Submissions

Please read these guidelines carefully before submitting (updated 6/21/10).

Note: We are now using Submishmash for all of our submissions. We are very excited about this new submission process. We have heard great things from other publishers, and we think that it will make things easier on our writers (yes, you do have to sign up, but once you do, you can submit to quite a few magazines with ease).

Regular submission guidelines:

What We Want
Bartleby-Snopes is currently publishing fiction prose only.

Right now we are only considering pieces under 2000 words. Simultaneous submissions are okay as long as you let us know if a piece is published elsewhere. Please only send one submission at a time, and please wait at least one week before submitting again.

Things That Generally Turn Us Off
Stories over 4000 words
Stories written in present tense (especially third person present tense)
Stories with graphic dead baby scenes
Stories about writers
Stories about struggling marriages
Stories set in bars
Stories with more backstory than plot
Stories with undeveloped characters
Stories that are overly reflective
We aren't saying that we never accept these things, but they are less likely to be published. If you think your story is great, send it to us. The worst we can do is reject you. Don't take it personally. These are just our tastes.

Where and How to Send
All submisions must be sent to us through our Submishmash page found here: http://bartlebysnopes.submishmash.com/Submit

Please attach your submission as an .rtf or .doc.

Include your name and email address on the front page of your submission. There is no need to create a cover letter for your submission.

Response Time
Please allow anywhere from two days to two months to hear a response as to whether or not we have chosen to publish your piece. If you do not hear from us within two months, assume your email was hijacked and resend it. We are currently listed as one of the Top 25 Swiftest Markets on Duotrope with an average response of about 4 days.

Payment
Currently we cannot afford to pay you, but this is a good opportunity for you to get a publishing credit. That's even better than money, isn't it? If you are looking for money, try our Dialogue Only Contest (details on our Contests page).

Publication
We publish two pieces per week, and then we create a downloadable magazine with our best pieces every six months. See The Magazine page for more details.

Rights
We will acquire first time publishing rights, and all other rights will revert back to the author after the story is published on our website. We also will retain the right to publish your story in our semiannual magazine. All stories will remain on our website or archive. If you would like us to remove your story, please let us know.

Story of the Month Contest
Each month we will have a story of the month contest. The winner will receive a special page for his or her story and a guaranteed spot in the next issue of the magazine.

Submit Now: http://bartlebysnopes.submishmash.com/Submit