Cutleaf Journal is known to publish a new issue every other week. They welcome unsolicited original prose (both creative nonfiction and fiction) and poetry from established and emerging writers during their open submission windows.
They seek literary pieces that respond to people’s common experience and reflect their differences. Also, they are interested in work by all writers, especially those historically underrepresented in literary publishing.
Submission Guidelines For Cutleaf Journal
- They consider simultaneous submissions with the understanding that you will quickly inform them if your piece is accepted by another publication.
- Writers are asked to submit only once per reading period.
- They usually set a limit on the number of submissions in order to be able to reply in a timely manner to all authors.
- Please refer to their Submittable page for further instructions and information.
- They read and respond to manuscripts on a rolling basis and strive to respond to every submission in a timely manner.
- If you do not hear from them within three months, send them a query via email. Please do not send additional submissions until you have heard back from them.
- Work published online in Cutleaf may be chosen for inclusion in The Cutleaf Reader, which is their annual print anthology.
ESSAYS
- They are interested in essays in both standard and hybrid forms. They also welcome new approaches such as speculative nonfiction, essays based in metaphor, essays in verse, and other re-imaginings of the format.
- Any work about literature, travel, music, visual art, and film in multiple formats, will be welcomed. They are less interested in journalistic approaches than in work that shows the larger and smaller truths about being human.
- They are generally interested in essays of less than 6,000 words. Longer work must be exceptionally compelling, and they may publish longer works in installments.
- Prose submissions should be double-spaced and use a standard 12-point font, such as Times New Roman. Please upload your entire submission as one MS Word file. Also, do not forget to include your name and contact information on the first page.
POETRY
- They are interested in poetry of many styles and formats. They will read up to seven poems at a time per author.
- Their format is designed to showcase a group of 3 to 5 poems from a single author in each issue. One of their considerations is how those poems work together as a suite.
- Poems should be single-spaced and use a standard 12-point font, such as Times New Roman. Please upload your entire submission as one MS Word file. Also, do not forget to include your name and contact information on the first page.
To submit your creative nonfiction, fiction or poetry, you will have to visit their Submittable Page.
Pay Rates
They will pay contributors from $100 to $400 for published nonfiction prose.
For published poetry they will pay contributors from $50 to $200.
Deadline For Submissions
Cutleaf will open to submissions for the 2024 issues and close on the following dates:
Nonfiction– From 1st October to 30th October.
Poetry– 1st November, 2023 (Deadline undisclosed)