Thank you for considering Room for the publication of your original short stories, poems, creative non-fiction, or art. Room publishes work by people of all marginalized genders, including cis and trans women, trans men, nonbinary and Two-Spirit people. We strongly suggest you get a sense of our tastes by reviewing material we've published in recent issues—buy newsstand copies, subscribe, borrow from a library, or visit our latest edition online. Alternatively, you can order single copies of specific issues, including soldout digital exclusives for just $10.
Guidelines
- Submit only work that has not been previously published, in print or online.
- We gladly accept simultaneous submissions. If accepted elsewhere, congratulations! Please do let us know and withdraw your piece.
- We do not charge for submissions, with the exception of our annual contests, which also come with a one-year print subscription.
- We publish four times a year: two themed and two un-themed issues. Check our homepage for updates on upcoming themes and deadlines.
- We also run four contests a year. Visit our contests page for updates.
- We no longer accept art submissions via submittable, but please visit our submissions page to familiarize yourself with the art we're published recently, what we're looking for, and how to submit.
EXTENDED DEADLINE: DECEMBER 1, 2023
FIRST PRIZE: $500 + potential publication in an issue of Room
SECOND PRIZE: $500 + potential publication in an issue of Room
HONOURABLE MENTION: $50 + publication on Room's website
Short Forms Contest Guidelines:
- The cost of entry is dependent upon the location of your residence.
- If you reside outside of Canada (whether you are Canadian or not), the fee is $45 CAD if you reside in the US or $55 CAD if you reside outside of North America to submit your initial entry, and $7 CAD for each additional entry. Residence is based on the address associated with your Submittable account. This is where your subscription will be shipped. Under "Fee," select the correct payment amount from the drop-down menu. You must choose the appropriate submission fee option, or your piece may be disqualified. No refunds are provided for selecting the incorrect fee option.
- If you reside in Canada (at the Canadian address associated with your Submittable account, regardless of citizenship), the fee is $35 CAD to submit your initial entry, and $7 CAD for each additional entry. Residence is based on the address associated with your Submittable account. This is where your subscription will be shipped. Under "Fee," select the correct payment amount from the drop-down menu. You must choose the appropriate submission fee option, or your piece may be disqualified. No refunds are provided for selecting the incorrect fee option.
- All initial entries include a one-year subscription to Room. Additional entries do not include an additional free subscription. You must submit an initial entry before submitting an additional entry. If you submit an additional entry without first submitting an initial entry, your additional entry may be disqualified without refund.
- Each entry can consist of one or two prose poems, flash fictions, flash creative non-fictions, or hybrid pieces of up to 500 words each in a single document. No partial refunds are provided for entering only one piece in your initial entry. No refunds are provided for additional entries because you mistakenly entered one piece in your initial entry, instead of two. An entry that includes more than two literary pieces may be disqualified without refund.
- The title of your submission must be the title(s) for the piece(s) entered into the competition, so that we can easily search for the title of a piece (and its author) when a piece is selected as a winner.
- Submit your work in Times New Roman 12-point font
- You can only upload ONE document (.pdf, .doc, or .docx preferred; can also accept .rtf) per submission on Submittable, so you must submit your entire submission in one file. Please start each piece at the top of a new page in one single file.
- Do not include a cover letter. Do not include a bio. Cover letters and bios will be deleted and will not be forwarded to the judge.
- Authors are not required to clarify the genre(s) they are writing in. All pieces submitted will be considered on their individual merit as standalone pieces. All submissions, regardless of genre, will be judged in a single category.
- Your name cannot appear ANYwhere in or on your submission. Submissions will by anonymous to the judges. If your name is anywhere on your submission, it will be disqualified. Remove all bylines. Ensure that your name (legal name, regularly used nickname, or publishing pseudonym) and any personal details (that would make your identity obvious to the judge) are not included in your submission document, including in headers, footers, titles, or in the file name. If your name is in your nonfiction piece or poem, then please change all references to your name TO AN ALIAS for the judging period. You will have the opportunity to change the alias if your piece is selected as a winner. If you wish to publish under a pseudonym, please do not include your pseudonym anywhere within the submission, including in the document file name, headers, footers, titles, or byline. You will have a chance to provide your pseudonym to the editor, should your piece be chosen as a winner.
- Each entry must be original, unpublished, not submitted or accepted elsewhere for publication, and not entered simultaneously in any other contest or competition.
- Room's contests are open to women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people. We specifically encourage writers with overlapping under-represented identities to submit their work. Previously commissioned Room writers or Room Contest judges are disqualified from entering the contest.
- Any submission that does not meet these guidelines will be disqualified. The submission fee is non-refundable.
- Please direct any questions or concerns to contests@roommagazine.com