SUBMISSIONS | ABOUT US

The Dread Mule: Writers Wanted! (Jul 16, 2023)

The journal that kicks like a mule

The journal that kicks like a mule

I’m Lance. The Mule is a passion project for me. It’s an experiment in publishing, and it’s an outgrowth or my “real,” business.

You can find out more about me and what I do here:

The name comes from a concept in Southern literature — something close to my heart. Dead mules.

“A dead mule is something you can’t ignore,” the former UNC English professor said. “It makes its way metaphorically and has to make a point.”

The high water mark of the dead mule is from the south’s own, and BFF of To Kill a Mockingbird’s Harper Lee — Truman Capote. His debut, Other Voices, Other Rooms featured a dead mule hanging from a chandelier, in a run-down plantation mansion, with a spittoon dangling from its leg.

Think of this as The Revenge of the Dead Mules.

I want to feature different voices that often get overlooked. The pieces that don’t always belong in “nice,” journals or the ivory tower.

The dread mules. The ones the literati don’t like touching without tweezers and tongs.

Raw, powerful, thought-provoking, challenging, your very chicken fried heart.

That’s The Dread Mule.

Contents:

Here’s what’s here:

1. How it Works
2. What I Want
3. Content Guidelines/What I Don’t Want
4. How to Submit
5. Promotion
6. Boring Necessary Guidelines
7. How to Support the Mule

Under the Hood: How it Works

The Mule gets additions here on Medium every day I’m available for it.

It’s also published a couple other ways:

• A micro edition published every Sunday on Instagram
• A monthly edition published the last Friday of every month, in e-zine format on Gumroad
• A special quarterly extra edition published in e-zine format through my Gumroad, alongside one of my other pubs, The Bookseller’s Union. For more about the Union, hit the link below:

The micro editions are done through Instagram contests, and published through that account and associated Threads account.

I’m hoping I can get enough interest in the Mule to offer revenue sharing, and I’m shooting for Q4 2023 for that.

What that means for you: You have the ability to monetize your work here either way, if you’re a member of the Partner Program:

If y’all help me with promotion and getting our collective name out there — I’ll help you back.

I’m an open book. If you want to ask more about the future plans, you know where to find me.

What I’m Looking For

Currently accepting new writers for:

• Poetry
• Short fiction, any genre
• Flash fiction
• Experimental (blackout poetry, etc.)
• Personal essay*

One submission per writer per day.

As above, this has more of a counterculture/punk/social Justice bent than most journals here on Medium (and why I’m not solely keeping it here).

That doesn’t mean every piece has to stick it to The Man or anything.

Your work that doesn’t necessarily fit into that is still welcome — emotionally challenging is still challenging. Love can be raw.

I’m just not looking for the next Rupi Kahr (no shame. Just not exactly what I’m looking for). If you’re unsure — reach out to me here or on the Mule’s social media.

** Note about personal essay. I’m more strict with these than I am about fiction and poetry. These really have to match the editorial voice to be considered. I’m very picky about these, but you’re still welcome to submit.

If you want feedback on your writing, you can reach out to me personally via my Carrd.

What Gets Rejected

To keep it simple, here’s what I’m not looking for:

• Anything outside Medium’s own guidelines for practical reasons.
• AI, except images — but AI images do have to be disclosed, and may only be used for the splash image up top of a piece, or as illustrations alongside a written piece.
• Disparaging, demeaning, or exclusionary work toward anything that can reasonably be considered a marginalized group. No, white people are not a marginalized group; and there’s no war on Christmas or Christianity. CEOs and bro culture are not marginalized (but sigh. That’s the dream)
• How-tos. I’m somewhat flexible here, since this is a trend style (and has been off and on). Mostly, I mean “how to make money.”

Otherwise, fair game. Submit away.

How to Submit

Here’s how to submit.

1. Leave your Medium username in the comments on this post, and I’ll add you as a writer.
2. Use the “Add to Publication” option in your Medium draft page, and select The Dread Mule.
3. Tag your piece, when you submit. Editors may adjust these, but it’s usually unnecessary.
4. Submit to us, and give me about 24–48 hours.

ProMotion

As above, I’ll be handling promotion for the pub and your work, but I do ask you do some of your own, too. Share on social, engage here, so on.

Boring guidelines about attribution and images

If you’re using photography or art you didn’t make yourself — it has to either be royalty-free from sites like Unsplash (and Medium now integrates it anyway), or Pexels. If you’re getting them from outside, there’s an attribution link to copy/paste. Add that to the caption.

If you’re using AI, it goes in this format:

• Generated with [platform] by [your name]

Platform is Mage.Space, Midjourney, Wonder AI, etc., and links to the platform.

Your name links to your Medium profile.

Boring guidelines about style and links

The style is simple.

• Kickers (the line above the headline) are handled on this side.
• Heads are the title of your poem, using the style you want to use. Don’t worry about title case.
• Subheads, you have options.

For subheadings:

• Leave blank,*
• If it’s a series, use the series name
• If it’s a contest or prompt entry, that goes here,

** If you leave it blank, it’ll be subtitled:

A poem by [your name].

Or whatever kind of work it is. Short story, etc.

A one-line bio goes under the splash image, if you want it. Format is:

— a [kind of work] by [your name], [social handle] on [platform]

You’re welcome to link to the platform of your choice this way.

Bios go in the footer. Two links per footer. No emojis or blatant calls to action (ex: CLICK HERE NOW TO BUY MY COURSE 👈👈👈).

I highly recommend making an “About Me” post separately — It helps drive traffic to your profile on here anyway. You get a choice here:

• Include a link to that post beneath your footer text. Copy and paste the link, then hit enter, and Medium will generate a link block. Done.
• If you’re including a link to your Medium subscription option, same concept. But you only get one of these.

You can still link to both, but only one of these block links.

As above, I really recommend making an About Me post like mine here:

To get extra eyes on your work, and including links to your portfolio pieces there.

But you can include one other block link to another published piece, below your bio or sign-up link.

All submissions must be metered through the Medium Partner Program. This helps you make money from your work.

If you need to sign up for Medium, you can support The Dread Mule at no extra cost to you, by signing up here.

It’s only $5 per month, and can easily pay for itself. I made a couple hundred within a month of writing on the platform.

How to support The Dread Mule

None of these are required, but I gently ask you consider at least one. It helps me devote more time to y’all.

Ways to support The Dread Mule:

• Buy me a coffee. You don’t have to, but it sure keeps me going.
• Sign up for Medium using my signup link.
• When the digital editions drop on Gumroad, pick up one (or a few).
• Support Fletcher & Co. I sell old books, but also have a bunch of merch, handmade bookmarks, stickers and the like.
• If you’re wanting to get traditionally published, or you’re needing some guidance on self publishing — I can help. Reach out via my Carrd or on Ko-Fi.
• If you’re needing feedback, reviews, or help getting better — also here for that. Reach out via Carrd or Ko-Fi.

I do offer discounted rates for Dread Mule writers. Ask me about them.

I’m also very open to collaborations of just about any form. You know where to find me.

We don’t edit for content, only proofreading. You’ll get a note on your submission when it needs something, and with the publication date.

Questions, commentary, or to be added to the Mule — leave a comment on this post.

And most of all—

keep kicking.