Please read submission guidelines located under the 'Submit' tab on The Adroit Journal's website.
When we are open to considering new work, please follow these guidelines
Fiction- up to 3 pieces at a time, 9,000 words maximum (across pieces).
Creative Nonfiction- up to 3 pieces at a time, 9,000 words maximum (across pieces).
Poetry - up to 6 poems at a time, no length limits.
Translation - up to 6 poems at a time, no length limits; OR up to 3 pieces of prose at a time, 9,000 words maximum (across pieces).
Art - up to 6 pieces at a time, both black/white & color accepted.
In addition, look for opportunities to submit Interviews & Reviews and to apply for volunteer staff positions on The Adroit Journal.
Click here to read and familiarize yourself with The Adroit Journal.
We are thrilled to announce a new way we at The Adroit Journal have committed to supporting and uplifting exceptional poetry and fiction: the inaugural Adroit Journal Editor’s Prizes, recognizing outstanding work in poetry and short fiction by any writer, regardless of age or stage.
For over a decade, The Adroit Journal has championed emerging voices through our globally recognized Mentorship Program, Adroit Prizes, and scholarship opportunities honoring Gregory Djanikian and Anthony Veasna So. Now, for the first time, we invite established writers to join our pages through a prize dedicated to excellence in craft and daring in vision.
The recipient of the Editor’s Prize in Poetry and the recipient of the Editor’s Prize in Fiction will each receive $1,000 and publication in an upcoming issue. Additionally, all entries—including and especially those subsequently named poetry or fiction finalists—will be considered for publication.
GENRES & ELIGIBILITY
- Poetry: Submit 1–3 poems in a single document.
- All entries must be previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided you disclose your submission as such. Note: If your work is accepted elsewhere, just let us know right away—use the MESSAGES tab in Submittable, not the Notes tab (which we do not receive).
- Writers may enter in both the Poetry and Fiction categories.
- Writers of all backgrounds, nationalities, ages, and stages are welcome to submit.
*
DATES & DEADLINES
- Submissions Open: July 1, 2025
- Submission Deadline: July 31, 2025
- Result Announcement: Mid-September 2025
IMPORTANT: SUBMISSION CAP!
We will only consider the first 300 submissions received in each genre. Once 300 submissions are received, the submission category will automatically close. We encourage you to submit early—once our submission quotas are met, we will be unable to accept additional entries.
ENTRY FEE
- The Editor’s Prize submission fee is $15/submission.
- All proceeds will support The Adroit Journal‘s editorial operations, including our ongoing commitment to offering contributor stipends to each issue contributor.
JUDGING
All entries will be read and evaluated by members of The Adroit Journal‘s editorial staff. To learn more about our staff, please click here.
Please note that you may submit revisions of work previously submitted to the journal’s general submissions windows, as well as to previous cycles of the Adroit Prizes and Djanikian & Veasna So Scholars
SUBMISSION PORTAL
All entries must be submitted via our Submittable portal.
with disabilities or impairments may submit via Submittable or email; these writers may submit to editors[AT]theadroitjournal[DOT]org. Otherwise, we are not open to email submissions, and are not open to submissions sent via post.
We are thrilled to announce a new way we at The Adroit Journal have committed to supporting and uplifting exceptional poetry and fiction: the inaugural Adroit Journal Editor’s Prizes, recognizing outstanding work in poetry and short fiction by any writer, regardless of age or stage.
For over a decade, The Adroit Journal has championed emerging voices through our globally recognized Mentorship Program, Adroit Prizes, and scholarship opportunities honoring Gregory Djanikian and Anthony Veasna So. Now, for the first time, we invite established writers to join our pages through a prize dedicated to excellence in craft and daring in vision.
The recipient of the Editor’s Prize in Poetry and the recipient of the Editor’s Prize in Fiction will each receive $1,000 and publication in an upcoming issue. Additionally, all entries—including and especially those subsequently named poetry or fiction finalists—will be considered for publication.
GENRES & ELIGIBILITY
- Fiction: Submit 1 short story (max 6,000 words recommended).
- All entries must be previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided you disclose your submission as such. Note: If your work is accepted elsewhere, just let us know right away—use the MESSAGES tab in Submittable, not the Notes tab (which we do not receive).
- Writers may enter in both the Poetry and Fiction categories.
- Writers of all backgrounds, nationalities, ages, and stages are welcome to submit.
