Submissions

Call for submissions:

THE GENERATION GAME

We are looking for poetry/flash fiction submissions for an anthology on generational memories of youth.

What do you remember about your childhood/teenage? We want to create an anthology that documents the different generations and their diverse experiences, thoughts and feelings — a timeline of growing up.

THE DARKEST SIDE OF LOVE

To commemorate our first anthology, we are looking to expand the original edition. Send us your poems and flash fiction about how love went wrong….in your head, in your bed, in your dreams…

That 3am feeling…

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

POETRY:

Poems of no more than 24 lines, in Helvetica, 12pt on a Word or Pages document, titled with the poet’s surname. Please try to format your document to A5: In Word, click ‘Page Layout’ and set your document size to A5 (148mm x 210mm). In Pages, choose File > Page Setup. Click the Paper Size pop-up menu, then choose Manage Custom Sizes.

FLASH FICTION:

No more than 200 words in Helvetica, 12pt on a Word or Pages document, titled with the writer’s surname. Please try to format your document to A5: In Word, click ‘Page Layout’ and set your document size to A5 (148mm x 210mm).  In Pages, choose File > Page Setup. Click the Paper Size pop-up menu, then choose Manage Custom Sizes.

DEADLINES: 30th April 2025

submit@paperswans.co.uk

Frequently asked questions:

How do I submit?

Please, PLEASE read the submission guidelines carefully and follow them. They will tell you everything you need to know for each particular submission.

Does my work need to be unpublished?

For anthologies, we are happy to accept previously published work, so long as you hold the copyright. We believe that great poems should be given the chance to be read by as many people as possible! For all Paper Swans publications, you will retain the copyright to your own work.

Will I get feedback?

We’re sorry, but we simply haven’t the time to offer feedback on submissions. You will receive an email to confirm your submission has been received and another within 6 weeks of the closing date, to let you know if you have been successful or not.

How do you select poems?

We will only select poems that the editorial agrees upon and loves. If your work is not selected it is not necessarily a reflection on its merit, but rather our own personal taste and whether it fits with the other pieces and the thematic specification.

What happens if you select my submission?

We will email you and discuss things from there. UK residents will receive a hard copy of the book; overseas poets will get a digital copy.