Submission Guidelines

NEW!

Postcard Series

matchbook is now accepting submissions for a series of postcards that will showcase both visual art and poetry. The art or poem will be featured on the front of the card, while the back will feature a Critical Thought from the artist or writer.

Submissions are open for the Postcard Series until JUNE 30.

Subscriptions to the Postcard Series cost $3. Subscribe here.

Visual Art

We look for images of original and unpublished photographs, drawings, paintings, or other kinds of visual art. The art will be printed in postcard format and sent en masse to individuals, presses, literary journals, and arts organizations. If selected, we will invite you to submit both a short critical commentary and a biographical statement for the reverse side of the postcard. The critical commentary can be as short as one sentence (though it can be longer), and can address the image on the front either directly or indirectly. Our hope is to give as much exposure as possible to artists doing new and exciting work. Please keep scale and proportion in mind for your submission, as these pieces will end up on a standard postcard (roughly 4x6 inches). Submit up to two images, as high quality jpegs or common image files (at least 300dpi).

Send to:
postcards at matchbooklitmag dot com

Poetry

We also look for original and unpublished poems to be printed in postcard format and sent en masse to individuals, presses, literary journals, and arts organizations. If selected, we will invite you to submit both a short critical commentary and a biographical statement for the reverse side of the postcard. The critical commentary can be as short as one sentence (though it can be longer), and can address the poem on the front either directly or indirectly. Our hope is to give as much exposure as possible to poets doing new and exciting work. Please keep in mind that your poem will end up on a standard postcard (roughly 4x6 inches), so a multiple page poem is not a good candidate. Submit up to two poems, as .doc files.

Send to:
postcards at matchbooklitmag dot com

Website Submissions

Reading dates for website submissions are: APRIL 1 until JUNE 30.

We look for works of short fiction and indeterminate prose. Like our name suggests, we are interested in literary art that manages brevity without sacrificing fullness. We like narrative, but we also like work that uses form to express something about the time in which we live.

We are most interested in works fewer than 1,000 words, but will publish works with higher word counts if they are exceptional.

If we fancy your submission, you'll be asked to submit a companion piece to be included in matchbook's ongoing critical discussion, postings of which appear alongside prose submissions.

Send unpublished work. Sim subs are just fine. Being a writer is hard.

Please limit submissions to three pieces if they are longish. Five if they are shortish. Pasted or attached.

Please add your name and date you submitted to the subject line of your email. It helps.

Send to:
submissions at matchbooklitmag dot com