I N V E R T E D
G e n e r a l
S u b m i s s i o n
G u i d e l i n e s
OPPORTUNITY ALERT
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In light of the history of underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPoC) in the publishing world, and given the economic hardship of COVID-19, especially for BIPoC individuals, we will be offering free GENERAL SUBMISSIONS window for all BIPoC individuals. Please follow us on Instagram to get updates
You must be able to identify as a BIPoC individual to be able to take advantage of the extension we are offering. |
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Inverted Syntax is published twice a year, once online in Fissured Tongue Volume and once in print. Starting in 2020, Inverted Syntax moved to a new schedule for print issue releases. To accommodate this new schedule, we published a second issue printed in November 2020. Commencing in 2021, print issues will be released every November. Our Sublingua Prize for Poetry runs March through June every year but we will be opening in April this year.
Our general reading window is typically from February to July however, we have postponed opening until March. Please forgive us, we need a moment to regain our composure after 2020 so we have postponed both the general submission window and Sublingua Prize.
Although we strongly resist the categorization of genre, for the purpose of assigning work to appropriate readers, our submission forms will be categorized by genre. We seek to publish unorthodox approaches to form and aesthetics. We love work that is non genre, those that straddle multiple categories, however you may submit previously unpublished work to the following categories: fiction, flash fiction (new starting 2020), nonfiction, and poetry. We also publish photographs, illustrations, and other visual art.
To get a better sense of what we are looking for, check out our Fissured Tongue series Volume 1 & 2, Online issue 1 and Online Issue 2, and our print issue from our store. We suggest you follow our instagram, facebook, and twitter feeds to see what we are talking about, leaning towards or excited about. Plus, you may just get a peek at work we have published in print. Most importantly, you should get familiar with our mission and our masthead.
Just keep in mind that we hesitate to offer concrete definitions, because we don’t like limits. We might not know we love something until we see it. Send us what you think is missing—it could be what we’ve been searching for.
We don’t pay contributors, but if we publish you in print, we send you a copy and we work hard to promote your published work. We also throw a launch party and reading to celebrate published work and encourage you to attend and read (currently online due to COVID).
We also nominate for awards, such as the Pushcart Prize, the Best American series, Sundress Publications’ Best of the Net Anthology, and Best Microfiction. Nominees will be notified and listed on our site.
Our general reading window is typically from February to July however, we have postponed opening until March. Please forgive us, we need a moment to regain our composure after 2020 so we have postponed both the general submission window and Sublingua Prize.
Although we strongly resist the categorization of genre, for the purpose of assigning work to appropriate readers, our submission forms will be categorized by genre. We seek to publish unorthodox approaches to form and aesthetics. We love work that is non genre, those that straddle multiple categories, however you may submit previously unpublished work to the following categories: fiction, flash fiction (new starting 2020), nonfiction, and poetry. We also publish photographs, illustrations, and other visual art.
To get a better sense of what we are looking for, check out our Fissured Tongue series Volume 1 & 2, Online issue 1 and Online Issue 2, and our print issue from our store. We suggest you follow our instagram, facebook, and twitter feeds to see what we are talking about, leaning towards or excited about. Plus, you may just get a peek at work we have published in print. Most importantly, you should get familiar with our mission and our masthead.
Just keep in mind that we hesitate to offer concrete definitions, because we don’t like limits. We might not know we love something until we see it. Send us what you think is missing—it could be what we’ve been searching for.
We don’t pay contributors, but if we publish you in print, we send you a copy and we work hard to promote your published work. We also throw a launch party and reading to celebrate published work and encourage you to attend and read (currently online due to COVID).
We also nominate for awards, such as the Pushcart Prize, the Best American series, Sundress Publications’ Best of the Net Anthology, and Best Microfiction. Nominees will be notified and listed on our site.
Simultaneous Submissions We accept simultaneous submissions, but please notify us immediately if your work has been accepted elsewhere.
