Get Published

FOR UPDATED INFORMATION AND COVERAGE OF MILITARY-WRITING MARKETS, PLEASE VISIT: www.aimingcircle.com

Here is an alphabetical list of anthologies, contests, and literary journals that are soliciting visual or written work on themes related to military service, or have specifically called for work by military service members, veterans, and/or family members.

Please direct corrections, additions, and updates via e-mail to: sherpa AT redbullrising.com

List updated as of April 26, 2017.

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AS YOU WERE

Deadline: Various
Frequency: Twice annual
Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, visual art
Simultaneous submissions: No
Previously published materials: No
Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No
Submissions link: https://mea.submittable.com/submit/31482

Website: http://militaryexperience.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/militaryexperienceandthearts/

Published twice a year by the non-profit Military Experience & the Arts, the editors of "As You Were" seek to provide a welcoming workshop-like environment for both experienced and aspiring writers. The established submissions process allows for writers to work with editors on revisions as needed prior to publication.

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ASH & BONES

Deadline: On-going

Frequency: May be on hiatus?

Accepts: Fiction, letters, essays, poetry; also visual art and photography

Simultaneous submissions? Yes

Previously published materials: Yes, with notice.

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No

Submissions link: http://ashandbones.com/submissions/

Website: http://ashandbones.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ash-Bones/1470754909873935

"For those brave and creative souls who have dedicated their lives to the armed forces, for those witnesses to the impacts of war and military life, and for those who crave understanding of the experiences incited by war and aftermaths, Ash & Bones presents a myriad of insightful readings."

Submit poems, letters, essays, or short stories in response to the following themes: Letters from War; War Stories; Human Waste; Military Life; Military Afterlife.

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BLUE NOSTALGIA: A JOURNAL OF POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH

Deadline: On-going

Frequency: Annual

Accepts: Trauma narratives

Simultaneous submissions? No

Previously published materials? No

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? Yes

Submissions link: https://mea.submittable.com/submit/37537

Website: http://militaryexperience.org/blue-nostalgia-a-journal-of-post-traumatic-growth-vol-1/

Published by the Veterans PTSD Project of the non-profit Military Experience & the Arts: "Blue Nostalgia gives us a medium to connect to our brothers and sisters, while allowing the civilian community a glimpse into our world. There are many of us who have experienced the trauma that comes with armed conflict, but there are many more who have not, and never will. We veterans hold in our minds and bodies the history of our wars, and if the non-veteran community is to grasp who we are, what we have experienced, and what we are capable of as productive citizens, we must tell our stories.

In addition to experiencing war trauma, some of us have experienced military sexual trauma or trauma outside of a deployment. The stories of such trauma and the growth that follows need to be told."

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COLLATORAL

Deadline: On-going
Frequency: Twice annual (summer and winter issues)
Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, visual art
Simultaneous submissions? Yes
Previously published materials? Requests first serial Internet rights
Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No

Submissions link: http://collateraljournal.com/?q=node/3
Website: http://collateraljournal.com/

The editors write: "Collateral explores the perspectives of those whose lives are touched indirectly by the realities of military service. Numerous journals already showcase war literature, but we provide a creative platform that highlights the experiences of those who exist in the space around military personnel and the combat experience.

We feel these voices sometimes go unheard, and this journal captures the 'collateral' impact of military service, whether it is from the perspective of the partner or child; the parent or sibling; the friend or co-worker; or the elderly veteran, the refugee, or the protester. In any issue, you might find the haiku of a seven-year old girl whose father is in Afghanistan alongside the short story of an award-winning fiction writer. Or the first-person essay of a military spouse alongside the critical essay of an academic."

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CONSEQUENCE

Deadline: March 1 to September 1, 2017

Frequency: Annual

Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry

Simultaneous submissions? Yes

Previously published materials? No

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No

Submissions link: http://www.consequencemagazine.org/submit/

Website: http://www.consequencemagazine.org/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ConsequenceMagazine

"Consequence is an international literary magazine published annually, focusing on the culture and consequences of war. " Note: 2018 will be a "special anniversary issue devoted to women who write about war."

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DEADLY WRITERS PATROL

Deadline: On-going

Frequency: Twice annual

Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry

Simultaneous submissions? Yes

Previously published materials? Yes

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? Yes

Submissions link: https://thedeadlywriterspatrol.submittable.com/submit 

Website: http://deadlywriterspatrol.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deadlywriterspatrol/

Madison, Wis.-based Deadly Writers Patrol was started by a cadre of Vietnam War-era veterans, but issues since 2013 have included work from veterans of all eras. The magazine's editors welcome veterans' contributions of poetry, fiction, and more. Submissions by non-veterans should regard in some manner a theme of war or its effects. In addition to short stories and poems, past submissions have included excerpts from novels and memoirs, as well as personal essays.

