Places to submit your writing that you did instead of studying

If you’re like me, deadline season has made you really productive… at writing things other than term papers. Maybe you want your procrastination project published so you have something to show for failing classes or maybe you’ve been responsible and now want to be ambitious. Either way, here are some journals open(ing) for submissions.

The Ubyssey

Whoa, that’s what you’re reading right now! Aside from journalism, The Ubyssey has a science fiction competition, the Sex Issue in February and the magazine!

Deadline: year-round, varying for themed issues

Form(s)/genre(s): journalism. Occasionally, creative nonfiction, poetry, recipes and fiction.

The Garden Statuary

The English department’s undergrad journal, The Garden Statuary publishes twice yearly online, plus one compiled print edition in April. Open for submissions in the new year, so stay tuned!

Deadline: for the spring issue, generally the Friday before reading week

Form(s)/genre(s): prose, poetry, academic essays, multimedia

PRISM International Magazine

PRISM has published writers like Gabriel García Márquez and Michael Ondaatje. Two caveats: if you’re a current or incoming creative writing student, you cannot submit literary work and there’s a reading fee.

Deadline: year-round, with occasional contests

Form(s)/genre(s): fiction, non-fiction, prose translation, drama, poetry, cover photography

Reading fee: $3.00

Pay: $30 per printed page for prose, $40 per printed page poetry, $300 for cover photos

OTHER:

The Masters Review Fall Fiction Contest

You have to pay a lot to enter and the deadline’s SUPER soon. But I’m mostly recommending this because a few years back, UBC alumna Jen Neale took second place with one of my favourite stories. Maybe that could be you!

Deadline: November 30

Form(s)/genre(s): fiction

Reading fee: $25.00 USD

Pay: $2,000

FIYAH Lit Mag:

FIYAH is an award-winning magazine of Black speculative fiction. They publish high-calibre work four times a year and sometimes do themed issues. You must be Black to submit.

Deadline: December 31 (for un-themed submissions)

Form(s)/genre(s): sci fi, fantasy and/or horror fiction and poetry

Pay: Short stories $150 USD, novelettes $300 USD, poetry $50 USD.

Strange Horizons

A weekly speculative fiction/poetry magazine, Strange Horizons releases stories to read free online and has published award-winning authors.

Deadline: varying — see website

Form(s)/genre(s): sci fi, fantasy and/or horror fiction, poetry, reviews, essays, interviews, roundtable discussions, art

Pay: $40 for poetry, 8 cents/word for fiction, varying rates for nonfiction, $100-200 for art (all USD)

The /tƐmz/ Review

Based in London, Ontario, The /tƐmz/ Review (pronounced “tames”) publishes four issues a year from emerging and established writers.

Deadline: January 1, 2020

Form(s)/genre(s): fiction, creative nonfiction, reviews, poetry

Pay: $20

The Bridge Prize National Short Story Award

The University of Lethbridge “intends to inspire and motivate the next generation of Canadian literary artists as they transition to careers as professional writers” with a contest for any post-secondary Canadian students writing short fiction. So if you go to UBC, you’re eligible!

Deadline: January 20, 2020

Form(s)/genre(s): fiction

Pay: Winner gets $7,500 and three finalists win $1,000. Wow!

Best of luck!