For over a decade, The Adroit Journal has championed emerging voices through our globally recognized Summer Mentorship Program, Adroit Prizes, and scholarship opportunities honoring Gregory Djanikian and Anthony Veasna So. Beginning in 2025, in keeping with our mission to publish emerging writers in conversation with established writers, we created The Adroit Journal Editor’s Prizes in Poetry & Fiction to recognize outstanding work in poetry and fiction from mid-career writers. This prize is dedicated to excellence in craft and daring in vision. The recipients of the Editor’s Prizes will each receive $1,000 and publication alongside our student Adroit Prize winners in our October issue.

GENRES & ELIGIBILITY

• Poetry: Submit 1–3 poems in a single document.
• 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• All entries must be previously unpublished.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 both the Poetry and Fiction categories.
• We are encouraging submissions from writers with at least one published book. 
• We welcome submissions from writers of all backgrounds and nationalities.

DATES & DEADLINES

• Submissions Open: July 1, 2026.
• Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026.
• Result Announcement: Fall 2026.

SUBMISSION PORTAL

All entries must be submitted via our Submittable portal.

Please note: We do not accept submissions via post or email, except in the case of accessibility accommodations. Writers with disabilities that do not allow for Submittable entry may email us at editors[at]theadroitjournal[dot]org.

IMPORTANT: SUBMISSION CAPS!

We will only consider the first 500 POETRY submissions and the first 300 FICTION submissions. Once these submission caps are achieved, 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, as well as awarding the prizes.

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 unpublished 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.

For over a decade, The Adroit Journal has championed emerging voices through our globally recognized Summer Mentorship Program, Adroit Prizes, and scholarship opportunities honoring Gregory Djanikian and Anthony Veasna So. Beginning in 2025, in keeping with our mission to publish emerging writers in conversation with established writers, we created The Adroit Journal Editor’s Prizes in Poetry & Fiction to recognize outstanding work in poetry and fiction from mid-career writers. This prize is dedicated to excellence in craft and daring in vision. The recipients of the Editor’s Prizes will each receive $1,000 and publication alongside our student Adroit Prize winners in our October issue.

GENRES & ELIGIBILITY

• Poetry: Submit 1–3 poems in a single document.
• 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 both the Poetry and Fiction categories.
• We are encouraging submissions from writers with at least one published book. 
• We welcome submissions from writers of all backgrounds and nationalities.

DATES & DEADLINES

• Submissions Open: July 1, 2026.
• Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026.
• Result Announcement: Fall 2026.

SUBMISSION PORTAL

All entries must be submitted via our Submittable portal.

Please note: We do not accept submissions via post or email, except in the case of accessibility accommodations. Writers with disabilities that do not allow for Submittable entry may email us at editors[at]theadroitjournal[dot]org.

IMPORTANT: SUBMISSION CAPS!

We will only consider the first 500 POETRY submissions and the first 300 FICTION submissions. Once these submission caps are achieved, 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, as well as awarding the prizes.

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 unpublished 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.

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 6,000 words per entry of between 1-3 pieces. There is no length limit for poetry. 

All work in the submission packet should be by the same author. If you would like to submit translations of works by different authors, please make a separate submission for each one.

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 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 paginate your submission and include a word count at the top. 

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, work or resource, you must provide attribution. BTW, we use trackers, so please send your own creative work.

Please, no self translations.

Happy submitting, and thanks in advance!

Prose/Creative Non-Fiction 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 CNF 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 an 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.

Reader in Translation

The Adroit Journal seeks readers in translation to join our growing team. This is a volunteer, remote position with a start date of ASAP. The monthly commitment is approximately 6-8 hours when the submissions portal is open. Readers will read, discuss, and vote on submissions of translated work, and will attend monthly meetings, convened by the section editor. 

Candidates need not be expert in multiple languages to apply. We’re looking, first and foremost, for experienced readers who are passionate about language and story, who are willing to read across genres, and who are enthusiastic about literary translation as an art form. 

Please apply with a statement of interest (no more than a page) detailing your experiences as a writer, editor, and translator, if applicable; and what you would add to the journal’s literary and/or artistic community. You are encouraged to include things such as experience in the specific field(s), writing and publication, and other commendations and accolades, but this statement should NOT read like a résumé.

Your statement should highlight your history, passion, and experience with the areas of the position and creative writing. Feel free to discuss other topics you feel are appropriate, as well as any specific connections, measures, or initiatives you might have (or aspire to have) with The Adroit Journal’s staff community.

Please upload a cv/résumé. 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. This position is volunteer and remote, with a start date of ASAP. Due to the volume of applications, we can only respond to people we wish to interview for an opening.

Before applying please familiarize yourself with the journal by visiting our About page, and perhaps also an issue or two.