Submission Guidelines

submissions will open Sept 10, 2024

Why should you submit your work to us?

Creativity and inspiration can be found in every aspect of our lives, and sometimes it finds its way to the page. We seek to showcase the creative work written by our very own undergraduate CSU students, regardless of their major or previous artistic experience.

When can you submit your work to us?

Submissions open on September 10th and close on December 1st. We know that life can get busy, but we will not accept any work after December 1st at midnight—so try to submit sooner rather than later!

How do you submit your work to us?

You must provide a cover letter with your submission. Please include:
 

• your full name
• e-mail address
• submission title
• genre
• total word count

Identifying information should only appear in the Submittable cover letter and should not appear anywhere in the title or content of your submission (submissions will be read anonymously). Please note: you must be a current CSU undergraduate student to submit. For more details on how to submit a piece in a particular genre, see below.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately if your work has been accepted elsewhere. We do not accept previously published work.

Fiction Submissions
We consider all forms of short fiction, including flash or excerpts from longer works so long as they stand on their own. Be fearless and  view your fiction writing as a way to get at the truths of the human experience. You are welcome to submit up to three pieces of fiction,  each submitted separately. Submission requirements:
 

• 250 to 3,500 words
• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx format)
• Double-spaced
• 12-point font (Times New Roman preferred)

  
Poetry Submissions
We welcome poems of any length and style. You may submit a maximum of  five (5) poems, totaling no more than fifteen (15) pages. Line length  should not exceed 60 characters, including spaces and punctuation  (otherwise lines may be broken to accommodate layout).

All poems must be uploaded in a single document and each poem should begin on a separate page.

Note: formatting on an MS Word file may be altered by upload; if  the format is important to you, please upload your poem(s) as a PDF file.

Nonfiction Submissions
We consider all forms of creative nonfiction, from flash to literary  journalism to lyric essay. All pieces should either be grounded in truth  or make it clear to the reader when the piece departs from the truth. Any piece of creative nonfiction must stand on its own, and you are  welcome to submit up to three pieces, each submitted separately.

Submission requirements:
 

• 250 to 3,500 words
• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx format)
• Double-spaced
• 12-point font (Times New Roman preferred)

Cover Art Submissions
We welcome visual art of all categories. You may submit a maximum of 5 pieces of your best work for consideration. If you would like any sculptural pieces or large paintings/drawings to be considered, we require that you photograph the work yourself and then submit that image: multiple images of a singular piece are allowed for three-dimensional artworks. Please upload your visual work as a PDF or high-resolution JPEG file, 300 dpi minimum. We do not accept hard copies.