Submissions
Submission Guidelines
What is Blood+Honey looking for?
We are looking for innovative, compelling, and well-written poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction that will blow our readers us away, as well as challenge us see the world we live in a different way.
We are also open to submissions of literary articles, book reviews, and even art. Want to write a column for Blood+Honey? We’re open. Just shoot us an email with a proposal and we will go from there.
What are Blood+Honey’s submission guidelines?
Prospective contributors may submit original work to one of the categories below via our Submittable account:
Poetry - up to 5 poems
Fiction - up to 3 stories (max of 5,000 words per sub)
CNF - up to 3 essays (max 5,000 words combined)
Reviews/articles - max of 1,500 words (single submission; . . query first)
Digital Art - up to 5 files (.jpg or png)
Contributors may submit again to the same category after receiving a final determination for their previous submission; however, they may submit concurrenlty to a different category.
Does Blood+Honey accept simultaneous submissions?
Absolutely! We more than anyone want artists to get their work circulated and seen. Just let us know right away if your work has been been accepted elsewhere, so we can congratulate you and remove said piece(s) from consideration. If your entire submission has been accepted elsewhere, please withdraw your submission via Submittable. If a portion of your submission has been accepted elsehwere, and you want Blood+Honey to consider the remaining pieces, please message us via Submittable which piece(s) to remove from consideration.
How long before Blood+Honey makes a decision on a submission?
We strive to respond to potential contributors within 30 days; however, response time is pretty contingent upon the volume of submissions Blood+Honey gets. Generally, however, folks will likely hear from us way before the 30-day mark.
Blood+Honey is not able to offer individualized feedback on declined submissions; therefore, such requests will unfortunately go unanswered. Every submission gets our full consideration for publication, so if a submission gets declined, it just isn’t what we are looking for.
Does Blood+Honey reprint previously published work?
While we do prefer to publish original work from our contributors, Blood+Honey will consider reprinting previously published work if (1) said piece was published in a now defunct publication or 2) if it has been over year since said piece appeared online. Previously published material may be submitted for review sooner than one year IF it only appeared in a print publication.
Potential contributors must possess right to reprint their work and must attest to that in their submission email, also providing the name of the original publisher. We would like to give credit where credit is due.
***Blood+Honey abides by the DMCA and assumes no liability for unlawfully submitted material.***
Does Blood+Honey pay its contributors for publishing their work?
We would, if we could, but we can’t, so we don’t. In all seriousness, we would love to pay contributors, but Blood+Honey is a fledgling project with absolutely no income stream of its own. While we cannot pay contributors in money, they do receive:
—the thrill of being in a cool AF lit mag;
—promotion of their work on social media and the
Blood+Honey website;
—some serious street cred (We only accept the best
of the best); and
—our undying gratitude.
Of course, as we grow, things may change and paying contributors may become a reality. Until then, know that Blood+Honey is so very grateful for your support.
Does Blood+Honey edit accepted submissions prior to publication?
Prior to submitting, potential contributors should ensure that their work is “publication ready,” meaning submissions should already be proofed, edited, and revised. If it is determined that minor edits are necessary to “make ready” a piece for publication, changes will be made without notice. Editorial privilege is a real thing, y’all!
For pieces that may require more than minor edits, but show exceptional promise, Blood+Honey may (on occasion) assist respective artists with the revision process.
Is there a required wait time to reprint original work published by Blood+Honey?
Absolutely not. All rights revert back to the artist once work is published in Blood+Honey. As far as we are concerned, if we loved it, so will some other lucky publication. Make the rounds and get your shit seen!
NOTE: All accepted work will remain on the Blood+Honey website indefinitely and will not be taken down to meet the reprint guidelines of other publications. Just something to keep in mind when submitting your “little darlings.”
What needs to be included in submissions to Blood+Honey?
All submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter and brief third-person biography; an artist photo will be requested by Blood+Honey upon contributor notification of an acceptance.
Potential contributors will be prompted to enter any required information of our Submittable page.
What is Blood+Honey’s position on AI assisted/generated submissions?
See below…
What rights does Blood+Honey ask for?
We ask for First Electronic Rights and Non-Exclusive Archival Rights to publish writing. Following publication, all rights revert back to the writer; we only ask that contributors credit Blood+Honey as the place where published original work first appeared.
NOTE: Blood+Honey will use published work (in part and/or as a whole) not only as content for its online magazine, but for promotional purposes via our website, social media platforms, and/or podcasts, as well as interviews, digital/print issues, anthologies, and print articles.
SEND US YOUR WORK!!!
What is Blood+Honey’s AI Policy?
No submissions created with AI (either partially or totally) may be submitted for consideration!
EIC will pull out his bedside copy of The Black Pullet and banish any such abominations to the deepest, darkest nether regions of Hell to writhe, burn, and gnash teeth for all eternity, as he grins and smokes a Lucky Strike.
Blood+Honey’s special poetry edition “Rules of Verse: Poetry Inspired by the Velvet Underground”
Blood+Honey is accepting subs for our special poetry edition “Rules of Verse: Poetry Inspired by the Velvet Underground” on October 1st, 2025 @ 12 AM CST!!!
Edited by Damon Hubbs and Guest Editor Sean G. Meggeson
The Velvet Underground is often considered one of the most influential bands of all time—far ahead of its time, inspiring countless other bands while at the same time expressing the dark, edgy and quirky sides of human experience. The Velvets remain a touchstone for the poetic imperatives of experimentalism, exploration of self, and artistic risk-taking. How has the band inspired you?
Blood+Honey wants your VU poetry that celebrates the band. Your poetry might focus on a song, album or explore any of the various personalities in the band or related to it like Lou, John, Mo, Andy, or Nico. Your poetry might be inspired by the Velvet’s New York landscape or their infamous Exploding Plastic Inevitable. The options are wide and deep—surprise, shock and beat us down with your knowledge of Velvet lyrics and lore.
Use of lyrics from any Velvet Underground songs in your poetry is strictly verboden —doing so will incur the wrath of the copyright gods, but referencing songs or album titles is fine.
Send us up to three poems of no more than one page in length in one document with one poem per page. No reprints—original POEMS only.
