Words Beyond Bars is a project aiming to promote the voices of writers affected by incarceration. Please only submit if you are an incarcerated or formerly incarcerated writer, or if you are submitting on the behalf of one. 

We’re looking to publish 5-10 incarcerated or previously incarcerated writers in an online issue on our website and a print anthology copy on a bi-annual frequency.

We read on a rolling basis.

Our response time will typically take 1-2 months, if not less. We welcome simultaneous submissions and submissions in different genres at the same time! We ask for First North American Serial rights and offer payment of $50 per contributor. This sum will be delivered upon publication. Additionally, we may promote your work on social media, including Instagram and Twitter.

Please send all submissions to wordsbeyondbars2024@gmail.com. Include a short cover letter and an optional author bio (up to 50 words). Please write the genre that you are submitting in the ‘Subject’ line of the email. If you are not the direct author of the work you are submitting, please also note your relationship to the author, as well as how we can contact them in the future.

Regretfully, we are unable to process mail submissions right now. This may change in the future. Thank you for your understanding!

Poetry

Submit up to 6 poems on any topic of your choice. Each poem should start on a new page. Please attach as a .pdf or .docx.

Fiction

Submit one story of no more than 3000 words. Please attach as a .pdf or .docx.

Creative Nonfiction

Submit one piece of no more than 3000 words. Please attach as a .pdf or .docx.

Visual Art

Submit up to twenty pieces. Please attach your pieces of art as a .pdf or .png in the body of your email.