Submissions

Rules for All Submissions

Make it clear and easy to read

Use Shunn Modern Manuscript Format. If that’s a problem, just make it neat and readable. A basic serif or sans-serif 12 point font will do. Submit work in .doc, .docx, or .rtf only. Attach your work as a document in an email to the requested address in the submission request.

We will not accept any document that uses AI.

Statement of inclusion

Our approach to diversity and inclusion is simple. Cultivate an environment where everyone puts their best self forward without fear of reprisal based on race, gender, age, religion, identity, or experience.

No Nazis. No bots.

Helping words take flight

If possible, our editors will work with you to improve your piece. It’s possible you will send us a piece we feel we cannot help you improve on. But we feel the writer/editor relationship exists to bring out the very best a poem or prose piece can be.

Projects Open for Submissions

No submissions currently open.

I will be reading novellas in December, earlier (in November) for “friends of the press”. (Friends have published with us, submitted to us, worked in some way with us, or subscribe to our newsletter.) If you think you might be a friend, but don’t know for certain, email Johanna at johanna@cicadasongpress.com.

We are also looking to publish a book of poetry by one poet (or two who write together) and will be reading sets of 6 poems, date TBA. Scroll down beneath the novella announcement to see details.

We plan to be looking for a book of short stories by a single author sometime in 2027.

We’ll be reading, in 2027, for a book of short writings (poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, recipes, playlists, etc.) on the themes of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Accessibility. Despite the current trend, we still support those ideals. We’d like to see what has impacted you, past, present, or future. What are your thoughts of how these goals can still be carried out? What is life without them?

Word count 2000 or below (1000 or below preferred), poetry is limited to 2 pages. I’d be thrilled to accept art as well or writings with visual formats. This book will most likely be free online - so no pay, but no cost to submit either.

Novellas accepted in December (2026)

A novella is a work of fiction between 17,500 and 45,000 words. To see if we are interested in publishing yours, please send:

  1. the first 5-6 pages of your work as a Word, rtf, or PDF file, attached to an email, Word is best,

  2. a query letter in the body of the email. This is my only chance to get to know you and your other work, so please include it.

See formatting requirements above (but I will accept PDFs as well, not Pages). If you submitted a novella last year, please do not send the same novella—but I’d love to read a different one.

I will read only one submission from each author. If yours is on the shorter end of the novella range, I may ask about a second one. (Or pair it for publication with another author.) I may chose to publish one, two, or none of the submitted novellas.

We are open for submissions in general from December 1 - 31, 2026. Friends of the press have the option of submitting theirs early in November. Friends of the press include everyone who has submitted something to us before (whether printed or not), people on our mailing list, and people who have press-based contact with us.

(What! You changed the date! I had mine ready already. If you are really in this position, go ahead and send it to me, but I probably won’t look at it until “reading time” starts. And yes, I—Johanna will read every submission, although I may call in help to make the final decisions.)

Send submissions, queries, and questions to: Johanna@cicadasongpress.com

What I like in a novella:

  1. a story that carries me away

  2. characters who feel real

  3. adventure (I was a child in the 70s and 80s. Watch the movies from those years to see what I mean.)

  4. genre fiction or mass market fiction (While the literary novella is a wonderful thing, it’s not what I’m looking for.)

  5. stories that blend genres

  6. (not too many) tropes (unless you plan to subvert them)

  7. settings with real atmosphere (Can I taste it?)

  8. humor (or at least a sense of humor)

    My favorite authors include: Isabel Allende, Charles DeLint, Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, Ursula K. LeGuin, Colson Whitehead, P. Djeli Clark, Naomi Novik, Alix E. Harrow, V.E. Schwab, R.F. Kuang, T. Kingfisher, Amal El-Mohtar, Nalo Hopkinson, James McBride, Susan Dennard, Ai Jiang, Katherine Addison, Margaret Atwood, Nisi Shawl, and Nnedi Okorafor. In no particular order.

Reading for a book of poetry by a single author

We will be reading submissions for a poetry book by a single author, date TBA. Minimum 60 pages, maximum 150 pages.

Lined poems up to 40 lines.

Prose poems up to 300 words.

If you use a poetic form, put the name of the form under the title.

*The “I” below is Mona, our poetry editor.

I like poems that tell me something about life or nature that I didn't know or only suspected. They can be realistic or speculative, as long as they surprise me. I want to say "Oh, wow!" or "Yes!" by the end.

I like poems so beautiful they make me cry.

I don't want work that speaks of cruelty or hatred.

Send a set of 6 poems, each on its own page.

At least half of the poems in your book must be unpublished. Make sure you own the rights to any prepublished poems.

Make your work neat and readable. Submit work in doc, docx, or rtf attached to email.

Email to submit coming soon.