Call for Nonfiction Submissions: Cutleaf Journal

Cutleaf welcomes writers at all levels of experience to submit original literary nonfiction in English for consideration.

Whatever the topic, we are looking for well-written, imaginative work that invites a reader to join the writer in thinking through what it means to be alive in the modern world.

Cutleaf is a journal run by writers. We try to treat writers as we want to be treated: We charge no fee to submit.

We pay from $100 to $300 per published nonfiction piece.

We reply to submissions in a timely manner, usually not later than three months and generally much sooner.

For the 2025 journal year, we will be open for nonfiction submissions for three months (Sept 1 to Nov 30, 2024.)

• We get many hundreds of submissions in nonfiction each year. So we ask those who submit to adhere to our guidelines. Those who do not follow the guidelines may be moved to the end of the reading queue. Only one nonfiction submission per writer per calendar year.

• Name and email on the first page of the submission. Text double-spaced, with page numbers, and in a standard 12 point font with a 1 inch margin. A brief bio written in the third person included with submission.

• We take a narrative, literary, and imaginative approach to nonfiction. We welcome traditional essay formats but we also welcome variations such as speculative essays, essays in verse, "hermit crab" essays, or essays that explore the use of language in imaginative ways.

• We are open to any topic that moves a writer, but particularly invite work that addresses the ethics and practice of distinctive occupations. The nonfiction editor, a physician, takes special interest in reading work from physicians, dentists, nurses, social workers, scientists, technicians, and other clinicians and caregivers involved in health care and public health.

• We do not limit our point of view to the simply factual, but we expect nonfiction writers to hew closely to the truth. We do not fact-check the pieces published in the journal, but we do engage in a back-and-forth editing process for many of the pieces we accept for publication. Authors are responsible for securing permissions for quotes of copyrighted material, if needed.

• We are not interested in and will not publish fantasy, erotica, romance (paranormal or otherwise), polemics, position statements, editorials, purely academic papers, or screeds. We are not interested in pitches for work yet to be completed. We do not publish previously published work.

• We consider simultaneous submissions with the understanding that you will quickly inform us if a piece is accepted by another publication.

Submit your work here.