Hump Day Submission Carousel 8

#8: 3/17/21

It's Wednesday, so you know what that means! HUMP DAY SUBMISSIONS! Because it's easy to fall off the submission train during the week I'm presenting you with 3 cool and very different small journals currently open for submissions to save you research time! Pick one of the three journals presented and read some of the pieces in your genre. If you're not digging them, check the next journal. Don't agonize over it, if you're not enjoying the writing or you don't feel your writing would fit in there move along to the next journal. If none of them seem to fit... maybe next week? 

Journal 1: Off the Coast. Off the Coast is a biannual poetry journal published out of Maine on June 15th and November 15th. As always read the newest issue to get a feel for their aesthetic which is eclectic but (in my experience) OtC leans a bit to the accessible side, and they have a soft spot for translations.

"At Off the Coast, our mission is to be Maine's international poetry magazine. We believe small presses and literary magazines are the lifeblood and testing ground for all writers. A handful of writers break through to major houses, but a much larger voice would go unheard if not for small presses and literary magazines. We aim to provide space for diverse voices, particularly poetry in translation."

Journal 2: Stickman Review. Headed by editor Anthony Brown, former EiC of Sonora Review, out of Arizona we have Stickman Review which considers submissions two times a year: February—April and August—October, they read no fee email submissions in all genres. Check out their newest issue here.

From their Duotrope page: "I enjoy keeping this small connection to the writing world active, and I hope that this small window I’ve opened offers others the same pleasure it gives me when I read a particularly compelling story, poem or essay. Like all editors, I am bound by my particular aesthetic (to get a sense of it, read a few Stickman issues), and while I publish very little of what I read, I encourage those who aspire to all things literary to send me their best."

Journal 3: Barnstorm. Barnstorm is an online literary journal sponsored by the MFA Program in Creative Writing at the University of New Hampshire. "Started in 2009, we strive to publish the best creative nonfiction, poetry, and short stories." They read all genres and don't stray away from pop culture or writing about contemporary events, via Submittable. As always, read the newest offerings in your genre so you have a good idea of what they're looking for.

"We accept submissions from all types of writers from all walks of life and do not require an MFA degree to submit."

Get your writing out there! You got this! I know it's mid-week, but spending just a little bit of time with reading well-crafted creative writing in the middle of the week it can keep your creativity a little fresher when the weekend comes around. I think, at least.

Also a gentle reminder that Sparked is reading submissions of writing from Notebooking Daily prompts, so send them work now! And if you thought this post was helpful, consider shooting me a buck or two for my own future submissions or to help pay writers for Sparked (which comes out of my pocket). No pressure though. I'm just trying to get better with the begging for pennies, submission fees in 2020 are pretty monumental and 2021 is shaping up to be just as bad!