When should you expect to hear from us We have a very limited staff of rotating volunteers and rotating interns. During the 2020 submission window we aimed to respond within 6 months of submission but have still not responded to all submitters. We typically start reading all subs in June - August. Because we require a balance of editors and readers and various perspectives on every piece, our response time can range form 3 months to a year. Furthermore, if you were not selected in Sublingua submission which we decide on in early September, we may still include you in our print Issue or Fissured.
Rights If your work is published in Inverted Syntax, you are granting us First Serial Rights. All rights revert back to the author upon publication. If you republish your work elsewhere, you agree to credit us as the first publisher. You also agree that your work may remain on our website permanently. Postcards received in the mail are usually all automatically accepted and published regardless of whether the work has appeared online or print before.
Inclusivity Statement All volunteers, readers, subscribers, submitters, and any participants, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability are valued and respected. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming environment where our community of supporters and contributors can feel safe and at home. Inverted Syntax encourages diverse and inclusive voices, especially those from under-represented and vulnerable communities to consider Inverted Syntax.
Guidelines All work must be submitted through Submittable. We do not accept work via mail or email. We do not accept any unsolicited submissions. The general submission fees ($4) covers our administration costs. Please note that we may close our submissions early at times due to volume or to prepare an upcoming issue. Please wait for a response from us before sending us another submission. Our Readers can choose to not read work that doesn’t follow our guidelines.
While we hesitate to impose restrictions on length, we do have limitations to consider when it comes to our print issue.
If your work is accepted we may make editorial suggestions. You will have a chance to review it before it is published.
Fiction Submit one short story or chapter excerpt at a time. Maximum 3500 words. Keep in mind, longer pieces (more than 6 pages within our journal's layout) are typically considered for online publication.
NEW in 2020 Flash Fiction Submit no more than three pieces of flash fiction in one document. Must be under 1000 words per each flash fiction. No exceptions.
Nonfiction Submit one piece of memoir, essay, hybrid, lyric, or flash at a time. Maximum 3500 words. We are not interested in scholarly articles.
Poetry Please submit 6-8 poems in a single document. Poems may be single-spaced. There aren't length restrictions for poems published in our online journal, however for our print journal, we prefer poems no longer than 50 lines or two pages. Each new poem should begin on a new page.
Visual Art Please submit 6-8 pieces. We are open to any medium. For photography and digital illustrations, please send a web-readable format (we prefer .jpeg). For paintings, drawings, and sculptures, send photos of each piece as you would want them to appear.
Blog Articles Temporarily Suspended We welcome posts on matters of craft, as well as interviews and pieces on writers, art, drama, and music. If you have an idea that doesn’t fit in these categories, send us a pitch at editor.invertedsyntax@gmail.com. Subject line: Blog Article Pitch - Your Name. While our Blog submission is open, it is on somewhat of a hiatus as we dedicate our resources to regularly publishing literary works through our Fissured Tongue series.
Want to learn what we publish? Order copies available from our store.
Inverted Syntax's Print Issue Three Features work by new, emerging, and award-winning writers and artists, including winners of the 2020 Sublingua Prize for Poetry judged by literary luminary, Khadijah Queen.