*
DATES & DEADLINES
- Submissions Open: July 1, 2025
- Submission Deadline: July 31, 2025
- Result Announcement: Mid-September 2025
IMPORTANT: SUBMISSION CAP!
We will only consider the first 300 submissions received in each genre. Once 300 submissions are received, the submission category will automatically close. We encourage you to submit early—once our submission quotas are met, we will be unable to accept additional entries.
ENTRY FEE
- The Editor’s Prize submission fee is $15/submission.
- All proceeds will support The Adroit Journal‘s editorial operations, including our ongoing commitment to offering contributor stipends to each issue contributor.
JUDGING
All entries will be read and evaluated by members of The Adroit Journal‘s editorial staff. To learn more about our staff, please click here.
Please note that you may submit revisions of work previously submitted to the journal’s general submissions windows, as well as to previous cycles of the Adroit Prizes and Djanikian & Veasna So Scholars
SUBMISSION PORTAL
All entries must be submitted via our Submittable portal.
with disabilities or impairments may submit via Submittable or email; these writers may submit to editors[AT]theadroitjournal[DOT]org. Otherwise, we are not open to email submissions, and are not open to submissions sent via post.
Please submit up to three prose pieces OR up to six poems in one document via our Submittable page (adroit.submittable.com).
Prose submissions may be up to 9,000 words per entry of between 1-3 pieces. There is no length limit for poetry.
Your translation should be accompanied by a translator’s note explaining the significance of the work and providing a brief biography of the author, followed by a summary of your previous publications and a few words about how you came to learn about the work. You should include this information in your cover letter in Submittable and include it in the uploaded file.
You must secure the right to publish your translation before submitting it to us. If your translation is accepted for publication by Adroit, you will be required to document that you have obtained the English-language rights to the work from the copyright holder (unless the work is in the public domain).
Please include a word count at the top of each submission.
You are welcome to submit no more than two (2) times per reading period. Additional submissions will be returned unread.
No AI-generated or AI-assisted work will be considered or even tolerated. Every line, word and punctuation mark must come from you or if it is inspired by another poem or resource, you must provide attribution.
Happy submitting, and thanks in advance!
Prose Reader
Prose readers get the first crack at all submissions in their specified genre, and are expected to review fiction and nonfiction (and hybrid) submissions regularly and consistently. Reviewing submissions includes voting, providing comments, and participating in occasional discussions about pieces on the bubble. (Est. commitment: 3.5 hrs/week.)
Before applying please familiarize yourself with the journal by visiting our About page, and perhaps also an issue or two.
APPLICATION WALKTHROUGH:
1. Adroit Statement (Required)
The Adroit Statement should explain your interest in becoming a Prose Reader at The Adroit Journal and describe how your past experiences—whether in writing, editing, or related fields—have prepared you for the role. Upload as a document (.doc, .docx, .pdf, etc.).
2. Writing Sample (Required)
Submit up to twenty pages of prose, double-spaced. If submitting multiple pieces, each should start on a new page. The sample should demonstrate your attention to craft, voice, character, and/or narrative structure. Upload as a document (.doc, .docx, .pdf, etc.).
3. Appreciation of Craft Essay (Required)
In about 500 words, reflect on a novel, short story collection, essay collection, or memoir published within the last three years that left an impression on you. Focus on specific elements like narrative voice, dialogue, character development, plot, or approach, and explain why it impacted you. Upload as a document (.doc, .docx, .pdf, etc.).
4. Resume/CV (Optional)
You may upload a resume or CV to provide additional context about your background, education, relevant experience, and skills. Upload as a document (.doc, .docx, .pdf, etc.).
A BRIEF NOTE ON ELIGIBILITY:
We are fully open to all readers and writers. At this time, for editorial roles, we are not open to editorial staff on the masthead of other internationally-staffed unaffiliated literary journals. Publications that consider solely campus work, or work with specific geographic eligibility requirements, do not apply to this restriction. Non-editorial roles are exempt from this proviso.
As we seek to fill open positions sooner rather than later, we consider applications on a rolling basis.
***Unless otherwise specified, all positions are volunteer and remote in nature & have a start-date of ASAP.***
Click here to view our Call for Interviews & Reviews, full of titles we'd especially love to see covered.
Thank you for your interest in interviewing or reviewing for us.
Interviews & Reviews -- we are currently accepting completed reviews and interviews for consideration on our blog.
At this time, we have a preference for reviews.
IMPORTANT: Please consult our style guide for reviews and/or our style guide for interviews prior to submission. Thank you!
Click here to view our most recent interviews and reviews.