Union Spring seeks work from the heart that takes aim straight at our particular moment. We want writing that comes from out of nowhere, maybe inside of you, to say something big about this daring, windblown world. We publish poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and literary criticism that says something direct and meaningful about our current American moment. We promise not to shy away from pointing the finger, if that’s what it takes to make a difference. Read our Inaugural Issue to get a feel.
Work must be previously unpublished in print or online, including on personal blogs. We welcome simultaneous submissions, as long as you notify us immediately when work has been accepted elsewhere. Please submit to any genre only once per reading period.
Union Spring acquires first English-language print and electronic rights. Copyright reverts to the author upon publication. We don’t charge for submitting, but please be sure to note our guidelines below.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email us at editors@unionspring.org.
For all submissions:
- We appreciate manuscripts in a standard font, sized 12.
- Please include your name and the piece’s title and genre on the cover page.
- Please include a third-person bio to be used if accepted for publication.
- You may include social media handles.
- Cover letters are optional.
- Please paginate.
- At last, if you could please tell us how you found us, it’d be a big help.
- POETRY: A table of contents is appreciated but not necessary.
- POETRY: Please start each poem on a new page.
- POETRY: Until we expand, please limit submissions to 10 poems.
Please refer to Submittable for details on how to submit.
POETRY GUIDELINES
FICTION GUIDELINES
For fiction, we like stories of real life encounters with people trying to get outside their internal struggles and into a better place, even and especially if they feel misunderstood. A keen eye for place, detail, and sympathy go a long way toward making our hearts skip a beat. Story resolutions not required. Ask yourself, what’s going on inside you and all around? That’s the good stuff.
Please limit fiction submissions to 8,000 words.
NONFICTION GUIDELINES
Our nonfiction space is a good area to explore turning the camera’s lens out onto the exterior world – what have you seen and what do you think it means, specifically to you and from your perspective? What are the strange things you notice just moving about the planet, and how do you reconcile them with a life on earth? Be creative, but be sincere.
Form is broad and varied in the nonfiction space, but we aren’t either necessarily looking for a puzzle. Tell your story in your way. Focus on the poetry of it. For a good idea of creative nonfiction we like, please read August Edwards’s selection from our second issue.
Please limit Nonfiction submissions to 8,000 words.
ART GUIDELINES
We’re open to artwork. But we’re kind of specific, we think. This is new for us, so please be patient, but we’re looking for:
- Work that explores language, words, politics, classic poster calls, and the like are encouraged, but please do not be overtly political. There are other outlets who can better give you a voice for that.
- Stuff that prints easily and translates to the page, so please prioritize Black & White work, Stencil work, Sketches, Drawings, Line Work, Vector Images, etc. Single big images work best, canvas that are overloaded typically don’t translate well.
- We’re beatniks, so consider work that explores pop art, vintage pop culture, mid-century themes, Americana, and so on, but please be contemporary. We’re not in the game of nostalgia.
Please consult Submittable for all details.
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Union Spring. Toward a better future.
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Union Spring Literary Review 