Read work by Sherese Francis | Emily Marie Passos Duffy | Karolina Zapal
Aaron Muller | Maya Salameh | makalani bandele | Emi Brener
Lawrence S. Early IV | Itiola Jones | Jo Stewart | Maurya Kerr
Ayling Dominguez | Marietta Brill | Benjamin Stallings
Arnaav Bhavanani | Kiley McLaughlin | Luna Mac-Williams
Lisa Berley | Meg E. Griffitts | Hildy Maze | Sol Jacobs
Desiree Dufresne | Robert Vivian | Jason Masino | Christine Imperial
Ami J. Sanghvi | Violet Mitchell | Dave Brennan | Rayoung Lee
Shoshana Surek | Devan Brettkelly | Zoë Johnson | Stephanie Niu
Ronald Walker| Pune Dracker | Daisy Patton
Inverted Syntax's Print Issue Two features work by Kiki Petrosino, J Michael Martinez, Megan Kaminski, Martin McGovern, Raymond Luczak, Leonora Simonovis, Megan Spiegel, Salma Ahmad Caller, Joni Renee Whitworth, Jonathan Riccio, Jessica Reed, Violet, Mitchell, Emmy Newman, Richard Westly, Ted Snyder, Christy Sheffield Sanford, Bryan Price, Terri Witek, Wren Tuatha, Christina Haglis, Alysse Mccana, artwork by Hildy Maze, Claire Lawerenc, K Johnson Bowles, Carol Radsprecher, and Andrea Rexilius. We are also proud to features our Sublingua Prize for Poetry Winner, Runners-up, and Finalists in Issue Two. This includes Gabriella Vogt (winner), Jessica Fischoof, Adam Malinowski, Elizabeth Galoozis, Shaun Holloway, James Davis, Craig Chen, Susan Friberg, Emily Davis-Fletcher, and Angelo Maneage. Inverted Syntax is edited by Nawal Nader-French, Jesica Carson Davis, Allissa Hertz, Melanie Merle, and is supported in part through the Mile-High MFA at Regis University. Discover more published work at www.invertedsyntax.com
Past contributors include Rae Armantrout, Phillip Metres, George Kalamaras, Eric Baus, Khadijah Queen, Daisy Patton, Jill Khoury
When should you expect to hear from us We have a very limited staff of rotating volunteers and rotating interns. During the 2020 submission window we aimed to respond within 6 months of submission but have still not responded to all submitters. We typically start reading all subs in June - August. Because we require a balance of editors and readers and various perspectives on every piece, our response time can range form 3 months to a year. Furthermore, if you were not selected in Sublingua submission which we decide on in early September, we may still include you in our print Issue or Fissured.
Rights If your work is published in Inverted Syntax, you are granting us First Serial Rights. All rights revert back to the author upon publication. If you republish your work elsewhere, you agree to credit us as the first publisher. You also agree that your work may remain on our website permanently. Postcards received in the mail are usually all automatically accepted and published regardless of whether the work has appeared online or print before.
Inclusivity Statement All volunteers, readers, subscribers, submitters, and any participants, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability are valued and respected. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming environment where our community of supporters and contributors can feel safe and at home. Inverted Syntax encourages diverse and inclusive voices, especially those from under-represented and vulnerable communities to consider Inverted Syntax.
Guidelines All work must be submitted through Submittable. We do not accept work via mail or email. We do not accept any unsolicited submissions. The general submission fees ($4) covers our administration costs. Please note that we may close our submissions early at times due to volume or to prepare an upcoming issue. Please wait for a response from us before sending us another submission. Our Readers can choose to not read work that doesn’t follow our guidelines.
While we hesitate to impose restrictions on length, we do have limitations to consider when it comes to our print issue.
If your work is accepted we may make editorial suggestions. You will have a chance to review it before it is published.
- Do not list any identifying information on the submission. We prefer to read blind. Our readers ignore work that have identifying information
- Start each new piece on a new page and Please use page numbers
- 12-point font
- Garamond (this is the font we publish in so it makes it easier to receive work that matches this font however we do publish work in other font as part of a creative project )
- Prose should be double-spaced
- Send prose in .doc/ .docx and pdf. format. We prefer you send us both docx and pdf format of the same works in the submission.
- The journal is 8.5 x 8.5. We attempt to preserve the original formatting by all means possible, but there are some limitations when working within a 7.5x7.5 after margins. Please keep this in mind when considering Inverted Syntax as a home for your piece.
Fiction Submit one short story or chapter excerpt at a time. Maximum 3500 words. Keep in mind, longer pieces (more than 6 pages within our journal's layout) are typically considered for online publication.
