Call for Submissions on Theme of "Ephemeral--The Beauty in Impermanence": Isele Quarterly

Call for Submissions: Ephemeral – The Beauty in Impermanence

Not everything lasts forever, and that’s okay.

For this quarterly issue of Isele Magazine, we are seeking submissions that revolve around the ephemeral – those transient yet profoundly meaningful moments that shape our experiences. Conceptually, this quarterly issue is rooted in the idea that some of life’s most powerful and beautiful experiences are short—the soft glow of a sunset, the brief connection between strangers, the rush of emotions in an unforgettable encounter, the final note of a song, the last episode of your favourite series, the decay of a once-vibrant structure, the quiet moments that pass us by unnoticed. Experiences that are momentary, yet unforgettable.

Through this issue, we wish to explore impermanence—not as something tragic, but as something that underscores the delicate nature of existence. We want works that explore the fleeting beauty of life’s impermanence. We invite you to reflect on what it means to embrace the present while recognizing that it, too, is slipping away. It’s in the vanishing of these moments that we can find beauty, nostalgia, and a deeper connection to both the world and ourselves. Send us your fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, visual art, and hybrid works that explore this theme.

Submission guidelines:

All submissions for the quarterly issue should be submitted to:

 quarterly@iselemagazine.com 

• The email subject line should read Genre: Lastname (e.g. Poetry: Angelou).

• We DO NOT accept multiple submissions. Please submit to one genre only.

• For fiction and nonfiction, submit max. 5000 words of prose.

• For poetry, submit max. 3 poems in a single document.

• For photography and visual art, submit max. 5 images in JPEG or PNG format and include a brief note detailing the concept and relevance of your work. Only submit work that you still retain the rights to. We DO NOT accept AI-generated images or artwork.

• For prose (fiction and nonfiction) and poetry, we DO NOT publish previously published works (by this, we mean any piece that has appeared on the web or in print, including your personal blog). However, we will consider a translated version of the work if the original language wasn’t in English. For photography and visual art, we may publish works that have been previously published, posted, or exhibited as long as the artist still retains the rights.

• We accept simultaneous submissions, but please notify us as soon as your work is accepted elsewhere so that we can withdraw it from consideration.

• Submission fees and payment of contributors: We DO NOT charge submission fees. All submissions are free of charge.

Isele Magazine pays all its contributors a modest token.

Rights: Isele Magazine requests the first serial rights of your published piece. However, all rights will revert to you after publication. If your work is republished elsewhere, please indicate that it previously appeared in Isele Magazine.

The Isele Prizes: All accepted submissions are automatically considered for The Isele Prizes.

Deadline: 7th March 2025

We will respond to every submission no later than two months from the submission deadline. If you have not heard from us within two months, please feel free to send a query to

quarterly@iselemagazine.com.

General Submissions

We do not accept multiple submissions, but we do consider simultaneous submissions. Please let us know ASAP if the work submitted has been accepted for publication elsewhere.

Please do not submit previously published works (by this, we mean any piece that has appeared on the web or in print, including your personal blog). However, we will consider a translated version of the work if the original language wasn’t in English.

Please include a brief cover letter with the title of your piece and a third-person bio.

Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Due to the volume of the submissions we receive, we aim to respond within six months, though it can be longer. If you have not heard from us after one year of your submission, please feel free to send a query to:

editor@iselemagazine.com.

Isele Magazine requests first serial rights of your published piece. However, all rights will revert to you after publication. And if your work is republished elsewhere, please indicate that it was first published in Isele Magazine.

We pay our contributors a modest token.

Fiction & Nonfiction Submissions

You may submit up to 6,000 words of fiction and 3,500 words of nonfiction. Please make sure your manuscript is double-spaced, preferably in Times New Roman or Garamond size 12 font. We rarely publish novel excerpts but have been known to make exceptions.

Send fiction (as a Word document attachment) to:

fiction@iselemagazine.com

Send nonfiction (as a Word document attachment) to:

nonfiction.iselemagazine@gmail.com

Poetry

You may submit up to 4 pages of poetry or one long poem. Please submit as a single document.

Send poetry (as Word document attachment) to:

poetry.iselemagazine@gmail.com 

Book Reviews

Submit up to 1,500 words. Double-spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font.

Send book reviews to:

submissions.iselemagazine@gmail.com.

All accepted submissions (excluding book reviews) are automatically considered for The Isele Prizes.

Call for Submissions: Four Way Review

Four Way Review accepts poetry and fiction from both established and emerging authors. We look for work that demonstrates fine attention to craft while retaining a powerful and compelling voice. We want writing that showcases the imagination's unique ability to refine the raw materials of human experience.

