Submission Guidelines

We’re glad you’ve decided to submit your work to be published in Wayward Literature! Below you’ll find the guidelines for submissions. Be sure to follow them, or else we will not consider your submission for publication in the magazine. If you have any questions, reach out to us via our contact form. You can also review our terms and conditions.

Each issue of Wayward Literature focuses on a theme. Keep in mind that, even if you submit your work, it does not guarantee you a place in the issue. We will reach out to all those who are receiving a spot in the magazine. Those who do not will receive a separate email with the possibility of publishing on our blog.

Wayward Literature magazine accepts a variety of genres and art forms. All submissions must come with an author/creator biography. This should be around a paragraph and written in the third person. Find the technical guidelines here:

Short Stories & Memoirs:
– 2,500 word maximum for short stories.
– These are not hard maximums. If your story is 25-30 words over, we’ll still consider it. We will not consider anything 100 words over the maximum.
– Must adhere to the current issue theme.
– No depictions of excessive violence.
– If talking on sensitive topics (rape, abuse, suicide, etc.) please include a warning.

Flash Fiction:
– 1,000 word maximum.
– These are not hard maximums. If your story is 25-30 words over, we’ll still consider it. We will not consider anything 100 words over the maximum.
– Must adhere to the current issue theme.
– No depictions of excessive violence.
– If talking on sensitive topics (rape, abuse, suicide, etc.) please include a warning.

Poems:
– 2 poem maximum. If submitting a long poem, it must not be over 2 pages.
– Must adhere to the current issue theme.
– No depictions of excessive violence.
– If talking on sensitive topics (rape, abuse, suicide, etc.) please include a warning.

Art (Photography, drawings, paintings, etc.):
– One image per submission.
– Must adhere to the current issue theme.
– No depictions of excessive violence
– If focusing on sensitive topics (rape, abuse, suicide, etc.) please include a warning.
– Include a brief (2-3 sentence) description of the piece along with the title.

Wayward Literature reserves first publishing rights which revert with the following exception: Wayward Literature should reserve the right to re-publish in the future and reserves the right to be noted as the first publisher (if your work is reprinted elsewhere, credit Wayward Literature as the original publisher).

Wayward Literature reserves the right to include your work on our website, in printed form, and in collections of work acquired from our past issues, such as annual anthologies. Wayward Literature retains no rights on submitted artwork and images; rights belong to the artist/photographer.

By submitting your artwork or photography, you agree to allow Wayward Literature to display your work on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. If we use your work on any of the aforementioned websites, your artwork or photography will always be credited to you.

You, the author, artist, or photographer, confirm that your work is wholly original, does not violate or infringe upon the copyright or privacy of any other person, company, or organization whatsoever, and that you, the author, are the sole owner and creator of the work to be published.

Materials may be illegal in some countries. By submitting your material to Wayward Literature you agree to the following a) that you (the creator) are at least 18 years of age upon submission date and b) that if material is illegal in your country, you are responsible for your submission and anything written, drawn, or created within your submission.