions promptly.

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Peacock Journal a daily online literary & arts magazine highlighting beauty in all its forms, seeks original submissions of Fiction, Art, Photography, Translations, Non-Fiction and Poetry from emerging and established writers and artists. We want to see your most beautiful work, however you define the term. Submissions are read year round. For more details please visit our Guidelines page, and for our aesthetic preferences, please read our About page. Submit work here.

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Pithead Chapel, an online journal of gutsy narratives, seeks essays (personal, memoir, lyric, experimental, etc.) under 4,000 words. For detailed submission guidelines and to submit, please see here.

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A Quiet Courage is an online literary journal that publishes microfiction and poetry 100 words or less (titles not included). “We seek your absolute best writing. No deadlines, submissions rolling. No submission fees. We are a non-paying market. We consider writing in Spanish too, with exact English translations. We have a special affinity for Holocaust-related writing, but we consider writing about all kinds of subjects and topics.” For more information and specific submission guidelines, please click here.

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Raising Mothers seeks well-written, original first-person essays (1,000-2,000 words max) about anything and everything related to motherhood. All are welcome, but an effort is made to highlight the voices of multiracial/multi-cultural families and mothers of color. Essays should have a literary quality: strong, engaging work without it being at all academic. Excerpts of larger works and poetry (up to 3 poems) also accepted. At this time, they are specifically looking for pieces on step-parenting, raising a child with special needs, and adopting children of color. Submission details can be found here.

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SmokeLong’s Global Flash Series is now open to stories 600 words or fewer in French, Spanish, Danish, and German. Submit here.

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Storm Cellar, a national literary arts magazine with a special emphasis on the Midwest, is open to submissions of unpublished, amazing writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, flash) and images. They’d love to see more art, photos, diagrams, graphic narratives. For more detailed information, please visit their Submittable page.

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Tethered by Letters launched Dually Noted, an online group writing project. New and established writers from around the world come together to create one ongoing story through weekly installments. Those interested in adding the next section of the story should submit their 500-word addition before the next Friday night deadline. The editor will publish the best submission at the beginning of each week. For submission specifics and formatting information, please click here, and submit here.

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The Sunlight Press is an online digital literary journal for new and established voices and is open to submissions of nonfiction, fiction, poetry, book reviews and photography. For submission specifics, please click  here.

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Under the Gum Tree is a quarterly literary arts magazine that seeks creative nonfiction submissions year-round. Details available here.

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Vela publishes nonfiction written by women. They are particularly interested in narrative nonfiction, essays with a research and/or reporting component, and literary journalism with a unique, compelling voice. For more detailed information, please see their submission guidelines.

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Waxwing is reading submissions of poetry, short fiction, and literary essays until May 1; translations of poetry and literary prose are read year-round. Poets should send one to five poems, and prose writers one story, essay, novella, or novel chapter (or up to three short-short stories or micro-essays). Submission details here.

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Willow Springs is open to nonfiction submissions all year. Contributors paid $100 per published long-form prose piece, $40 for short prose. $3 reading fee for all submissions. More info here.

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The Woven Tale Press welcomes submissions of poetry, fiction, memoir, flash fiction and the experimental. We also consider literary works accompanied by original art images. For more information, our submission guidelines are available here.

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400 and Falling Press seeks submissions of poetry, fiction, visual art, creative non-fiction and criticism for the first issue of its Journal of the Arts and Literature. Submission guidelines available here. 

If you have information on calls for submissions not listed here that you think Literary Mama readers would appreciate, please e-mail us at lmblogcontact (at) literarymama (dot) com. —