We encourage submissions from diverse voices.

Unsolicited submissions are considered year-round. Before submitting, please see our latest issue and ensure your work is a good fit. Please wait to hear back from us before submitting again.

We accept .pdf (preferred), .doc, and .docx. You may also include a cover letter with your contact information and a brief bio in the "comments" box. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please note this in your cover letter and let us know immediately if a piece is accepted somewhere else. Due to a high volume of submissions, we cannot respond individually to withdrawal requests.

In order to offer our writers a small honorarium, we now charge a small submission fee of $3 for part of the year. In January, April, August and November, all submissions are fee-free. During these months, we might close submissions for one or more genres, should the submission maximum be reached. This is done to ensure that our readers are able to read and respond to each submission in a timely manner. 

Poetry

— We are interested in all styles and forms of poetry.

— We ask that writers submit poetry no more than three times per year, with three to five poems in a single submission.

— Please email us to withdraw individual poems. 

Fiction

— We're looking for finished stories that are both whole and surprising.

— Keep longer submissions below 6,000 words. Submit only one piece at a time and no more than three pieces a year.

— Short shorts should be under 1,000 words. You may submit up to three flash pieces in one submission. 

Translation

— We are interested in all styles and forms of writing in translation.

— We ask that writers submit work no more than three times a year, adhering to our guidelines for poetry, fiction and nonfiction (i.e., no more than three to five poems in a single submission and keeping prose below 6,000 words).
— If possible, please include the original piece with your translated submission.

— Please confirm that you have obtained permission, either from author or rights holder, to publish the translation. 

Creative Nonfiction

— We're looking for pieces that surprise us, pieces that push at the corners of the form.

— Keep longer submissions below 6,000 words. Submit only one piece at a time and no more than three pieces a year.

— We do accept flash nonfiction. These should be under 1,000 words. You may submit up to three flash pieces in one submission.

All submissions must be previously unpublished. We request first North America serial rights for any work that we accept. All rights revert to the author upon publication, though we ask that you acknowledge Four Way Review if the work is published elsewhere.

You can withdraw your work using our submissions manager. To withdraw part of a submission, email us at:

fourwayreview (at) gmail [dot] com ( Change (at) to @ and [dot] to . )

We try to respond within 90 days. Please note that our submissions manager is separate from the manager for Four Way Books. We will not respond to manuscript submissions.

We accept submissions through our online submissions manager. Unsolicited email submissions will be discarded unread.

THE BASICS

Submit through our Submissions Manager

Up to 5 poems or 6,000 words

We'll respond within 90 days

Call for Submissions from Writers and Artists in Southern Louisiana: ANTIGRAVITY

ANTIGRAVITY is a monthly magazine published in letter-sized “pony tab” black and white newsprint and distributed as a free publication throughout the New Orleans metro region, with a paid subscription option also offered. We specialize in original content that spotlights New Orleans artists and those passing through. Our coverage also includes politics and social justice issues, food, reviews, opinion pieces, comics, and original photography, focused mainly on the metro New Orleans region and South Louisiana. ANTIGRAVITY is in its 20th year (230+ issues) and comes out the first week of every month.

INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING?

ANTIGRAVITY specializes in hyper-focused, under-documented stories and artists, though we do occasionally cover larger, more high-profile stories and artists. The monthly content of ANTIGRAVITY is largely contributor sourced. We do not usually assign pieces; instead we count on our contributors to present ideas, subjects, artists, etc. that they are specifically interested in.

ANTIGRAVITY pays for content. Our current rates (with more details provided in a Style & Policy Guide) are as follows:

Copy: (includes columns, features, show reviews or extended reviews, etc.): $50—$75 per published page, $150 max.
Reviews: $15 per published review.
Poetry: $25 per published poem.
Photos, comics, and illustrations: $20 to $25 per image (average)
$50+ for covers and full-size images.

More information and submission link here.

Writing Competition for Writers from North and South Dakota: The 2025 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award

Established in 1984, the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community. The prestigious award, which aims to provide promising writers a network for professional advancement, has helped to launch the careers of Sue Monk Kidd (The Invention of Wings, The Secret Life of Bees), David Mura (Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei), Craig Santos Perez (from unincorporated territory [åmot]), Mona Simpson (Case), Lidia Yuknavitch (Thrust), and others. Since Poets & Writers began the Writers Exchange in 1984, 114 writers from forty-four states or jurisdictions have been selected to participate. The award is generously supported by Maureen Mahon Egen, a member of the Poets & Writers Emeritus Board.

