(IMPORTANT NOTE! The authors with the top three submissions for each issue as determined by the editors will receive a $50 cash award. This includes a "Spotlight Author" and two runners up. If the Spotlight goes to a fiction author, the runners up will be chosen from the other two general categories of poetry and nonfiction (to include travel, miscellany, reviews, interviews, and the Salon). If the Spotlight goes to a nonfiction author, the runners up awards will go to a fiction and a poetry author, and so on. See guidelines for more details.)
We pride ourselves on giving everyone (high schoolers, convicts, movie executives, etc.) an equal shot at publication, based solely on the quality of their work. Because we like eclecticism, we tend to favor the varied perspectives that often characterize the work of international authors, people of color, women, alternative lifestylists, and straight white men—but others who don't fit into these categories sometimes do surprise us.
To have the best chance of surprising us, please take a few minutes to read our complete guidelines before you submit. We also recommend reading a few issues to get a sense of what we like—although we're always looking for something we haven't seen before, so doing so may or may not actually be helpful.
Note how each category has a few additional guidelines. These categories, by the way, are not meant to be exclusive or exact. Some Nonfiction, for example, might also be described as Travel, Humor, or Miscellany. Pick the category you feel works best, and if the piece is accepted, the editor(s) will work with you to find the best fit.
If you are a former contributor or Spotlight Author, be sure to check out the abovementioned guidelines for special submission conditions that may apply to you.
Finally, we here at Eclectica have struggled with how to handle simultaneous submissions. Now that we're using this tool (Submittable), we are accepting them, but we still ask that authors notify us immediately (withdraw through Submittable and/or email to editors@eclectica.org) if the work is accepted elsewhere.
Please submit a single story, up to 20,000 words.
Please submit up to five poems.
The challenge is to write a poem that incorporates four words pre-selected by the Poetry Editor. Open to everyone, including editors, former contributors, and anyone who wants to give it a try. Participants may submit one poem. The words for the upcoming issue may be found on the current issue's Word Poem page.
Please submit one piece of prose, up to 20,000 words.
Please submit one piece of writing or up to five pieces of artwork whose overriding purpose is to be satirical or otherwise humorous.
Please submit one piece of travel writing, up to 20,000 words. May contain photos.
By its nature, "Miscellany" is hard to describe. In the past, pieces that have appeared in this category have included academic essays, an opera, "graphic" prose... basically, if it doesn't quite fit in one of the other catgories, but it still belongs in Eclectica, this is where it will appear.
Please submit one book review or one interview. In general, pieces that are obviously intended for promotional purposes will not fare as well as those that are geared toward illuminating a given work or author. Avoid hyperlinks in the body of your piece. They will be removed. Links that are complimentary to the text may be provided at the end.
If your piece is longer than 20,000 words, please submit under this category, regardless of whether the piece is fiction, nonfiction, travel, etc.
Please indicate whether or not the piece is fictional.