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H.H. EGBERT VETERANS ESSAY AWARD

Deadline: February 1 to March 31

Frequency: Annual

Accepts: Non-fiction / essay

Simultaneous submissions? Yes

Previously published materials? No

Website: http://egbertroddenwa.wixsite.com/erwa/submission-forms

According to the contest website, "H.H. Egbert dedicated his life to serve the United States military in three wars. From his hardscrabble childhood, he was able to overcome many obstacles to serve his country and his family. Submissions must be written by a current or former U.S. military serviceperson. Essays can be any length from 500-3000 words. Subject matter is open and need not be about military life." Query: egbertroddenwa AT gmail DOT com

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LINE OF ADVANCE

Deadline: On-going

Frequency: Annual or twice-annual

Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, serials; some visual art and photography

Simultaneous submissions? Yes

Previously published materials? Yes

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? Copy of DD-214 or military identification card may be required after acceptance.
Submissions link: http://www.lineofadvance.org/submissions/

Website: http://www.lineofadvance.org/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Line-of-Advance/105192563012452

As of Feb. 1, 2017, the "Col. Darron L. Wright Award" contest is accepting both prose (inclusive of fiction and non-fiction) and poetry. Deadline is April 1, 2017. Contest is open to military service members and veterans. More information here: http://www.lineofadvance.org/colonel-darren-l-wright-contest/

Three finalists will be named, with $250, $150, and $100 prizes each to be awarded. Submissions may be made via the journal's website here. Make sure to specify "contest" at the end of the title field.

According to a corresponding note on the publication's Facebook page, all contest submissions will be published on the website, and winners will be chosen by a panel of veteran and non-veteran writers and poets.

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MILITARY SPOUSE BOOK REVIEW

Deadlines: On-going
Accepts: Reviews of books, mostly fiction and literary on-fiction, but open to other forms/genres
Simultaneous submissions? Yes
Previously published materials? Query editor
Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? Yes. Specifically, military spouses or women who have served/are serving in the military
Submissions: send to editor at andria816 AT aol DOT com

Website: http://www.mwsadispatches.com/node/1810
Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/MilitaryWriters/

The editor, a published novelist herself, writes: "I’m looking primarily for fiction reviews or literary nonfiction, but I’m open to other genres, too. Please try to keep it within 1,000 words (I might need to edit a little for length, with your permission). The books don’t need to have anything to do with the military (most of what I read doesn’t!) but books that deal with military themes are just fine, too."

"Contributors should be military spouses or women who have served in the military  (prior or current, active duty or Reserves, Navy, Air Force, Army, Marine or Coastie!)," she continues. "Please include a line or two about yourself and where you’re currently (or have been) stationed."

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MILITARY WRITERS SOCIETY OF AMERICA (M.W.S.A.)

Deadlines: Monthly, annual; annual anthology is currently on hiatus
Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, essays, illustrations, and photographs
Simultaneous submissions? No
Limited to: Association members in good standing

Website: http://www.mwsadispatches.com/node/1810
Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/MilitaryWriters/

"Association members in good standing are encouraged to send original work, not to exceed 1,200 words, in a text document along with a high resolution JPEG head shot photograph and a biography of 250 words, that reflects the annual theme." The 2015 theme was "Hope and Courage."

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O-DARK THIRTY (VETERANS WRITING PROJECT)

Deadline: On-going

Accepts: fiction, poetry, visual arts

Simultaneous submissions? Yes

Previously published materials? No

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? Yes

Website: http://o-dark-thirty.org/ and http://veteranswriting.org/

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/VeteransWritingProject

The Veterans Writing Project is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit that pursues a double mission: Provide writing-as-therapy resources to injured military veterans and the medical community, and, more generally, encourage and publish the literary work of military service members, veterans, and family members.

In Summer 2012, the organization announced a literary journal titled "O-Dark-Thirty." Works published by an online journal are considered for print publication in a quarterly review and/or annual anthology. Payment: Complimentary author's copy. Accepts fiction and non-fiction up to 5,000 words, and poetry up to 3 per submission. Acquires first North American and anthology rights; requests subsequent publication cite the journal as original.

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PEDESTAL MAGAZINE

Deadline: May 1 to May 21, 2017

Frequency: Themed issue

Accepts: Poetry

Simultaneous submissions? Yes

Previously published materials? No

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No.

