We are reading general submissions for our 2018 print issue. DEADLINE: MAY 31ST 

WHAT WE LIKE

We gravitate to pieces that are void of fluff and pretension. Realism and something that really grabs our attention is what we look for. Something that makes us say “Wow! I wish I wrote that.” We love a storyline that we have never encountered, well-crafted characters, and great dialogue with proper use of regional dialects can really interest us. We also love a spoken word or slam poem, and use all the “I’s” you want, because ‘confessional’ is not, and has never been, a dirty word here.

Blotterature believes editors are judges of what they like and what they think is important—not of what is and isn’t good literature. We hope you like what we like, but we wish you good luck in finding something else to read and still think you’re cool if you don’t!

Blotterature also believes that the acts of creating and publishing art are inherently political, and all literary publications make a political stance whether they intend to or not. We prefer to be up front, no bull, about ours. We prescribe to the tenets of intersectional feminism, as in, we do not publish submissions that contain or promote racist, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, ableist or ageist ideas. We echo the sentiment that the traditional idea of ‘literary merit’ is antiquated, patriarchal and white supremacist by definition. It bears repeating: Blotterature believes you matter, you are necessary, you are not a disruption, you are not a distraction, and your perspective is vital.

PROCESS

• We review submissions blindly—so do not include any identifying information on your submission or in the file titles. Files that include the name of the author will not be considered for publication.
• Simultaneous submissions are necessary! Just notify us as soon as possible if work you’ve sent us has been accepted somewhere else.
• We cannot consider previously published material. We define ‘previously published’ as appearing anywhere public. If we can find it on the web (without being friends with you on Facebook, having a membership on your preferred poetry sharing website, etc.), it’s published.
• Use a readable 12-point font (Ex. TNR, Calibri, Arial). Double-space all prose. Make all submissions through Submittable.
• On Submittable you will be given the option to submit for free or throw two dollars our way in the form of a “Tip” submission. The purpose of the Tip Submission is donation—it is NOT a reading fee, and no one is required to pay it. 

RIGHTS

Blotterature claims First North American Rights. All rights revert to the writer after publication, but we then ask that you acknowledge Blotterature upon future publication of the same piece/s.