Submission Guidelines
We have no restrictions on the content we publish, except that we’re passionate about publishing new perspectives — new ideas, new voices, new worlds, new challenges, new ways of seeing — a theme that can take an infinite number of shapes, including speculative fiction, flash fiction, experimental poetry, political essays, narrative reportage, and virtually everything else.
Poetry
Submit 3–5 poems totaling no more than 10 pages, as a single document, single-spaced. Please begin each poem on a new page.
Please note: Our submission manager will ask you to list the title of each poem during the submission process to allow for the withdrawal of individual pieces rather than the entire submission. We still ask that you submit all poems in a single file.
Prose
Submit 1 piece of prose no longer than 5,000 words, be it fiction, flash fiction, speculative, creative nonfiction, essay, reportage, or a hybrid genre.
- Arcturus accepts submissions through our submissions manager only. We do not accept submissions via email or snail mail.
- Submissions are free and always have been. If you choose, you may decide to utilize the “tip jar” option to help offset the costs of our submission manager. Tips do not impact the manner in which your work is read and likelihood of being offered publication.
- Our 2025 submission windows are March 1 – May 31 and August 1 – September 30.
- We only accepted unpublished work. This includes work published in print, online, or posted on social media. If your work is accepted, Arcturus acquires First North American Serial Rights, which revert back to the author after publication.
- Do not include your name or other identifying information in your submission file, including the file name. If your name is part of your piece, you may replace it with a placeholder such as “[Name].”
- We accept simultaneous submissions. If your work is accepted elsewhere, please let us know immediately via our submission manager. To withdraw a full or partial submission–even when submissions are closed–log into Duosuma, select “Sent Submissions”, and click “Withdraw.” If the entire submission is accepted, please withdraw the full submission. If only a portion is accepted, please select the individual pieces you wish to withdraw. You can find additional instructions at this link.
- Submit only one submission per genre at a time. (Ex: You may submit a set of poems and a creative nonfiction essay at the same time, but do not submit two sets of poems.) Please wait until you receive a response before submitting again. Multiple submissions will be declined unread.
- Submissions are open internationally to any person writing in English (or primarily in English). We also accept translations.
- If you have a personal relationship with a member of the masthead, please note it in your cover letter.
- We do not accept work that has been written by or with AI. If you believe there to be an exception to your work, we request transparency with how and why AI was used and reserve the right to decline the work if we deem it unsuitable to our policy. In this case, please note this information in your cover letter.
- We cannot accept revisions to work that has already been submitted.
- We try to respond to submissions within 3 months, but please allow up to 4 months before contacting us about the status of your piece. To inquire about the status of your submission, email arcturusmag@gmail.com.
- Submissions that do not follow our guidelines will be declined unread.
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