General Information

Abandon Journal accepts previously unpublished work only. Please use the following word counts to select a category to submit, and please send no more than one piece at a time per category, except where noted. In addition, please only submit once per submission window:

• Flash (fiction or nonfiction): max 1,000 words each (1-3 pieces per submission)
• Short story: max 7,500 words
• Creative nonfiction: max 6,000 words
• Graphic novels, cartoons, comics: we want to see them
• Poetry: any length or form (please send no more than five poems at a time)
• Abandon Form: hybrid, experimental, and/or idiosyncratic work that doesn’t fit into conventional genres, categories, or forms
• Artwork: we are particularly looking for genres that were created in a digital format (video, sound, animation, photography, design, etc.) but we will consider all visual art media (max five works at a time)
• Craft essays and writing about art: although we are not looking for academic work or reviews, we’d like to see creative nonfiction or personal essay/memoir about writing, art, and art-making
• Book reviews and interviews: please pitch us first before submitting

What We’re Looking For

We want to showcase writing and artwork that has been created with abandon. That term is free to be interpreted liberally, but ideally it is the kind of work that takes risks, created in a space wherein the artist doesn’t care what anyone else thinks or what everyone else is doing. This means that we’re open to so-called “genre fiction,” from mystery to sci-fi to romance to fantasy to horror to whatever strikes your fancy. As long as the writing is powerful and abandons the preconceived notions of what is expected, we want to read it.

Current Calls For Submissions

Abandon Journal is open for Issue #5 (Abandon Earth) from 8/1/23 through 9/30/23.

How To Submit

We accept unsolicited general submissions, for free, forever, always, no exceptions. (However, we’re happy to take tip jar submissions or other donations, if you’d like to contribute to our operating expenses and to helping us pay writers.)

Simultaneous submissions are fine — we’re writers too, after all — but please let us know if your piece is accepted elsewhere as soon as you can.

No more than one active submission per category at a time, and please wait at least two months before submitting again.

Feel free to inquire about the status of your submission if you haven’t heard back after 6-8 weeks.

Please, no re-submissions of the same work unless a revision was specifically requested. We're listed here at Duotrope, so please don’t forget to report your submission.

Payment

$15 per piece or series.

Boring But Important

Upon publication, Abandon Journal acquires first world serial rights, including first audio production rights, after which we retain the right to include it in a print anthology, as well as the right to maintain it indefinitely on our website. All other rights return to the author upon publication.