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FAQ

We know submitting can be a nerve-racking process, so we want to make it as easy as possible for you. Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about submitting with us. We hope you find these helpful and handy!

 

Q: How many pieces can I submit at one time?

A: You may submit one piece per genre at the same time (one fiction, one creative nonfiction, and one craft piece). We ask that you wait to hear from us about your open submissions before submitting again, and that you wait three months to send more fiction/creative nonfiction if your creative work is declined. We do not have a wait time to send more craft writing if your work is declined.

Q: Can I submit to multiple categories, e.g. short fiction and flash fiction?

A: At one time, you may have one piece per genre under review. For fiction, this means one short fiction submission (short stories and standalone excerpts between 1,000 and 6,000 words) OR one flash fiction submission (pieces fewer than 1,000 words or up to three micros fewer than 1,000 words total). The same applies to our creative nonfiction category. For craft, this means one essay or interview.

Q: Do you allow simultaneous submissions?

A: Yes. We allow simultaneous submissions. Just let us know if your work is accepted by another publication so we can remove it from our consideration.

Q: Can I send you my work via email? Can I send submissions in the mail?

A: We DO NOT accept submissions via email—use Submittable to submit your work. It is free! If electronic submission is not possible for some reason, you may send your work via USPS ONLY with a US check or money order for any applicable entry fees to our mailing address at: 70 SW Century Drive Suite 100442, Bend, Oregon 97702. Please know that we are a virtual team working all over the world, and that mailing a submission is the least efficient and slowest means of having your work considered. Additionally, if you do not supply an email address, we will not be able to respond to your work. We do not mail acceptances or declines.

Q: What is Submittable?

A: Submittable is the platform we use to collect, read, and accept work for our publication. An account is free to set up, and if you do not already have one, you may get one at www.submittable.com.

Q: I lost my Submittable password / I am having issues submitting or having my payment go through. Can you help?

A: The best thing to do for technical issues is contact Submittable directly, as they handle all the back-end support for us regarding payments and passwords. Their email is: support@submittable.com.

Q: Do you accept reprints?

A: We do review reprints, but do not pay for these pieces. We do not accept reprints for submission in our contests.

Q: Do you accept self-published works or works that have been posted on a Facebook or Instagram page?

A: Generally, we consider self-published works and pieces published on social media as reprints (see above). If we accept a piece you have self-published on social media or your personal blog, we ask that you remove it before publication with us. We do not pay for reprints, and do not accept reprints for submission in our contests.

Q: What are your guidelines about format?

A: We ask that you double-space and use Times New Roman 12 for all submissions.

Q: What am I supposed to write in the cover letter?

A:  Think of it as a brief author bio.

Q: I submitted my story, but I need to make revisions. What do I do?

A: We understand that, at times, revisions need to be made and errors corrected. Please contact us via Submittable in the event you need to make changes to your submission, requesting that the submission be opened for editing, and we will do so. You will be notified via email when your submission is open, and you will be allowed to make your changes and/or upload a new document if necessary. However, we cannot open for editing submissions already under review by our team. Please notify us as soon as you realize you need to make an update, and we will do our best to accommodate you. Better to open for editing than withdraw and resubmit, especially for contests, as we don’t want you to pay extra fees.

Q: Do I maintain ownership and first serial rights if my work is accepted for publication?

A: You do maintain ownership of your work when you submit to our journal, whether it is chosen or not for publication. If published, our platform retains first serial publication rights for the first three months.

Q: I submitted my work to you a while ago. When can I expect to hear back?

A: Regardless of acceptance or decline, you will hear back from us, we promise. Our general turnaround time for all submissions four to five months. For contests, the turnaround may be slightly longer, depending on when you submit.