Call for Submissions

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Polyphony Lit invites submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction from high school students (aged 14-18) worldwide. Students may submit for publication in our annual volume, and/or  our annual writing contests.

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Note: The first submission window for Volume 20 has closed. Stay tuned for our Fall Contest which begins on September 1st, or our second submission window for Volume 20, which begins on November 1st.

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Submission Schedule:

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Submissions for Volume 20 are open on the following schedule:

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Reading Period 1:  July 1 - September 30, 2023 (capped at 200 submissions)
Reading Period 2:  November 1, 2023 - January 31, 2024 (capped at 200 submissions)
Reading Period 3 :  March 1 - April 30, 2024 (capped at 200 submissions)

 

Submissions for our Seasonal Contests are open on the following schedule:

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Latin Heritage Contest: September 1 - October 31, 2023 
Fall Contest:  September 1 - October 31, 2023
Black History Month Contest: February 1 - 28, 2024
Winter Contest:  February 1 - 28, 2024

Asian and Pacific Heritage Month Contest: May 1 - May 31st, 2024
Pride Month Contest: June 1 - 30, 2024
Summer Contest: June 1 - 30, 2024

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Submission Cap

Please note that since we have received a significant number of submissions and are currently working to catch up on providing feedback, we will be closing each window for Volume 20 whenever we reach 200 submissions.

 

What does this mean?

• The submission window for July 2023 - September 2023 may close before the end of September, so we recommend submitting early to ensure your work is considered.

• The submission window for November 2023 - January 2024 may close before the end of January, so we recommend submitting early to ensure your work is considered.

• The submission window for March 2024 - April 2024 may close before the end of April, so we recommend submitting early to ensure your work is considered.

 

There will be a limited number of submissions, so out of respect for other submitters:

• Please submit no more than three submissions per volume.

• Please ensure that your submission follows all guidelines, including word/line limits and guidelines for creative nonfiction (submissions that do not follow guidelines will be withdrawn).

• Please submit only if you are a student aged 14-18 (submissions from writers outside the age limit will be withdrawn).

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Student Editors Read Every Submission

We have a staff of more than 150 high school students from around the world, all of whom have successfully completed our literary editing training program. 

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Editorial Philosophy

It is our privilege to read every submission we receive. We relish the opportunity to participate in this personal and essential journey of the human voice. We strive to build respectful, mutually beneficial writer-editor relationships. We honor literary achievement by bringing attention to excellence through awards and publishing much of the extraordinary work we receive.
 

Why Submit?

Anytime you submit, your work will be evaluated for publication in our magazine and, if published, it will be eligible for the Claudia Ann Seaman Young Writers Award.

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For Volume 20

Submissions during these times:

• will receive in-depth editorial feedback from our editors

• will be evaluated for publication in our annual volume

• are eligible for the Claudia Ann Seaman Awards

• Submissions are free

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Contests:

• Submissions during these contest reading periods are read by editors but do not receive feedback unless they are selected as a finalist

• Submissions cost $5.00 each for the Fall, Winter, and Summer Contests

• Submissions are free for Latin Heritage Month, Black History Month, Asian and Pacific Heritage Month, and Pride Month Contests

• Winners are:

  • awarded the Polyphony Lit Writing Award (no cash value)

  • published in our annual volume

  • offered a full scholarship for Polyphony’s editor training course

  • eligible for the Claudia Ann Seaman Awards

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