Essays - Fall 2026

 Essays must be original and unpublished. 

Essays must be written by the author, without any use of AI.

Please double-space your work (unless your essay plays with form/space), use a 12-point readable font like Times New Roman, add page numbers, and include the word count on the first page. Maximum word count is 5000 words. Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will be rejected. 

Please ensure you are submitting to the correct category. Please only submit your creative non-fiction essays to this category. 

We are looking for:

• Essays that play with structure, POV, and chronology. Hermit crab essays are particularly encouraged.
• Essays that use a powerful metaphor to serve as a through line for theme and plot. 
• Essays that explore the liminal spaces, the overlooked, and the marginal.
• Essays that use fiction techniques like characterization, dialogue, and scenes to create narrative tension.
• Essays that use alternative forms to explore theme and build layers of meaning. 

We are not looking for:

• Service journalism
• Essays that primarily review a film, book, or artwork
• Academic essays
• Essays written for a class
• Travel essays
• Opinion pieces or argumentative essays

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Open until September 25.