NEW in 2020 Flash Fiction Submit no more than three pieces of flash fiction in one document. Must be under 1000 words per each flash fiction. No exceptions.
Nonfiction Submit one piece of memoir, essay, hybrid, lyric, or flash at a time. Maximum 3500 words. We are not interested in scholarly articles.
Poetry Please submit 6-8 poems in a single document. Poems may be single-spaced. There aren't length restrictions for poems published in our online journal, however for our print journal, we prefer poems no longer than 50 lines or two pages. Each new poem should begin on a new page.
Visual Art Please submit 6-8 pieces. We are open to any medium. For photography and digital illustrations, please send a web-readable format (we prefer .jpeg). For paintings, drawings, and sculptures, send photos of each piece as you would want them to appear.
Blog Articles Temporarily Suspended We welcome posts on matters of craft, as well as interviews and pieces on writers, art, drama, and music. If you have an idea that doesn’t fit in these categories, send us a pitch at editor.invertedsyntax@gmail.com. Subject line: Blog Article Pitch - Your Name. While our Blog submission is open, it is on somewhat of a hiatus as we dedicate our resources to regularly publishing literary works through our Fissured Tongue series.
Want to learn what we publish? Order copies available from our store.
Inverted Syntax's Print Issue Three Features work by new, emerging, and award-winning writers and artists, including winners of the 2020 Sublingua Prize for Poetry judged by literary luminary, Khadijah Queen.
Read work by Sherese Francis | Emily Marie Passos Duffy | Karolina Zapal
Aaron Muller | Maya Salameh | makalani bandele | Emi Brener
Lawrence S. Early IV | Itiola Jones | Jo Stewart | Maurya Kerr
Ayling Dominguez | Marietta Brill | Benjamin Stallings
Arnaav Bhavanani | Kiley McLaughlin | Luna Mac-Williams
Lisa Berley | Meg E. Griffitts | Hildy Maze | Sol Jacobs
Desiree Dufresne | Robert Vivian | Jason Masino | Christine Imperial
Ami J. Sanghvi | Violet Mitchell | Dave Brennan | Rayoung Lee
Shoshana Surek | Devan Brettkelly | Zoë Johnson | Stephanie Niu
Ronald Walker| Pune Dracker | Daisy Patton
Inverted Syntax's Print Issue Two features work by Kiki Petrosino, J Michael Martinez, Megan Kaminski, Martin McGovern, Raymond Luczak, Leonora Simonovis, Megan Spiegel, Salma Ahmad Caller, Joni Renee Whitworth, Jonathan Riccio, Jessica Reed, Violet, Mitchell, Emmy Newman, Richard Westly, Ted Snyder, Christy Sheffield Sanford, Bryan Price, Terri Witek, Wren Tuatha, Christina Haglis, Alysse Mccana, artwork by Hildy Maze, Claire Lawerenc, K Johnson Bowles, Carol Radsprecher, and Andrea Rexilius. We are also proud to features our Sublingua Prize for Poetry Winner, Runners-up, and Finalists in Issue Two. This includes Gabriella Vogt (winner), Jessica Fischoof, Adam Malinowski, Elizabeth Galoozis, Shaun Holloway, James Davis, Craig Chen, Susan Friberg, Emily Davis-Fletcher, and Angelo Maneage. Inverted Syntax is edited by Nawal Nader-French, Jesica Carson Davis, Allissa Hertz, Melanie Merle, and is supported in part through the Mile-High MFA at Regis University. Discover more published work at www.invertedsyntax.com
Past contributors include Rae Armantrout, Phillip Metres, George Kalamaras, Eric Baus, Khadijah Queen, Daisy Patton, Jill Khoury
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Send us your postcards for 2021
the 4th Annual The Art of the Postcard Submission Entry is Free 
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In 2019 ROXANE GAY TWEETED INVERTED
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