Submissions

We look forward to reading your work. Please read all guidelines before submitting.

What we’re looking for. Pieces that move; pieces that surprise. Stunning prose. Thoughtful punctuation over strict grammar. Innovative form over arbitrary paragraphing. Intentional language over wordsmithing. Specificity and context over vague emotion. Interrogation and transcendence over bald trauma. We crave discovery and wonder and awe. Bittersweet is our favorite emotion. We love myths, fairy tales, fabulism, slipstream, and haunting vibes, but horror is not the best fit, neither is fantasy nor sci fi that leans more genre (plot-forward) than literary. More than any genre, we love prose that makes us ache and images that linger. (Sea creatures always a plus.)

Word Count. Up to 400 words. All categories. Firm count. (Read: don’t get cute with hyphens.)

Categories.

Microfiction (mostly made up). Pay is $25 upon publication.
Micro Creative Nonfiction (true to an experience or topic). Pay is $25 upon publication.
New Writer Micros (your piece can be fiction or CNF, but you, the writer, can only have published three or fewer literary pieces). This category has some grace built into it. What does is mean to have three or fewer literary publications? We mean published poems, stories, flash, micros, novels, novellas, chapbooks, essays--words published on paper or online by a third party. We don't mean pieces you've published in journalistic or trade publications. If you routinely publish, for example, scientific articles because you're a scientist in addition to being a writer, we don't count those. They're not literary in nature (although we're sure they're brilliantly written). If you've performed a series of one-woman shows that you wrote yet the script has not been separately published, we don't count those, but if the script were published, we would count that. If you're a poet who has self-published on instagram or a personal blog, we don't count those posts although if you self-published that same work in a chapbook, we would count that. Perhaps you see a spirit emerging here more than formal rules. You're correct! We're looking for writers who are new to publishing word-based art. All New Writer submissions are considered for general microfiction and CNF spots as well. In theory, the entire issue could be comprised of the work of new writers, but the New Writer Micro category is reserved for those new to the world of published prose . . .and we're so excited to be part of your journey! Pay is $25 upon publication.
Prose Chapbook Review: Please send an email to EIC@claudineliterary.com with the heading "Awesome Chapbook Alert--[Name of Chapbook]" to request a review. More details about reviews here.

Submission period. Submissions are open January through November. There is a December issue, but we do not take submissions that month.

Cover letter. Keep it brief, please. Tell us: the name of your piece, the word count, and the category (fiction or creative nonfiction). Include a 50-word bio about your writing life and any relevant social media handles (instagram, facebook, twitter, or bluesky). If you have published three or fewer pieces, please mention that you are a new writer, so your piece can be considered for that category as well.

Number of submissions. Please send up to two micro submissions per category (Fiction/CNF/New Writer) per month. Wait until your work is accepted or declined before submitting again. If you publish in Claudine, please wait 6 months from your publication date before submitting again.

Simultaneous submissions. We accept simultaneous submissions; please withdraw your piece promptly if it’s accepted elsewhere.

Reprints. Original, unpublished work only, please.

Response time. Within 15 days. Please do not inquire about your submission until 1 month has passed.

Rights. We acquire first serial rights worldwide in English and non-exclusive anthology rights. We ask for the right to display the work for the duration of the journal. Copyright remains with the writer in all cases. If your work is subsequently reprinted elsewhere, please acknowledge Claudine as the site of first publication.

AI. The ethical issues AI presents to literary spaces and humans are legion. Do not submit AI generated or AI assisted work. We want to read what your human brain has created.

Fee. Submissions are always free.

How to submit.

For Fiction, CNF: please email your submission to submissions@claudineliterary.com. Please state the genre and title of your submission in the subject line. Example: CNF submission--"The Sky Is Blue." Your cover letter and bio can be typed into the body of your email. Please attach your piece as a word document.

For New Writer Micros: same as Fiction/CNF submissions, but please put "New Writer" in your heading before the other info. Example: New Writer Fiction--"The Sky Has Never Been Blue."