Volume 12, Superposition, is open for submissions May 5 through June 30, 2025
Volume 12’s theme is bursting with creative possibilities. Whether your inspiration is a coin mid-flip, something buried deep in the geologic record, or a sweet little song about possibly-unrequited love, we’re interested. Publication is scheduled for September 2025.
What We’re Looking For
We like work that makes us think. Stories where things happen. We love if you can incorporate our theme, but won’t turn down a good piece that doesn’t.
Fiction
We accept short stories under 5,000 words. We will consider one short story per author per submission period. For flash, please send up to three pieces under 1,000 words each.
Poetry
Submit up to 3 poems.
Art
Submit up to 3 grayscale images, no larger than (or scalable to) 5” x 4”
General Guidelines:
Double-spaced 12-pt Times New Roman, with a first line indent and 1” margins all around.
New with Volume 12, our first readers are doing a blind review. Manuscripts must be submitted anonymously, with all identifying information removed.
We do not accept memoir or AI generated work. Lyrics are by invitation only.
Your submission should include:
A short (3-4 sentence) biographical paragraph explaining who you are as an author. Include any websites/social media.
The total word count and the genre (if it defies genre, note that too).
We aim to respond within six weeks, although it is not always possible. Authors retain all rights to their work; we simply ask that you not publish it elsewhere during the first six months the Lit Jo issue is out.
Who can send us work? Everyone. Anyone. The more the merrier. We read all work with hopes of finding a masterpiece, and we select work solely on the basis of craft. You do not have to live in Santa Barbara to be published in the journal, but let us know if you’re from the area or have a connection to the place.
We accept simultaneous submissions, but let us know if your story is accepted elsewhere. We are not currently in a position to offer compensation for publication.
