Submit to Barnstorm

Barnstorm publishes only previously unpublished nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and experimental work work. While we welcome submissions in multiple genres, please wait to hear from us before submitting twice in the same genre. We also accept visual art which accompanies each written piece published.

Submission Schedule

We only review submissions sent through Submittable. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis and published from September through May. Work submitted during the summer will not be read until the fall.

We make every effort to respond in a timely manner. If your work is accepted and published elsewhere, please withdraw submissions in your submittable account.

Submission Guidelines

For all prose, please send one piece no longer than 5,000 words.

For poetry, send no more than three poems.

For art, we publish digital representations of visual work, including photography, graphic design, drawings, illustration, animation, and high quality pictures of sculpture, mixed media, paintings. Please visit our Submittable page for more information.

A note on our submission fee: This small financial resource will provide support for new possibilities: it can support the work of Barnstorm staff; it may fund future projects such as writing contests, prizes and awards, or a live reading event. Ultimately, it will help us achieve our mission: to publish the best personal and creative nonfiction essays, short stories, poetry and art that is playful, takes risks, and, as our motto says: harnesses energy.

We only review submissions sent through Submittable. Writing and art sent through our contact form, or email will not be reviewed.