Four Journals That Will Respond to Your Submission This Week
Few things are more daunting to writers than the blank page, and what’s an empty email inbox if not a blank page? For those of us without much experience in submitting and publishing our own work in journals, the mere thought of never hearing back can instill paralyzing fear. Luckily, there are journals who will rip the Band-Aid off, so to speak, and let you know before next week if you’ve made it in or not.
Hermeneutic Chaos Journal 
publishes an online journal 6 times a year, so there are plenty of chances to get your name out there. One quickly gets the sense that this is a journal that really thinks about their writers. They offer “a friendly habitation” for authors. They are reassuring that all submissions and authors are treated with respect. The journal publishes fiction and poetry that do not subscribe “to the rules imposed by the safe and limited aesthetics of the various genres.” The works push topics or innovate form in new ways. Hermeneutic is enthusiastic about the work they publish and assures authors they will respond within ten days.
Stats (from Duotrope) : 4% acceptance, response in avg. 1 day.
Star 82 Review c
alls for writers and visual artists to “tell us who you are. Someone will answer.” What a reassuring thought! The online and print journal is open to a wide variety of genres, with a quiet underlying theme of humanity. The work featured “highlights words and images in gemlike forms.” Short works (under 1,000 words) can be fiction or CNF. Poems are capped at 50 lines, with a minimum line count of only two lines to be considered. Visual art published in Star 82 Review includes painting, collage, erasure, and postcard lit. You can expect to hear back from Star 82 Review in a week.
Stats: 5% acceptance, response in avg. 2 days.
After The Pause 
is an online literary journal located right next door to Runestone in Minneapolis, MN. The journal is published in a beautiful online format that makes me feel like I’m reading a physical book. The poems and short stories range from a little weird, to a little funny, to a little gross. Visual art included in the journal comes from many genres as well, including painting, digital art, and photography. The journal showcases fresh work, and specifically encourages new writers to submit. After the Pause has a very friendly submission policy, aiming to respond to submitters within one week.
Stats: 6% acceptance, response in avg. 3 days.
Eunoia Review publishes new poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction every day. With nearly 8,000 followers and two pieces published daily, this journal may be just the place to get your name out there as soon as possible. Eunoia also allows writers to submit work that has been published elsewhere. With an acceptance rate well above average and a very quick turnaround time, Eunoia Review is a great fit for a writer who wants to publish work immediately. Reading the authors’ bios will prove that anyone is welcome, from self-proclaimed “cubicle drones,” to 50 year veterans of literary publishing.
Stats: 22% acceptance, response in avg. less than one day.
Ready to Submit?
When preparing to submit to these (or any other) journals, there are a few things you should have ready:
- First, you will need high quality writing. Just because they reply quickly, does not mean they’re accepting everything that comes across the desk. Take a look at fellow student editor Sandra Youngs’ post for more pointers: Secrets Behind Successful Submissions.
- Any work you submit should be something you are proud to have your name on. In the event that you do get published and you aren’t happy with your work, there’s not much you can do about it. In the age of the internet, things live forever. But you knew that right?
- Have a short bio prepared, written in the third person. These often appear alongside your work and are a part of your presence as a writer. Think about what you want readers to know about you as an author.
Submit to journals that reflect who you are and your style of writing. If you’re lucky, you’ll hear back in the time it takes to binge watch a season of “Game of Thrones”!
Oh, hey: speaking of submissions…. don’t forget Runestone‘s submissions for volume 3 are now open! Undergrads Submit Here.
Meet the blogger:
COURTNEY BALDRIGE is a poet and a senior at Hamline University. In addition to her passion for writing and the written word, Courtney also enjoys her work with elementary students and volunteering at a cat shelter.
