MEDIUM WRITERS | FICTION & POETRY

Submissions Guidelines for Imogene’s Notebook: Poetry & Fiction

Welcome to Imogene’s Notebook!

We are accepting writers. Submit your request to be added to [email protected], and we’ll be back with you within a week or so. Include your Medium handle and a sample of your best work already published on Medium or elsewhere. Email Subject line: IMOGENE: Request

We are looking to publish creative writing, to include short fiction and micro-fiction, as well as poetry.

Only submit work that has not yet been published on platform.

Fiction no longer than seven minutes. We will consider longer pieces depending on the work. No serial pieces, please.

Contemporary, mystery, love, romance, steampunk, realistic, fantasy, sci-fi — -any genre of fiction is fine. Well-crafted work that stands on its own, and surprises and delights readers is what we love. We aren’t looking for heavily violent pieces or erotica at this time. Sex is always fun, so it can certainly be part of your story. Swearing is allowed.

Submit unpublished drafts only, please.

Microfiction no longer than 500 words. Strong images and a complete story, please!

Poetry should be nuanced and revised. NO simple rhyming couplet poems, please. No basic rhyming stories — love, above, ever, clever, forever, etc.

Please note: we prefer NOT to include the mini essay under the poem about why you wrote the poem. Just let the poem breathe on its own. Two brief sentences are fine.

Imagery, simile, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, consonance, form

We’re looking for figurative language and evidence of time spent in the crafting and revising phase. If you’re churning out five poems per week, you’re probably working too fast for us. We want to know your name, but we also want your very finest work.

We’re willing to guide you in your approach if you need help. If you’re a very new poet, this probably won’t be a great home for your work, but we’re happy to have a look at what you’ve already published.

For examples of poetry we’d love to receive, please refer to The Poetry Foundation. We are looking for beautiful words and images. Gritty is okay at times too; real, authentic work. Nothing meant to shock. Rendering words into stanzas is not poetry. We hope to see ‘elevated’ and figurative language if you’ve got it in you. Slam style work is okay too.

For now, please follow us, and if you request to write with Imogene, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

If we see poetry and fiction on your page, we are more likely to add you. Please let us know whether you are interested in submitting fiction, poetry, or both.

Specifics

Formatting: kicker at top: Imogene’s Notebook; title next; subtitle that identifies genre. Photo or cover image must be in horizontal format. Please adjust photo same width as margins of piece. Topics: poetry, poetry on medium, poem, fiction, short fiction, micro fiction, Imogene. Stack as many relevant topics as you can. Thanks.

Photos must be clearly cited, with ALT text. Photo by author. Photo property of author. If you use Unsplash, Pexels, Deposit, etc. be clear. Use URL compressed link if it’s available. That may be the name of photographer, highlighted, with link attached. Thanks for this. No screenshots of Pinterest, etc.

Linked pieces at bottom: one is allowed. Medium does a great job with attaching additional pieces these days.

Links to other individuals: only if absolutely relevant to the story or poem.

Timelines for publishing poetry and fiction: we will communicate with you within 24 hours of your submission, generally. On a weekend or holiday, it may take longer, as all editors are volunteers. Thank you for your patience.

Thanks for submitting your work to us. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to send a note.

Debra G. Harman, MEd. Parasol Publications

Natalie Gasper, Sieran Lane, Jojo Teckina and our amazing team of support editors.