The editors write: "For the June 2017 issue, Pedestal editors will be accepting poetry on the theme of 'war.' We welcome work from both veterans and non-veterans, and would like to see a variety of responses—literal, confessional, figurative, and metaphoric. Send up to 5 poems (no restrictions on genre or length). Please include all work in a single file. Payment: $40 per accepted poem."

Website: http://www.thepedestalmagazine.com/submissions/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pedestalmagazine/

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PROUD TO BE: WRITING BY AMERICAN WARRIORS

Deadline: June 1, 2017

Frequency: Annual anthology

Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction essay, interview, poetry, photography

Simultaneous submissions? No

Previously published materials? No

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? Yes, with possible exception of interview category.

Website: http://www.semopress.com/events/proud-to-be-writing-by-american-warriors/

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SEuniversitypress

Published by the Southeast Missouri State University Press since 2012, working in conjunction with the non-profit organizations Missouri Humanities Council and Warriors Arts Alliance, the "Proud to Be" anthology series comprises both a contest and a publication. Prize in each category is $250. "[T]his series of anthologies preserves and shares military service perspectives of our soldiers and veterans of all conflicts and of their families. It is not only an outlet for artistic expression but also a document of the unique aspects of wartime in our nation's history."

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SO IT GOES: THE LITERARY JOURNAL OF THE KURT VONNEGUT MEMORIAL LIBRARY

Deadline: Usually March 1 to June 1
Frequency: Annual

Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork

Simultaneous submissions: Yes

Previously published materials? Yes

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No

Website: http://www.vonnegutlibrary.org/journalsubmissions/?

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/VonnegutLibrary

First published in November 2012 by the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library, Indianapolis, Ind., So It Goes accepts new and previously published fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork. In most issues, work by military veterans represents more than 50 percent of the editorial content. Submissions are limited to one work of prose (maximum 1,500 words) or up to five poems, photographs, and/or works of art. Past themes include "War and Peace" (2012); "Humor" (2013); "Creative Process" (2014); "Social Justice" (2015); "Indiana" (2016). The 2017 theme is "A Little More Common Decency."

While not specifically linked to topics of war or remembrance, the journal's annual publication coincides with Kurt Vonnegut's Nov. 11 birthday, and is part of the library's "Veterans Reclaiming Armistice Day" activities. As a U.S. Army soldier during World War II, Vonnegut was taken as a prisoner-of-war, and witnessed the destruction of Dresden, Germany.

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SO SAY WE ALL: ‘SEX, DRUGS & COPENHAGEN’ PROJECT

Deadline: March 28, 2017
Frequency: One-shot anthology

Accepts: Non-fiction

Simultaneous submissions: Yes

Previously published materials? Yes, with notification in cover letter

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? Yes

Website: http://sosayweallonline.submittable.com/submit/80468/incoming-sex-drugs-and-copenhagen

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SoSayWeAllOnline/

The editors write: "We’re looking for non-fiction stories related to coping mechanisms, affairs, violating protocol in the name of escapism, mental health vacations, shore leave / R&R adventures, emergency sex, adopting a base cat, or other extreme actions taken to alleviate boredom and preserve sanity during one’s service or the period that followed during reintegration to the civilian world. [...] The tricks and tales of what people have to do to endure boredom, loneliness, heartbreak, trauma, and other human traits that undermine the all-consuming need to remain 'effective.'"

Writers concerned about negatively affecting their careers are welcome to submit under a pen name.

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WAR, LITERATURE & THE ARTS

Deadline: On-going

Frequency: Annual

Accepts: Essays, criticism, fiction, interviews, memoir, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork

Simultaneous submissions: Yes

Previously published materials? No

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No

Website: http://wlajournal.com

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/War-Literature-and-the-Arts-An-International-Journal-of-the-Humanities/345655239137

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THE WRATH-BEARING TREE

Deadline: On-going
Frequency: Monthly; publishing first Fridays of each month

Accepts: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry

Simultaneous submissions: Yes

Previously published materials? No

Limited to military service members, veterans, and/or families? No

Website: http://www.wrath-bearingtree.com/

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/wrathbearingtree/

Editors are interested in exploring politics and social issues through fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, and art. "Established and maintained by combat veterans, The Wrath-Bearing Tree publishes essays, reviews, fiction, and poetry on military, economic, and social violence written by those who have experienced military, economic, and/or social violence. We do not often draw lines in the sand, but when we do, we typically put ourselves to the left of that line. We despise kitsch, propaganda, and state-sanctioned murder. To our credit, we have not given up on the human race."