Submit to Barnstorm
Barnstorm publishes only previously unpublished nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. 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 will accompany published written works.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please withdraw your submission through Submittable as soon as your work is accepted elsewhere.
Submission Schedule
Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis and published from October through May. We make every effort to respond in a timely manner.
An important note on our publishing seasons:
As the literary journal of a graduate program, we follow the academic calendar. Our editorial team reads submissions from September through December and from February through May. Submissions are not read during June, July, August, or January.
Because our masthead changes each academic year, response times may vary as the new editorial team settles into its roles. We appreciate your patience during these transitions.
If you submit work during one of our non-reading periods (June–August or January), your submission will not be reviewed until the journal resumes its regular schedule. Similarly, if you contact us through our contact form or by email during a non-reading period, we will not be able to respond until the journal resumes its regular schedule.
Submission Guidelines
For all prose, please send one piece no longer than 5,000 words.
For poetry, send no more than three poems.
For all written work, please use an 11- or 12-point, legible font of your choice (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Georgia, or Garamond) and 1-inch margins on all sides.
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.
We only review submissions sent through Submittable. Writing and art sent through our contact form or email will not be considered.
Rights & Policies
By submitting, you grant Barnstorm First North American Serial Rights to publish your work. Upon publication, all rights revert to the author, while Barnstorm retains the right to reprint the work in future print and digital editions. If you choose to republish your work elsewhere, we ask that you acknowledge Barnstorm Journal as its original place of publication.
AI Policy: We believe art is most meaningful when it reflects the imagination, experiences, and distinct voices of human creators. We do not accept written work or artwork generated by artificial intelligence (AI). All submissions must be original work created by the author without the use of generative AI to write, generate, or revise the work.
A note on our submission fee: This small financial resource directly supports Barnstorm and helps us continue creating opportunities for writers and artists. It helps cover the costs of producing print publications of the journal and may also support future projects, including writing contests, prizes and awards, and live reading events. Most importantly, your support helps us sustain our mission to publish work that is playful, takes risks, and, as our motto says, harnesses energy.