This year, North and South Dakota have been selected for the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award. Writers from the states of North and South Dakota are invited to apply for the 2025 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award. One fiction writer and one poet will be selected. Winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to meet with top literary professionals, including editors, agents, publishers, and prominent writers. This year’s judges are Kali Fajardo-Anstine for fiction and Chet'la Sebree for poetry.

Entries must be submitted by March 1, 2025.

Complete guidelines and application link here.

Call for Submissions on Theme of "Handmade Tales": Wyldcraft

Now accepting submissions for the SPRING/SUMMER 2025 issue!

Deadline for submissions: MARCH 1st, 2025

Click HERE to take a look at our previous issues!

❮ GENERAL ❯ We accept the following types of submissions: 

• Fiction

• Creative Nonfiction

• Poetry

• Experimental forms (spells, recipes, obituaries, grocery lists, legal citations, horoscopes – we’re open-minded)

• Written submissions, other than poetry, should be no longer than 1500 words. For poetry and all other forms: use your judgment.

• Please proof-read your work prior to submission.

• At this time, we can only publish English-language submissions (or translations).

• We accept simultaneous submissions, with the understanding that you’ll let us know if another outlet has chosen to publish your content.

• THIS ISSUE (Spring/Summer 2025): The theme is “Handmade Tales”. Please interpret the theme however you’d like!

❮ SUBMISSION PROCESS ❯
Submissions are accepted via email:

wyldcraftmag@gmail.com 

• Please include the word SUBMISSION in the Subject Line

• Emailed submissions should be attached as separate, editable documents (not in the body of the email). For the sake of clarity, we don’t intend to edit your submission (outside of correcting any unintentional spelling mistakes), but we require this in the event your material is selected for inclusion in order to make the formatting and publishing processes easier on us . By the way, if we are digging your work but have editorial notes that we feel might strengthen your submission, we will reach out!
  

• You must include the following along with your submission: Your Full Name (and, if different from your given name, your preferred author byline).

• You may include the following as well (it can’t hurt!): If you prefer, any social media handle or website you’d like to appear alongside your work.

• Any additional info about you that we may find cool (have you written for other publications before, or won any awards? We love that for you and want to hear about it!)

• If your submission is accepted, we will obviously let you know! You’ll receive an email response directly to the email address your submission came into us from.

• If your submission is not accepted, you likely won’t hear from us – we’d love to chat, of course, but given the volume of submissions we receive, we don’t have the bandwidth to get back to everyone. If you haven’t heard from us in 6 weeks, please assume your submission has not been accepted on this occasion.

 ❮ LEGAL JUNK ❯ We don’t have any desire to steal your work – you maintain the copyright to the original material you submit; we’re just here to provide a platform!

• Speaking of ownership: please don’t send us work that isn’t yours! In fact, by sending us a submission, you’re confirming that you are the sole owner of the material submitted.

• Submitted works MUST be original – while we love leftovers, we don’t want your scraps from a previous publishing. Don’t send us pieces you’ve already had successfully published in other magazines, blogs, etc.

❮ OUR VIBES ❯ About Us: We are a grassroots, female-run literary magazine currently in the new moon of our life. We think of ourselves as foragers, going out into the wild to find and elevate emerging literary voices. We’re committed to lowering the traditional barriers of entry to publication, and we encourage submissions from authors in every stage of their literary journey.

We’d love it if your submissions mesh with the vibe of our mag – to that end, here’s what our dating app profile would say, if we had one:

• Spiritual but not religious

• Eco-feminist (no fish pics plz)

• Witty & witchy

• Inclusive

• Down to clown

Writing Competition: The Rumpus 2025 Prize for Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction

December 5, 2024-March 2, 2025 we're open for submissions for our inaugural Rumpus Prize for Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction.

 $3,600 in prizes$1,000 1st prize and publication in three genres: poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction.

Honorable mentions receive $200 and publication in each of the three genres

All writers can opt in if they’d like to be considered for publication by The Rumpus, regardless of whether they’re named a winner or finalist. See details and submission links BELOW. Submission fee is $20 per entry.

Complete submission guidelines and portal here.

Writing Competition on Theme of "Post-Election Turmoil": Front Street Press

Front Street Micro Press

Submit Now: Free Contest!

The recent election in the USA has seemingly shown women, people of colour, and members of the LGBTQ+ that more people are anti-basic human rights for all than we ever thought possible.If you went into a depressive spiral in November, you're not alone. Share your grief, your rage, your feelings of helplessness with us. 

Grand Prize: $50
Short List: $20
Long List: $10 

Closes on February 28th, 2025.

Submit your work here!