submissions are currently closed

NOTE: We only accept submissions from marginalised and underrepresented writers and artists. We respect your privacy, so we do not require you to disclose which community you belong to/how you identify – we trust that non-marginalised creators won’t take advantage of this. That said, you are more than welcome to tell us about yourself if you wish to!

We do not much mind what you send us – whether it be non-fiction, genre or literary work – but we are particularly interested in writing and art that unsettles us with its truth, speaks to the emotions we all experience but can’t quite name, toys with the line between the ordinary and the surreal; gentle work that creeps into our minds and keeps us awake at night, visceral work that makes us eager to bare our souls too.
You get the idea – let us look you in the eye.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

  • We only accept previously unpublished work. Anything posted on social media or a personal blog is considered published the same way as an appearance in a magazine/journal would be.
  • Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please let us know via email if your work has been accepted elsewhere.
  • No multiple submissions please. We want to give as many people a chance as possible, so will only publish one piece per person in each issue.
  • Please email submissions to opialitmag@gmail.com with ‘[fiction/cnf/poetry/visual] SUBMISSION – [your name] – [title of piece]’ in the subject line. Include a short, third-person bio (+ any social media) in the body of the email and your work as an attachment (.doc(x) or .pdf). Cover letters can be stressful, so don’t worry too much about them, but feel free to say hi!
  • Please also include trigger/content warnings where applicable; these are not for me, it will simply make it easier for me to ensure I haven’t missed any when the issue is put together.
  • All submissions will be responded to within 2 months (most likely less than that, but keeping it longer to be on the safe side). If you haven’t heard from us in that time, send us a query.
  • If you receive an acceptance, please wait one submission period before submitting again (ie. if you submit for the winter issue in November, you may submit again for the summer issue in May).
  • We do not tolerate racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or any bigotry whatsoever.

PROSE

  • Please send one piece only.
  • We accept fiction and creative non-fiction.
  • Send 1,000-3,000 words or up to 1,000 words for flash.
  • Submissions should be in 12 pt Times New Roman or a similar standard font.

POETRY

  • Please send one piece only.
  • Any form is welcome, free verse or not, including hybrid pieces like prose poetry.
  • Submissions should be in 12 pt Times New Roman or a similar standard font, unless a specific format is part of the piece.

VISUAL ART

  • Please send up to five pieces.
  • We accept traditional and digital art, illustration, and photography (if you have anything else in mind, send an email and we will see if it fits).
  • Images should be in .jpg or .png format and ideally 300 dpi. Size will ultimately depend on the piece, but keep in mind that should the magazine go to print, a standard page would require 2480 x 1748 pixels (or similar, for example if your piece is square, etc.).
  • Feel free to include an artist’s statement or paragraph about the inspiration behind your piece(s) in the cover letter.
  • We also welcome illustrators to send their portfolios for future issues.

RIGHTS

Upon acceptance, we ask that you grant us first serial rights and non-exclusive archival rights. All rights revert back to the creator after publication, but please credit opia as the initial publication should your work be published elsewhere.

PAYMENT

Due to a slight delay in the release of issue 1, we have not yet been able to judge the success of our small print run, the sales of which we are using to cover the cost of a £10 payment and a free copy for all contributors.

As a result, we currently cannot guarantee the same payment for issue 2 contributors. We would rather not offer anything initially and, should the print run be successful, surprise contributors with a little something, than offer the same payment and have to go back on our word. We hope you understand, and we will keep everyone updated regarding this ♥

UPDATE: the above also applies if you’re submitting for issue 3, and currently we cannot guarantee print copies either (but fingers crossed!).

We can’t wait to see & read your work!