Submission Guidelines
We are open for submissions May 1 - May 31 for our summer 2025 issue!
Are you looking to be published in a literary magazine that supports and promotes your work to others? We welcome all new and seasoned authors and artists from all ages and backgrounds to submit original material for consideration. There is never any fee to submit. ​
Important: We accept only unpublished work that has not been published in another magazine, book, or anthology (either print or digital), including if the work has been published anywhere online in social media, websites or blogs (with the exception of art). We are happy to review simultaneous submissions, but kindly notify us in your cover letter of your intent to do so or simply withdraw the submission in Submittable if it has been accepted elsewhere. You may submit for different genres, and you may contribute to multiple issues annually.
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Once we have notified you of an acceptance, we will publish your work as a first-time publication with full credit given to you as the author. All rights revert back to you upon publication, but please credit Cool Beans Lit as the first home of your work should it find another one later.
Formatting
All written submissions should be submitted in one file per genre in either .doc /.docx /.pdf format and in a legible font (e.g., Arial or Times New Roman, Size 12). Double-spacing is preferred with the exception of poetry.
POETRY: Submit up to 3 pieces with each poem on a separate page. Poems should not exceed 50 lines.
FICTION: Submit 1 piece for consideration (up to 3,500 words).
CREATIVE NONFICTION: Submit 1 essay for consideration (up to 3,500 words).
BOOK REVIEWS: Submit up to 3 book reviews (up to 1,000 words each).
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AUTHOR INTERVIEWS: Submit 1 interview (2,500 words).
VISUAL ART or PHOTOGRAPHY: Creators may submit up to 6 images (.jpg /.png /.pdf formats), which should be crisp and minimum 300 DPI. All art submissions must be original and may include drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, photographs or mixed media.
Author / Artist Bio
Please include a short bio or cover letter (max 100 words) and provide your social media handle or author website link if you would like us to tag you in our posts about your work (i.e., Instagram, Twitter, Facebook).
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Assistive Technology Users
For those who are unable to access our Submittable page, please feel free to email us your submissions directly.
Email: editors@coolbeanslit.com
We appreciate your attention to guidelines and reading periods. We strive to respond within 2-4 weeks. However, please understand that the review process can take longer during busy periods. At this time, we are unable to provide monetary compensation for accepted submissions. All funds that we raise go towards the administrative costs of running the magazine. For examples of previously published work, please click here to see past issues of our magazine.
We are listed with Duotrope, NewPages, Poets & Writers, Chill Subs and CLMP.org
Thank you for your interest in Cool Beans Lit.