Submissions Open

Submissions for our Spring 2026 issue, The Sublime and the Ridiculous, are open now! See below for full submission guidelines.

Please note we are presently unable to provide monetary compensation for contributions to our magazine.

Our Spring 2026 issue will be entitled, The Sublime and the Ridiculous. As always, we’re on the look-out for creative interpretations of that theme, so let your imagination run wild. We are especially keen to read stories and poems which effectively balance, blend or juxtapose the serious with the silly.

You will need to give your submission a title but please avoid naming your submission ‘The Sublime and the Ridiculous’, as this will be the title of the whole issue.

Whether you are submitting poetry or prose, the most important thing is for you to tell us a story. That means we want to see believable, sympathetic characters whose skin we can get right inside of. Let us experience what it is like to really be that character.

You can experiment with form and genre, however your story should still have a solid plot with a clear beginning, middle and end. Let us understand what your protagonist needs; what is standing in their way of getting it, and finally, how the conflict resolves.

We will not accept any pieces that appear to have been generated by AI.

Short Fiction

• Max. 5,000 words. No strict lower limit although anything less than 1,000 is unlikely to be accepted.
• Submissions should be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font. Be sure to include a word count.
• Most genres of fiction are acceptable, provided its not too graphic.
• Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information anywhere in the file you upload, including the filename.

Poetry

• Up to 4 poems per submission. Max 40 lines per poem.
• Single-spaced, one poem per page.
• Poems can be on any subject and in any form, though we tend to appreciate poetry with accessible language and a clear story.
• Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information anywhere in the file you upload, including the filename.

Articles on Writing

• 1,000-2,000 words.
• Double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Non-fiction articles should offer clear writing tips or publishing advice in a conversational tone. Personal essays about writing are welcome if they include practical insights or advice. Share your experiences, but ensure readers can learn something valuable from them.
• We will relax the ‘sublime and ridiculous’ theme for non-fiction submissions.
• Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information anywhere in the file you upload, including the filename.

How to Submit

• Please submit your work by filling in our Submission Form.
• It is completely free to submit your work to Penstricken, and always will be. However, if you include a donation of £2 or more with your submission, we will also throw in a faster response time + a detailed critique of your work.
• We will not enter into any further correspondence after a response has been given.
• All submissions must be original and unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
• Multiple submissions are allowed, but we are unlikely to publish more than one submission from a particular author.
• By submitting, you declare the work is your own intellectual property, and you have the right to grant first publication rights. All rights revert to the author after publication. (For more information, see our publication agreement).
• By submitting, you agree to our privacy policy.

The deadline for submissions is 09:30am (UK time) on Sunday 15th February 2026.