Please submit up to three poems in Times New Roman, 12-point font. We accept .doc, .docx, and .pdf.

Each poem should start on its own page. Please include your name and email address in the header of the first page. Please number your pages. Note if a page break also indicates a stanza break. Otherwise, the spacing of the submission will remain unchanged in publication to preserve the integrity of the poem. 

In your cover letter, include a short bio (~60 words), and feel free to upload a photo with your submission. Due to the high volume of poetry we receive, duplicate poetry submissions within the same submission window will be automatically declined.  

Generally, we are not interested in light verse or traditional rhyming poetry. We recommend reading through our previous issues to gain insight into our preferences. 

ORP runs entirely on the love and support of its volunteers. Please consider supporting our mission to make the world more equitable by including a small donation with your submission. All donations go directly to ORP's essential operations. (Donating will not change the priority or care with which your submission is read.)

Submissions are open through May 15, 2026.

This category is intended for poets who have published no more than two poems in literary magazines, journals, contests, zines, or anthologies. Submissions to this form from poets with a publication history exceeding two single poem publications will not be read. Poets who have published more than two poems are welcome to submit their work for consideration under our regular Poetry submission form category. 

Please submit up to 3 poems in one document of no longer than 10 pages total in .doc or .docx format. If your poem(s) require specific formatting, you may use .pdf to preserve the spacing. Each poem should start on its own page. Please note if a page break is also a stanza break. 

Please include your full name, pseudonym or pen name, should you wish to use it for publication, and preferred email on the first page of the document. Please also include the title(s) of your poem(s) with each poem. 

In your cover letter, please let us know how many times you have been previously published. 

Emerging Voices Poetry does not accept translations at this time. 

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, so long as you notify us immediately by using the Submittable message function should any of the poems in your submission be selected for publication elsewhere. 

Only one submission of poetry per submitter will be read and reviewed. 

Oyster River Pages will not publish any work that has been created, in part or in full, or in collaboration with generative artificial intelligence. 

We love stories that make us feel something. Give us real characters, ones that step out of the page and into our hearts. Real people (or octopi) with quirks and contradictions. Serve us heartbreak with a drizzle of humour. Surprise us with a fresh metaphor. We are looking for strong voices, that are uniquely, unabashedly yours.

Some of the writers we admire include Ayşegül Savaş, Fredrik Backman, Romesh Gunesekera, Kaveh Akbar, Shelby Van Pelt, Julian Barnes, Alice Munro, Julie Otsuka, Dalia Sofer, Elizabeth Strout, Tobias Wolff, Ursula Le Guin, Arundhati Roy, Elif Shafak, Deborah Levy and of course the greats, Marquez and Toni Morrison.

Please submit one story up to 7,500 words in .docx format. Please include word count on the first page of your document. All work should be double-spaced.

In general, simultaneous submissions are fine, but please contact us immediately if your work is picked up elsewhere. We request first serial rights, after which all rights revert to the author or artist. We do not reprint previously published work unless otherwise explicitly stated in the specific guidelines. Please include a 60-word bio with your submission.

We are especially eager to publish pieces that engage with the work of marginalized and decentered people—Black and Brown creators, LGBTQ+ creators, and creators of all levels of dis/ability, and to that end, we invite creators to self-identify in their submissions.

ORP runs entirely on the love and support of its volunteers. Please consider supporting our mission to make the world more equitable by including a small donation with your submission. All donations go directly to ORP's essential operations. (Donating will not change the priority or care with which your submission is read.)

Submissions are open through May 15, 2026.

EV Fiction Submission Guidelines

Submission Guidelines on the ‘Submit’ page

Submit Page

• Emerging Voices Fiction: Please submit one story of up to 5,000 words in .docx format. Please include word count, your full name, pseudonym or pen name should you wish to use it for publication, and preferred email on the top of the first page. All work should be double-spaced.      

 On ‘Click Here to Submit’ page

ORP’s Emerging Voices (EV) seeks to publish and support writers who are beginning their creative journeys. To that end, the first 100 EV submissions will receive at least one or two lines of constructive feedback.

 Submissions must meet the following criteria:  

• Emerging Voices have been published no more than two publications in any genre (poetry, drama, prose, nonfiction, and media). (Publications in the author’s college and/or university are exempt.)
• Emerging Voices have not published work (with a traditional publishing house) in book-length form.
• Content deemed overly explicit and/or violent will be declined without feedback.

Submissions that do not meet the above criteria will be declined. 

Emerging Voices Fiction: Please submit one story of no more than 5,000 words in .docx format. Please do not send two stories within one submission. Such submissions will be declined, unread. Please do not submit twice within the same submission window. The second submission will be declined, unread. All work should be double-spaced. Please include word count, your full name, pseudonym or pen name should you wish to use it for publication, and preferred email on the top of the first page. If your submission is declined, please wait for the next submission cycle to submit again. 

ORP runs entirely on the love and support of its volunteers. Please consider supporting our mission to make the world more equitable by including a small donation with your submission. All donations go directly to ORP's essential operations. (Donating will not change the priority or care with which your submission is read.)

Submissions are open through May 15, 2026.

Please submit one essay no longer than 6,000 words in a Word Doc or PDF format. Include your first and last name and contact information at the top of your piece. All work should be double-spaced.

Your cover letter should introduce yourself and your essay. Additionally, include a third-person biographical statement. You may also include an optional author photo as a separate file alongside your essay.

We welcome simultaneous submissions, but please withdraw your submission via Submittable if your work is picked up elsewhere.

We are especially eager to publish pieces from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ creators, as well as creators of all levels of dis/ability. To that end, we invite creators to self-identify in their submissions.  

ORP runs entirely on the love and support of its volunteers. Please consider supporting our mission to make the world more equitable by including a small donation with your submission. All donations go directly to ORP's essential operations. (Donating does not change the priority or care with which your submission will be read.)  

Submissions are open through May 15, 2026.

We love unique artistic expression with distinct points of view across all mediums. Work by instinctual makers with a clear voice. We are especially interested in, but not limited to, video art, fiber arts, and work that comments on internet culture. We look for complete ideas, compelling concepts, bold visual statements, and thoughtful execution. We are committed to uplifting underrepresented voices and emerging artists. We strive to provide a platform for early-stage artists, including those being published for the first time, to showcase their work.

What to Submit

Art portfolios 

Submissions should include the following materials:

•  Artist bio (100–150 words)
•  Portfolio statement (150–300 words) describing the submitted work
•  Five to Eight images
•  work list including: title, year, medium 

 Images should be as high-resolution as possible and suitable for digital publication (300 dpi or greater).

Video Submissions  

Submissions should include the following materials:

• Artist bio (100–150 words)
• video statement (150–300 words) describing the submitted work providing context for the work (concept, process, or intent)
•  One single video with a total runtime of 10 minutes or under.  
• Please upload your video file directly using the form. If your video is better suited for streaming (due to size, format, or quality or if the file exceeds the upload limit) you may instead include a link to view the video online (YouTube, Vimeo, or similar platforms).
• work list including: Video title, year of completion, duration. 

Submissions close: May 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time)

Editorial & Rights Information

•  Oyster River Pages reserves the right to crop or lightly edit images for layout purposes while maintaining the integrity of the work.
•  By submitting, artists confirm that they hold the rights to all submitted material and grant Oyster River Pages permission to publish accepted work digitally with appropriate credit.